UK Graduate Route cut to 18 months: apply by 31 Dec 2026

The UK is cutting the Graduate visa from two years to 18 months for bachelor's and master's graduates who apply on or after 1 January 2027. If you're eligible and apply on or before 31 December 2026, you still get two years. PhD and other doctoral graduates keep three years.

What changed

The Graduate visa page on gov.uk now lists two lengths of stay for bachelor's and master's graduates. Applications made on or before 31 December 2026 get two years. Applications made on or after 1 January 2027 get 18 months. Graduates with a PhD or other doctoral qualification still get three years.

The cut was set out in a Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules published on 14 October 2025, following the May 2025 immigration white paper. To apply, you must still be in the UK on a Student visa, and your university must have told the Home Office that you've successfully completed your course.

Two other rules make the date matter more. You can't extend a Graduate visa, so the length you start with is the length you get. And the visa starts on the day your application is approved, not the day you apply.

Who it affects

Anyone finishing a UK bachelor's or master's who hasn't applied for the Graduate visa yet. The rules are the same whether you come from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka or anywhere else. In practice, students fall into three groups:

• Your university reports your completion in 2026: you can apply before the deadline and get two years.
• Your completion is reported in 2027: you'll get 18 months, because you can't apply until your university has told the Home Office you've finished. That includes many students on one-year master's courses that started in January or September 2026.
• You're finishing a PhD or other doctorate: nothing changes, and you get three years.

Family members are affected too. A partner or child who joined you as a dependant on your Student visa can apply to stay on your Graduate visa, but their visa ends on the same date as yours, so a shorter grant for you means a shorter one for them.

What to do now

1. Ask your university when it will report your completion to the Home Office, and get the date in writing if you can. You don't need to wait for your graduation ceremony or certificate.
2. Check the end date on your Student visa. You must apply before it expires, and you must be in the UK when you apply.
3. If your completion is reported in 2026, apply as soon as you're eligible rather than in the last days of December. It's the submission date that counts, and you can stay in the UK while you wait for a decision.
4. Budget for the application fee and the health surcharge, which are both higher than the Student visa figures. Check the current amounts on gov.uk before you apply.
5. If you'll apply in 2027, plan your job search around 18 months. Start applying during your final term and line up referees before your course ends.

Put your completion date, visa expiry and application window on a dated timeline with the application roadmap, and read our UK study guide for fees and the rest of the visa process.

FAQ

Does the Graduate visa need an English test?

No. The Graduate visa has no separate English test. The rise from B1 to B2 on 8 January 2026 covers Skilled Worker, Scale-up and High Potential Individual visas, so it matters if you later switch to a Skilled Worker visa.

Can I extend a Graduate visa?

No. To stay longer, you'd need to switch to another visa, such as Skilled Worker, before your Graduate visa ends.

Does my course start date matter?

No. Only the date you submit your application counts. Two students on the same course can get different lengths of stay if one applies on 31 December 2026 and the other on 1 January 2027.