Your Step-by-Step Guide to Settling in the UK after Studying: PR and Work Visa Opportunities

18 June 2025

Studying in the UK not only unlocks world-class education, it unlocks the potential for amazing future careers and the possibility of beginning a new life in one of the most open countries to overseas talent. For most Indian students, the UK is not only where they study but where their long-term aspirations start to become a reality.

At BCES Admissions Abroad, we don’t merely get you admitted. We guide you by helping you select the perfect course for you, realizing visa formalities, viewing working prospects, and assisting you in your settling process. Your dream might be to become a part of London’s financial corridors, to become a part of the developing technology sector, or to get employed in the UK’s high-demanding sectors. There are some charted routes that can assist you to settle.

Let us dissect it into an easy, step-by-step guide for you to learn how to stay in the UK after studies.

Step 1: Post-Study Work Visa – Begin Your Career in the UK

After successfully graduating from a reputable UK institution, you can apply for the Graduate Route visa formerly called the Post-Study Work Visa. With this visa, you will have the opportunity to reside in the UK for two years (three years in the case of PhD graduates) to look for employment opportunities without the sponsorship of your employer.

This is the right time to gain working experience, look for a suitable job, and begin your working life in the UK. You can work on a full-time basis, change jobs, or even experiment with various industries. It is the right time to settle professionally.

Step 2: Skilled Worker Visa – Secure Your Long-Term Work Opportunity

If a UK employer offers you a job and will pay you the minimum required wage and have the necessary skills, you are eligible for the Skilled Worker Visa. The visa offers:

• The right to work within the UK for five years maximum.
• The possibility to bring your spouse and children to join you.
• The easy route to Permanent Residency (Indefinite Leave to Remain).

The UK now demands exceptionally skilled workers in sectors like information technology, engineering, healthcare, education, and social care, making it quite likely to get sponsorship.

Step 3: Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) – Settle Your Life in the UK Forever

Once five years of qualifying legal work within the UK on a Skilled Worker Visa (or in combination with other qualifying visas), you are eligible to make an Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) application.

ILR permits you:

• To live in the UK permanently without any visa conditions.
• To be eligible for full rights to live, work, and study.
• To apply for British Citizenship after a qualifying period.

To qualify, you need to have a stable employment record, need to meet the salary requirements, and need to pass the ‘Life in the UK’ test, which ensures that you understand UK history, culture, and law.

Alternative Paths to Remain in the UK:

Start-Up Visa: For students with some form of business idea and wish to start a business in the UK.

Global Talent Visa: A pathway to exceptionally talented graduates who are globally known for their ability to contribute towards science, technology, art, and academically. 

Health and Care Worker Visa: A faster route for healthcare professionals like nurses, doctors, and social workers to offer services to the UK’s healthcare sector.

At BCES Admissions Abroad, we strive to make your study-to-settlement in the UK as easy as possible. We give you personalized advice that suits your objectives and break down each step to you in plain terms, with no vagueness. Contact us today at 9319996328 or email us your query at enq@bces.in.