Immigration Rules Appendix High Potential Individual
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-11)

High Potential Individual

This route is for recent graduates of top global universities, who want to work, or look for work in the UK, following the successful completion of an eligible course of study equivalent to UK bachelor’s degree level or above. The study must have been with an institution listed on the Global Universities List.

The High Potential Individual route is an unsponsored route and is capped at a maximum of 8,000 applications a year.

The allocation year for this route operates between 1 November - 31 October each year.

A dependent partner and dependent children can apply on this route.

The High Potential Individual route is not a route to settlement.

Validity requirements for a High Potential Individual

HPI 1.1. A person applying for entry clearance or permission to stay as a High Potential Individual must apply online on the gov.uk website on the specified form as follows:
- (a) for applicants outside the UK, form “High Potential Individual visa”; or
- (b) for applicants inside the UK, form “High Potential Individual”.
HPI 1.2. An application for entry clearance or permission to stay as a High Potential Individual must meet all the following validity requirements:
- (a) any fee and Immigration Health Charge must have been paid; and
- (b) the applicant must have provided biometrics when required; and
- (c) the applicant must have provided a passport or other travel document which satisfactorily establishes their identity and nationality.
HPI 1.3. The applicant must be aged 18 or over on the date of application.

HPI 1.4. If the applicant has in the last 12 months before the date of application received an award from a Government or international scholarship agency covering both fees and living costs for study in the UK, they must provide written consent to the application from that Government or agency.

HPI 1.5. If applying for permission to stay, the applicant must be in the UK on the date of application.

HPI 1.5ZA. If applying for permission to stay, the applicant must not have, or have last been granted, permission:
- (a) as a Visitor; or
- (b) as a Short-term Student; or
- (c) as a Parent of a Child Student; or
- (d) as a Seasonal Worker; or
- (e) as a Domestic Worker in a Private Household; or
- (f) outside the Immigration Rules.
HPI 1.5A. An applicant who is applying for permission to stay and has, or last had, permission as a Student, must fulfil one of the Conditions A or B below on the date of application:
- (a) Condition A: the applicant must have completed the course of study for which the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies was assigned (or a course to which ST 27.3 of Appendix Student applies); or
- (i) be studying a full-time course of study leading to the award of a PhD with a higher education provider which has a track record of compliance; and
- (ii) have completed at least 24 months of study on that course.
HPI 1.6. The applicant must not have been previously granted permission under the Student Doctorate Extension Scheme, as a Graduate or as a High Potential Individual.

HPI 1.6A The number of applications (for both entry clearance and permission to stay) must not have exceeded 8,000, the annual total allocation of places for the route (where the annual period begins on 1 November and ends on 31 October of each year).

HPI 1.7 An application which does not meet all the validity requirements for a High Potential Individual may be rejected as invalid and not considered.

Suitability requirements for a High Potential Individual

HPI 2.1. The applicant must not fall for refusal under Part Suitability.
- (a) in breach of immigration laws, except that where the Exceptions for overstayers section of Part Suitability applies, that period of overstaying will be disregarded; or
- (b) on immigration bail.
Eligibility requirements for a High Potential Individual

Entry requirements for a High Potential Individual

HPI 3.1. A person seeking to come to the UK as a High Potential Individual must apply for and obtain entry clearance as a High Potential Individual before they arrive in the UK.

HPI 3.2. A person applying for entry clearance as a High Potential Individual must, if Appendix Tuberculosis applies, provide a valid medical certificate confirming that they have undergone screening for active pulmonary tuberculosis and that this tuberculosis is not present in them.

Points requirement for a High Potential Individual

HPI 4.1. The applicant must be awarded all 70 points in the table below:

Global Universities List degree requirement

HPI 5.1. The applicant must, in the 5 years immediately before the date of the application, have been awarded an overseas degree level academic qualification which Ecctis confirms meets, or exceeds, the recognised standard of a UK bachelor’s or UK postgraduate degree.

HPI 5.2. The institution at which the applicant was awarded the degree in HPI 5.1 must appear on the Global Universities List in respect of the date the applicant was awarded the degree.

