High Potential Individual (HPI) Visas in the UK: Non-American University Graduates
I've written previously about HPI Visas and American University graduates, today I'm covering all the non-American Universities that qualify.
To review: the UK publishes a list of globally recognized Universities each year, and if you graduated from one of those institutions during the time period specified, you are eligible to apply for a High Potential Individual Visa (HPI). While the list is dominated by American institutions, there's representation from Swizterland, China, Germany, Sweden, Japan, Canada, Singapore, France, Hong Kong, and Australia as well.
An HPI Visa is pretty killer for entrepreneurs, nomads, or just those figuring things out with a little bit of savings built up because they:
- are valid for 2 years (3 years if you have a PhD)
- allow you to look for work
- allow you to travel abroad as you like
- allow you to be self-employed
Here's the list of all non-American Universities that qualify (if you graduated between 1 November 2024 and 31 October 2025):
| Institution | Country |
|---|---|
| Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL Switzerland) | Switzerland |
| ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) | Switzerland |
| Fudan University | China |
| Heidelberg University | Germany |
| Karolinska Institute | Sweden |
| Kyoto University | Japan |
| McGill University | Canada |
| Nanyang Technological University (NTU) | Singapore |
| National University of Singapore | Singapore |
| Paris Sciences et Lettres - PSL Research University | France |
| Peking University | China |
| Shanghai Jiao Tong University | China |
| Technical University of Munich | Germany |
| The Chinese University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong |
| Tsinghua University | China |
| University of British Columbia | Canada |
| University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong |
| University of Melbourne | Australia |
| University of Munich (LMU Munich) | Germany |
| University of Tokyo | Japan |
| University of Toronto | Canada |
| Zhejiang University | China |
To note, the government (at link above) has published a list each year for the past 5 years. You must have graduated from a University from the list for that year to be eligible.