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What is the post-study worker category?

The post-study worker category allows us to retain the most able international graduates who have studied in the United Kingdom. It also enhances the United Kingdom's overall offer to international students.

Post-study workers are free to look for work without having a sponsor for the length of their leave.

The category provides a bridge to highly skilled or skilled work. If you are granted permission to stay as a post-study worker, UKBA expect that you will switch into another tier of the points-based system as soon as you are able to.

Who can apply as a post-study worker?

You can apply under the post-study worker category now if you are:

• in the United Kingdom with permission to stay under the Science and Engineering Graduates Scheme (SEGS), International Graduates Scheme (IGS) or Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme (FT:WISS); or
• in the United Kingdom as a student, which includes students, student nurses, students resitting examinations,and students writing up a thesis, and want to switch into the post-study worker category.

Eligibility

What points you have to score to apply as a post-study worker

To apply under points-based system and be accepted into the post-study worker category, you must pass a points-based assessment.

You must score:

• 75 points for your attributes, which are a United Kingdom qualification, study at a United Kingdom institution, your immigration status during United Kingdom study and/or research, and the date of award of the qualification; and
• 10 points for English language; and 
• 10 points for available maintenance (funds).

If you do not score a minimum of 75 points for your attributes and 10 points for English language and 10 points for available maintenance (funds), your application will be refused.

How the points different for initial applications and applications under the transitional arrangements

The requirements that you must meet to score points are different depending on whether you are:

• switching from student status (which includes students, student nurses, students resitting examiniations,and students writing up a thesis) and applying for permission to enter or stay in the United Kingdom under the post-study worker category (initial applications); or
• currently have leave under the Science and Engineering Graduates Scheme (SEGS), International Graduates Scheme (IGS) or Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme (FT:WISS), and are applying to stay in the United Kingdom under the post-study worker category (transitional arrangements).

What category of person should apply?

You should apply if you are a not a national of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland and want to enter or stay in the United Kingdom to work in the post-study worker category.

You should fill in the application form if you are:

• in the United Kingdom with permission to stay under the Science and Engineering Graduates Scheme (SEGS), International Graduates Scheme (IGS) or Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme (FT:WISS); or
• in the United Kingdom as a student (this includes students, student nurses, students resitting examinations and students writing up a thesis) and want to switch into the post-study worker category.

If you are a dependant of a main applicant, you should complete the separate dependant application form.

How many points you must score to apply

What categories points are awarded for:

Points are awarded for the following categories:

• United Kingdom qualification;
• studied at United Kingdom institution;
• immigration status during United Kingdom study and/or research;
• date of award of qualification;
• English language; 
• maintenance (funds).

How many points you must score in total

You will need a total of 95 points to be able to apply.

How many points you must score for your attributes

You must score a total of at least 75 points for a United Kingdom qualification, studying at a United Kingdom institution, your immigration status during United Kingdom study and/or research and the date of award of qualification, which are known as attributes. The points available are:

How many points you must score for English language

You will automatically score 10 points for English language if you score 75 points for your attributes.

How many points you must score for maintenance (funds)

You must score 10 points for maintenance (funds) or your application will be refused.

Points awarded for a United Kingdom qualification

You will score 20 points if you have been awarded one of the following qualifications.

A United Kingdom recognised degree at bachelor's or postgraduate level

For your qualification to be considered a United Kingdom recognised degree at bachelor's or postgraduate level, it must have been awarded by a United Kingdom recognised body.

A United Kingdom recognised body is an institution which has been granted degree awarding powers by a Royal Charter, an Act of Parliament or the Privy Council. All United Kingdom universities and some higher education colleges are United Kingdom recognised bodies.

You will not be awarded points for a postgraduate certificate or postgraduate diploma, except a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (see below).

United Kingdom Postgraduate Certificate in Education

United Kingdom Postgraduate Certificates in Education (PGCEs), including Professional Graduate Diplomas in Education obtained in Scotland, are acceptable for this requirement. It is not necessary for the awarding body to be a United Kingdom recognised body.

Higher national diplomas (HND) from a Scottish institution

The qualification must be at HND level. The institution at which you studied for your HND must be a Scottish institution. UKBA will use the address of the institution to confirm this point.

Qualifications that are not acceptable

Qualifications that cannot be used for the award of points include:

• foundation degrees; 
• honorary degrees; 
• qualifications awarded in the United Kingdom by overseas awarding bodies;
• qualifications undertaken in overseas campuses of United Kingdom institutions;
• professional and vocational qualifications; and 
• postgraduate certificates or diplomas.

Points awarded for a qualification from a United Kingdom institution

You can claim 20 points if you have studied for the eligible qualification at an institution that:

• is a United Kingdom recognised or United Kingdom listed body; or
• is a Scottish publicly funded institution of further or higher education, or at a Scottish genuine (bona fide) private education institution which keeps satisfactory records of enrolment and attendance; or
• holds a sponsor licence under the student tier (tier 4) of the points-based system (once it launches).

