A new scheme for the non-EEA country graduates to work in the UK for one year, International Graduate Scheme (IGS) will be launched on 1 May 2007, announced by Border & Immigration Agency of the restructed Home Office. IGS will replace the existing SEGS (Science & Engineering Graduate Scheme), allowing graduates of non-EEA nationals to work in the UK for one year after their graduation. Unlike SEGS, IGS can be applied graduates of all disciplines. Applicants must have successfully completed and obtained a degree, Master degree, PhD, or postgraudate certificate or diploma on or after 1 May 2007. If they want to reamin in the UK beyond 12 months period upon completion of their study, they can switch into an appropriate immigraton category. This change is part of the reform which moves towards a five-tie point-based system.

For those who graduated before 1 May 2007, they can apply using the IGS form, but will be considered under the SEGS critieria. IGS form can be downloaded from Working in the UK website from 1 May 2007.

From Border & Immigration Agency’s Working in the UK website (see full text here):

What is the International Graduates Scheme?

The International Graduates Scheme (IGS) will be launched on 1 May 2007 with the aim of encouraging graduates of UK further or higher education establishments to pursue a career in the United Kingdom. Those who complete their courses on or after 1 May 2007 can apply regardless of the subject they have studied. Those who finished their courses before 1 May 2007 may still apply under the old Science and Engineering Graduate Scheme rules.

IGS is a transitional route which enables students who have studied in the UK to access the labour market and gain work experience in the UK.

During their leave under IGS participants can take any type of employment or self-employment. If they want to remain here beyond their leave under IGS in order to pursue their career, they can switch into various employment or self-employment categories, if they meet the relevant requirements.

How do I qualify under the scheme?

To be granted leave under the scheme, applicants must (amongst other things):

• have successfully completed a relevant course at a recognised or listed UK institution of Higher or Further Education on or after 1 May 2007. A relevant course is:

• a Bachelor’s degree course; OR
• a Master’s or PhD course; OR
• a postgraduate certificate or diploma. And must:

• have completed their course in the last 12 months (as shown by the date of expiry of leave as a Student to complete this course)
• intend to work during the period of leave granted under the scheme
• be able to maintain and accommodate themselves and any dependants without recourse to public funds;
• intend to leave the UK at the end of their stay (unless granted leave as a work permit holder, highly skilled migrant, business person, innovator or student).

Does it matter what course I have studied?

If you completed your course on or after 1 May 2007 you can apply regardless of which course you studied. If you finished your course before 1 May 2007 it is still possible to apply, but your application will be considered under the conditions of the Science and Engineering Graduate Scheme rules, which placed certain limitations on which courses were eligible (see below).

How do I know if the institution at which I studied is ‘recognised’ or ‘listed’?

The UK authorities recognise those institutions that can offer degrees by virtue of their own degree awarding powers (recognised bodies) or those powers of another institution (listed bodies). A full list of recognised and listed UK further and higher education institutions is available on the Department for Education and Skills website at www.dfes.gov.uk/recognisedukdegree

What if I have studied a PGCE?

Those who have completed a PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) at recognised or listed UK institution of further or higher education are eligible. Holders of postgraduate certificates and diplomas obtained from a recognised or listed body in any subject matter are eligible.

What if I have my results, but have not graduated yet?

Applicants can apply for IGS before they are issued with their degree certificate. If they do not have a degree certificate, they can provide a letter from their institution confirming that they have completed the course at the required level.

What if I finished my course before 1 May 2007 and was planning to apply for the Science and Engineering Graduates Scheme?

You should apply on the IGS form, but your application will be considered under the conditions of the Science and Engineering Graduates Scheme (SEGS) as it existed on 30 April 2007.
To be granted leave under the scheme, if you completed your degree before 1 May 2007, applicants must (amongst other things):

• have successfully completed a relevant course at a recognised or listed UK institution of Higher or Further Education. A relevant course is:

• a degree course (with second class honours (2.2) or higher), Master’s or PhD on the relevant list of physical science, mathematics and engineering courses approved by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) for the purposes of this scheme. And must

• Have completed their course in the last 12 months (as shown by the date of expiry of leave as a Student to complete this course)
• intend to work during the period of leave granted under the scheme
• be able to maintain and accommodate themselves and any dependants without recourse to public funds;
• intend to leave the UK at the end of their stay (unless granted leave as a work permit holder, highly skilled migrant, business person or innovator).

How do I know if my course is eligible under SEGS?

The list of courses approved by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) is available below.

The List of courses for those receiving their results from 1 May 2005 to 30 April 2007 (98 kb)

How do I find out my course’s JACS code?

Your personal tutor or another member of your university’s staff will be able to provide you with your course’s JACS code.

I commenced a Master’s or PhD, in a subject not on the DfES list, after 1 May 2006. I completed it before 1 May 2007. Can I still qualify for leave under IGS?

Yes, applicants who have completed a Master’s or PhD, regardless of the subject, commenced after 1 May 2006 and completed before 1 May 2007, can qualify for leave under IGS (provided they also meet the other requirements in the rules).

What if my studies have been sponsored (for example by a government or international scholarship agency?

Applicants who have been sponsored by a government or international scholarship agency will need to obtain written permission from their sponsor before applying for IGS.

Can I switch into the scheme without leaving the UK?

Applicants may switch into the scheme whilst in the UK if they have valid leave as a student. This includes leave as a student, a student nurse, to re-sit an examination, or to write up a thesis.

Alternatively you can apply to return to the UK from abroad under the scheme no later than one year after you complete your course (as shown by the date your relevant leave as a student expires). Entry clearance is mandatory for those returning to the UK under the scheme.

What type of work can I do?

There are no restrictions on the type of work you can do as an IGS participant.

How long can I stay in the UK under the scheme?

You can be granted a maximum of 12 months of leave as an IGS participant.

If you spend time outside the United Kingdom during that period you will not be eligible for any further grant of leave to make up this time.

Can I switch into other employment categories?

Yes. IGS participants are eligible to switch whilst in the UK into employment and self-employment categories (work permit employment, Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, business persons or Innovators), providing they meet the requirements of the category.

Can my dependants also stay in the UK?

Spouses, unmarried partners, civil partners and children who are already in the UK as the dependants of students are eligible to switch in line with the IGS applicant.

If dependants are applying from abroad, then entry clearance is mandatory.

How can I apply for the scheme?

You will need to complete an application form. To apply for the scheme while you are in the UK with leave as a student, you should get form FLR(IGS). The address to send your completed application form to and details of the required fee are on the application form, along with details of the documentation you need to submit to demonstrate that you meet the relevant criteria.

This will be available from the “all forms” section of this website when the scheme launches on 1 May 2007.

If you want to apply while you are abroad to return to the UK under the scheme, you will need to apply for an entry clearance. For information about entry clearance for the United Kingdom, contact “UKvisas”.

I studied in the UK, but I’m not eligible for IGS. Can I still stay on and work here after I complete my studies?

If you want to remain in the UK after your studies to work then you will need to switch into a different category of leave.

The Immigration Rules enable those students who have got a degree-level qualification or above from a relevant UK institution to switch into leave as a work permit holder, highly skilled migrant, business person or innovator.

Applicants have to meet the normal requirements of the scheme they are switching into. As for IGS, applicants who have been sponsored by a government or international scholarship agency will need to obtain written permission from their sponsor to switch.

Further information on the schemes you can switch into is available elsewhere on this website.

Where can I find out more about IGS?

The Immigration Directorates Instructions (IDIs) on IGS will be available when the scheme launches in May.

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