How Long Can I Stay in the UK After My Student Visa Expires?

Student Visa Expiration

The Student Visa typically allows you to stay in the UK for the whole duration of your studies. Typically, those aged 18 or over who are studying at a licensed UK university at degree level or higher will be allowed to stay for up to 5 years.

Those studying below degree level will typically be granted a stay of up to 2 years.

Once your Student visa expires, you must either leave the UK immediately or have already submitted another application to extend your stay. If you have not applied to extend your stay and you remain in the UK beyond your visa’s validity period, you will be considered an overstayer and may face criminal charges.

If you have applied for a new permission before your Student visa’s expiry, you will be able to stay in the UK until you receive a decision on your application. If your application is denied, you will have to leave the UK immediately.

Applying for Alternative Permission

When your Student visa is due to expire, you may be eligible to extend your stay in the UK by either switching to the Graduate visa, a potential work route or applying for further study on a new course. Crucially, you shouldn’t simply allow your Student visa to expire before applying to switch to a different visa. If you stay in the UK with an expired Student visa, you will be considered an overstayer.

If you wish to continue your studies in the UK once you have graduated, you may make an application to extend your existing Student Visa. However, you must meet certain requirements in order to do so.

Extending Your Studies

In order to extend your Student visa, you must fulfil the following criteria:

• You must currently be in the UK on a Student visa
• You must have an unconditional offer of a place on a course with a licensed student sponsor
• You must show that your studies are at a higher academic level than your current course (this is called the ‘academic progress requirement’). However, there are some exceptions to this, such as if you are retaking exams or repeating modules, or because you’ve completed a study abroad or work placement programme.

You can apply no earlier than 3 months before the start date of your new course and no later than the expiry date of your current visa. Your new course must start at least within 28 days of your current visa’s expiration date.

Graduate Visa

The Graduate visa allows students who have finished their course of study to stay in the UK for an additional 2 years (or 3 years if you have completed a doctoral or PhD qualification).

During this time, you can take up any work in the UK, including self employment, except as a professional sportsperson.

Once your Graduate visa expires, you can apply for another visa to stay in the UK. It cannot be extended.

Which Work Visas Can I Switch to From the Student Visa?

If you do not wish to continue studying in the UK after you have graduated, you may instead be eligible to stay in the country by taking up employment.

UK businesses are always keen to retain skilled, talented individuals. For this reason, you may make an application to the Home Office for a Skilled Worker Visa, allowing you to be sponsored by a licensed employer.

The UK Skilled Worker Visa requires that applicants meet the minimum requirement of 70 points. Points are acquired when requirements are met, these include: Being educated to at least A Level or equivalent, receiving a job offer from a licensed UK based employer, meeting the required English language skill level, and meeting the minimum salary threshold of £38,700 (unless an exemption applies to you).

You can only switch to another visa in the UK from a Student visa if one of the following applies to you:

• You have completed the course you were sponsored to study
• Your job start date is after your course has finished
• You have studied for a PhD for at least 24 months

Can I remain with my partner in Britain when my Student Visa ends?

It may be possible to apply for a new visa if you wish to remain in the UK with a British citizen or settled person that you have formed a long-term relationship with since living here. You may have even started a family with this person.

You may apply for an Unmarried Partner, Spouse or Civil Partnership Visa if you are now married to this person.

Depending on your personal circumstances and the evidence you provide to the Home Office, your application will either be accepted or refused.

If necessary, you may submit further evidence for your application to continue living in the UK, however if the Home Office still does not permit this, you will be required to leave the UK.

If you are accepted for one of these routes, you may eventually apply for permanent residence in the country.

If you would like any further information or legal advice regarding your options for staying in the UK, IAS can take you through the relevant immigration rules.

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