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Under the published rules checked on 25 October 2026, a Graduate visa lasts two years for applications made by 31 December 2026 and eighteen months from 1 January 2027. Doctoral qualifications retain a three-year duration.
The application date determines the published duration
The official Graduate visa overview distinguishes applications made on or before 31 December 2026 from applications made on or after 1 January 2027. It separately provides three years for a PhD or another doctoral qualification. Read the rule against the date of the Graduate application, not the date an applicant first starts university.
Students planning a course now should recheck the rules closer to completion. A current policy is not a guarantee about a future immigration application. Do not add a course duration, placement period and a Graduate visa period together and describe the total as guaranteed working time.
| Graduate application case | Published duration at review date |
|---|---|
| Application on or before 31 December 2026 | 2 years |
| Application on or after 1 January 2027 | 18 months |
| PhD or other doctoral qualification | 3 years |
Check the course and completion conditions
Eligibility involves the current Student or relevant Tier 4 permission, an eligible course and provider, successful completion and the required UK study period. The education provider must have reported successful completion to the Home Office. An offer of a future course is not a Graduate visa eligibility decision.
Ask the university what it will report, when completion can be confirmed and how this relates to the expiry of your current permission. A graduation ceremony date and the date of successful course completion are different things.
Plan the application while permission remains valid
GOV.UK requires the applicant to be in the UK and apply before the relevant Student permission expires. Check the application instructions, documents, fees and healthcare charge on the official service when you are ready. Do not rely on a price or checklist copied from an old university intake advertisement.
Keep an application plan with the current permission expiry, course-completion confirmation and the official next steps. If your studies change, or if you need to travel near the application period, seek guidance on how that affects your case before acting.
Separate immigration permission from a career outcome
The Graduate route can support eligible graduates to seek or undertake work under its conditions, but it does not promise a job, an income or a later sponsored role. GOV.UK says the Graduate visa cannot be extended, although an eligible person may be able to move to another route.
Choose your university and course for their academic fit and an affordable plan. Research careers, skills and employer requirements alongside immigration options. Review any later work-route conditions directly rather than assuming a Graduate visa automatically leads to settlement.
Common questions
Does a September 2026 university start guarantee two years of PSW?
No. The published duration boundary concerns the date of the Graduate visa application. A course start date does not preserve an earlier duration rule.
Is PSW the official visa name?
The official route discussed here is the Graduate visa. PSW or post-study work is commonly used informal wording and can hide important eligibility conditions.
Do doctoral graduates also move to eighteen months?
The official guidance checked for this guide keeps a three-year duration for a PhD or other doctoral qualification. Recheck the current rules when applying.
Sources you can check
Open the original information and confirm the course, date and conditions that apply to you.
- GOV.UK Graduate visa overview www.gov.uk
- GOV.UK Graduate visa eligible course and study conditions www.gov.uk
Source-check date: 25 October 2026. Published information can change. Course offers, individual circumstances and official rules take priority over general examples. Read our research standards.