GOV.UK
1. 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:
- UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) as part of the elite global graduate entrepreneur programme (Sirius)
- your current UK higher education institution (HEI) if it is an authorised endorsing body
How long it will take
How long it takes depends on how you’ve been endorsed. You must have your endorsement letter before you apply for your visa.
UKTI endorsement
You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks if you’ve been endorsed by UKTI. You can apply for this visa up to 3 months before your date of travel to the UK.
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 within 8 weeks if you’ve been endorsed by a UK academic institution.
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 | Extend or switch by post |
|---|---|---|
| You | £298 | £406 |
| If you’re a citizen of Turkey or Macedonia | £268 | £365 |
| Your partner or child under 18 applying at the same time as you | £298 each person | £305 each person |
| Your partner or child under 18 applying later, or child over 18 | £298 each person | £406 each person |
How long you can stay
You can stay in the UK for 1 year on a Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visa.
You can apply to extend this visa for 1 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 (eg a sports coach)
- settle in the UK on this visa