High Potential Individual Visa

A High Potential Individual (HPI) visa grants you permission to stay in the UK for at least two years. To apply, you must have been awarded a qualification by an eligible university within the last five years.

To meet the eligibility requirements for a High Potential Individual visa, you must demonstrate proficiency in English at B1 level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale. This requirement can also be met if you are from a majority English-speaking country or have obtained a degree that was taught in English.

UK universities are not eligible under this scheme. If you are already in the UK on a Student visa, you may be able to apply for a Graduate visa instead.

The HPI visa allows you to stay in the UK for up to two years, or three years if you hold a PhD or other doctoral qualification.

The list of eligible universities applies to qualifications awarded between 1 November 2024 and 31 October 2025 can be found here.