UK Student Visa and Graduate Visa: Graduate Visa Reduced to 18 Months from 2027

After receiving an offer for an undergraduate or graduate program in the UK, you still need to pass the Student visa stage; if you plan to work in the UK after graduation, you also need to understand the Graduate visa. Both sets of rules have changed recently, and the most important change is: for Graduate visa applications submitted from January 1, 2027, the stay period will be reduced from 2 years to 18 months. This article breaks down each point based on the UK government's official website GOV.UK (relevant pages updated in September 2026).

1. What to Prepare for a Student Visa

Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

You need to get an unconditional offer from a licensed institution, which will issue you a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). You cannot apply for a visa without a CAS, and you must submit your visa application within 6 months of receiving it. If you have a conditional offer (e.g., waiting for final grades or language scores), you must first meet the conditions to convert it to an unconditional offer.

Finances

You need to prove funds for two parts:

• Tuition fees: One academic year (up to 9 months) of tuition fees, with the amount as stated on the CAS (any amount already paid can be deducted).
• Living costs: £1,529 per month for studying in London; £1,171 per month for studying outside London; calculated for a maximum of 9 months. "London" refers to the City of London and the 32 London boroughs.

Based on this standard, for a course of more than one year outside London, you need to prepare £1,171 × 9 = £10,539 for living costs; for London, it is £1,529 × 9 = £13,761.

A crucial detail: these funds must be held in your account for at least 28 consecutive days, and the last day of this 28-day period must be within 31 days of submitting your visa application. Funds transferred in at the last minute or not held for the full 28 days do not meet the requirements.

English Language

For degree-level courses (undergraduate and above), your English must reach level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR); for below degree-level, it is B1. For degree-level courses, universities can assess your English proficiency themselves, so the specific requirements depend on the university's admission conditions, which are often higher.

Other Documents

• A valid passport;
• Tuberculosis (TB) test results: China is on the UK government's list of countries requiring testing; applicants coming to the UK for 6 months or more who have recently resided in China need to take the test;
• If under 18, consent from parents or guardians is required;
• If you have received financial sponsorship for tuition or living costs in the past 12 months, written consent from the sponsor is required;
• For certain postgraduate courses in sensitive subjects, an ATAS certificate may be required.

2. Costs and Timelines

The Immigration Health Surcharge is paid along with the visa; the longer the visa, the more you pay. For a one-year master's program, including the validity period of the visa itself, the surcharge will be for more than one year, and the system will calculate the exact amount when you apply.

Additionally, the visa will state your entry date; you cannot enter the UK earlier than the start date on your visa.

3. Bringing Dependents

This is the area that has seen the most significant changes in the past two years. Under current rules, Student visa holders can only bring a spouse and children in two situations:

• Students on a government-sponsored course lasting more than 6 months;
• Full-time postgraduate students on a course of 9 months or more, and for courses starting on or after January 1, 2024, it must be a PhD or other research-based degree.

This means that students pursuing a taught master's degree can no longer bring dependents on a Student visa.

4. Working During Your Studies

A Student visa allows you to work within specified limits. How much you can work depends on your course level and whether it is during term time. The specific limits will be stated after your visa is approved, subject to the conditions on your visa. What you cannot do includes: self-employment, working as a professional sport or sports coach, and claiming most public funds.

5. After Graduation: The Graduate Visa is Shorter

The Graduate visa allows you to stay in the UK to work or look for work after successfully completing an eligible course, without needing employer sponsorship. According to the latest rules on GOV.UK:

A few other key points:

• You must apply from within the UK, and you must be holding a Student visa at the time;
• The application fee is £937, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge (at the standard rate of £1,035 per year, £1,152.5 for 18 months, and £2,070 for 2 years);
• A decision is usually made within 8 weeks, and you can stay in the UK while waiting;
• You can do most types of work, look for work, and be self-employed;
• It cannot be extended; if you want to stay in the UK longer, you need to switch to another visa, such as the Skilled Worker visa.

This has the most direct impact on students starting a one-year master's program in 2026: most will graduate and apply for the Graduate visa in 2027, receiving an 18-month stay. When planning your post-graduation job search timeline, you need to calculate based on 18 months.

How to Plan Your Timeline

1. After receiving a conditional offer: Meet the conditions (grades, language) as soon as possible to get your unconditional offer and CAS.
2. Over a month before applying: Deposit your living costs and tuition fees into your account, ensuring they are held for 28 consecutive days, and apply within 31 days after the 28th day.
3. 3–6 months before the course starts: Complete the TB test and prepare other documents.
4. Within 6 months before the course starts: Submit your visa application, allowing about 3 weeks for processing, and leave extra buffer time during the summer peak season.
5. Before graduation: Understand the duration and costs of the Graduate visa, and plan your job search based on the 18-month period.

For UCAS application deadlines for UK undergraduate programs (for 2027 entry: October 15, 2026, for Oxford, Cambridge, and medicine; January 13, 2027, for others), see this article on the university application timeline; for personal statements and interviews for G5 universities, see this article.

Final Thoughts

The rules for UK visas are not overly complicated, but there are a few details where it is easy to make mistakes: funds must be held for 28 consecutive days, taught master's students cannot bring dependents, and the Graduate visa will be only 18 months from 2027. Factoring these into your plan in advance will help you avoid detours.

If you are preparing for UK undergraduate or master's applications and are unsure about university selection, timelines, or visa documents, you can start by having a chat with our admissions counselors.

Verification note: The Student visa, Graduate visa, and Immigration Health Surcharge rules in this article were verified against the UK government's GOV.UK website on September 26, 2026 (the Student visa guidance was updated on September 25, 2026). Visa policies may change; before applying, please refer to the latest information on GOV.UK and your university's guidance.

References:

• GOV.UK: Student visa (finances, English, documents, costs, dependents)
• GOV.UK: Graduate visa (duration, costs, eligibility)
• GOV.UK: Tuberculosis tests for visa applicants
• GOV.UK: Immigration health surcharge – how much you pay