Many Indian students choose the UK hoping to stay on after their degree. There is no single visa that takes you from student to permanent resident. Instead, you move through a chain of visas: Student, then Graduate, then usually Skilled Worker, then indefinite leave to remain (ILR), and finally British citizenship if you want it. This guide explains each step, how long it takes and what it costs, using GOV.UK figures checked on 28 October 2026.
- GOV.UK lists the ILR application fee as 3,226 pounds and British citizenship at 1,839 pounds, including the 130 pound ceremony fee
- The Life in the UK test costs 50 pounds
- The Graduate visa lasts 18 months for applications from 1 January 2027
- The proposed 10-year settlement baseline was still not law when we checked in October 2026.
What Is the Full Route From UK Student to Permanent Residence?
The usual route has four steps. You study on a Student visa, switch to the Graduate visa after your degree, find a sponsored job and move to a Skilled Worker visa, then apply for indefinite leave to remain after five qualifying years on that visa. Twelve months after ILR you can usually apply for British citizenship.
| Stage 2026 | Visa | Typical length | Counts towards 5-year ILR? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Student visa | Length of your course | No (counts only for 10-year long residence) |
| 2 | Graduate visa | 2 years if you apply by 31 Dec 2026; 18 months from 1 Jan 2027; 3 years for a PhD | No |
| 3 | Skilled Worker visa | Up to 5 years, then extend | Yes, 5 continuous years |
| 4 | Indefinite leave to remain | Permanent | Settled status |
| 5 | British citizenship | Permanent | Usually 12 months after ILR |
The key point many students miss is that time on a Student or Graduate visa does not count towards the five years needed for Skilled Worker settlement. Your settlement clock usually starts on the day your Skilled Worker visa begins. In practice, a one-year master's student who moves straight into sponsored work after the Graduate visa is looking at about eight years from arrival to ILR under the current rules.
UK Graduate Visa Cut to 18 Months From 2027: What to DoRead →How Does the Graduate Visa Fit Into the Route?
The Graduate visa gives you time to work in almost any job without a sponsor, but it cannot be extended and does not count towards settlement. Use it to find a role with a licensed sponsor that meets the Skilled Worker salary and skill rules, then switch from inside the UK before the Graduate visa ends.
The Graduate visa lasts 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027, and two years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026, or three years with a doctorate. The application fee is 937 pounds plus the health surcharge. Rules can change, so check GOV.UK before you plan around them.
Because the Graduate visa is shorter from January 2027, start your job search in the final term of your course. Target employers on the Home Office register of licensed sponsors, and ask early whether the role meets the skill level and salary needed for sponsorship.
What Do You Need for a Skilled Worker Visa?
You need a job offer from a Home Office licensed sponsor, a certificate of sponsorship, a role at the required skill level, usually degree level since July 2025, and a salary that meets the general threshold or the going rate for the job. Graduates can often use the lower new entrant rate, according to guides quoting GOV.UK.
Guides quoting GOV.UK put the general Skilled Worker minimum at 41,700 pounds a year and the new entrant minimum at 33,400 pounds. New entrant rates help recent graduates, but they do not last forever, so your pay usually needs to rise to the full rate before you apply for settlement. Check the current figures on GOV.UK when you receive an offer.
UK Skilled Worker Visa 2026: Salary Rules for GraduatesRead →When Can You Apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain?
On the Skilled Worker route, GOV.UK says you may be able to apply for ILR after living in the UK for five years and meeting the other requirements. You usually need to pass the Life in the UK test, prove your English, still have a sponsored job paying the required salary, and stay within the absence limits.
| ILR requirement 2026 | What it means | Cost or detail |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying period | 5 continuous years on Skilled Worker | Student and Graduate time does not count |
| Life in the UK test | 24 questions in 45 minutes | 50 pounds per attempt |
| English | Proof of English at the required level | Degree taught in English or approved test |
| Job and salary | Still employed by a sponsor at the required pay | Check current threshold on GOV.UK |
| Application fee | Indefinite leave to remain | 3,226 pounds per person |
There is also a long residence route. If you live in the UK legally for 10 continuous years on any mix of visas, including Student and Graduate time, you may be able to apply for ILR on that basis. GOV.UK lists the same 3,226 pound fee, with an optional 1,000 pound super priority service. You must not travel abroad while the application is pending, or it is treated as withdrawn.
Is the 10-Year ILR Rule Now in Force?
No. When we checked in October 2026, the earned settlement plan to raise the usual baseline from five to ten years was still a proposal. The Home Office consultation closed on 12 February 2026, and the Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee criticised the plan in June 2026. Current five-year routes still apply.
If the change does become law, it could lengthen the route for many Skilled Workers and raise the total cost, because each extra year brings more visa and health surcharge fees. Keep your plan flexible, keep records of your residence and absences, and watch the GOV.UK earned settlement page for the government's response.
UK 10-Year ILR Rule: What Students Need to Know in 2026Read →How Much Does the Whole Route Cost?
Beyond tuition, the main costs are the Graduate visa fee of 937 pounds plus the health surcharge, Skilled Worker visa and extension fees, the immigration health surcharge for each year, the 50 pound Life in the UK test, the 3,226 pound ILR fee and 1,839 pounds for citizenship. Many employers pay some sponsorship costs.
The health surcharge is the biggest recurring cost, because you pay it for every year of each visa. Ask employers whether they cover visa fees or the surcharge, and budget for renewals. Fees change every year, so recheck GOV.UK before each application rather than relying on old figures.
When Can You Apply for British Citizenship?
GOV.UK says you can usually apply for British citizenship once you have held indefinite leave to remain for 12 months and have lived in the UK for at least five years. The fee is 1,839 pounds, made up of 1,709 pounds for the application and a 130 pound citizenship ceremony fee.
India does not allow dual citizenship, so becoming British means giving up your Indian passport. Many Indians stay on ILR or apply for Overseas Citizenship of India after naturalising. Weigh this carefully before applying, especially if you plan to own property or work in India later.