International students in the UK, including large numbers from across Africa, will soon be able to switch from their Student visas to the Innovator Founder visa without leaving the country. This change takes effect on 25 November 2025 under the UK Government’s updated immigration rules published in the October 2025 Statement of Changes (HC 1333). This marks a major shift from the long-standing requirement that student entrepreneurs return home before applying.
Under the new policy, students who have completed their studies and still hold a valid Study visa can submit an Innovator Founder application from within the UK. Once they file the application and secure an endorsement from an approved body, they are also permitted to begin entrepreneurial or self-employment activity while awaiting a decision.
The endorsement requirement remains strict: applicants must present a business idea that is innovative, viable, and scalable, and receive formal approval from a Home Office-recognised endorsing body. The Innovator Founder visa provides an initial three years of permission and counts towards settlement, making it the UK’s primary route for foreign entrepreneurs after the Start-up visa was phased out.
According to the Home Office’s explanatory memorandum, the reform forms part of a wider strategy to retain high-potential talent and strengthen the UK’s startup ecosystem. Recommendations from the UK’s 2025 Immigration White Paper emphasised the need for a smoother transition for entrepreneurial graduates who wish to build companies in the UK. With the growing population of African students, especially Nigerians, who remain one of the UK’s largest international student groups, officials expect a significant rise in student-founded ventures.
To qualify, applicants must submit their endorsement letter, show that their Study visa is still valid at the time of application, and demonstrate that their business contributes something genuinely new to the UK market. The new rules also introduce a revised “Part Suitability” test replacing the former “Part 9: Grounds for Refusal,” tightening compliance checks for all applicants.
Legal experts note that while the reform removes one of the biggest barriers to entrepreneurship for foreign students, securing an endorsement can still be challenging and may involve fees charged by endorsing bodies. Dependants, including spouses and children, may also apply under this route, and time spent under the Innovator Founder visa counts toward permanent residency.
With the rule change, the UK is clearly signalling its commitment to innovation-led migration. By enabling international students to stay, build companies, and contribute to the UK economy immediately after graduation, policymakers hope to foster a more dynamic, globally competitive entrepreneurial landscape.
