Graduate Visa UK: Guide on Post Study Work Visa in UK for Indian Students

With the changing political powers in the UK, Indian students experienced uncertainties regarding the graduate visa. A significant drop in visa applications was also witnessed leading to recession, and course closure resulting in financial losses to the educational institutes. Therefore, retaining a graduate visa UK, allows Indian students to gain practical work experience in their relevant fields.

But, what is the major reason behind this decision? Migration Advisory Committee highlighted the importance of the graduate route visa in the UK economy. From 2022 to 2023 around 210,000 graduate visas are granted for two years contributing 45% of fees to support 513,600 jobs. However, India contributes significantly to these numbers, hence, providing better safety treaties between the two countries. Ensuring the protection of students from work exploitation with fair pay to the Indian students. To explore more about the recent modifications in the graduate route visa UK, keep reading!

What is a Graduate Visa UK?

In 2021, the UK Government introduced a graduate visa for international students encouraging students to pursue their education there. The visa is also called post-work visa allowing students to extend their stay by 2 years in the UK. However, this graduate visa is provided to individuals who have completed their bachelor’s, master’s, or other eligible courses from the UK. For doctoral degree students, the graduate visa is eligible for 3 years. You can avail following benefits out of the graduate visa.

Advantages of a UK Graduate Visa:

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  You can search for work that interests you most.
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  Apply for most of the jobs.
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  Start your own business.
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  Can switch to a skilled worker visa.
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  Bring dependables (friends or family), if eligible.

If you’re still pursuing your education in the UK or planning to do so, you should know about the work opportunities for international students in the UK. Read here.

Recent amendments in the UK Graduate Route Visa

Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) annual report, 2024 reviewed the graduate route UK. They drew some common conclusions and introduced minor tweaks to make the policy to make it more effective. While major terms and conditions remain unchanged.

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  Dependables like parents visa for graduation ceremony UK, can't be granted while you’re looking for work. So, opting for a tourist visa becomes a great choice.
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  In case you're employed and want to bring your family member to the UK. Then you need to show an income proof of a minimum of INR 3,112,137 (£29,000) per year.
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  Other than the above-mentioned requirements there is something else to be fulfilled. A bank statement showing a minimum of INR 9,497,383 (£88,500) is needed to sponsor the visa. 
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  However, an individual on a graduate visa is exempted from some benefits. They can't access to the public funds and state pensions.
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  If you are planning to get a visa for masters in UK then consider extending your study visa as you’re not allowed to study on a graduate visa. Apply only if the course requires a graduate visa.

What is the Graduate Visa UK Eligibility Criteria?

Gov UK graduate visa has stated some requirements that a person needs to fulfil while they are filling an application for the visa. These are simple requirements that can be fulfilled easily hence, making the approval of a visa easy.

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  You're presently living in the UK, hence, apply before your current visa expires.
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  Your current visa should be either a study or tier-4 (general) visa.
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  A declaration from the university to the home office regarding your course completion.
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  Completed your bachelor's, postgrad, or any other eligible course from the UK.

Along with these basic requirements, some documents are also needed before the application submission.

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  Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) 
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  Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) reference number

Both the documents are prepared at the time of student visa hence, ensure to safeguard.

Top Benefits of the Graduate Immigration Route

The Graduate Route has helped many students settle in the US because it provides the following benefits:

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  You can look for a job or start a new business at any skill level.
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  It doesn’t require employer sponsorship, unlike a work visa, thus offering flexibility to recent graduates.
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  The Graduate Route brings you one step closer to permanent settlement. It also provides a buffer period for applying for a skilled work visa with longer validity.
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  You can gain valuable experience on this visa, which will help increase your earning potential in the future.
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  You can explore the UK labor market and gain insights during the two-year tenure provided by the Graduate Route.

How to Apply for a Graduate Visa?

Applying for the graduate visa is easy, just make sure that you have all the related documents prepared beforehand. Take a close look at the process that needs to be followed:

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  Visit the official website of the UK government and click on apply for a graduate visa. You can use the following link.

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  You’ll be redirected to the window where the application process starts with a basic questionnaire.

