Working in the UK as an Indian Student: Part-Time Jobs and the Graduate Route
On a UK Student visa, Indian students can usually work up to 20 hours a week during term time if they study a degree-level course, and full time in official vacations. After graduating, eligible students can apply for the Graduate route to stay and work or look for work, currently for 2 years, but only 18 months for Graduate visa applications made on or after 1 January 2027 (PhD graduates keep 3 years). To stay longer, you generally need to move to a Skilled Worker visa, where the standard salary threshold is £41,700 and a new-entrant rate of £33,400 can apply. Last reviewed on 11 November 2026.
Immigration rules change often, so check the official GOV.UK pages on working on a Student visa and the Graduate route before you plan around any of these figures. Our UK student visa guide covers the application itself.
Working While You Study
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Weekly hours in term time | Usually up to 20 hours a week for degree-level students. Check your own visa conditions, because some courses have lower limits |
| Vacations | Full-time work is usually allowed during official vacation periods |
| Self-employment and freelancing | Not allowed on a Student visa |
| Pay | You must be paid at least the National Minimum Wage for your age |
| National Insurance number | You need one to be paid. Your employer or university can explain how to apply after you arrive |
| Restricted roles | Some jobs, such as working as a professional sportsperson, are not allowed |
Working more than your allowed hours or in a prohibited role can put your visa at risk, so check with your university’s international student advice team before you accept a job. A part-time job helps with day-to-day costs, but it should not be part of the money you show for your visa, and your studies come first.
Where to Find Student Jobs
- Your university’s careers and jobs service. Campus roles and local employers often advertise here first.
- Students’ union job boards. Many have part-time listings and workshops on CVs.
- Retail, hospitality and campus roles. These are common part-time options, and some pay more than the minimum wage.
- Placement years and internships. If your course includes a placement, it is often paid and counts towards your course, so confirm how your visa treats it.
Be careful with job offers that ask for upfront payment, promise unusually high pay or ask you to move money for someone else. Genuine employers do not charge you to start work.
The Graduate Route After Your Degree
The Graduate route is an unsponsored visa that lets eligible graduates of UK degrees stay to work or look for work. You apply from inside the UK while you still hold a valid Student visa, after your university confirms you have completed your course. It cannot be extended, and you cannot take it up again after it ends.
| Degree | Applications made on or before 31 December 2026 | Applications made from 1 January 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s or master’s | 2 years | 18 months |
| PhD or other doctorate | 3 years | 3 years (unchanged) |
The change depends on the date you apply, not the date you started or finished your course. If you complete your course at the end of 2026, ask your university’s visa team how quickly it can confirm completion, because the application date decides whether you receive 2 years or 18 months. The Graduate route also carries its own Immigration Health Surcharge, which is higher than the student rate, so check the current amount on GOV.UK.
Staying Longer: Skilled Worker and Other Routes
- Skilled Worker visa. You need a job offer from a licensed sponsor in an eligible skilled role. The general minimum salary is £41,700, or the going rate for the job if higher. People who switch from a Student or Graduate visa usually qualify for the new-entrant rate of £33,400, or 70% of the going rate if higher. Roles on the Immigration Salary List and some PhD holders have their own thresholds. Skilled Worker applicants also need to meet the English requirement, which rose to B2 from 8 January 2026.
- High Potential Individual visa. A route for recent graduates of top-ranked universities worldwide, which the Government has widened to the top 100. Check the current university list and the visa length before you rely on it.
- Other routes. Some graduates qualify for routes such as Global Talent or Innovator. These have their own eligibility rules and are not an easy fallback.
Time on the Graduate route generally does not count towards settlement through the Skilled Worker route, so plan the switch early. Start talking to employers during your final year, because sponsorship takes time, and your university’s careers service can help you find sponsoring employers.
A Realistic Plan for Indian Graduates
- Before you apply to a course: check how long the Graduate route is likely to be for your intake, and whether the course includes a placement or industry links.
- During your degree: work part time within your hours, build UK experience and use the careers service from the first term.
- In your final year: target employers that sponsor Skilled Worker visas and check salary thresholds for your role.
- After completion: apply for the Graduate route before your Student visa expires, and keep job-searching and networking throughout.
- Before the Graduate route ends: switch to a sponsored route if you have a qualifying offer, or plan your next step.
Working in the UK as an Indian Student: FAQs
Degree-level students can usually work up to 20 hours a week in term time and full time in official vacations. Check your own visa conditions, because some courses have lower limits, and self-employment is not allowed.
For bachelor’s and master’s graduates it is 2 years for applications made on or before 31 December 2026, and 18 months for applications from 1 January 2027. PhD graduates get 3 years either way.
No. The Graduate route cannot be extended. To stay longer, you generally need to switch to another route such as a Skilled Worker visa.
The general threshold is £41,700, or the going rate for the job if higher. Recent graduates switching from a Student or Graduate visa can usually use the new-entrant rate of £33,400, or 70% of the going rate if higher. Some roles have different thresholds.
No. The Graduate route is unsponsored, so you do not need a job offer to apply. You apply while you hold a valid Student visa after completing your course.
Yes. Our counselling is free for students and covers study in the UK and elsewhere. Start with the free profile assessment.
Plan Your UK Study and Career Path
Eduvisor’s counselling is free for students. We are paid by partner universities and colleges once a student enrols and pays tuition fees, and we still show you options that suit your profile, including ones that are not with our partners. Start with the free profile assessment or contact us. You can also read our guide to top UK universities.
Sources: GOV.UK guidance on working on a Student visa, the Graduate route and Skilled Worker thresholds, as summarised by UK immigration law firms and education portals, and the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules that reduces the Graduate route to 18 months from 1 January 2027. Rules change often, so confirm them on GOV.UK before you rely on them.
