Post-study workers
Transitional arrangements
This section explains how you can apply under the transitional arrangements of the post-study worker category (Tier 1 Post-study work) of the points-based system.
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Who can apply under the transitional arrangements?
You can apply under the transitional arrangements if you are in the United Kingdom and your current or last grant of leave was under the:
- Science and Engineering Graduates Scheme (SEGS); or
- International Graduates Scheme (IGS); or
- Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme (FT: WISS).
If you were last given less than two years' leave under the International Graduates Scheme or Science and Engineering Graduates Scheme, you will be able to apply to the post-study worker category under the transitional arrangements. The arrangements allow you to get a total of up to two years' leave under a combination of your previous scheme and post-study worker.
If you are under the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme, you will normally have been given two years' leave at the beginning and so will not need to apply for any transitional arrangements. However, if you were given less than two years' leave under the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme, you can apply under the transitional arrangements in the post-study worker category to get a total of two years' leave under a combination of your previous scheme and the post-study worker category.
If you have not previously been given permission to stay in either of these categories, you should read the section on initial applications.
What happens when your permission to stay ends?
If you are given permission to stay as a post-study worker from inside the United Kingdom, you will be able to live and work in the United Kingdom for a maximum period of two years, combined with your previous leave. When the end of this period approaches you will not be able to apply to extend your stay, as we expect you to switch into another category of the points-based system.
The conditions you must meet if you apply under the transitional arrangements and are already in the United Kingdom
You can apply under the transitional arrangements if you are in the United Kingdom and your current or last grant of leave was under the:
- Science and Engineering Graduates Scheme (SEGS); or
- International Graduates Scheme (IGS); or
- Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme (FT: WISS).
Leave to remain is subject to the following conditions:
- you must have no recourse to public funds, which means you will not be able to claim most benefits paid by the state; and
- you must register with the police if this is needed by paragraph 326 in part 10 of the immigration rules.
We do allow employment as a doctor in training if you have, or were last given, permission to enter or stay in the International Graduates Scheme (IGS), or Science and Engineering Graduates Scheme (SEGS), or Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme (FT:WISS).
If you are already in the United Kingdom and are sending any dependant applications at the same time as your own application, we encourage you to send your application and dependant applications in the same envelope.
Application forms
Tier 1 (Post-study work) - for applications made inside the United Kingdom
- Application for a grant of leave under Tier 1 (Post-study work) - main applicant. Valid from 1 October 2009.PDF 910KB opens in a new window
- Photograph guidancePDF 325KB opens in a new window
- Tier 1 (Post-study work) of the points-based system - policy guidance PDF 331KB opens in a new window
Terms explained
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Public funds
Public funds are income-related benefits paid by the state. They include income support, income-based job seekers allowance, housing and homelessness assistance, housing and council tax benefit, working families' tax credit, a social fund payment, child benefit and any disability allowance. Benefits paid as a result of contributions, such as the state pension, are not considered to be public funds. Social housing is not considered to be a public fund either. Claiming public funds when you are not eligible is known as benefit fraud and it is a criminal offence.