Post-study work for UK masters with 6 months extended student visa

23 additional universities will be enabled by Tier 4 visa pilot scheme for Masters students going into 2018/19 intake. Currently in its second year with the University of Oxford Cambridge Bath and Imperial College London, the pilot will streamline the process for Tier 4 visa applications to be more straightforward, for international students looking to study on a Masters course of 13 months or less in the UK.


Greater supports are provided for students who wish to pursue post-study work in the UK, which will include assistance in switching visa type and allowing students to remain in the UK for additional 6 months after course end date to look for work.

The universities are given responsibility for eligibility checks, which means students can submit lesser documents than required in the current process alongside their visa application. In particular, financial documentation or previous academic qualifications will not be required. However, UKVI can request this evidence if they deem necessary.

This scheme, however, is not applicable to undergraduate and PhD students, as well as students on Masters courses longer than 13 months, as they will be required to submit all necessary supporting documents with their visa application and will be granted the standard additional leave on the end of their visa in accordance with Tier 4 policy

The universities have been chosen as their visa refusal rates are consistently the lowest in their area of region. Home Office statistics as of Dec 2017 show that the number of students applying for visas increased by 8% over the past year, and there has been a 9% increase in the number of students applying to Russell Group universities.

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UK Immigration Minister Brandon Lewis said: “The UK continues to be the second most popular destination for international students and the number coming to study at our universities has increased by 24% since 2010. “This is a clear indication that genuine students are welcome and there is no limit on the number who can come to study in the UK.”


The 23 universities to be added to the pilot are:

• Cardiff University*
• Goldsmiths University of London*
• Harper Adams University
• Newcastle University*
• Queen’s University Belfast*
• The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
• University of Bristol*
• Durham University*
• University of East Anglia*
• University of Edinburgh
• University of Essex*
• University of Exeter*
• University of Glasgow*
• University of Leicester*
• University of Liverpool*
• University of Manchester
• University of Nottingham*
• University of Reading*
• University of Sheffield*
• University of Southampton*
• University of Wales Trinity St. David (Swansea Campus)
• University of Warwick
• University of York*