You can only apply for a Graduate route visa in the UK. There is no provision to apply from outside the UK. If you qualify to apply for a Graduate route visa and you wish to do so but you are currently outside the UK with a valid Tier 4 or Student Route visa, you must travel to the UK before your visa expires.
Your deadline to apply for the Graduate route visa in the UK is the expiry date on your BRP card/visa document. You must have studied your entire course within the UK if your course duration was less than 12 months. If your course was more than 12 months, you must have studied in the UK for a minimum of 12 months. There are some temporary concessions to this requirement if you have been distance learning outside the UK in response to Covid-19:
1. Courses that started in 2020 with a study duration of 12 months or less – you must return to the UK by 21 June 2021 while your Tier 4 or Student Route visa is still valid.
2. Courses that started in 2021 with a study duration of 12 months or less – you must return to the UK by 27 September 2021 while your Tier 4 or Student Route visa is still valid.
3. Courses that started anytime with a study duration longer than 12 months – currently appendix Graduate and the Covid-19 concessions guidance do not state a specific deadline for students to return to the UK, however you will be expected to return to the UK while your Tier 4 or Student Route visa is still valid to be eligible to apply for the Graduate Route visa.
For more details on this requirement, please visit the UKCISA website and read the Study in the UK, including Covid-19 information chapter.
For more information, please visit the International Student Support (ISS) website. Alternatively, submit a Compass enquiry and an ISS Adviser will help you.
Published: 19 May 2021