You need to meet several requirements to qualify for the Graduate route. Find out what documents you need to show when you apply and if a Graduate visa would meet your needs. Visa requirements you need to meet To be able to apply for a Graduate visa you must: have valid Student visa permission, andmake an in-time visa application from inside the UK before your Student visa expiry date Important:The visa rules only allow you to be granted as a main Graduate visa holder once (no matter how many times you study)You must not have been previously granted visa permission under the Doctorate Extension Scheme (DES) or as a Graduate (main visa holder).If you have previously been granted permission on the old Tier 1 (Post-study work) route, International Graduate Scheme (IGS) or the Future Talent Working in Scotland Scheme, this would have no implications on Graduate visa eligibility.We recommend that you check that your contact information and the details of your Student visa in your EUCLID student record are up to date. If you need to extend your Student visa before your award is confirmedIf your current Tier 4/Student visa expires before your award is confirmed, you will need to extend your Student visa before you can apply for the Graduate route. You can only extend your Student visa in specific circumstances and if you have not yet completed your studies. It is important that you contact us and seek advice about your options as soon as possible.How to apply for a Student visa Contact the Student Immigration Service Qualification you need to have successfully completed You must have been awarded one of the following: a UK bachelor’s degree (an honours or ordinary degree)a UK masters degree (including integrated masters degrees)a PhD or doctoratea diploma in Professional Legal Practice (Scotland)a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE)other professional courses requiring study at UK bachelor’s degree level or above in a profession with reserved activities regulated by UK law or UK public authorities. Professional roles that have reserved activities include medical practitioners, architects, lawyers, teachers, and nurses. You need to have successfully completed the programme while you were in the UK on your most recent Tier 4/Student visa. You cannot use a qualification completed before starting your most recent degree programme. If you finished your studies with a non-degree qualification (for example, a postgraduate diploma that is not a masters degree), you are not able to apply for a Graduate visa. Visiting students:If you have studied at the University as a visiting student and your qualification has been or will be awarded by an overseas institution, then you cannot apply for the Graduate route.Study time you need to spend in the UK To qualify for the Graduate route you must: spend a minimum amount of time physically present in the UK during your studieshold a valid Tier 4/Student visa for the duration of the qualifying period in the UK Permitted study abroad as part of your course does not impact your eligibility. The minimum time you must spend in the UK depends on the length of your programme: If your programme is longer than 12 months, you must spend at least 12 months studying in the UK.If your programme is 12 months or less, you must spend the full duration of the programme studying in the UK. The University’s semester datesCovid-related exceptionsAny period of distance learning between 24 January 2020 and 27 September 2021, or remote study outside the UK up to 30 June 2022, will not prevent you from meeting the study in the UK requirement as long as: the distance learning or remote study was part of a programme of more than 12 monthsyou held a valid Tier4/Student visa during that time Documents you need to provide You will need to provide evidence of: your current passportyour Tier 4/Student visa permission (for example, an eVisa, a BRP or a vignette in your passport) You do not need to meet financial requirements for a Graduate visa. Consent letter only required for certain types of financial scholarshipsYou must provide a letter of consent from your financial scholarship provider - if all the following criteria apply: completed your programme of study in the 12 months before you apply for a Graduate visayour financial scholarship or sponsorship was provided by a 'Government' or 'International Scholarship Agency' only (for example, a Chevening or Marshall scholarship).your financial scholarship or sponsorship covered both, 'tuition fees and living costs' Check if a Graduate visa meets your needs If you are granted a Graduate visa, you are allowed to: live and work in the UKtravel overseas (this means, you can leave and return to the UK during the duration of your Graduate visa)study short or recreational courses Find out what kind of work you can acceptWith Graduate visa permission, you cannot: study a programme that would meet the requirements of the Student visa routeapply for an Innovator Founder visa if you start a business while you are on a Graduate visaaccess public funds Read the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) guidance on public funds Next step Go to Step 2: Student Immigration Service reports your completed award This article was published on 2024-07-29