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    Where are you planning to live?
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    Do you have a current EU, ESS, or Swiss Passport? For Indian Students on study visas, this will be answered as “No”.
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    Do you have a valid UK biometric residence permit (BRP)? This is the Proof of identity you need before applying. 
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    Is your name on your biometric residence permit the same as on your current passport? If it differs from your passport name then make sure you hold the required certificates to prove your identity.

   
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  After this basic questionnaire, you will be asked about the technical requirements to proceed further. If your system meets the mentioned requirements then click on <Continue>.

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  A new page will open, asking you to create an account. If you are applying for someone else, ensure you have the required documents.

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  During account creation, enter your name, date of birth, Biometric ID, and all other necessary information. Recheck the filled information before submitting. Yah! you’ve created an account. 
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  In the following steps, verify your account with the OTP sent over your email or phone number. At the end of this step, you will get a Unique Application Number (UAN), which helps in tracking the progress of the application.

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  When you have received your UAN click on continue. Here your application will be divided into 4 sections. First, you have to upload your Biometric ID for identification. Step-by-step complete the application and it is preferable to continue over a smartphone for convenience.

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  At the last, it will ask you to make a payment. After paying the application fee you will receive an email from the gov uk graduate visa as an acknowledgment.
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  Within 8 weeks, you will be called out at the visa office for verification. If your application is approved then you will receive a confirmation mail otherwise, they will explain the loopholes.

What is the cost of a Graduate Visa UK?

The cost may vary depending on the documents you hold while applying for the UK Graduate Visa. Here is a breakdown to help you understand.

Application Fee is ₹87918.33 (£822). There is a healthcare surcharge of ₹110700.08 (£1,035) per year, which totals ₹221400.16 (£2,070) for two years. Therefore, the total cost of the graduate visa is ₹5,74,249.99 (£5,369).

The cost will add on if you don't have access to any of these documents like your degree, Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), and Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) reference number received while you applied for the student visa.

Common Mistakes To Avoid During Graduate Visa UK

Many students unknowingly commit some mistake while applying for the Graduate Visa. Some of them are listed below:

Not Meeting Eligibility Criteria:

Some students apply without checking the eligibility criteria such as completing a qualifying course or having a valid student visa before applying for the Graduate Visa.

Submitting the Incomplete or Invalid Document:

A Graduate Visa requires numerous documents and if you submit incomplete or invalid documents then your application will either get rejected or delayed. Thus, review your documents carefully before submitting them. 

Insufficient Financial Support:

For the graduate visa, you have to submit the financial documents and if the visa officer considers the provided documents insufficient then you will receive a rejection letter. Therefore, apply after arranging the asked amount. 

Overstaying on Previous Visa:

It's important to comply with all UK immigration rules, including not overstaying your student visa. If you have an overstaying history then you are not eligible for the Graduate Visa. 

Applying Too Late After Course Completion:

The Graduate Visa Route accepts the application if are apply within two months of course completion. Therefore, ensure to apply within the timeline.

How to Secure a Job During the Graduate Immigration Route Period?

The Graduate Immigration Route provides you with 2 years to find a job and get settled, giving you the opportunity to plan your next steps. Use these years wisely:

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  Build a network by connecting with people. You can do this through social media or by becoming part of a club at your college.
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  Leverage university resources like job boards, employer contacts, workshops, and personalized advice.
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  If you're unable to secure a full-time job, look for part-time internships and consider taking on a side hustle to support your stay.
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  Certain sectors are more likely to offer job opportunities to graduates, such as technology, healthcare, finance, engineering, and consulting.
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  Focus on your skills and polish your resume to stay competitive in the evolving job market.

10sec Snapshot

If you’re overwhelmed with the above content here is a digestive chunk for you of the overall content that helps you understand the graduate visa process easily.

Apply for the graduate visa UK before your study or tier-4 (general) visa expires. The cost of a graduate visa uk is around ₹310,355 including the application fee and healthcare surcharge. Identification proof and declaration of course completion are additional documents required for the application for a graduate visa UK. In case, you want to apply for a graduation visa for parents uk then you need to have a minimum ₹3,112,137 annually along with a bank statement of ₹9,497,383 to sponsor the visa.

Frequently Asked Questions