UK India Young Professionals Scheme is a scheme where the British Government allows young professionals from India to work in the UK for 2 years. In the upcoming notification, it will invite applications from young professionals of 18 to 30 years. However, not everyone can apply for the Visa. One has to fulfill the eligibility criteria mentioned in the UK India Young Professionals Scheme. In this article, you will get all the information regarding the scheme. I hope that by the end of the article, you won’t have any doubt left regarding the scheme.
What is the UK India Young Professionals Scheme?
UK India Young Professionals Scheme is the scheme initiated by the Prime Minister of the UK Rishi Sunak on February 28, 2023, at the G20 Conference in Bali, Indonesia. Under this scheme, interested Indian candidates can apply for the scheme where they can work/study in the UK for a maximum period of 2 years. This scheme will be strictly only for 2 years and one must fall between 18-30 years of age to apply for the UK India Young Professionals Scheme.
To study/work in the UK, you must be selected in the “Indian Young Professionals Scheme Ballot” before you apply for a UK Visa. Let’s look at the UK India Young Professionals Scheme’s key highlights to understand the scheme better.
UK India Young Professionals Scheme 2024 Key Highlights
| UK India Young Professionals Scheme Key Highlights | |
| UK India Young Professionals Scheme Launch Date | February 28, 2023 |
| UK India Young Professionals Scheme Official Website | UK India Visa Official Website |
| UK India Young Professionals Scheme Objective | A scheme for eligible Young Professionals to work/Study in the United Kingdom.. |
| UK India Young Professionals Scheme Age Limit | 18-30 Years |
| UK India Young Professionals Scheme Eligibility Criteria | Be an Indian citizen Be between 18 and 30 years old Have an eligible qualification Have £2,530 in savings |
| UK India Young Professionals Scheme Duration | Maximum of 2 Years (Cannot be extended) |
| UK India Young Professionals Scheme Launched at | G20 conference in Bali, Indonesia |
| UK India Young Professionals Scheme Number of Applications | 3000 eligible Indians for 2023. For 2024, Details of ballots will be announced in due course. |
| UK India Young Professionals Scheme under which the ministry | Ministry of External Affairs |
| UK India Young Professionals Scheme Next Ballot | February 20, 2024 – February 22,2024 |
Indian Young Professionals Scheme Latest News | What’s New in UK India Young Professionals Scheme
The first ballot for 2024 is going to start on February 20, 2024. If you are interested in the scheme, you have to wait for the year on February 20, 2024. Please note that the ballot will open at 2:30 pm India Standard Time on 20 February 2024. It will close at 2:30 pm India Standard Time on 22 February 2024.
UK India Young Professionals Scheme Objective
- The main objective of the UK India Young Professionals Scheme is to provide 3000 Young Indian professionals a chance to work/Study in the UK every year through an “Indian Young Professionals Scheme Ballot” program.
- To provide young professionals of India to upscale their professional career by working in the UK.
UK India Young Professionals Scheme Eligibility Criteria
Before applying for the “UK India Young Professionals Scheme”, it is imperative to check the complete eligibility criteria. Here is the complete list of UK India Young Professionals Scheme Eligibility criteria.
- You must be an Indian national or citizen between 18 and 30 years of age.
- You must be at least 18 years old on the date you plan to travel to the UK.
- You must qualify for a bachelor’s degree level or above. You can look at the (Regulated Qualifications Framework level 6, 7 or 8) for more details. You can check with your college or university to know what level of qualification you have.
- This is important: You must have £2,530 or 2,68,857 Indian Rupee in savings to support yourself in the UK
- You must not have any dependents under the age of 18 living with you or for whom you have financial responsibility.
Important Points:
- You must be selected in the India Young Professionals Scheme ballot before applying for your UK visa.
- Please note that you cannot apply for the UK India Young Professionals Scheme if you’ve already been in the UK under this scheme or the Youth Mobility Scheme Visa.
- You must have the money with you for at least 28 days in a row. These 28 days must come within 31 days of applying for the scheme.
UK India Young Professionals Scheme Ballot 2024
Under the UK India Young Professionals Scheme, the next ballot will be held in February 2024. The UK India Young Professionals Scheme will be held two times in a year i.e. February and July. Every year, the applicants will be able to apply for the ballot in February and July. In case you are interested in applying for the UK India Young Professionals Scheme 2024, you can do so by waiting for February 2024. It is advised to fill in the ballot in February 2024. This year as well, maximum seats were filled in February 2023.
