UK High Potential Individual (HPI) Visa- Eligibility, Requirements & Application Process

The UK HPI (High Potential Individual) visa was introduced on 30 May 2022. This is a work route that allows international graduates who have been awarded an overseas academic qualification at degree level equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree or postgraduate degree to stay in the UK for 2 years. A person must have been awarded the qualification no more than 5 years before they apply and be from a university on the GUL (Global Universities List), which covers the date of the award. The GUL is published every year on the GOV.UK website. Please note that UK universities are not eligible.

On 4 November 2025, the HPI route was expanded, where the number of universities on the GUL was increased, and a cap on the route of 8,000 applications per year was placed. The cap runs between 1 November and 31 October. An applicant does not need to have a prior job offer to qualify for this visa and will be permitted to work in the UK without the need for a sponsor. 

Dependent partners and children can also apply for this route. 

The High Potential Individual route does not lead to ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain - also known as ‘Settlement’) in the UK.

Validity requirements for the High Potential Individual visa

A person applying as a High Potential Individual seeking entry clearance to the UK or permission to stay here must apply online on the website gov.uk using the specified application form.  Applicants outside the UK need to use the form “High Potential Individual visa”; or applicants inside the UK need to use the form “High Potential Individual”.

An application seeking entry clearance or permission to stay in the UK as an HPI must satisfy all the following criteria:

• The applicant must have paid any required fee and immigration health charge; and

• The applicant must have enrolled in biometrics (their fingerprints and facial photograph) when required; and

• The applicant must have submitted a passport or other valid document to establish their identity and nationality.

• The applicant must be 18 or over when they apply.

• If the applicant has, in the last 12 months prior to the date of application, received an award from an International Scholarship agency or Government covering fees as well as living costs for study in the UK, they must submit written consent to the application from that agency or Government.

• The person applying for permission to stay as an HPI must, on the date of application, be in the UK.

• The person applying to switch (permission to stay) to the HPI route must not currently have, or have last been granted, permission on any of the following:

(a) UK Visitor visa; or

(b) Short-term Student visa; or

(c) Parent of a Child Student; or

(d) Seasonal Worker visa; or

(e) Domestic Worker in a Private Household; or

(f) Outside the Immigration Rules.

• The person who is applying for permission to stay and currently has, or last had, permission as a student, must satisfy one of the conditions below when they apply:

(a) They must have completed the course of study for which they were assigned CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) or a course to which Appendix Student – Paragraph ST 27.3 applies; or

(b) They must have completed at least 24 months of study on their course if the course was leading to a PhD award 

• The applicant must not have previously been granted permission on a Graduate route, High Potential Individual route, or on the DSE (Doctorate Extension Scheme).

• The number of applications (for entry clearance as well as permission to stay) must not have exceeded the annual cap of 8,000 between 1 November and 31 October each year.  

Any application that does not satisfy all the validity criteria as an HPI for the purpose of an HPI visa may be rejected as invalid and not considered.

Suitability Requirements

An HPI application must not fall for refusal under Immigration Rules - Part Suitability.

They must not be:

(a) In breach of UK immigration laws, except that where the “Exceptions for overstayers” in Part Suitability applies; or

(b) On immigration bail.

Eligibility Requirements

A person seeking entry as an HPI must apply for and obtain entry clearance to the UK as a High Potential Individual before arriving in the UK.

To be eligible as a high-potential individual, applicants must be awarded 70 points (for the degree from a university that appears on the Global Universities List, English language skills, and financial requirements). 

In some cases, applicants seeking entry clearance must also satisfy tuberculosis testing if the Appendix Tuberculosis applies.

1. Points requirement

The applicant must be awarded all 70 points for meeting all of the following mandatory requirements. 

• For having a degree from a university that appears on the Global Universities List – 50 points

• For meeting the English Language requirement at CEFR level B1 – 10 points

• For meeting the financial requirement – 10 points

2. Global Universities List degree requirement

The applicant must, in the 5 years immediately prior to the date of the application, have been awarded an overseas degree-level qualification which must have been confirmed by Ecctis as being equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, or UK postgraduate degree.

The awarding institution must be listed on the Global Universities List in respect of the year in which the applicant was awarded the qualification.

For 2025/2026 the List of Approved University

The date on which the applicant was awarded the qualification will be the date as confirmed by Ecctis.

Those who meet the requirements mentioned above will be awarded 50 points.

3. Language Requirement

The applicant must score 10 points for meeting the English language requirement. This means, unless exempt, the applicant must prove their English language skills equivalent to level B1 of the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference) for English language in all 4 components (speaking, reading, writing, and listening).

The applicant must show that they satisfy the English language criteria as specified in Appendix English Language.

Those who need to prove their knowledge of English can do so by:

• Having a GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education), A level, Scottish NQ (National Qualification) level 4 or 5, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher qualification in English, gained through study at a UK school that they started when they were under 18

• Having a degree that was taught in English and awarded by a UK institution, even if the applicant studied outside the UK 

• Having a degree from an institution outside the UK that was taught in English and was not awarded by a UK institution, where Ecctis has confirmed that their qualification is equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree or postgraduate degree, and was taught in English  

Those who do not have any qualification proving their knowledge of the English language can meet this requirement by successfully passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved test provider at an approved test location in the UK or overseas.

