Separate from the Start-up route which is aimed at people, including those with Tier 4, Student and Graduate route permission, who wish to establish a business in the UK, and who have a business plan endorsed by a Home Office-approved endorsing body, the separate Innovator route replaced the old Tier 1 Entrepreneur route and is aimed at experienced businesspeople seeking to establish an innovative business in the UK. Please note that Glasgow Caledonian University do not currently sponsor individuals under the Innovator route.
Furthermore you cannot switch from Tier 4 or Student permission straight to the Innovator scheme within the UK, but you can switch if you hold leave as a Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur. Applicants must meet investment fund criteria, require endorsement from an independent endorsing body and must meet other eligibility requirements which are contained in full in Immigration Rules Appendix Innovator. For details of the Innovator scheme, see the guide to the Innovator scheme on the Home Office website.
European Union nationals who come to study the UK after 1 January 2021 are subject to immigration control and need to apply for a Student route visa. If you wish to work in the UK after your studies you will need to qualify for one of the work schemes or routes listed on this page.
EEA and Swiss nationals and their family members who were already living in the UK by 31 December 2020 should apply under the EU Settlement Scheme. Settled status and pre-settled status allows you to work in the UK without restrictions. See more at the followig webpage: Brexit - EU Settlement Scheme.
You can stay in the UK under the Student route if you have been elected to a full-time post as a students' union sabbatical officer where you are registered as a student. The Student route also covers you if you are elected to a post with the National Union of Students.
You will have to meet the requirements for a Student route application. However, the Home Office does not expect you to study during this period. The Home Office should give you permission to be in the UK for 12 months which you can apply to extend up to a two year maximum if you are re-elected.
You can still switch to the Graduate route after a year working as a sabbatical officer, but not after a second year in post. This is because the rules for the Graduate route allow Student Union sabbatical officers to apply based on a qualification they obtained during the period of Student route permission immediately before their current permission, but not if it was obtained in a previous period before that. Someone who is re-elected to a sabbatical post may therefore prefer to apply under the Graduate route for 2 or 3 years' permission, not under the Student route for one year's permission.
You can find more information from the GCU Student's Association if you are interested in becoming a sabbatical officer.
UKCISA provides helpful information on other post-study work options.
The above page is about the options for switching within the UK from a Student visa to a work visa. UKCISA also have separate information for those who want to work between the end of their studies and the end of their Student visa.
