華威大學有關Graduate Route Work Visa的介紹頁面

Section 1: Purpose and Contents of this page:

This page has been made to provide guidance on the Graduate Route under the Immigration Rules.
Please see our Step-by-Step Application Guide and read our information on when to apply carefully if you are considering making an application.
Please ensure you have carefully read the guidance provided for your situation BEFORE you contact Student Immigration.

Section 2: What is the Graduate Route? What can I do with this visa?

The Graduate Route is an unsponsored, post study work visa.

Successful applicants will receive a 2 year visa (for those who have completed a Bachelors or Masters degree), or a 3 year visa (for those who have completed a PhD).
You can only apply for the Graduate Route visa once. Therefore, if you are considering further studies in the UK, you may wish to postpone applying for the Graduate Route visa until you have completed all the desired academic studies.
This scheme doesn't lead to settlement (permanent residency in the UK).
Therefore, if your aim is to remain in the UK longer term, holding this visa will give you a period of 2 or 3 years (depending on your level of study) to look for and secure a job which attracts Skilled Worker sponsorship, at which point you can switch to the work visa. You may also be able to switch to a Start Up visa if you are interested in setting up your own business.

Working on a Graduate Route Visa:

Graduates on this route can work flexibly, switch jobs and develop their career as required.
This includes self-employment, voluntary work, part-time, full-time, permanent, fixed term or casual contracts, but not work as a professional sportsperson.
There are no minimum salary requirements or minimum number of hours you can work for this route.
If you current hold a Student Visa sponsored by Warwick, you have certain work rights attached to this. In most cases, you remain subject to your Student Visa Work Conditions until a Graduate Route Visa is granted.

The exception to this is where:
You applied for your current Student Visa on or after 6 April 2022 and;
You have made a valid application for a Graduate Route Visa before the expiry date of your Student Visa, having successfully completed your course and;
A decision has not been made on the Graduate Route application, or where a decision has been made, any Administrative review against a refusal of that application has not been finally determined

If all of the above apply, you may start employment in a full-time permanent vacancy, even though this would not otherwise be permitted with a Student Visa.

Studying on a Graduate Route Visa:

Graduates on the route can only study courses that cannot be sponsored under the Student Route.

Examples of the type of study which may be permitted under this route can be:



Part-time undergraduate course


Some English language courses


Some professional courses


Any study at a college or university that is not a Student route visa sponsor


Online study


Evening classes


Recreational courses
The restrictions on study do not apply to Dependants of Graduate Route Visa holders, with the exception of working as a professional sportsperson or studying as a doctor/dentist in training.
You must check with any course provider in advance whether you have the Right to Study on a course with them using a Graduate Visa. This is not possible for the majority of courses at Warwick.

Section 3: Who is the Graduate Route for?

This route is for a Warwick Student in the UK who wants to work, or look for work, following the successful completion of an eligible course of study at Warwick on at Bachelor’s degree-level or above. Your degree must be awarded by the University of Warwick.

You must meet the eligibility criteria for this route, including having held a Student Visa (including a Tier 4 Visa) for 12 months or more. If you studied the majority of your course under a different visa category, e.g., a dependant visa, please check with us about your eligibility.

You must meet the application requirements..

Alternatives to the Graduate Route:
If you have secured a job offer which lasts for 2 years or longer and your employer is a able to sponsor you with a Skilled Worker visa, in most cases a Skilled Worker visa is a better option than the Graduate Route visa as it leads to settlement (permanent residency in the UK). However, Skilled Worker visas are tied to an employer and job which means you need to switch visa if you wish to switch job. The Graduate Route visa is an unsponsored route and so you are free to change jobs whilst holding this visa.

Dependants:

If your dependant(s) are already in the UK and hold a dependant visa linked to your Student Visa, and you and your dependant(s) meet the application requirements, then they can apply under the Graduate Route.

You will not be able to add any new dependant(s) to your Graduate Route application, if they were not dependant(s) on your current Student Visa, unless they are children born in the UK during your current Student Visa.

Please see the Dependant requirements section below.

Section 4: Where can I apply for the Graduate Route Visa?

You can only apply under the Graduate Route from within the UK.

You must submit the application via the government website here

Please see our step-by-step guide to completing the application form.

Section 5: When do I apply for the Graduate Route Visa?

You MUST NOT make a Graduate Route Visa Application until you have received an email notification from the University of Warwick specifically confirming you can apply, as well as having met the other application requirements.

If you make an application sooner:
It will be refused by the UKVI
AND
You will not receive a refund of your application fee
AND
You will need to declare the refusal on all future UK visa applications