Regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority · Ref No. F201700062
Work Visas
This route is for recent graduates of qualifying overseas universities and does not require sponsorship.
It is time limited, so the most useful advice is usually about what comes after it.
The High Potential Individual route gives recent graduates of eligible overseas universities a short period of unsponsored permission in the UK to work, look for work or be self-employed.
There is no job offer requirement and no sponsor. It is intended as a window to establish yourself, not as a long-term route.
You must hold a qualifying degree awarded by an institution on the Home Office's global universities list for the year in which you graduated, awarded within the last five years, and you must meet the English language, maintenance and suitability requirements.
The list changes annually, and the year of award is what counts, so eligibility should be checked against the correct year's list.
The route cannot be extended and does not lead to settlement. Most people use it to secure a sponsored role and switch into the Skilled Worker route, or to qualify for another route such as Global Talent.
Planning the next step early, rather than in the final months, materially improves the options available.
What is actually needed depends on your circumstances. We confirm the list with you before anything is prepared.
We start with your history, your relationships, your work and your time in the UK. The right route follows from the facts.
We explain which route fits, what it requires and what the realistic alternatives are if it does not.
We work out what the Home Office will expect, what you already have and what needs to be obtained.
We prepare the application, explain anything that needs explaining and advise on what happens after submission.
This page is general information about UK immigration and is not advice on your individual circumstances. Requirements, guidance and procedures change. Please obtain advice before relying on anything published here.
We will tell you how UKU can assist, and what the realistic options are.