UK India Young Professionals Scheme Documents Required
TO APPLY FOR THE BALLOT
While applying to the ballot, you must have the following information ready with you. Please note that applying for the ballot is free of cost unless you want to apply for the visa. For the VISA, you have to submit £259, and must be able to meet the financial, educational and other requirements (mentioned in eligibility criteria). For the ballot, you will need to provide the following.
- Name
- Date of Birth
- Passport Details
- A Scan or Photo of Your Passport
- Phone Number
- Email Address
It should be noted that the ballot entries will be picked at random. Whatever the result, you will be informed by email within 2 weeks of the ballot closing.
Also, only one entry per person will be considered. In case of multiple entries, only the first one will be counted.
Successful Entries:
You’ll be invited to apply for a visa, in case you’re successful in the ballot. In order to apply for a VISA, you’ll have 30 days from the date of the email. Within the days, it includes paying the visa application fee and immigration health surcharge of £940. If you win the ballot but decide not to apply for the visa, there is no need to inform the officials about it. Also, The ballot results are conclusive. However, even if you do not succeed, you can still participate in future ballots.
TO APPLY FOR THE VISA
- You must have a valid passport or other documents that show your identity and nationality. (You’ll need a blank page in your passport for your visa.)
- You must have evidence (Bank Statement) that you have the required amount (at least £2,530) in your bank account.
- You must have evidence of your qualifications (Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent) (Regulated Qualifications Framework level 6, 7 or 8).
- You also must have your tuberculosis (TB) test results. For India it is mandatory to have TB results.
- You must have a police report or clearance certificate from India.
Please Note: Depending on your situation, you might have to submit extra documents. If necessary, the Home Office will reach out to you for any additional evidence.
UK India Young Professionals Scheme How to Apply Online
To apply for the UK India Young Professionals Scheme, you have to follow certain steps. Those steps are provided below.
- Visit the UK Young Professional Scheme official website.
- After clicking on the website, you will be redirected to the homepage of the website.
- After that, click on the “India Young Professionals Scheme Ballot Link”
- A new page will open on the screen after clicking on the ballot link.
- Upon clicking the link, an application form will open on the screen.
- Carefully fill in the form with all the required details.
- After successfully filling out the form, upload all the required documents asked in the form.
- You will be redirected to the payment gateway after successfully submitting the form.
- After that, you have to pay the required application fee. (If you want to apply for the VISA)
- Click on the Submit Button to complete the process.
Important Points:
- After completing your online application, verifying your identity, and submitting your documents, you can typically expect to receive a decision within 3 weeks.
- To travel in and out of the UK with your child, you are required to apply online for your Child dependent VISA.
- Each child’s application should be accompanied by a complete UK birth certificate displaying the names of both parents.
What You Can and Cannot Do in the UK Under UK India Young Professionals Scheme?
Before you make up your mind to live, study or work in the UK, you must know what you can do or cannot do during your stay in the UK for 2 years. Here is the complete list of do and don’ts in the UK.
What You Can Do:
- You can study – for some courses you’ll need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate
- You can work in most jobs
- You can be self-employed and set up a company provided your premises are rented, your equipment is not worth more than £5,000 and you do not have any employees
What You Cannot Do:
- You cannot extend your stay
- You cannot apply for most benefits (public funds)
- You cannot include family members on your application. Id they want, they can apply separately for the scheme.
- You cannot work as a professional sportsperson.
Important Points to be Noted:
- If you wish to cancel your application, you have the option to do so. However, please note that you will only receive a refund of the fee if UKVI has not yet initiated the processing of your application.
- Following the decision on your application, you will receive an email detailing the next steps you need to take.
UK India Young Professionals Scheme FAQs
Who is eligible for the UK India Young Professionals Scheme?
In order to apply for the scheme, you must possess the following eligibility criteria
Be an Indian citizen
Be between 18 and 30 years old
Have an eligible qualification
Have £2,530 in savings
How much amount one need to apply for the India Young Professionals Scheme?
To apply for India Young Professionals Scheme, you will need to have a total of £3729. The breakup of the same has been provided below
Application fee of £259
Healthcare surcharge fee of £940
Personal savings of £2,530 or 2,68,857 Indian Rupee in total.
When in the young professionals scheme UK next draw date?
The Indian young professionals scheme UK next draw date is in February 2024. The complete details of the same will be announced in due course.
Can I extend my stay in UK under India Young Professionals Scheme?
No. You cannot extend your beyond 2 years or 24 months under the India Young Professionals Scheme. The extension of the scheme can only be happen under “Youth Mobility Visa Scheme “.
