Students who graduated from the world’s top 50 non-UK universities are now eligible to apply for Britain’s new visa scheme.

The British government expressed its hopes that the “high-potential individual” route, which launched today will attract the “brightest and best” at the early stage of their career to work in the UK.

The new visa scheme will be available to alumni of the world’s top 50 non-UK universities who graduated in the last five years.

The scheme opens to graduates irrespective of their nationality and they will also not need to have a job offer in order to apply.

Successful applicants with a bachelor’s or master’s degree will be given a work visa lasting two years and three years for Ph-D holders.


To qualify, an applicant must have attended a university that appeared in the top 50 of at least two of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, the Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings or The Academic Ranking of World Universities, in the year in which they graduated.

According to the government guidance, selected applicants will also be able to switch to other long-term employment visas if certain requirements are met.

The visa will cost £715 which includes the immigration health surcharge, a fee which permits migrants to the UK to use the NHS.
Also, applicants must have maintenance funds of at least £1,270, which permits them to bring their families along.

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