UK Post-Study Work Rights Timeline

UK Post-Study Work Rights Timeline Calculator | Graduate Route Dates
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UK Post-Study Work Rights Timeline Calculator

Enter your course end date to see your Graduate Route start date, expiry date, time remaining, and ILR pathway milestone. No data stored, no signup needed.

Based on UK Graduate Route rules (2024). This tool does not access UKVI records. Verify all dates with your university and at gov.uk before applying. Not immigration advice.

PhD and doctoral graduates get 3 years on Graduate Route. All other degrees (Masters, undergraduate) get 2 years.

Use the date on your CAS or course completion letter, not the graduation ceremony date. Your university’s international office can confirm this.

Today’s date is pre-filled. Change this to a planned future date to see remaining time from that point.

Graduate Route Mistakes That Cost Nigerians Time

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Using the graduation ceremony date instead of the course end date

The graduation ceremony can be 4 to 8 months after your course officially ends. The Graduate Route window is based on your CAS course end date, not your ceremony. Waiting for the ceremony before applying can waste months of your working time or, worse, let your Student visa expire.

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Not applying for Graduate Route early because you do not have a job yet

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You do not need a job to apply for the Graduate Route. The visa is unsponsored. Apply as soon as your university confirms your degree requirements are met and before your Student visa expires. Every month you delay is a month less working time. Apply speculatively while you continue job hunting.

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Assuming Graduate Route time counts toward ILR

It does not. Many Nigerian graduates spend their entire 2-year Graduate Route working, then realise they have not started the ILR clock. To count time toward ILR, you need to switch to a qualifying route (typically Skilled Worker) as early as possible in the Graduate Route period.

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Letting the Graduate Route expire without a switch plan in place

The Graduate Route cannot be extended. If it expires and you have not switched to Skilled Worker or another route, you must leave the UK. Begin planning the Skilled Worker switch at least 3 to 4 months before expiry to allow time for the employer’s COS and processing. Do not wait until the final month.

How the Post-Study Work Rights Timeline Calculator Works

The calculator takes three inputs: your degree level, your official course end date, and a reference date (today or a future date). It uses these to compute the full Graduate Route visa timeline, including start date, expiry date, days remaining, and how far along you are in your working window.

Graduate Route Duration: PhD / Doctorate = 3 years (1,095 days approx) All other degrees = 2 years (730 days approx) Visa Start Date = Course End Date + processing time (typically 3 to 8 weeks after application) Visa Expiry Date = Visa Start Date + Duration Days Remaining = Visa Expiry Date – Reference Date Months Remaining = Days Remaining / 30.44 Progress % = (Days Elapsed / Total Duration) x 100 Earliest ILR Date = Skilled Worker switch date + 5 years (requires continuous qualifying residence)
Graduate Route start date vs course end date. The Graduate Route visa start date is the date the visa is granted, not the course end date. There is typically a gap of 3 to 8 weeks between when you apply and when the visa is granted. This means the countdown to expiry starts slightly later than the course end date. The calculator shows an estimated range rather than an exact start date because processing time varies.

Graduate Route Timeline: Common Scenarios

ScenarioDegreeCourse endsGR expiry (est)ILR earliest (via SW)
Tunde, computer scienceBSc (3yr UG)June 2025~Aug 2027~Aug 2030 (if switched immediately)
Amaka, public healthMSc (1yr)September 2025~Nov 2027~Nov 2030 (if switched immediately)
Emeka, engineeringPhD (4yr)March 2026~Jun 2029~Jun 2031 (if switched immediately)
Student, delayed switchMSc (1yr)September 2025~Nov 2027~Nov 2032 (switched 12 months late)
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ILR dates assume continuous employment on Skilled Worker with no qualifying absences. The 4th row shows the ILR penalty for delaying the switch by 12 months.

The ILR Question: Why the Switch to Skilled Worker Matters

The Graduate Route is useful for finding work, but it is a dead end for permanent residence. Every month spent only on Graduate Route is a month that does not count toward ILR. The standard ILR route requires 5 qualifying years, typically on Skilled Worker. If you spend 18 months on Graduate Route before switching, your ILR timeline extends by 18 months compared to someone who switched after 6 months.

Switch to Skilled Worker as soon as you have a suitable job offer. The Graduate Route is a transition visa, not a destination. The moment you have a job offer from a licensed sponsor at the qualifying salary, begin the Skilled Worker switch process. Every month you delay extends the time to ILR by one month. There is no benefit to staying on Graduate Route longer than necessary once you have a sponsored offer.

Graduate Route Costs: What to Budget

Cost item2-year visa (UG/Masters)3-year visa (PhD)
Visa application fee£785£822
IHS (£1,035/year)£2,070£3,105
Biometric fee (VFS)~£19~£19
Total (main applicant)~£2,874~£3,946
At ₦2,100/£1 (illustrative)~₦6,035,400~₦8,286,600

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the UK Graduate Route (Post-Study Work) visa?
2 years for undergraduate and Masters degree holders. 3 years for PhD and doctoral degree holders. The duration is fixed at the point of application and cannot be extended later. The countdown begins from when the visa is granted, not from the course end date.
Does the Graduate Route count toward ILR (permanent residence)?
No. Time spent on the Graduate Route does not count toward the 5-year qualifying period for ILR. Only time spent on qualifying routes (such as Skilled Worker, Global Talent, or Innovator Founder) counts toward ILR. This is the most important planning consideration for Nigerians who want permanent residence: switch to a qualifying route as early as possible.
Can I extend the Graduate Route visa?
No. The Graduate Route cannot be extended. It is a fixed-term visa. Once it expires, you must have switched to another visa route or left the UK. There is no mechanism to extend or renew it. This makes forward planning essential: begin searching for a sponsored role and planning the Skilled Worker switch well before the expiry date.
Can I work for any employer on Graduate Route?
Yes. The Graduate Route is an unsponsored open work permit. You can work full time for any UK employer, change jobs freely, work multiple jobs simultaneously, or be self-employed. There is no salary requirement and no restriction on hours or job type. This flexibility is the main advantage of the Graduate Route over the Skilled Worker visa, which ties you to a specific employer and role.
When should I apply for Graduate Route after my course ends?
Apply as soon as your university confirms you have met the degree requirements. Do not wait for the graduation ceremony. Apply before your Student visa expires. Most students apply in the final weeks of their course or within a few weeks of the official end date. The sooner you apply, the sooner the visa is granted and the more working time you have on the 2 or 3 year clock.
Disclaimer: This calculator uses UK Graduate Route rules as published for 2024. Visa durations, fees, and eligibility rules may change with government policy updates. Timeline calculations are estimates based on date arithmetic and do not account for individual processing times or UKVI decisions. Verify all dates and requirements at gov.uk. DeyWithMe provides planning tools only and is not affiliated with the UK Home Office or UKVI. This is not immigration advice.
Do Not Miss This Step:  Student to Skilled Worker Switch Checker
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