Study Visas

The Student visa is the route into UK further and higher education: it needs an unconditional offer from a licensed student sponsor, confirmed by that sponsor, together with evidence of the course fees and living costs, and — for most applicants — a defined level of English language ability. It is a sponsored route tied to a specific course and institution, permits work within limits that depend on the course level, and can let an eligible partner or child join as a dependant depending on the course and other published conditions.

The Graduate route follows on from the Student visa rather than standing alone: it is for someone who has successfully completed an eligible course with a compliant education provider, and it is unsponsored — no job offer or employer is needed to apply. It lets a graduate work in most jobs, look for work, or be self-employed, and an existing eligible partner or child already in the UK can continue living there as a dependant. Unlike the Student visa, it cannot itself be extended, and it is generally used as a bridge towards a sponsored work route rather than a route to settlement in its own right.