Talent & innovation · IAA-regulated advice
UK High Potential Individual Visa Advice in Birmingham & London
Come to the UK to work or look for work, without a job offer or sponsor, if you graduated from a top university outside the UK in the last 5 years. We check you qualify, review your evidence and prepare your application, for a fixed fee agreed in writing.
Last checked 11 October 2026 · Reviewed by Vishal Gautam, IAA-regulated adviser
Overview
What is the High Potential Individual visa?
The High Potential Individual (HPI) visa is for recent graduates of top universities outside the UK. You can work in most jobs, look for work or be self-employed, and you don’t need a job offer or a sponsor.
It lasts 2 years, or 3 years if your qualification is a PhD or other doctorate. It can’t be extended and doesn’t lead to settlement, but you may be able to switch to another visa, such as a Skilled Worker visa, before it ends. You can apply from outside the UK, or switch from most other visas if you’re already here.
✓This is your visa if…
- You were awarded a degree at UK bachelor’s level or above in the last 5 years
- Your university is on the Home Office’s Global Universities List for the year of your award (UK universities don’t count)
- You’ve never had a Graduate, HPI or Doctorate Extension Scheme visa
- You can show English at B2 and £1,270 in savings, unless you’re exempt
→Look at another route if…
- You have a job offer from a UK employer with a sponsor licenceSkilled Worker visa →
- You’re a leader or potential leader in academia, research, the arts or digital technologyGlobal Talent visa →
- You want to set up an innovative business in the UKInnovator Founder visa →
- You’re young and from a country in the Youth Mobility SchemeYouth Mobility Scheme →
Quick check
Could you qualify? Six questions, one minute
Answer honestly. Nothing is saved or sent: this is a general guide, not advice on your case.
Were you awarded your degree in the last 5 years by a university on the Global Universities List for that year?Each list covers awards from 1 November to 31 October. UK universities aren’t on it.
Is your qualification at the level of a UK bachelor’s degree or higher?Ecctis, the Home Office’s qualification checker, must confirm it.
Have you never had a Graduate, HPI or Doctorate Extension Scheme visa?
Can you show English at level B2 in all four skills, or are you exempt?Exempt if, for example, you’re a national of a majority English-speaking country, or your degree was taught in English.
Have you held at least £1,270 for 28 days in a row?Not needed if you’re applying in the UK and have had permission here for 12 months or more.
Are you 18 or over and, if you’re in the UK, on a visa you can switch from?You can’t switch from a visitor, short-term student, seasonal worker or similar visa.
Eligibility
High Potential Individual visa requirements
The HPI visa is points-based, but there’s no choice: you need all 70 points, for your degree, your English and your savings, and you must meet every requirement on the day you apply.
Your degree and university
- A degree-level qualification awarded outside the UK in the 5 years before you apply, which Ecctis confirms meets UK bachelor’s, master’s or PhD level
- Your university must be on the Global Universities List for the date your degree was awarded, as confirmed by Ecctis
- Since 4 November 2025 the list includes universities ranked in the top 100 of at least two of the Times Higher Education, QS and Academic Ranking of World Universities tables. The lists for earlier years were updated at the same time
- Applications are capped at 8,000 a year. If the limit is reached, you’re told when you apply online
Your university wasn’t on the list when you graduated? Check again: the Home Office roughly doubled the lists in November 2025.
English language
- Reading, writing, speaking and listening at level B2 or above
- Met if you’re a national of a majority English-speaking country, such as the USA, Canada or Australia
- Or with a degree taught in English (confirmed by Ecctis if it’s from outside the UK), or a GCSE or A level in English from a UK school
- Or with an approved English test (a SELT) passed in the 2 years before you apply
The level rose from B1 to B2 for applications made from 8 January 2026.
Money to support yourself
- At least £1,270 in your own bank account, held for 28 days in a row
- Partners and children need more: £285 for a partner, £315 for one child and £200 for each other child
- You don’t need to show savings if you’re applying in the UK and have had permission here for 12 months or more
A single day below the amount can lead to a refusal, so check your statements before you apply.
Your status and history
- You must be 18 or over, and never have had a Graduate, HPI or Doctorate Extension Scheme visa
- In the UK, you can’t switch from a visitor, short-term student, parent of a child student, seasonal worker or domestic worker visa, or from permission outside the Rules
- If you’re on a Student visa, you must have finished your course, or have studied full time for a PhD for at least 24 months
- If a government or international scholarship paid your fees and living costs in the last 12 months, you need its written consent
- A TB test is needed if you’re applying from a listed country
Not sure whether something in your history matters? Tell us at the consultation: it’s confidential.
Your partner and children
- Your husband, wife, civil partner or partner of 2 years can join you, and so can your children under 18
- Each family member applies separately and pays their own fee and health surcharge
- Their visas usually end on the same date as yours
- They can work, except as a professional sportsperson or coach, and study
Children born in the UK during your stay aren’t automatically British, and need their own visa.
Documents
HPI visa documents: the easy part
Most people can list the documents. Refusals come from the details: the right list, the right dates and evidence in the form the Home Office expects.
What everyone needs
- Your passport or travel document
- Your Ecctis reference number or certificate for your degree
- AProof of your English, or that you’re exempt
- £Bank statements showing your savings, unless you’re exempt
- Proof of your relationship, if your partner or children apply
- Proof of your current visa, if you’re switching in the UK
Plus a TB test if you’re applying from a listed country, a scholarship sponsor’s consent if it applies to you, and certified translations of anything not in English or Welsh.
Costs & timeline
HPI visa cost and processing time
The Home Office fee is £880, plus the health surcharge of £2,070 for a 2-year visa and £252 for Ecctis to check your degree. Most decisions take 3 weeks from outside the UK, or 8 weeks if you switch in the UK.
