Build your career in the UK with the freedom to explore opportunities.
The High Potential Individual visa could give you time to find work, change employers or establish yourself professionally in the UK. Your qualification, university and award date determine whether this route is available.
Knightsbridge helps assess those requirements and prepare an application around your circumstances.
Our free initial enquiry identifies whether we can assist and the appropriate service. Substantive eligibility advice and application work are agreed separately.
About this route
HPI is an unsponsored visa for graduates with eligible overseas qualifications. You do not need a job offer. Permission normally lasts two years, or three years if your qualifying award is a PhD or other doctorate. You can work in most jobs or be self-employed.
The visa cannot be extended and does not lead directly to settlement. Any later switch requires you to meet the destination route’s rules. Eligible partners and children can apply as dependants.
Eligibility Check
The main questions are:
- Are you 18 or over?
- Was your eligible overseas degree awarded within the five years before applying?
- Does your university appear on the Global Universities List covering your award date?
- Can Ecctis confirm the qualification’s validity and equivalence to a UK bachelor’s degree or higher?
- Do you meet the English requirement? This is generally B2 unless an exemption applies.
- Can you meet the maintenance requirement? Usually, £1,270 must be held for 28 consecutive days, ending within 31 days before applying. After 12 months in the UK with valid permission, you may be exempt.
- Have you previously held HPI, Graduate or Doctorate Extension Scheme permission? Previous permission under any of these prevents an HPI application.
UK university qualifications do not qualify for HPI. Your immigration status also affects whether you can apply from inside the UK.
Understanding your situation
You may be unsure which university list applies, have several qualifications or need to apply before your current permission expires.
We examine the awarding institution, qualification level and confirmed award date, alongside your current permission and intended application date. Where dependants are involved, we consider their applications and evidence separately.
How Knightsbridge Helps
For an agreed application service, we:
- Assess the relevant requirements and identify unresolved questions.
- Provide a document list covering qualifications, English, finances and immigration history.
- Review the available assessment and supporting records.
- Prepare the application and explain points needing clarification.
- Review the completed application with you.
- Complete submission and follow-up work included in your engagement.
Addressing Challenges
A university’s current listing may differ from the list applicable when your degree was awarded. Certificates and transcripts may also show different dates or names.
We identify discrepancies and explain what clarification is needed. Ecctis assesses qualification validity and level; it does not decide whether your university is eligible. The Home Office decides the visa application.
Timescales and Costs
Preparation depends on document availability and any required Ecctis assessment. Home Office decisions usually take three weeks outside the UK or eight weeks inside, after applying online, proving your identity and supplying your documents.
Current external charges are:
- Visa application: £880.
- Ecctis assessment: £252, including VAT, where required.
- Immigration Health Surcharge: normally £2,070 for two years or £3,105 for three years.
Dependants have separate charges and maintenance requirements. We confirm our professional fee, scope and any applicable VAT in writing.
HPI is capped at 8,000 applications per allocation year, running from 1 November to 31 October. Application availability and timing need checking.
Situations requiring closer analysis
Previous refusals, uncertain status, restricted switching circumstances or unclear qualification evidence may require a separate assessment. We explain whether we can assist and agree the necessary work first.
Your journey at a glance
Assess → Plan → Evidence → Prepare → Review → Submit → Follow through.
We establish your position, organise the evidence and complete the stages covered by your agreed service.
Ready to have your case assessed?
Tell us your university, qualification, award date, current location and intended timing.
The initial enquiry helps identify the next service and its fee. Detailed assessment and application preparation follow only once the scope is agreed.
