No university from Bangladesh or the wider South Asian region is featured in the United Kingdom’s 2026 Global Universities List. This exclusion means graduates from these institutions are not eligible for the UK’s High Potential Individual (HPI) visa.
UK 2026 Global Universities List Overview
The list includes 82 universities worldwide. The United States leads with 34 institutions, followed by Asia with 22. Among Asian countries, mainland China leads with six universities, Hong Kong with five, and South Korea with three. Singapore and Japan each have two universities on the list.
Criteria for Inclusion
The UK Home Office requires non-UK universities to rank among the global top 50 in at least two of the following major global ranking systems:
- Times Higher Education
- QS World University Rankings
- Academic Ranking of World Universities
Central UniversitySouth Asian UniversityNew Delhi, DelhiAdmission: Own Entrance, NET/JRFEst. 2010View details
NAAC A++
NIRF #2 (2025)Jawaharlal Nehru UniversityNew Delhi, DelhiAdmission: CUET UG, CUET PG, NET/JRFEst. 1969View details
NAAC A++
NIRF #4 (2025)Jamia Millia IslamiaNew Delhi, DelhiAdmission: CUET UG, CUET PG, NET/JRFEst. 1920 · 239 acresView details
NAAC A++
NIRF #5 (2025)University of DelhiNew Delhi, DelhiAdmission: CUET UG, CUET PG, JEE MainEst. 1922View detailsCSU
Central UniversityCentral Sanskrit UniversityNew Delhi, DelhiAdmission: CUET UG, CUET PG, NET/JRFEst. 1970View details
NAAC A++
NIRF #1 Open UniversityIndira Gandhi National Open UniversityNew Delhi, DelhiEst. 1985View detailsSLBSN
Central UniversityShri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit UniversityNew Delhi, DelhiAdmission: CUET UG, CUET PG, NET/JRFEst. 1962View detailsAbout the UK’s High Potential Individual (HPI) Visa
The HPI visa targets recent graduates from leading non-UK universities, providing a pathway to work, seek employment, or become self-employed in the UK without needing a prior job offer or employer sponsorship.
Eligible applicants must have graduated within the last five years from a qualifying university ranked in the global top 50 according to the criteria above.
Successful applicants receive a visa duration of two years if holding a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, or three years if holding a doctorate.
This visa is non-renewable but offers substantial career flexibility and potential pathways for longer-term immigration, including the option to switch to a Skilled Worker visa from within the UK.
