UK student visa work hours stay at 20 a week, Graduate Route shortens to 18 months from 2027
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Jul 12, 2026 • Career Planning, Study in Europe, Visas & Student Mobility, Education News & Policy
The UK student visa work limit stays at 20 hours a week in 2026, but the Graduate Route work visa after your studies is being cut from 2 years to 18 months for anyone applying from 1 January 2027.
⏱️ 20 hours a week during term time for degree-level courses, 10 hours below degree level.
📩 Full-time work allowed during official university vacation periods.
🎓 Graduate Route drops to 18 months for applications from 1 January 2027, PhD graduates keep 3 years.
💶 Graduate visa fee is £937 plus the health surcharge, in effect from 8 April 2026.
Term-time work hours have not changed
If you hold a UK Student visa in 2026, your work hour limit matches previous years. Students on degree-level courses can work up to 20 hours a week during term time, and students on courses below degree level are limited to 10 hours a week, according to UK immigration guidance . A week runs Monday to Sunday, and you cannot average your hours across the month, so working extra one week to make up for a quieter week still breaks the rule.
Full-time work is allowed once your university officially marks the period as a vacation, and again once your institution confirms you finished your course. Term dates come from your school's calendar, not your personal exam schedule, so check with your university before assuming a break has started.
The same long-standing restrictions remain in place too. You cannot be self-employed, take a permanent full-time role, or work as a professional sportsperson or entertainer on a Student visa. Volunteering does not count toward your hour limit as long as no money changes hands.
The real 2026 change: a shorter Graduate Route
The bigger update for international students lands after graduation, not during your studies. The Graduate visa , which lets you stay in the UK to work without needing a job offer first, currently lasts 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026. From 1 January 2027, that drops to 18 months for bachelor's and master's graduates. If you completed a PhD, you keep the full 3 years regardless of when you apply.
The application fee for the Graduate visa is £937, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge charged upfront for the full length of the visa, in effect from 8 April 2026. Applying before the end of 2026 still secures the longer 2-year window, so your graduation timing affects how long you get to work afterward.
Other checks for 2026
The Home Office is also rolling out fully digital e-visas, raising the required English level to B2 for many routes, and tightening sponsor compliance checks on universities. None of these changes raise your weekly work allowance, so budget around the existing 20-hour or 10-hour limit rather than a higher figure you may see quoted elsewhere.