If you are a Nepali student weighing a UK Bachelor or taught Master, this is the single most important change to plan around: Graduate Route visa applications submitted from 1 January 2027 will grant 18 months of post-study work instead of the current 24 months. PhD graduates are unaffected. The rule was set out in the UK Government White Paper of May 2025 and implemented by the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules (HC 1099) published on 14 October 2025.
What the change actually says
- Graduate visa length for Bachelor and taught Master: reduced from 24 months to 18 months.
- Graduate visa length for PhD: 36 months (unchanged).
- Effective date: applies to Graduate visa applications submitted on or after 1 January 2027.
- Basis: Home Office is triggering the change through the date the Graduate visa application is submitted, not the date the degree is completed.
The planning table for Nepali applicants
Which grant length you get depends on when your Graduate visa is submitted. Course completion dates dictate the earliest you can submit.
- Complete your course by 31 December 2026 and submit the Graduate application before 1 January 2027: you fall under the previous rules.
- Complete your course from January 2027 onward: your Graduate application will be submitted after 1 January 2027, so 18 months applies.
- Timing tip: the Graduate visa can only be submitted after the university confirms course completion. If your official completion falls in late 2026, plan the submission window carefully with your university.
How this changes UK intake choices
For Nepali applicants, the intake you choose affects which grant length you get:
- September 2024 or January 2025 intake into a 1-year taught Master: course completes in late 2025 or mid 2026; Graduate visa submitted before 1 January 2027; falls under the previous 24-month grant.
- September 2025 intake into a 1-year taught Master: completes around September to December 2026; can submit before 1 January 2027 to lock in the previous grant.
- September 2026 intake into a 1-year taught Master: completes around September to December 2027; submits after 1 January 2027; 18 months applies.
- PhD applicants at any intake: unaffected; 36 months continues.
Other UK Student Route facts worth knowing right now
- Student visa fee (from 8 April 2026): GBP 558 (up from GBP 524).
- Immigration Health Surcharge (student rate): GBP 776 per year of visa. Dependants pay the full IHS at GBP 1,035 per year.
- Dependant ban (since 1 January 2024): taught postgraduate applicants cannot bring dependants. PhD research applicants remain eligible.
- English: the current Home Office minimum for the Student Route is CEFR B2 (equivalent to IELTS 5.5 in each component for Bachelor and above). Universities may require higher.
- Financial maintenance (Home Office benchmark): GBP 1,483 per month for London and GBP 1,334 per month outside London, for up to 9 months.
- The old “Tier 4” and “Tier 2” names are historic. The student route is now called the Student Route and skilled work is under the Skilled Worker route.
Interaction with the Skilled Worker route after Graduate visa
Historically, the Graduate visa gave graduates two years to find work at any level while they hunted for a Skilled Worker sponsor. With 18 months, that window is tighter. If long-term UK settlement is your goal, plan the Skilled Worker transition with your employer earlier:
- Confirm your prospective employer holds a UK Sponsor Licence (Home Office maintains a public register).
- Confirm the role sits within an eligible Skilled Worker occupation code and meets the current going rate and salary threshold.
- Aim to switch from Graduate to Skilled Worker within your 18 months so you can count that time toward the Skilled Worker settlement clock in future.
What we tell our UK-bound students
- If your goal is post-study work in the UK, weigh Bachelor plus 1-year taught Master carefully; the shorter route to 24 months has closed once you submit after 1 January 2027.
- If PhD is on the table for your longer-term plan, note that the 36-month Graduate visa remains and PhD is exempt from the dependant ban.
- Do not rely on unofficial commentary that says the rule will be reversed. Rules can change again, but treat the 14 October 2025 Statement of Changes as the operating position.
Frequently asked questions
When does the UK Graduate Route change to 18 months?
For applications submitted on or after 1 January 2027 (Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules HC 1099, 14 October 2025).
Does the change affect PhD graduates?
No. PhD graduates continue to receive 36 months.
Can I still get 24 months if I graduate before January 2027?
Yes, if you submit the Graduate visa application before 1 January 2027 you fall under the previous rules.
How much is the UK student visa fee?
GBP 558 from 8 April 2026. IHS at the student rate is GBP 776 per year of visa.
Can Nepali Master applicants bring dependants?
No. Since 1 January 2024, taught postgraduate applicants cannot bring dependants. PhD research applicants remain eligible.
Book UK counselling with The Next to plan your intake around the Graduate Route change. We work with named UK universities across the Russell Group and post-92 sector and align your course choice with your work and settlement goals.