UK post-study work is 2 years until the end of 2026 — then 18 months

The UK has not cancelled the Graduate visa. It has shortened it. If you finish a bachelor’s or master’s and apply on or before 31 December 2026, you can stay and work for two years. If you apply on or after 1 January 2027, you get 18 months. PhD graduates still get three years. This is written on the official GOV.UK Graduate visa page, not in a WhatsApp rumour.

The date that matters is when you apply for the Graduate visa — not when you start the course. A taught master’s that starts in September 2026 usually ends around September 2027. That application then falls after the cut-off. Those students should plan for an 18-month job search. Students who can apply before 1 January 2027 keep the two-year visa.

The rest of the student-visa rules are still the same for most Indian families. You must show living costs of £1,529 a month in London, or £1,171 a month outside London, for up to nine months. That is £13,761 or £10,539. The student visa fee is £558. Taught master’s students still cannot bring a spouse or children.

What this means: Imperial, UCL, Edinburgh, Manchester and Warwick are still strong names. A weak one-year master’s plus a shorter work window is a poor use of ₹35–50 lakh. Treat 18 months as the normal case for any offer letter dated after March 2026.