Indian universities missing from UK’s new HPI visa list 2022

The UK government has allowed graduates of the world’s top-50 universities to work in the UK via the High Potential Individual (HPI) visa. However, no Indian university has made it onto the list.

Three Chinese universities had made it to the list last year. This year, the number has increased to four. Two universities from mainland China and two from Hong Kong have made it to the list including the University of Hong Kong, Peking University and Tsinghua University. 

The exclusion of Indian universities from the HPI visa list has caused the UK government to face backlash from Indian students. Some are calling the list ‘western-centric while others have implored the British authorities to ‘stop treating Indian students like cash cows’.

What is a High Potential Individual visa? 

Students who are offered the High Potential Individual visa are permitted to stay in the UK for at least 2 years. If the student has a PhD or other doctoral qualification, they can stay in the UK for 3 years.

High Potential Individual visa holders can look and work for jobs, participate in voluntary work and can even be self-employed. During this period, they are also allowed to travel abroad and return to the UK. In addition, you can also live in the UK with your partner and children, if eligible.

Are you eligible? 

To be eligible for a High Potential Individual visa, the student must have been awarded a qualification by an eligible university. The UK government has released six lists of eligible universities from the year 2016 to 2022.

You’ll have to check if your university has been named in that list specifically for the year you graduated. No Indian university has been ranked in any of the 6 lists issued by the UK government. Therefore, students who graduated from an Indian university are not eligible for a High Potential Individual visa.

You must apply for a High Potential Individual Visa within 5 years of being awarded a qualification from the list of eligible universities.

To check the list of eligible universities, visit the official website

Application for the HPI visa can be filed through an online portal released by the UK government. The application fee for this visa is GBP 75.