The UK has announced a significant change to its immigration policy, effective November 25, 2025, which will permit international students on a Study visa to switch directly to the Innovator Founder visa from within the country, eliminating the previous requirement to apply from overseas. This new regulation is designed to support entrepreneurial talent by allowing students to begin establishing their innovative, endorsed businesses—a route now replacing the defunct Start-up visa—while their applications are being processed, provided they meet specific criteria, including holding valid student status and securing an endorsement.
Table of Contents
UK Policy Shift: Students Can Switch to Innovator Founder Visa In-Country
The UK has announced a significant change in its immigration policy that will streamline the process for international students wishing to establish innovative businesses. Starting on November 25, 2025, international students will be permitted to switch directly to the Innovator Founder visa from within the UK, eliminating the previous requirement to leave the country to submit their application.
Join our Telegram Channel for Instant Scholarship Updates
This major policy adjustment enables students on a Study visa to begin the process of setting up their innovative businesses while their applications are being processed, addressing previous restrictions that created unnecessary hurdles for entrepreneurial talent.
The Innovator Founder Visa Explained
The Innovator Founder visa route is designed to allow foreign nationals to set up and run a business in the UK. For students, the business or business idea must meet several key criteria:
- Innovation: The business must be genuinely new and different from anything else currently available in the UK market.
- Endorsement: The business idea must be endorsed by an approved body, known as an endorsing body.
- Eligibility: All other standard eligibility requirements for the Innovator Founder route must be met.
It is noted that foreigners can no longer apply for the Start-up visa route, making the Innovator Founder visa the primary option for those seeking to establish a new business in the UK.
Conditions for Switching and Self-Employment
The move aligns with the UK White Paper 2025, which floated the idea of reviewing the visa route to ensure it supports entrepreneurial talent graduating from UK universities.
To switch to the Innovator Founder route and potentially engage in self-employment under this visa category while still holding a Student visa, specific conditions must be met:
- Application Made: The individual must have formally applied for permission on the Innovator Founder route.
- Endorsement Secured: The application must be supported by a current endorsement from an Innovator Founder endorsing body.
- Valid Student Status: The application must have been made while the applicant held valid permission as a Student.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: When does this new rule take effect? A: The change allowing international students to switch to the Innovator Founder visa from within the UK will start on November 25, 2025.
Q: What is the Innovator Founder visa for? A: It allows foreign students to set up and run an innovative business in the UK that is genuinely unique and has been endorsed by an approved body.
Q: What was the prior requirement for international students wishing to apply for this visa? A: Previously, international students had to leave the UK and apply from outside the country, but this restriction is now being removed.
Q: What are the main requirements for the business idea? A: The business must be innovative (different from anything else in the market) and must be endorsed by an approved endorsing body.
Q: What is the primary benefit of the in-country switch? A: The main benefit is enabling students to start their business activities while their Innovator Founder application is being processed, overcoming delays caused by the previous restrictions.
Q: Can I apply for the Start-up visa instead? A: No, the Start-up visa is no longer available for new applicants. The Innovator Founder visa is the primary route for setting up a business in the UK.
Q: Who is considered an “endorsing body”? A: An endorsing body is an organization approved by the UK Home Office to assess and support the viability and innovation of the business plan.
Q: Can I start working for my own business (self-employment) while my Innovator Founder application is pending? A: Yes, you may be self-employed provided you have applied for the Innovator Founder route, the application is supported by an endorsement, and it was made while you held valid Student visa permission.
Q: What motivated the UK government to make this policy change? A: This policy aligns with the UK White Paper 2025, which aims to support entrepreneurial talent currently studying at UK universities, encouraging them to build their businesses and careers in the UK.
Q: Does the business need to be a completely new idea? A: Yes, the business must be innovative and demonstrably different from anything else currently in the UK market.
