The Graduate Immigration route allows you to apply for a visa to remain in the UK for two years after successfully completing your studies to undertake work. If you successfully complete a PhD you will be granted a three year visa to undertake work.
If you successfully apply for this visa you will be able to undertake any work at any skill level, with the exception of being a professional sportsperson or coach.
We have provided answers below to a range of frequently asked questions regarding the Graduate Route Immigration Visa. If you have any further questions please contact the International Advice team by email at internationaladvice@lincoln.ac.uk.
In order to meet the academic requirements of the Graduate Route, the University must have confirmed to the Home Office that you have ‘successfully completed’ your course. Please refer to the ‘Will I be eligible to apply?’ section for further information about what this means.
In most cases, if you meet this academic requirement the University will report this to the Home Office within two weeks of your final results being released, following a Board of Examiners. If you are unsure when you may receive your final results please contact your School.
The University will inform you once this report has been made to the Home Office and it is at this point that you can submit your application to the Home Office. You can submit your application via the UK government webpage here.
You can also find further information about how to apply by clicking here.
If your visa will expire within two weeks of your results being released please email GIRVisa@lincoln.ac.uk to inform us of this and we may be able to make an early report. If you do not hear from us before your visa will expire you should still submit the Graduate Route application before your visa expires.
For further information please refer to the Graduate Route section (page 6) of the CAS Issuance Policy by clicking here.
The application fee will be £700 and an Immigration Health Surcharge Payment will also be required. The Immigration Health Surcharge Payment due will be £624 x per year of permission that you will be granted.
Please note that a full assessment of your eligibility must be completed by the Home Office, however below are some of the points you will be required to meet. Please be aware that these are subject to change with little or no notice.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic the Home Office have made some exceptions to the length of time you must have been studying from within the UK to be eligible for the Graduate Immigration Route Visa.
For guidance is applying any of these concessions, please contact the International Advice team at internationaladvice@lincoln.ac.uk