High Potential Individual (HPI) visa
Last verified 4 September 2026 against GOV.UK sources·Page updated 5 September 2026
| Who qualifies | Graduates (last 5 years) of universities on the Global Universities List |
|---|---|
| Job offer | Not required |
| Length | 2 years (3 for PhD holders); not extendable |
| Sponsorship | None |
| Settlement | No — switch to a settlement route |
The HPI visa gives graduates of the world’s top-ranked universities two years in the UK with full work rights and no job offer required. Think of it as a Graduate visa for people who studied outside the UK.
The university list
Your degree must be from an institution on the Home Office’s Global Universities List for the year you graduated — roughly the top 50 worldwide, drawn from major rankings. The list is published year by year, so check the list for your graduation year, not the current one. The degree must have been awarded within the last five years, and you must show funds and English at B1.
What it is — and is not
Like the Graduate visa, HPI is a runway, not a destination: it cannot be extended and does not lead to settlement. Use the two years (three with a PhD) to secure a role that fits Skilled Worker or to build the track record for Global Talent. Dependants can join you.
Route to settlement and citizenship
- High Potential Individual (HPI) visa
- Skilled Worker visa
- Indefinite Leave to Remain
- British citizenship
or
- High Potential Individual (HPI) visa
- Global Talent visa
- Indefinite Leave to Remain
- British citizenship
HPI does not count towards ILR. It is designed as a two- or three-year window to find sponsored work or qualify for Global Talent, and settlement then runs from that later route.
Citizenship follows the normal path once you have settled on a later route.
Related guides
- Global Talent visa For leaders and potential leaders in academia, digital technology and arts — no sponsor, no salary threshold, settlement in 3 to 5 years.
- Skilled Worker visa Sponsorship, the £41,700 salary threshold, degree-level job requirement, B2 English and the path to settlement — the UK's main work visa explained.