Eligibility Criteria
To apply for the Graduate Route visa, you'll need to meet the eligibility criteria, including information on qualifications, current immigration status and current studies in the UK.
Qualifications
To be able to apply for a Graduate Route visa, you need to have completed a relevant course in the UK. Either:
- an undergraduate degree
- a Masters degree
- a PhD degree or other doctoral qualification,
or one of the qualifications listed in paragraph GR 5.2 of Appendix Graduate of the immigration rules, including:
- a law conversion course validated by the Joint Academic Stage Board in England and Wales
- the Legal Practice Course in England and Wales, the Solicitors Course in Northern Ireland, or a Diploma in Professional Legal Practice in Scotland
- the Bar Practice Course 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 requiring study at UK bachelor’s degree level or above in a profession with reserved activities that are regulated by UK law or UK public authority.
Current Visa Status
To be eligible for the Graduate Route visa, you're current student immigration status must be valid. That means you'll need to complete and send in your visa application before the expiry date on your Tier 4 or 'Student' Route BRP card.
Please note: In this case, 'Student' means someone with a Tier 4 or Student Route visa according to Paragraph 6.2 of the Immigration Rules.
You cannot switch to the Graduate route from any other type of immigration permission.
Current Studies in the UK
You need to have studied in the UK for at least 12 months, whether or not your course is longer than that.
COVID-19 concessions
If your course started in 2020 and lasted for 12 months or less, you need to return to the UK by 21 June 2021 while your Tier 4 or Student Route visa is still valid
If it started in 2021 and lasted for 12 months or less, you need to return to the UK by 27 September 2021.
Currently, there is no deadline to return to the UK if your course lasts longer than 12 months and started at any point. But you will still need to come back to the UK while your Tier 4 or Student Route visa is valid to apply for the Graduate Route visa.