Applying from outside or inside the UK
| Home Office application feeeach person applying | £880 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge2 years at £1,035 (£3,105 for a 3-year PhD visa) | £2,070 |
| Ecctis qualification checkpaid to Ecctis, including VAT; main applicant only | £252 |
| Total, main applicantbefore English and TB tests, and the £1,270 savings you must hold | £3,202 |
Home Office fee from the fees table in force from 8 October 2026; health surcharge and Ecctis fee from GOV.UK, checked 11 October 2026. The fee and surcharge are the same wherever you apply. The surcharge for a child under 18 is £776 a year. Savings aren’t a fee, but you must hold them. English and TB test costs vary by provider. Our consultation fees →
Get your degree checked
Before you applyEcctis confirms the level and award date of your degree. Check the university list for that date, and sort out your English evidence.
Apply and prove your identity
Up to 3 months before you travelOnline application, fee and surcharge paid, then the ID check app or a biometrics appointment. Family members apply separately.
Decision
Usually within 3 weeks from outside the UKAbout 8 weeks if you switch in the UK. Don’t travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get it.
Work and look for work
2 years, or 3 with a PhDAny job except professional sport, self-employment or voluntary work. The visa can’t be extended.
Your next visa
Before your HPI visa endsSwitch to a route that suits your plans, such as a Skilled Worker visa if you have a sponsored job.
Avoid a refusal
Common HPI visa refusal reasons
Most problems come from dates and evidence, not from the degree itself. These are the issues we check first.
The wrong year’s list
Your university must be on the list for the period your degree was awarded, using the award date Ecctis confirms, not the date you finished studying.
We check: the Ecctis award date against the right list.
Outside the 5-year window
The degree must have been awarded in the 5 years immediately before you apply. A few weeks too late and you no longer qualify.
We check: your dates, so you apply in time.
English evidence that doesn’t count
You need B2 in all four skills. A test must be an approved SELT passed in the last 2 years, and a degree needs Ecctis confirmation that it was taught in English.
We check: your nationality, degree or test before you book anything.
Savings that dip
You need £1,270, plus any amounts for family, held for 28 days in a row, with day 28 within 31 days of applying.
We check: your statements cover the right period, for everyone applying.
A Graduate or earlier HPI visa
If you’ve ever had a Graduate, HPI or Doctorate Extension Scheme visa, you can’t get an HPI visa, and the application can be rejected as invalid.
We check: your full visa history before you pay anything.
Switching when you can’t
Visitors, short-term students, seasonal workers and some others can’t switch in the UK. Students must usually have finished their course first.
We check: whether you can apply here or must apply from abroad.
How we help
Our HPI visa services
Choose a one-off consultation, or let us handle your application from start to finish for a fixed fee.
Eligibility consultation
We check your university, award date, English and visa history, and whether you can apply in the UK.
Evidence review
We check your Ecctis result, English and savings evidence, and your family’s documents.
Full application
We prepare and submit your application, and your family’s, with a cover letter that sets out how you qualify.
Your next visa
We help you plan your switch to a longer-term route, such as Skilled Worker, before your HPI visa ends.
Our scope: we’re regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority at Level 1. If you’re refused, we explain your options, including administrative review, and refer you to a solicitor or higher-level adviser where your case needs a higher level of advice.
FAQs
HPI visa questions, answered
Do I need a job offer for an HPI visa?
No. You don’t need a job offer or a sponsor. You can work in most jobs, look for work, be self-employed or do voluntary work, but you can’t work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach, or claim most benefits.
My university wasn’t on the list before. Can I apply now?
Possibly. Since 4 November 2025 the list covers universities ranked in the top 100 of at least two of three world rankings, and the lists for earlier years were updated at the same time. Check the list for the period (1 November to 31 October) in which your degree was awarded.
Can I extend my HPI visa or use it to settle?
No. It can’t be extended and doesn’t lead to indefinite leave to remain. To stay longer, you need to switch to another visa, such as a Skilled Worker visa, before your HPI visa ends.
Can my partner and children come with me?
Yes. Your partner and children under 18 can apply as your dependants. Each pays the £880 fee and the health surcharge, and you need extra savings: £285 for a partner, £315 for one child and £200 for each other child, on top of your own £1,270.
Can I switch to an HPI visa from a Student visa?
Yes, if your degree is from a listed university outside the UK and you’ve finished the course you were sponsored for, or have studied full time for a PhD for at least 24 months. A UK degree doesn’t count for the HPI visa.
I’ve had a Graduate visa. Can I still apply?
No. You can’t get an HPI visa if you’ve ever had a Graduate visa, an HPI visa or Doctorate Extension Scheme permission. Under the Rules, each person can be granted the HPI visa only once.
What happens if the yearly limit is reached?
The route is capped at 8,000 applications a year, counted from 1 November to 31 October. If the limit has been reached, you’re told when you apply online, and you’d need to wait for the next year, while your degree is still within 5 years.
What if my application is refused?
You can ask for an administrative review if you think the Home Office made a caseworking error. It costs £80 and must be made within 28 days if you applied from outside the UK, or 14 days if you applied in the UK. We explain your options and whether a fresh application would be better.
Related routes
Other talent and work routes
Skilled Worker visa
A sponsored job with a licensed employer.
Read more →Global Talent visa
For leaders and potential leaders in their field.
Read more →Scale-up Worker visa
A sponsored job with a fast-growing UK business.
Read more →Compare talent routes
Innovator Founder, Global Talent and HPI side by side.
Read more →Ready when you are
Graduated, sorted.
Book a consultation, or start with the free quick check on this page.