Working in the UK after you graduate

There are many options available for international students to stay in the UK after they graduate. Before you secure a graduate role, you should consider the type of visa you will need. You can find a full list of work visa options on the UK Government website. Below is further information about the two most popular visa routes for our international graduates.

Visa rules change regularly so keeping up to date with the latest information is crucial. UKCISA is a good resource for updates on the latest immigration news including changes to visas.

Below is further information about the two most popular visa routes for our international graduates.

Graduate Route Visa

Under the Graduate Route Visa, international students can stay in the UK for up to 2 years after graduation. PhD Graduates can apply to stay for up to 3 years.

The Graduate Route is unsponsored, which means you do not need a job offer to apply. During your visa, you can:

work, with no minimum salary requirement
work as a freelancer
look for work at any skill level
gain work experience and undertake an internship

How to apply

You must apply for the Graduate Route Visa before your current Tier 4/Student visa expires.

However, you need to wait until the university confirms that you have successfully completed your course and that this information has been verified by UKVI. You will receive an email from the university once this has happened and then you will be eligible to apply for the Graduate Route visa.

When you apply, you will need to pay a £822 application fee, plus the healthcare surcharge of £1035 for each year you’ll be in the UK.

Learn more about applying for the Graduate Route Visa

Skilled Worker Visa

A Skilled Worker Visa allows you to stay in the UK for up to 5 years with an approved employer and eligible job.

You must have a confirmed job offer before you apply for this visa. You’ll receive a Certification of Sponsorship (CoS) when you receive your offer. Your job will need to meet the minimum salary requirement for the type of work you will be doing.

Learn more about the requirements for a Skilled Worker Visa

How to apply

You can apply for the visa before the end of your programme, but cannot start full-time work until after your course completion date (according to the completion date on your CAS). When you apply, you will need to pay an application fee of £719-£1,500, plus the healthcare surcharge of £1035 for each year you’ll be in the UK.

Learn more about applying for a Skilled Worker Visa

Further Visa Research

Take a look at the following resources to find further advice on working in the UK after you graduate:

Targetjobs – international students guide to job hunting in the UK, plus advice and tips about gaining work experience in the UK
Targetjobs – international student visa and permits for working in the UK
UKCISA – the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) is the UK's national advisory body serving the interests of international students and this link provides a useful summary of visa routes for international students
UK Visas and Immigration – the UK Government's official visa and immigration information for working in the UK
Accredited immigration advisers – search by region to find immigration advice near you and immigration advisers specialising in particular types of immigration, asylum or nationality cases

Support with finding a graduate job

We can support you with securing a graduate job - from perfecting your applications to feeling confident in interviews. Our online resources have everything you need to know about graduate jobs - where/when to look, how to tackle your job search, expert advice and tips on managing job offers and salaries, and looking after yourself during this process.

Get support with graduate job applications