Key points at a glance
At Reeds Solicitors LLP, our Immigration Law team can advise and represent you on Graduate visa applications, helping you make the transition from studying to working in the UK.
We can assess your eligibility, review your Student visa and course completion evidence, and manage your application from start to finish.
Our Immigration Solicitors are ranked highly in the Legal 500 2026 and Chambers and Partners 2026.
The Graduate visa allows international students who have successfully completed an eligible course in the UK to stay on and work, or look for work, without needing employer sponsorship. It’s one of the most flexible visa routes available, since it places no restriction on the type of job you take, and it does not require you to be sponsored by an employer in the way that the Skilled Worker route does.
The Graduate route is time-limited and cannot be extended, so it’s best thought of as a bridge; a period in which to gain UK work experience and, if you find the right role, move on to a longer-term route such as the Skilled Worker visa.
Getting the timing and the application right at the point you finish your studies matters, since the visa must be applied for while your Student visa is still valid.
Who can apply for a Graduate visa?
You can apply for a Graduate visa if you are in the UK, currently hold a Student visa or Tier 4 visa, and your student sponsor has confirmed to the Home Office that you have successfully completed your course. Your course must be a UK bachelor’s degree, postgraduate degree, or another eligible qualification, such as a PhD.
In addition to successfully completing an eligible course, you must have studied in the UK for the minimum period required by the Immigration Rules. The exact requirement depends on the length of your course and your individual circumstances. If any part of your studies took place through distance learning, or if you are unsure whether you have spent enough time studying in the UK, it’s important to seek advice before applying. We can assess your study history and confirm whether you meet the requirements for the Graduate visa route.
You must apply from within the UK before your Student visa expires. You cannot apply for a Graduate visa from outside the UK, and you cannot apply if you have already used the Graduate route once before, since it can only be used once.
There is no minimum salary, job offer, or sponsorship requirement for this route, which distinguishes it from most other UK work visas.
Visa duration
The Graduate visa is granted for two years for those who completed a bachelor’s or master’s degree, or three years for those who completed a PhD or other doctoral qualification. if the application is submitted on or before 31 December 2026. Applications made from 1 January 2027 will generally receive 18 months permission. PhD and other doctoral graduates continue to receive three years permission. It cannot be extended under any circumstances. If you want to remain in the UK after your Graduate visa expires, you need to switch into a different route, most commonly the Skilled Worker visa, before your Graduate visa runs out.
During the visa, you can work in almost any type of employment, be self-employed, or look for work, with very limited exceptions such as professional sportsperson roles.
Application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge
The Home Office fee to apply for a Graduate visa is £937. You will also need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge, which is charged at the standard rate of £1,035 per year of the visa. For the standard two-year Graduate visa, this comes to £2,070, bringing the total cost of the application, before any dependant fees, to around £3,007.
Partners and children who were dependants on your Student visa can usually apply to extend their permission alongside your Graduate visa application, subject to separate fees and requirements.
Preparing to switch to a longer-term visa
Because the Graduate visa cannot be extended, many holders use the two or three years to secure sponsored employment under the Skilled Worker route or another suitable category. It’s worth thinking ahead well before your Graduate visa is due to expire, since switching to a sponsored route requires the new employer to hold a sponsor licence and issue a Certificate of Sponsorship, which takes time to arrange.
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How Reeds Solicitors Can Help
Youth Mobility Scheme applications are usually straightforward on paper, but the ballot process, the strict financial evidence timing, and the differences between participating countries can catch people out. Missing a ballot window or submitting financial evidence outside the permitted dates can mean a lost opportunity for that year.
At Reeds Solicitors, we advise on the specific requirements and timelines that apply to your nationality so that you do not miss a critical deadline.
We confirm your eligibility based on your nationality, age, and personal circumstances, and advise you on whether you need to enter a ballot or can apply directly.
For nationalities subject to a ballot, we advise you on registration timing and help you prepare so that you are ready to submit a complete application within the window given if you are selected.
We check that your savings evidence meets the strict 28-day holding requirement and the specific timing rules for this visa category, helping you avoid a common and easily avoidable reason for refusal.
We complete and review your visa application, advise on identity verification through the UK Immigration: ID Check app or a visa application centre appointment, and manage the process through to a decision.
If your nationality allows an extension, we advise on the process and timing for extending your visa. We also advise on what options may be available to you if you want to remain in the UK longer term after your Youth Mobility Scheme visa expires.
Frequently Asked Questions
The scheme is open to citizens of Andorra, Australia, British Nationals (Overseas), Canada, Hong Kong (SAR passport holders), Iceland, India (through the India Young Professionals Scheme, which is closely related and often referenced alongside YMS eligibility), Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, South Korea, Taiwan and Uruguay. British Nationals (Overseas) and citizens of Hong Kong and Taiwan can also apply through a separate ballot allocation.
From 8th April 2026, the application fee is £340. You will also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge at the reduced rate of £776 per year, meaning £1,552 for the standard two-year visa, bringing the total to around £1,892.
You need to show at least £2,530 in personal savings, held for a consecutive 28-day period, with the 28th day falling within 31 days of your application date.
Where demand exceeds the annual quota for a particular nationality, applicants register during a specific entry period and are selected by random ballot. Selected applicants are given a limited window to submit their full visa application. Not all participating countries use a ballot; this depends on demand relative to the quota for each nationality.
Citizens of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand can extend their visa for one further year, up to a maximum stay of three years. Other nationalities currently cannot extend beyond the initial two-year grant.
No. You cannot bring dependent children on this visa. A partner can accompany you, but only if they separately qualify for and hold their own visa.
No. The Youth Mobility Scheme visa does not lead directly to Indefinite Leave to Remain. It’s a temporary route intended for young people to live and work in the UK for a limited period. If you want to remain longer term, you would need to switch into a different visa category that leads to settlement.
Most participants need to be aged 18 to 30 at the time of application. Some nationalities, including Canadian citizens, have an extended age range up to 35 under their specific bilateral agreement with the UK. We advise on the exact age range that applies to your nationality.
No. The Youth Mobility Scheme visa must be applied for from outside the UK. If you are already in the UK on a different type of visa, such as a Student visa, you cannot switch into the Youth Mobility Scheme category while remaining in the country. You would need to leave the UK and apply from abroad, and there is no guarantee you would be selected if your nationality is subject to a ballot.
Yes, in most cases. While you cannot extend a Youth Mobility Scheme visa (except for citizens of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, who can extend by one year), you can generally switch from within the UK into another eligible category before your current visa expires, such as the Skilled Worker visa, Innovator Founder visa, a Student visa, or a family visa, provided you meet the requirements of the new route. You must submit your new application before your Youth Mobility Scheme visa runs out, and your partner or dependants would need to apply separately, since they cannot switch automatically with you.
No. Time spent on a Youth Mobility Scheme visa does not count towards the qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain. If you switch into a route that does lead to settlement, such as the Skilled Worker visa, your settlement qualifying period generally starts from the date of your new visa, not from when you first arrived on the Youth Mobility Scheme.
The Youth Mobility Scheme is a valuable opportunity, but the ballot timing and eligibility rules vary by nationality and can change from year to year. Our immigration team at Reeds Solicitors can advise you on the current position for your country and help you put together a strong application.
You can contact us through the Reeds Solicitors contact page on our website, by calling 0333 240 7373, or by emailing [email protected].
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