Visa & immigration
Graduate Route visa: what Nepali students must know before Jan 2027
Everything Nepali graduates need to know about the Graduate Route visa, including eligibility, timelines and the upcoming 2027 changes.
Last checked 3 September 2026
The Graduate Route lets international students who have completed an eligible UK degree stay and work (or look for work) without needing a job offer or sponsor. For many Nepali students it is the bridge between studying and a longer-term work visa. The rules are under review, so check the official page before relying on any detail here.
Who can apply
- You must be in the UK on a Student visa when you apply.
- You must have successfully completed an eligible course at a UK higher education provider.
- Your education provider must have told the Home Office that you finished your course.
How long it lasts
The length now depends on when you apply, and there is a hard cutoff:
- Apply on or before 31 December 2026 - 2 years after a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
- Apply on or after 1 January 2027 - 18 months after a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
- PhD or other doctoral qualification - 3 years, whichever side of that date you apply.
This is why timing matters. If you finish your course in late 2026 and your university confirms your completion to the Home Office in time, applying before 31 December 2026 rather than in the new year is worth six months of extra permission. You must still be in the UK on your Student visa when you apply, so do not let it expire while you wait for results. Always confirm the current position on gov.uk/graduate-visa.
What you can and cannot do
- You can work in most jobs, be self-employed, and look for work.
- You cannot claim most public benefits, and the route cannot be extended or renewed.
- It does not count toward settlement. To stay longer you usually switch to a work visa such as Skilled Worker.
Cost
You pay an application fee plus the Immigration Health Surcharge for the full length of the visa - see our guide on the Immigration Health Surcharge. Exact fees change, so check the official page.
Planning ahead
Because the Graduate Route cannot be extended, plan your next step early: find employers who are licensed sponsors, understand Skilled Worker salary thresholds, and apply to switch before your Graduate visa expires. Confirm everything at gov.uk/graduate-visa.
General information only, not advice. Always check the official source before you act.
Written by the Belayat team from GOV.UK, NHS and other official sources, and checked again on the date above. We update a guide when the rules change.