If a UK master's is part of your plan, one number has changed: the time you can stay and work after graduating. According to GOV.UK's Graduate visa page, the visa lasts 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026, and 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027. PhD and other doctoral graduates still get 3 years. For most Indian students applying now for 2027 intakes, that means planning around 18 months. Here is how the rule works, who is affected, and how to use the shorter window well.
What changed, and when it was decided
The cut was set out in a Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules, HC 1333, laid before Parliament on 14 October 2025, as ICEF Monitor reported. The Home Office said the change was needed "to ensure graduates contribute effectively to the economy", after data showed many holders "had not transitioned into graduate-level employment as intended".
Its own impact assessment expected "a modest impact on student visa demand", with a provisional estimate of about 12,000 fewer student visa applications a year in the long run.
The key point: your application date decides
The length of your Graduate visa depends on when you apply for it, not when your course started. Mark Bennett of Keystone Education Group put it plainly to ICEF: "Crucially, this applies to applications for the visa, not the course."
And you cannot apply whenever you like. GOV.UK says your university must first tell the Home Office that you have successfully completed your course. You do not need to wait for graduation or your certificate, but you do need that completion report. You also have to apply from inside the UK, before your Student visa expires.
Who gets 18 months: some examples
Law firm Hextons works through common cases:
A one-year master's starting in September or October 2026 finishes in late 2027. You apply in 2027, so you get 18 months.
An undergraduate degree starting in 2026 finishes in 2028 or 2029. 18 months.
By the same logic, anyone starting a course in 2027, which includes most students applying this winter, will be applying for the Graduate visa in 2028 or later, and so gets 18 months.
What about students who started a one-year master's in September 2025? If your course ends in 2026 and your university reports completion in time for you to apply by 31 December 2026, the two-year rule should apply. Confirm the exact completion-reporting date with your university's international office rather than assuming. A few weeks can decide which side of the line you fall.
What it costs
GOV.UK lists a £937 application fee, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge, which is usually £1,035 for each year you will be in the UK. Hextons estimates the surcharge for an 18-month visa at £1,552.50, which is their own pro-rated calculation. Check the official fee page when you apply, because these numbers change.
Planning a 2027 intake around 18 months
The shorter window does not make the UK a bad choice. It makes the plan more important. A realistic roadmap:
November 2026 to February 2027: choose courses with the job search in mind
Look for courses with placements, industry projects or strong employer links in your field.
Check the university's own graduate employment data for international students, and ask alumni on LinkedIn how long their job search took.
Note each course's application deadline from the university's own website, and apply early rather than on the last day.
During your course: start the job search early
Use the first term to build a target list of employers who sponsor visas.
Apply for graduate roles from the second term, not after your dissertation.
After graduating: plan the switch
The Graduate visa does not lead to settlement, so long-term plans depend on switching to a sponsored route. Hextons notes that the Skilled Worker route still needs a sponsor's job offer, a role at the right skill level and the relevant salary threshold, with possible discounts for new entrants. The shorter Graduate period simply gives you less time to find that sponsor.
Pros and cons, honestly
On the plus side, 18 months is still a real post-study work period, and a one-year master's keeps your total time and cost lower than many two-year programmes elsewhere. You also have the doctoral route at three years if research suits you.
On the minus side, the margin for a slow start is thinner. Six fewer months means fewer hiring cycles, and less time to recover if the first job is not the right one. If your career plan depends on several years of UK work experience, factor that in when comparing countries.
What to do this month
Note the rule in one line: apply by 31 December 2026 for 2 years; from 1 January 2027, it is 18 months.
If you are already in the UK on a course ending in 2026, ask your university today when it will report completion.
If you are applying for 2027, compare courses partly on employability support, not only rankings.
Budget for the visa fee and health surcharge from the start, alongside tuition and living costs, so the Graduate visa is not a surprise expense in your final term.
No course or country guarantees a job. But students who plan the job search from day one get far more out of 18 months than those who start looking after the last exam.
