The UK government has announced a significant update to its immigration rules: from 25 November 2025, international students on a student visa will be allowed to switch directly to the Innovator Founder Visa without leaving the country.

This reform replaces an earlier concession tied to the now-closed Start‑up visa. Previously, many students were required to return to their home countries to apply for a business visa. Now, upon completing their studies, they can begin building their business while still in the UK.

What’s the Change

• Previously, students with valid study visas who wanted to apply for the business-oriented visa had to leave the UK and apply from abroad. That meant potentially going back home, navigating visa processing there a big hurdle.
• Now, thanks to a review influenced by the UK White Paper 2025, this requirement is being removed. As long as students apply while their Student visa is still valid, they can make the switch in-country.
• This opens up a smoother path for student founders to stay in the UK and scale their businesses, rather than being forced to pause and return home just to apply.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for the Innovator Founder visa under the new rule, students must meet several key conditions:

1. Course Completion
   • The student must have completed the course for which their visa was granted.
   • Alternatively, PhD students who have studied full-time for at least 24 months are also eligible.
2. Endorsement
   • A crucial piece is getting an endorsement from a recognized Innovator Founder endorsing body.
   • These endorsing bodies assess whether your business is innovative, viable, and scalable.
   • The endorsement letter must be fresh, issued within 3 months of application.
3. Financial Requirement
   • You need to have at least £1,270 in personal savings in your bank account for 28 consecutive days before applying (if you’ve been in the UK less than a year).
   • These funds must not come from your investment funds, per the rules.
4. English Language
   • You must meet the English-language requirement.
   • (Note: There are upcoming changes raising the bar on English-language skills for several visa categories good to stay updated.)
5. Self-Employment & Timing of Application
   • Once you apply (while on a valid Student visa), you can begin working on your business / self-employment under Innovator Founder rules even before the visa decision comes.
   • But you must not start self-employment before you apply. Doing so risks breaching your Student visa conditions.

What Happens After the Switch

• Visa Length: When you switch, you’ll get 3 years’ leave under the Innovator Founder visa.
• Extensions & Settlement:
  • You can extend your visa beyond the first 3 years – no limit on the number of times you can apply to extend, as long as the endorsing body supports you.
  • After 3 years, you may apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) – but you’ll need a new endorsement that proves you’ve achieved business milestones.
• Checkpoints with Endorsing Body:
  • During your leave, you’ll need to meet with your endorsing body at regular “contact point” meetings (typically around 12 & 24 months) to show progress.

This policy shift is a huge opportunity for international students in the UK. By allowing them to switch from Student visas directly to Innovator Founder visas without leaving, the UK is making it much more feasible for global talent to build startups in the country. For many students, especially those from Nigeria or other countries, this could unlock the dream of turning a university project or research into a real, scalable business – all while staying in the UK.