HPI 5.3 The date the applicant was awarded the degree will be the date as confirmed by Ecctis.

HPI 5.4. If the requirements in HPI 5.1. to HPI 5.3. are met, the applicant will be awarded 50 points.

English language requirement for High Potential Individual

HPI 6.1. Unless an exemption applies, the applicant must show English language ability on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in all 4 components (reading, writing, speaking and listening) of at least level B1.

HPI 6.2. The applicant must show they meet the English language requirement as specified in Appendix English Language.

HPI 6.3. If the requirements in HPI 6.1. and HPI 6.2. are met, the applicant will be awarded 10 points for meeting the English language requirement.

Financial requirement for High Potential Individual

HPI 7.1. If the applicant is applying for permission to stay and has been in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer on the date of application, they will meet the financial requirement and do not need to show funds.

HPI 7.2. An applicant who is applying for entry clearance, or who is applying for permission to stay and has been in the UK for less than 12 months at the date of application, must have funds of at least £1,270.

HPI 7.3. The applicant must show that they have held the required level of funds for a 28-day period and must show funds as specified in Appendix Finance.

HPI 7.4. If the requirements in HPI 7.1. to HPI 7.3. are met, the applicant will be awarded 10 points for meeting the Financial requirement.

Decision on an application as a High Potential Individual

HPI 8.1. If the decision maker is satisfied that all the suitability and the relevant eligibility requirements for a High Potential Individual are met, the application will be granted, otherwise the application will be refused.

HPI 8.2. If the application is refused the person can apply for an Administrative Review under Appendix AR: Administrative Review.

Period of grant for a High Potential Individual

HPI 9.1. The applicant will be granted entry clearance or permission to stay for the period as set out in the table below based on the qualification relied on to meet the Global Universities List degree requirement.

Conditions of grant for a High Potential Individual

HPI 9.2. The grant will be subject to all the following conditions:
- (a) no access to public funds; and
- (b) work (including self-employment and voluntary work) is permitted, apart from work as a professional sportsperson (including as a sports coach); and
- (c) study is permitted, except study with an education provider which is a Student sponsor, and which would meet the approved qualification and level of study requirements of the Student route which are set out in Appendix Student; and
- (d) study or research is subject to the ATAS condition in Appendix ATAS.
- (e) DELETED
Dependent partner (“partner”) and dependent child (“child”) of a High Potential Individual

Validity requirements for a partner or child of a High Potential Individual

HPI 10.1. A person applying for entry clearance or permission to stay as a partner or child of a High Potential Individual must apply online on the gov.uk website on the specified form as follows:

HPI 10.2. An application for entry clearance or permission to stay as a partner or child of a High Potential Individual must meet all the following requirements:
- (a) any fee and Immigration Health Charge must have been paid; and
- (b) the applicant must have provided biometrics when required; and
- (c) the applicant must have provided a passport or other travel document which satisfactorily establishes their identity and nationality; and
- (i) has made a valid application for entry clearance or permission to stay on the High Potential Individual route that has not been decided; or
- (ii) has entry clearance or permission on the High Potential Individual route.
HPI 10.3. A person applying as a partner must be aged 18 or over on the date of application.

HPI 10.4. If applying for permission to stay, the applicant must be in the UK on the date of application.

HPI 10.4ZA. If applying for permission to stay, the applicant must not have, or have last been granted, permission:
- (a) as a Visitor; or
- (b) as a Short-term Student; or
- (c) as a Parent of a Child Student; or
- (d) as a Seasonal Worker; or
- (e) as a Domestic Worker in a Private Household; or
- (f) outside the Immigration Rules.
HPI 10.4A. An applicant who is applying for permission to stay and has, or last had, permission as a Student, must fulfil one of the Conditions A or B below on the date of application:
- (a) Condition A: the applicant must have completed the course of study for which the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies was assigned (or a course to which ST 27.3 of Appendix Student applies); or
- (i) be studying a full-time course of study leading to the award of a PhD with a higher education provider which has a track record of compliance; and
- (ii) have completed at least 24 months of study on that course.
HPI 10.5. An application which does not meet all the validity requirements as a partner or child of a High Potential individual may be rejected as invalid and not considered.

