Overview

The High Potential Individual (HPI) visa is designed for graduates of top global universities who wish to come to the UK to work or explore professional opportunities without needing a job offer or sponsorship.
This route provides flexibility for highly skilled individuals to gain experience, look for employment, or establish themselves in the UK job market soon after graduating from a recognised international institution.

Visa Duration and Extension

The visa is granted for 2 years for those holding a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
PhD or equivalent doctoral-level graduates are granted 3 years of permission.
The HPI visa cannot be extended, but holders can switch into other eligible work routes (such as the Skilled Worker or Global Talent visas).
The HPI visa does not lead directly to settlement, although time spent under this route may count if you later switch to a settlement-eligible category.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the HPI visa, applicants must:

Be aged 18 or over.
Have been awarded a qualification from an eligible top global university listed by the Home Office, awarded within the last 5 years.
Hold a qualification equivalent to at least a UK bachelor’s degree, postgraduate degree, or PhD.
Be able to speak, read, write and understand English to at least B1 level on the CEFR scale.
Have sufficient funds to support themselves during their stay in the UK (unless exempt).
Not previously have been granted leave under the HPI or Graduate Route.
Apply from outside or inside the UK, provided they are not on a visa category that prohibits switching.

Documents Required

Applicants must prepare the following documentation:

Valid passport or travel document.
Verification statement from Ecctis confirming that the qualification is valid and equivalent to a UK degree.
Proof that the qualification was awarded by an institution listed on the Global Universities List for the relevant year of graduation.
Evidence of English-language ability (e.g. test results, degree taught in English, or nationality from an English-speaking country).
Proof of maintenance funds, showing at least £1,270 held for 28 consecutive days prior to application (unless you’ve been in the UK for 12 months or more).
Tuberculosis test results (if applicable).

Eligible Institutions

The Home Office updates the Global Universities List annually. The list is based on the top 50 institutions in at least two of the following ranking systems:

Times Higher Education World University Rankings
Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings
Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU)

The qualifying institution must appear on the list for the year the applicant graduated — not the year of application.

What You Can and Cannot Do

You can:

Work in most jobs, including self-employment.
Look for work without sponsorship.
Undertake voluntary work.
Study in the UK (unless eligible for a Student visa route).
Travel in and out of the UK freely.
Bring dependants (partner and children) if they meet eligibility criteria.

You cannot:

Apply for public funds or the State Pension.
Work as a professional sportsperson or coach.
Extend the visa beyond the permitted duration.
Apply for settlement under this route.

Dependants

You may bring dependant partners and children with you if they apply at the same time or later, and meet financial and relationship requirements.
Each dependant must show proof of maintenance funds for at least 28 consecutive days:
- Partner: £285
- First child: £315
- Each additional child: £200
Dependants already in the UK under a valid visa may switch to the HPI dependant route if eligible.

Processing Times and Priority Service

Standard processing time: up to 3 weeks for applications made outside the UK and 8 weeks if applying from inside the UK.
Priority and Super Priority services may be available for an additional fee.
You must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, or the Channel Islands while your application is being decided.

Home Office Fees

Application fee: £822.
Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): £1,035 per year of leave granted.
Ecctis qualification verification fee: £210 (or £252 if applying from within the UK).
Fees are non-refundable if the application is refused.

Administrative Review (In-country Applications)

If an application for the HPI visa is refused, the applicant may request an Administrative Review if they believe an error has been made.

The request must be submitted within 14 days of receiving the refusal notice.
No new documents can be added; only the evidence originally provided will be considered.
Only one review may be requested per decision.
If the decision cannot be made within the timeframe, the Home Office will issue a written update.

It is strongly advised to seek professional assistance when preparing an Administrative Review request.