UK
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The UK government has just opened a smoother path for international students who want to turn their studies into a startup, announcing that from 25 November 2025 anyone holding a Student visa who has successfully completed their course can apply to switch in‑country to the Innovator Founder route without having to pack up and fly home first ¹ ². This change closes the old loophole that forced most student‑entrepreneurs to leave the UK, apply from abroad, and risk losing momentum while they waited for a new visa.
What this means in practice is that you can keep your student status active while your Innovator Founder application is processed, letting you start working on your business right away. The key conditions remain the same: you must have finished the programme for which the Student visa was granted, secure an endorsement from a Home Office‑approved body confirming that your idea is innovative, viable and scalable, and you still need to show at least £1,270 in personal savings for 28 consecutive days (or be exempt if you’ve been in the UK for a year) and meet the English language requirement of CEFR B2 ¹ ³ ⁴. PhD students get a little extra breathing room—they become eligible after completing at least 24 months of full‑time study, a rule that replaces the earlier 12‑month proposal .
For Nigerian students, this is a game‑changer. You can stay in the UK after graduation, keep your accommodation and contacts, and begin building your company while your application is reviewed. The Innovator Founder visa also lets you bring dependents, work part‑time in a related field, and after three years you’re on a fast track to indefinite leave to remain, which opens the door to permanent residency and eventually citizenship ² ³. No longer do you have to choose between finishing your degree and chasing a visa abroad; the whole journey can now happen on the same soil where you’ve been studying.
The endorsement process is still the crux of the application. You’ll need to approach an approved body—such as a university incubator, a recognised accelerator or a specialist innovation hub—present a detailed business plan, and demonstrate that your venture has the potential to create jobs and contribute to the UK economy. Once you have that letter, you submit the online application, pay the fee (which is £1,274 if you apply from outside the UK or £1,590 if you’re already in the country), and cover the immigration health surcharge. Processing times are now quoted at about eight weeks for in‑country applicants, so you won’t be left in limbo for long.
All in all, the new rule removes a major bureaucratic hurdle and gives fresh graduates a clear, actionable pathway to turn their ideas into reality without leaving the UK. If you’ve been polishing a business plan while finishing your coursework, now is the perfect moment to get that endorsement, line up the paperwork, and make the switch before your student visa expires. It’s a rare chance to blend study, work and entrepreneurship into one seamless experience, and many Nigerian students are already eyeing the opportunity to stay and grow their startups in one of the world’s most dynamic markets.
