The Start-up visa is an immigration category which allows people with an idea for an innovative, scalable and viable business to stay in the UK to develop their business under the supervision of their UK academic institution or business as an authorised body.
London Met is recognised as an endorsing body and will offer letters of endorsement to our recent graduates if they meet the required criteria. The Start-up visa can be applied for once and allows the recipient stay in the UK to develop their business for two years.
To apply for the Start-up visa, you need a Letter of Endorsement. Eligible graduates of London Met may apply for Letter of Endorsement from London Met.
To apply for this letter, you must pass an Endorsement Selection Process run by London Met. We will use this selection process to identify the business ideas that the university will endorse.
To enquire about the Start-up visa and the Endorsement Selection Process, you must
If you are eligible, you will be referred to Accelerator and may progress with the application process outlined below.
To receive endorsement for the Start-up visa, your business idea must satisfy the following essential Endorsement Criteria:
| Innovation | Viability | Scalability |
|---|---|---|
| The product or service, or other important aspects of the applicant’s business model, are new or innovative. | The applicant has (or is actively developing) the necessary skills, knowledge, experience, market awareness and resources to successfully realise the commercial opportunity described in the application. | The business has the ability to significantly grow revenue with minimal incremental cost, and has the potential to create jobs. |
NOTE: Endorsement criteria are determined by UK Visas and Immigration and are subject to review. You can check https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-start-up for up-to-date and complete information.
The Endorsement Selection Process is comprised of two stages.
Stage 1 This stage involves submission of a written application including a link to a 90 second pitch video.
Stage 2 If the written application satisfies the Endorsement Criteria, then the application will progress to the second stage and you will participate in a panel interview at Accelerator.
A copy of the application form can be accessed here. Once completed, the application should be submitted online at:
<aside> đź“Ś accelerator-london.com/students/startup-visa/apply
</aside>
All applications must be accompanied by a 90 second video pitch that outlines your business idea, the reason you want to set it up, your target market, your unique selling point, and the reason you’re the right person to set it up. Videos should be uploaded to a site such as Vimeo or YouTube and you should submit a url to the video rather than the video itself.