The expiry date of a Student Visa in the UK can be unsettling as you wrap up your studies and wrap your head around the nauseating question, what's next? For many graduates, the answer lies with the Graduate Visa. With a swift and sweatless application process, this 2-year visa for graduates can open up a world of possibilities for work and life in the United Kingdom. Let's have a look at what exactly is the UK Graduate Visa, the benefits it offers, and how to successfully apply.

What is a Graduate Visa?

First things first. It's important to understand what a graduate visa is and how it differs from other types of visa and permit in the United Kingdom. A Graduate Visa is valid for someone who has just graduated from a UK academic institution, whether in England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland. The visa grants them permission to stay in the UK for at least 2 years. To be more specific, international students who have successfully completed an undergraduate or master’s degree can apply to stay and work in the UK with their family, meaning partner and children, for up to two years after their studies. Meanwhile, PhD graduates can apply for up to three years. It's a fantastic opportunity for international students who want to take their next step in their career in the UK, continue their research at the university, or apply to their next study programme. The visa was until recently called the Post-Study Work (PSW) Visa. That type of visa was abolished in 2012, only to be reintroduced in 2021 under its brand-new name Graduate Visa. Nevertheless, the name of its predecessor might still pop up here and there, referring to the exact same thing.

Where are the benefits of the Graduate Visa?

The Graduate Visa offers many benefits, explaining why it's such a popular choice for international graduates as opposed to other visas. The Student Visa is only relevant to people studying in the UK and limits the amount of time you can work. Meanwhile, work visas are more difficult to obtain, are profession-dependent, and often require sponsorship from your current or prospective employer.

In contrast with these, the Graduate Visa is easy to obtain once you've graduated. You can then stay in the UK at your leisure and look for work. This is ideal for many graduates who were focused on their studies and research throughout the year. From one moment to the next, they are spit out by academia and find themselves among the regular non-student citizens of the country, no longer under the wing of their education institution. They must now get their bearings and begin from scratch the slow process of weighing their next steps and hunt for opportunities. Not only that, but they can finally take a breather and enjoy the UK in a way that was not possible when all they could enjoy was the coffee breaks in between study sessions and lectures. Given the meager post-study leeway offered by the Student Visa, often amounting to two or three months after graduation, international graduates simply don't have the time to find employers that will sponsor their Work Visa before they must leave the country.

A good case can be made for wanting to work in the UK after graduating. Salaries are lofty and opportunities are rife. It's good not only for your bank account, but for your CV and experience as well. And the Graduate Route is unsponsored, so you can use the time after you graduate to work, or look for work, at any skill level. You'll have the flexibility to gain work experience, undertake an internship or work as a freelancer in the UK.

This visa is as previous even if you are less career-oriented and simply want to continue enjoying and exploring all the UK has to offer, from lifestyle to nature. There is no minimum salary requirement, and there is no limit on how many international students can have the opportunity to stay in the UK through the Graduate Route, so you're not competing with anyone. Not only that, but for employers, the visa also offers opportunities to recruit recent graduates on a temporary basis without the need to invest in the employment sponsorship process.

To put it simply, this means you can work in most jobs or just look for work, you can be self-employed, volunteer, and travel abroad and return. However, what you still can't do is work as a professional sportsperson. In addition, you can't apply for most benefits out of public funds or the State Pension.

Are you eligible to apply for a Graduate Visa?

Before you apply for a Graduate Visa, first check that you are eligible. Applicants must be holding a valid student visa at the time of their application for a Graduate Visa from a UK higher education provider on the list of registered sponsors “with a track record of compliance”. Before applying, you should have completed your studies in the same year, not earlier. Furthermore, you need to have successfully completed your degree at undergraduate level or above. Finally, you must have stayed in the UK for the duration of your study. The only exemptions to this are if you studied abroad as part of a ‘study abroad’ programme.

To be eligible, you must have completed a course awarding one of the following:

• A UK bachelor’s degree.
• UK postgraduate degree, including PhD and Masters’ degree.
• A Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) conversion course, as validated by the Joint Academic Stage Board in England and Wales.
• The Legal Practice Course (LPC) in England and Wales, the Solicitors Course in Northern Ireland, or a Diploma in Professional Legal Practice in Scotland.
• The Bar Practice Course (BPTC) in England and Wales, or the Bar Course in Northern Ireland.
• A foundation programme in Medicine or Dentistry.
• A postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) or Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE).
• A professional course required to study at the UK bachelor’s degree level or above in a profession with reserved activities that is regulated by UK law or UK public authority.

A few more eligibility criteria to tick off: you should not to have previously been granted the Graduate Visa. If you're studying in the UK on a scholarship from the government of your home country, you have to meet an additional requirement, namely, that your government must have given its permission for you to remain in the UK under a Graduate Visa. For nationals of the European Union there is an additional condition. EEA or Swiss students in the UK with valid EU settled or pre settled status will not need to apply for the Graduate Visa to remain in the UK. Those without permission under the EU settlement scheme may apply for the Graduate Visa to retain lawful status in the UK.

How to apply?

There's a lot of factors to account for with regards to eligibility, but once that's done, the rest is a walk in the park. Compared to other UK visas and permits, the Graduate Visa might be the easiest and quickest to apply for and receive. The application should be made online from within the UK. The fee is £715. On top of that, applicants need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge, which is currently £624 per year of leave in the UK. Since you'll be applying for two years, you will be automatically asked to pay for two years of Immigration Health Surcharge. In consequence, a typical Graduate Visa application will cost you £1963.

To apply all you need to do is fill out a relatively short form, during which you'll be asked for the following documents:

• A valid passport or other travel document that shows your identity and nationality. Your biometric residence permit (BRP), if you were given one when you applied for your Student visa or
• Tier 4 (General) student visa. Your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) reference number from when you applied for your Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa.
• Depending on your circumstances, you might be required to provide additional documents: Proof of your relationship with your partner or children if they’re applying with you. A letter from your scholarship or sponsorship provider approving your application, if they paid for your course fees or living costs in the last 12 months.
• Once you submitted your Graduate Visa application, you're expected to receive a decision on your visa within 8 weeks. Luckily, you can stay in the UK while you wait for a decision.

What are your options AFTER the Graduate Visa term?

It's never too early to wonder about the next stage. After the two or three years of the Graduate Visa have expired, you will need to make an application for a new type of visa or leave to remain, in order to stay in the UK with lawful status. Visa options to remain in the UK could, for example, include a work visa or family-based visa, and will depend on the specific circumstances.