From January 2026, the United Kingdom will implement a major change to its Post-Study Work route, reducing the Graduate visa duration for undergraduate and master’s students from the current two years to 18 months. Students starting in the Autumn 2025 intake will continue to benefit from the complete 24-month post-study work feature, whereas those enrolling from January 2026 will be limited to this new 18-month period policy.

This adjustment reflects the UK Government’s strategy to balance attracting high potential international talent with managing long-term migration pressures. Students will have to take active steps towards gaining professional work, since the 18-month period severely limits time to pursue opportunities. With this new policy, the students need to not only select a course with strong career outcomes but also to develop a clear, actionable plan for employment well before graduation.