Suitability requirements for a partner and child of a High Potential Individual

HPI 11.1. The applicant must not fall for refusal under Part Suitability.
- (a) in breach of immigration laws, except that where the Exceptions for overstayers section of Part Suitability applies, that period of overstaying will be disregarded; or
- (b) on immigration bail.
Eligibility requirements for a partner and child of a High Potential Individual

Entry requirement for a partner and child of a High Potential Individual

HPI 12.1. A person seeking to come to the UK as a partner or child of a High Potential Individual must apply for and obtain entry clearance as a partner or child of a High Potential Individual before they arrive in the UK.

HPI 12.2. A person applying for entry clearance as the partner or child of a High Potential Individual must, if Appendix Tuberculosis applies, provide a valid medical certificate confirming that they have undergone screening for active pulmonary tuberculosis and that this tuberculosis is not present in them.

Relationship requirements for a partner of a High Potential Individual

HPI 13.1. The applicant must be the partner of a person (P) and one of the following must apply:
- (a) P has permission as a High Potential Individual; or
- (b) P is, at the same time, applying for (and is granted) permission as a High Potential Individual.
HPI 13.2. The requirements of Appendix Relationship with Partner must be met.

HPI 13.3. DELETED

HPI 13.4. DELETED

Relationship requirement for a child on the High Potential Individual route

HPI 14.1. DELETED.

HPI 14.2. DELETED.

HPI 14.3. DELETED.

Age requirement for a child on the High Potential Individual route

HPI 15.1. DELETED.

HPI 15.2. DELETED.

Care requirement for a child on the High Potential Individual route

HPI 16.1. DELETED.

Requirements for a dependent child on the High Potential Individual route
- (a) relationship requirement: entry clearance and permission to stay; and
- (b) care requirement; and
- (c) age and independent life requirement.
Financial requirement for a partner or child on the High Potential Individual route

HPI 17.1. If the applicant is applying for permission to stay and has been living in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer on the date of application, they will meet the financial requirement and do not need to show funds.

HPI 17.2. If the applicant is applying for entry clearance or has been in the UK for less than 12 months on the date of application, funds of at least the amount required in HPI 17.3 must be held collectively by one or more of the following: (a) the applicant; and (b) the High Potential Individual (P); and (c) if the applicant is applying as a child, their parent who is lawfully in the UK or being granted entry clearance.

HPI 17.3. The funds required are:
- (a) at least £285 for a partner in the UK or applying to come to the UK; and
- (b) at least £315 for the first child in the UK or applying to come to the UK; and
- (c) at least £200 for each additional child in the UK or applying to come to the UK.
HPI 17.4. The funds held must be in addition to any funds required by the High Potential Individual to meet the financial requirement or any dependants in the UK or applying at the same time.

HPI. 17.5. The required level of funds must have been held for a 28-day period and as specified in Appendix Finance.

Decision on an application as a partner and child on the High Potential Individual route

HPI 18.1. If the decision maker is satisfied that all the suitability and eligibility requirements are met for a partner or child on the High Potential Individual route, the application will be granted, otherwise the application will be refused.

HPI 18.2. If the application is refused the person can apply for an Administrative Review under Appendix AR: Administrative Review.

Period of grant for a partner and child on the High Potential Individual route

HPI 19.1. A partner will be granted entry clearance or permission to stay which ends on the same date as their partner’s permission as a High Potential Individual.

HPI 19.2. A child will be granted entry clearance or permission to stay which ends on the same date as their parents’ permission.

Conditions of grant for a partner and child on the High Potential Individual route

HPI 19.3. The grant will be subject to all the following conditions:
- (a) no access to public funds; and
- (b) work (including self-employment and voluntary work) is permitted; except from work as a professional sportsperson (including as a sports coach); and
- (c) study is permitted, subject to the ATAS condition in Appendix ATAS (if the study will commence when the person is aged over 18).
- (d) DELETED