International studentsGraduate visa

Student and Tier 4 visa holders, who have successfully completed a degree, may consider an application to the Graduate visa route.  The Graduate visa offers an opportunity to pursue sponsor-free employment in the UK.  UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) defines "successfully completed" as achieving the qualification for which you were enrolled, regardless of formal graduation ceremony attendance.

This guidance is specifically intended for graduates of the University of Strathclyde.

Graduate visa - an overview

You must meet all of the conditions listed below to make a Graduate visa application:

  • Have a valid Student or Tier 4 visa - if you allow your visa to expire, you will no longer be eligible to apply
  • You must be in the UK at the time of application
  • Have successfully completed your degree.  Eligible degrees are:
    • UK bachelor's or postgraduate degree
    • Diploma in Professional Legal Practice
    • Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE)
  • The University's Visa Compliance Team must have notified UKVI of your successful completion - they will email you when this has been done
  • You must have studied in the UK for a minimum period:
    • For courses 12 months or less - you must have been in the UK for the full duration of the course
    • For courses longer than 12 months - you must have studied in the UK for at least 12 months

If applicable:

  • If you received a government or international scholarship covering both tuition and living costs in the past 12 months (before the date of your Graduate visa application), you'll need written consent from that government or agency to apply.

If you previously had permission under the Doctorate Extension Scheme; you will not be eligible for the Graduate visa.

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Time spent outside of the UK during studies

If you travel outside the UK during term-time, you must have this authorised in advance by your academic department. If travel outside the UK is agreed by the academic department, and you continue to engage in your studies throughout your planned time outside the UK, your Student or Tier 4 visa status should not be affected.

The academic calendar is at https://www.strath.ac.uk/keydates/

The International Student Support and Visa Compliance Teams are unable to advise on eligibility for the Graduate visa based on past, proposed, or confirmed travel dates. You must meet the eligibility criteria at the time of application.

Please be advised, as part of the application process, you will have to share your travel history. Our teams are unable to advise on how UKVI caseworkers will assess an applicant's travel history. Therefore it is suggested you keep a careful record of travel outside the UK throughout your studies at the University of Strathclyde.

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Before you apply

The University can only make a report of your successful completion if the following details are up-to-date:

  • Your UK address
  • Your current visa is recorded on your student record

You can check both of these by logging in to your PEGASUS account and selecting the Personal Details and Curriculum History tabs respectively.

Three BRP cards and a visa vignette

Documents you need to apply

You will need:

  • A note of your most recent Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number. This will be available in the Curriculum tab on PEGASUS. The Visa Compliance Team will also confirm this when they email you.
  • Your current passport or other travel identity document
  • Your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) - if you have one

Some applicants may need to provide additional documents:

If you received official financial sponsorship from a Government or international scholarship agency covering both your fees and living costs in the UK in the last 12 months before applying for the Graduate visa:

  • Written consent from your official financial sponsor permitting you to apply for the Graduate visa.

Unlike most other UK visas, you will not be required to show finances when applying for the Graduate visa.

If any of the above documents are not in English or Welsh, you will have to provide a certified translation. 

Application costs

The Graduate visa application fee is:

  • 822GBP Graduate visa application fee - both main applicant and for each dependant who applies with them 

You will also have to pay the Immigration Healthcare Surcharge (IHS) for each applicant.

IHS costs

If you're eligible for a Graduate visa for:

  • 2 years - the IHS will cost 2,070GBP per applicant
  • 3 years - the IHS will cost 3,105GBP per applicant

Dependant children under the age of 18 will pay the discounted rate of 776GBP per year.

Both of the above costs will be payable at the point of application.

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How to apply

When starting your application you will be asked to enter a contact email address. Please do not use your University of Strathclyde email address. Please use a personal email address where you have access.

UKVI will consider and decide on your visa application within 8 weeks in most cases.

Graduate visa dependants

To apply, dependants must:

  • Be in the UK with the main Graduate visa applicant, and
  • Have a Dependant visa, and the visa must be as a Dependant of a Student only (other types of dependants are not permitted)

Dependants cannot apply outside the UK to join you as a Dependant on the Graduate visa route. This is confirmed in Appendix GR, paragraph GR 9.4.

The dependant application process is a separate application from the main applicant. While the process is separate, you and your dependants should apply at the same time.

The application link for dependants is available below:

Your dependant(s) will need your Graduate visa application reference number. This is also called a Unique Application Number (UAN) and you will find it in emails and letters from UKVI about your Graduate visa application. Please check your emails and correspondence from the Home Office for this.

An aeroplane and stethoscope on top of a passport with boarding pass.

Travelling outside of the UK while Graduate visa application is in progress

After applying for your Graduate visa, you should not travel outside the UK until you have received a decision on your application. Travelling outside the UK will automatically withdraw your Graduate visa application.

If you need to travel urgently while waiting for your visa application decision, your application will be withdrawn automatically. If your Student or Tier 4 visa is still valid, you may be able to re-enter the UK. However, you would have to make a new Graduate visa application in the UK and pay another application fee and healthcare surcharge before the Student or Tier 4 visa expires. You would receive a refund for the healthcare surcharge on your first Graduate visa application only.

Note from ISST and Visa Compliance Team

The University's International Student Support and Visa Compliance Teams can't advise on an individual's eligibility for the Graduate until an official Exam Board has made a student a final award. 

Students will need to meet the eligibility requirements of the UK Immigration Rules in place at the time of application to the Graduate visa route. It is the individual's responsibility to ensure that they meet the requirements of the route; current eligibility is shown on this page and will be updated in line with updates from UKVI.