On July 22, 2021, the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy released a new policy document titled "UK Innovation Strategy Leading the Future by Creating IT", hoping to attract more innovative forces into the UK in the future!
In the report, the UK** said it would further increase its attractiveness to international talent by 2030 and take action in three areas:
The new talent selection system will be based on merit-based admissions, not nationality;
will ensure that the research funding system attracts the world's best researchers and innovators to help them achieve their long-term goals;
A bold invitation to early-stage entrepreneurs makes the UK an ideal destination for these young people who are just starting out.
At the same time, the document also mentions that the UK will introduce a new work visa, the High Potential Individual (HPI) visa.
Recently, the UK** released the 2023 version of the list of the world's top universities, and graduates of the universities on the list are eligible to apply for the UK "High Potential Individual Visa".
HPI Visa
The High Potential Individual visa is a new visa category introduced in 2022 to attract graduates from top overseas universities to work in the UK.
This visa allows graduates from reputed foreign universities to work in the UK for two years (three years for PhD graduates) and functions as an PSW visa for international students from UK universities.
In other words, whether you are an international student in the United States, Canada, Australia, Chinese mainland or Hong Kong, as long as you have an HPI visa, you can go directly to the UK to work and live even if you do not have a job offer.
Currently, in order to be eligible for this visa, graduates must have graduated from a top university outside the UK within the last 5 years (from the date of application), and the university must be in the top 50 in two of the three global university rankings in the year they graduate, subject to change each year.
Academic Rankings of World Universities, Times Higher Education, QS and ARWU.
The main requirements of HPI:
Age: 18 years old or older.
Language: English proficiency at least CEFR level B1. (Equivalent to IELTS 4.)0 and above).
Financial: Applicants need to have at least 1270 cash. (Students who have lived in the UK for more than 12 months before the application date do not need to submit proof of funds).
Physical examination: Provide the corresponding tuberculosis test report according to the application area.
Visa: Have not applied for a PhD extension visa, PSW, HPI before.
HPI Visa Recognition List
Recently, the UK** updated the World University List 2023 for applications from 1 November 2023 to 31 October 2024.
A total of 39 universities are on the list:
Among them, 6 Chinese universities were on the list, and 2 new ones were added. These include Peking University, Tsinghua University, the University of Hong Kong, Zhejiang University, and two first-time institutions, Fudan University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
Unfortunately, Hong Kong Chinese was kicked out of the accreditation list this year, and only one of the Hong Kong universities in Hong Kong is still on the list.
There were 19 colleges and universities in the United States, a decrease of 2. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Texas at Austin fell off the list.
There are 3 in Canada: McGill University, University of British Columbia, and University of Toronto.
2 each in Singapore, Japan and Switzerland; France, Germany and Sweden each have one, the same as last year's institutions.
Australia's University of Queensland fell short of the list, leaving only one University of Melbourne on the list. Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands has been added.
List of Accredited Institutions in the UK over the years**:
HPI-related fees
Application Fee: 715
ECCTIS Validation Fee: 210, 252 for UK applications
Medical surcharge : two years 1248 three years 1872
Proof of personal finances: at least 1270
What can be done by HPI
Holders of a visa can continue to study in the UK or take up any legal work, including self-employment and volunteering, with the exception of professional athletes and coaches.
In addition, during the validity period of this visa, applicants can also study courses that meet the requirements of the student visa, but they are not allowed to use public funds.