United Kingdom recognised or listed body

A United Kingdom recognised body is an institution which has been granted degree awarding powers by a Royal Charter, an Act of Parliament or the Privy Council.  All United Kingdom universities and some higher education colleges are United Kingdom recognised bodies.

A United Kingdom listed body is an institution that is not a United Kingdom recognised body but one which provides full courses that lead to the award of a degree by a United Kingdom recognised body.

The United Kingdom recognised bodies and United Kingdom listed bodies that are on the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills website are also set out in statutory instruments.

Scottish institution

If you are claiming points for an HND from a Scottish institution, you will not be required to have studied the HND at an institution that is a recognised or listed body.  However, the HND must have been studied at a Scottish publicly funded institution of further or higher education, or at a Scottish genuine private education institution which maintains satisfactory records of enrolment and attendance

The Scottish institution must be on the Register of Education and Training Providers list which is available on the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills website

Student tier of the register of sponsors

The student tier (tier 4) of the points-based system will be introduced during spring 2009.  After it is launched, students must be sponsored by an institution that is on the register of sponsors. Institutions can start to register from summer 2008.

From summer 2008 post-study workers can meet this requirement of the attributes points scoring section by providing details of an institution that is held on the student tier of the registerPoints awarded for your immigration status

You can claim 20 points if you can show that during your period of study and/or research in the United Kingdom, you had permission to enter or stay in the United Kingdom as a:

• student; or
• student nurse; or
• student resitting an examination; or
• student writing up a thesis; or
• dependant of someone with leave in any category that allows dependants to join them in the United Kingdom.

UKBA will not award any points if your immigration status was not one of those listed above while you were studying in the United Kingdom towards the qualification that you want to claim points for, and will refuse your application.

You do not need to have lived in the United Kingdom throughout the entire period of your study. It is reasonable to expect, for example, that as a student you may have studied overseas and/or done research while getting the qualification you are claiming points for.

A dependant would be entitled to claim 20 points for this attribute, but if they are still in the United Kingdom they are unable to switch into becoming the main applicant for post-study worker. The dependant would have to leave the United Kingdom and make an application overseas for entry clearance.

. Points awarded for the date of award of qualification

You can claim 15 points if your qualification that you are claiming points for was obtained within the 12 months immediately before your application for permission to enter or stay (known as 'entry clearance' or 'leave to remain') as a post-study worker.

How we define the date of award

The date on which you were first notified in writing, by the awarding institution, that the qualification has been awarded is the date on which the qualification was obtained (known as the date of award).

UKBA will not accept that the date of award is the date of graduation.

As long as the date of award is no more than 12 months before the date of application, UKBA will award the points.

Sometimes you will have started another course after finishing the course leading to the qualification you are claiming points for.  You do not need to finish this subsequent course.  However, the date of award of the qualification you are claiming points for must still fall within the 12 months before your application, or you will not score points.

How points are awarded for English language

If you score 75 points for your attributes, which are a United Kingdom qualification, studying at a United Kingdom institution, your immigration status during United Kingdom study and/or research and the date of award of qualification, you will satisfy the English language requirement.

What is maintenance (funds)?

You must be able to support yourself for the entire length of your stay in the United Kingdom without recourse to public funds, which means you will not be able to claim most benefits paid by the state. If you cannot you could face financial hardship as you do not have access to most state benefits.

You must show that you have enough funds in personal savings to support yourself.

You should also assess the potential costs of living in the United Kingdom. If you are applying permission to stay (known as 'leave to remain'), this will be based on past living expenses. If you expect to receive no income from your work in the United Kingdom after the first month, you should make sure that you have enough funds to support yourself and your dependants.

You must prove your maintenance (funds) by sending evidence to support your application, or your application will be refused.

Maintenance transitional arrangements

Normally, when applying from inside the United Kingdom, you will have to show that you have enough funds, by sending documentation showing you have had savings of at least £800 for at least three months before applying.

Because this is a new requirement and it may be difficult to prove this immediately, UKBA have put transitional arrangements in place for you and your family members submitting your applications within the United Kingdom up to and including 31 October 2008.

Up to 31 October 2008, you do not have to show you have had the funds for at least three months before your application. You must only show you have the required funds at the time you apply. Until 31 October 2008, your supporting evidence does not need to cover the three-month period, but the documents must be dated no more than a month before your application.

For applications submitted within the United Kingdom on or after 1 November 2008, and for applications submitted in countries overseas, you will have to meet the requirements below.

The points awarded for maintenance (funds) if you are already in the United Kingdom

You must score 10 points for maintenance (funds), which are awarded if you are applying for permission to stay in the United Kingdom (known as 'leave to remain') and have £800 in available funds.

The points awarded for maintenance (funds) if you are applying from outside the United Kingdom

You must score 10 points for maintenance (funds), which are awarded if you are applying to a British overseas entry clearance post for permission to come to the United Kingdom (known as 'entry clearance') and have £2,800 in available funds.