Standard Visitor visa
Find out more about Standard Visitor visas
The Graduate Visa Route
The Graduate Visa route enables international students who have studied on Tier 4 or Student visa to remain in the UK to work, or look for work, for two years after graduation.
The Graduate route is unsponsored, meaning applicants do not need a job offer to apply. There is no minimum salary requirement nor cap on numbers. Graduates on the route will be able to work flexibly, switch jobs and develop their career as required, including self-employment.
It is not permitted to study on a course that is normally sponsored in the Student route, so this visa is not suitable for graduates progressing to further study, either at Richmond or elsewhere. These graduates should apply for further leave in the Student route.
How to apply
To apply, you must have successfully completed your course at Richmond. When you successfully complete your course, we will report this to the Home Office via their online system. You will be notified when this is done, this process will normally take place in the week after results are confirmed by the Exam Boards.
Please wait for this notification before applying, otherwise your application may be refused and your application fee will not be refunded.
When to apply
Applications must be made inside the UK before your current Tier 4 / Student visa expires. Normally, you must have been studying within the UK throughout the course to be eligible. You will need the CAS number you used for your current visa to apply, so you should make sure you have this available.
Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision within 8 weeks. You can stay in the UK while you wait for a decision, and you can work full time whilst awaiting a decision, even if your Tier 4/Student visa has subsequently expired.
Overview information about the Graduate route can be found on the UK Government website. In addition, the Home Office has published an information booklet for graduating international students. We encourage you to read this, as it has helpful guidance on the application process.
Further Information
The Graduate visa route is not a sponsored immigration route, and therefore we are not able to provide detailed immigration advice or an application checking service. We will, however, do our best to direct you to the information you need to apply. UKCISA provides a useful source of information on the graduate route and other post study visa options.
Contact our UKVI Compliance Officer at dibellor@richmond.ac.uk