Please note that from 8 January 2026, the level of English requirement is changing. Those making their first application for an HPI (High Potential Individual) visa on or after this date will have to prove that they can speak, read, write, and understand English to at least CEFR level B2.

4. Financial requirement 

The applicant must score 10 points for satisfying the financial criteria. To meet this requirement, a High Potential Individual visa applicant must, on the date of application, have £1,270 or more in their bank account for at least 28 consecutive days to support themselves in the UK. 

Documents Required

Before a person applies for an HPI visa, they must pay for Ecctis to check their qualification is valid, unless they have already been assessed by Ecctis.

A person making an application for a High Potential Individual visa will need to provide:

• Proof of their knowledge of the English language at the required level

• A valid passport or other document showing their identity and nationality

Their UPI (Unique Person Identifier) number or certificate given to them by Ecctis when they checked their qualification

Other documents they might need

Depending on the circumstances of the applicant, they may be asked to submit:

• Evidence such as bank statements showing they have enough personal savings to support themselves in the UK (unless they have been in with a visa in the UK for 12 or more months)

• Proof of their relationship with their dependent partner or children if they’re applying with the main applicant

• Their TB test results (If Appendix Tuberculosis applies) 

Those switching to the HPI visa from another UK visa will also need to provide:

• Their BRP (Biometric Residence Permit), which they can use for 18 months after the expiry date printed on the BRP card; or 

• Online proof of their immigration status if they have an eVisa 

If any documents are not in English or Welsh, the applicant will need to provide a certified translation of those documents.

Applying for a UK HPI visa (entry clearance) from overseas 

An applicant must apply online on gov.uk using the specified application form for this visa. They must apply from outside the UK before they travel to the UK. 

The applicant must apply within 5 years of being awarded a qualification from a non-UK university listed on the GUL (Global Universities List).

There is a yearly limit on applications for the HPI visa. The application/allocation/cap year runs between 1 November and 31 October. If the limit has been reached, the applicant will be told at the time of application. 

The applicant will need to have enough money to:

• Pay £252 for Ecctis to check their qualification is valid (this includes VAT)

• Pay the £880 application fee

• Pay the healthcare surcharge of £1,035 per year they will be in the UK. If the applicant gets a job in public sector healthcare after paying the healthcare surcharge, they may be able to get a refund.

As part of their online application for entry clearance, they will need to prove their identity. They can do so by using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app, where they scan their identity document, or by booking an appointment at a VAC (Visa Application Centre) in their country. 

If a person has booked an appointment at a VAC, on the date of the appointment, they will have their biometrics (their fingerprints and facial photograph) taken at the VAC. The applicant should allow time to attend their VAC appointment, as the visa application centre could be in another country.

Switching from another UK visa to a UK HPI visa 

An applicant must apply online on gov.uk. They must apply from inside the UK before their current visa expires. They also must apply within 5 years of being awarded a qualification from a university listed on the GUL (Global Universities List).

There is a yearly limit on applications for the HPI visa. The allocation year runs between 1 November and 31 October. If the limit has been reached, the applicant will be told at the time of application. 

The applicant will need to have enough money to:

• Pay £252 for Ecctis to check their qualification is valid (this includes VAT)

• Pay the £880 application fee

• Pay the healthcare surcharge of £1,035 per year they will be in the UK. 

They will need to prove their identity as part of their application for permission to stay. They can prove it either by using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app, where they scan their identity document, or by booking an appointment at a UKVCAS (UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services) service point in the UK. 

If a person has booked an appointment at a UKVCAS, on the date of the appointment, they will have their biometrics (their fingerprints and facial photograph) taken there. 

They can also submit the supporting documents proving their eligibility. They can:

• Upload their documents into the UKVCAS online service; or 

• Have them scanned at their UKVCAS appointment

Getting a Decision

Once a person has applied online, proved their identity, and submitted the supporting documents, they will usually get a decision on their application for a High Potential Visa within 3 weeks, if they are outside the UK, and within 8 weeks, if they are inside the UK.

Granting an HPI visa

If a person satisfies the decision maker that they fulfill all the requirements for an HPI visa, they may be granted permission as a High Potential Individual for 2 years, and if they have a PhD or other doctoral qualification, their permission will last for 3 years. 

Applying for a partner and children

A person’s partner and children may be able to apply to join them or stay in the UK as their ‘dependants’ if they’re eligible.

A dependent partner or child of a person on an HPI route is any of the following:

• Their spouse (husband, wife), civil partner, or unmarried partner

• Their child under 18, including if they were born in the UK during their stay

• Their child aged over 18 if they currently have leave to enter or leave to remain in the UK as their dependant

The principal applicant will be required to submit evidence of their relationship to their dependant at the time of application. 

A successful partner or child visa as dependants will usually end on the same date as the main applicant. A child whose parents have visas with different expiry dates will have their visa ended on the earlier date.