1. Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur)

2. What’s new – in summary MBA, General [and Global – UKTI only] endorsements: additional 1000 places Amended allocation system Lower requirements for business and progress Entry clearance now possible Eligibility for Tier 2 postdoctoral researchers Unlimited hours of employment

3. Endorsements: MBA MBA MBA graduates only 1000 endorsements Max 10 per MBA-awarding institution

4. Endorsements: General General MBA graduates Everyone else, including Tier 2 postdoctoral researchers 900 endorsements Max 10 per institution

5. Endorsements Institutions that offer MBAs – max 20 endorsements each Institutions that do not offer MBAs – max 10 endorsements each

6. Endorsements: applications Home Office invites participation from all HEIs with: HTS A-rated Tier 2 and/or Tier 5 sponsor licence if Tier 2 and/or Tier 5 sponsor Deadline for responses 5 April Will be allocated endorsements if have degree-awarding powers

7. Endorsements: allocation Number requested or equal share of those available Maximum 10 each of General and MBA If fewer than 880 General or 980 MBA endorsements allocated, all HTS, A-rated T2/T5 sponsors invited to request remaining endorsements – deadline 30 September

8. Endorsements allocated April 2013 78 endorsing bodies 77 allocated General endorsements, leaving at least 130 unallocated 63 allocated MBA endorsements, leaving at least 370 unallocated

9. Endorsements: allocation Remaining endorsements allocated to institutions with degree-awarding powers, whether or not previously allocated endorsements for that year Will be allocated number requested or equal share of those available Any remaining endorsements will not be allocated; unused endorsements cannot be carried over to next year starting 6 April

10. Business and progress “World class” now “genuine and credible business ideas and entrepreneurial skills” To extend leave for extra year, endorsing body no longer required to assess if likely to meet requirements of Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) within 12 months – instead must endorse that applicant has “made satisfactory progress” Home Office website out of date on this – has been acknowledged

11. Entry clearance now possible No requirement in Rules to have studied in UK – just to have been awarded UK recognised degree by endorsing body within 12 months of application. Policy guidance currently incorrect but acknowledged No requirement to have studied in UK with any particular category of leave, ie not restricted to those who can ‘switch’ in to Tier 4 in UK Tier 1 (GE) extenders can also apply for entry clearance

12. Tier 2 postdoctoral researchers General endorsement only Endorsing body must be researcher’s Tier 2 sponsor Must have been awarded recognised UK degree from a UK HEI No requirement to have studied in UK Degree can have been awarded longer than 12 months before application [Appendix A Table 10]

13. Employment No longer limited to working for business applicant has established and other employment of no more than 20 hpw Only remaining restrictions no employment as dr or dentist in training no employment as professional sportsperson (including coach) [Paragraph 245FC(iii) and (iv)]