Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visa
Overview
You can apply for a Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visa if you:
- are a graduate who has been officially endorsed as having a genuine and credible business idea
- are from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
- meet the other eligibility criteria
Getting endorsed
You must be endorsed by either:
- the Department for International Trade (DIT) as part of the elite global graduate entrepreneur programme (Sirius)
- a UK higher education institution (HEI) if it’s an authorised endorsing body
How long it will take
How long it takes depends on how you’ve been endorsed.
DIT endorsement
You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks if you’ve been endorsed by DIT. The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.
You can check the guide processing times to find out how long getting a visa might take in your country.
UK HEI endorsement
You’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 8 weeks if you’ve been endorsed by a UK higher education institution. The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.
Fees
How much you pay for a Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visa depends on your situation, where you are and how you apply.
Who you’re applying for | Apply (outside the UK) | Extend or switch by post in the UK |
---|---|---|
Yourself | £363 | £493 |
If you’re a citizen of Turkey or Macedonia | £308 | £438 |
All dependants | £363 each person | £493 each person |
You’ll also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application. Check how much you’ll have to pay before you apply.
How long you can stay
You can stay in the UK for one year on a Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visa.
You can apply to extend this visa for one more year.
What you can and can’t do
You can:
- bring family members with you
- extend your stay in the UK using this visa
- switch into this visa from some other visa categories
You can’t:
- get public funds
- work as a doctor or dentist in training
- work as a professional sportsperson, for example a sports coach
- settle in the UK on this visa