Immigration, Simplified

High Potential Individual (HPI) Visa

The High Potential Individual visa is a short-term work visa for recent graduates from the world’s top-ranked universities. It allows you to move to the UK to work or look for work without needing a job offer or a sponsor.

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Official UK Government Updates

For accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official UK Government source:

UK High Potential Individual Visa

Core Eligibility

To qualify for the 70 points required, you must meet the following:

Education (50 points): You must have been awarded an overseas degree (Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD) in the last 5 years from a university on the Global Universities List.
English Proficiency (10 points): As of January 8, 2026, the requirement has increased to CEFR Level B2 (Intermediate).
Financial Maintenance (10 points): You must show at least £1,270 in savings held for 28 consecutive days, unless you have been living in the UK with a valid visa for 12 months or more.

The Global Universities List

Your university must have been on the official list during the year you graduated. For those graduating between November 1, 2025, and October 31, 2026, the list includes 58 institutions across the US, China, Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, and several European and South American countries.

Note: Degrees from UK universities do not qualify for this route. UK graduates should look at the Graduate Visa instead.

2026 Fees and Costs

The total cost of the HPI visa is paid upfront and varies based on the length of your stay.

Fee Type	Amount
Visa Application Fee	£880
Ecctis Qualification Check	£210 (+ VAT if applicable)
Health Surcharge (IHS)	£1,035 per year

Total for 2-year visa (Bachelor’s/Master’s): Approximately £3,160
Total for 3-year visa (PhD): Approximately £4,195

Key Rules and Restrictions

No Extensions: You cannot extend an HPI visa. You can only hold this visa once in your lifetime.
Switching: Before your visa expires, you can switch to a long-term route like the Skilled Worker or Innovator Founder visa if you meet those requirements.
Work Rights: You can work in almost any role, be self-employed, or volunteer. However, you cannot work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach.
No Settlement: Time spent on an HPI visa does not count directly toward the 5-year residency requirement for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). You must switch to a qualifying route to start your settlement “clock.”

Dependants

Your partner and children can apply to join you. Each dependant must pay the £880 application fee and the relevant Immigration Health Surcharge. You must also show additional savings for them (£285 for a partner, £315 for a first child, and £200 for each additional child).