On 12 April 2005, a provision was launched for graduates of some top business schools to work in the UK when they completed their MBAs. This provision is being removed under Tier 1 (General) of the points-based system, but the MBA transitional arrangements will continue for applicants who:

1. Enrolled on an eligible MBA course on or before 29 June 2008; and
2. submit their application within 12 months of completing a qualifying MBA.

If you enrolled on an MBA course after this date, you cannot claim points under the MBA transitional arrangements, but you may be able to claim points for the qualification under the 'attributes' required for Tier 1 (General) migrants.

Points available under the MBA provision

You cannot claim points under the MBA transitional arrangements if you are currently in the UK in any of the following immigration categories:

1. Tier 1 (General)
2. Highly Skilled Migrant Programme

The MBA transitional arrangement is being removed from the Tier 1 General, however those applicants enrolled to the course before 30^th June 2008, and submit their application within the 12 months of completing the course, can qualify for the 80 points. You can score 80 points under the MBA transitional arrangements.

If you are making an application under the extension requirements of Tier 1 (General), you are not eligible to claim points under this arrangement, which includes those who are already in the United Kingdom under the:

1.        Highly Skilled Migrant Programme; or

2.        Self-Employed Lawyers' concession; or

3.        Writers, Composers and Artists provisions of the immigration rules;

To claim 80 points under this provision, you must have been awarded an eligible MBA at the time the MBA is on the list of eligible programmes.

The list of MBA eligible programmes at the bottom of this page shows the 50 MBA programmes included in the transitional arrangements. This list was compiled by HM Treasury.

Please note that Executive MBAs (EMBAs) awarded by the eligible institutions are also acceptable under this provision. The MBA transitional arrangements are only open to you if you enrolled on a qualifying MBA course before 30 June 2008 and graduated with a qualifying MBA within the 12 months prior to submitting your Tier 1 (General) application. If you make an application under Tier 1 (General) of the points-based system and do not meet these requirements, you will not be eligible to claim points under the MBA transitional arrangements.

Paragraph 245ZA of the immigration rules states that only specified documents will be accepted as evidence of this requirement. The specified documents are:

An original MBA certificate and a letter from the awarding institution confirming the date of enrolment on the MBA course

The certificate must be original and must clearly show:

1.        your name; and

2.        the title of the award; and

3.        the date of the award; and

4.        the name of the awarding institution.

Please note that original provisional MBA certificates are not acceptable.

The letter from the awarding institution must be original, on the official letter headed paper of the awarding institution and clearly show:

1.        your name; and

2.        the title of the award; and

3.        the date you enrolled on the MBA course.

These documents must be provided in all cases, unless:

i) you have only recently completed your  qualification and are awaiting graduation; or
ii) you are no longer in possession of your original certificate of award and the academic institution by which it was issued is unable to produce a replacement certificate.

If you are unable to provide their original MBA certificate, then you should fully explain the reason why you are unable to provide it. You should also provide the following evidence as an alternative:

If you are unable to provide your original certificate of award for one of the reasons given above then you should provide an original academic reference from the institution awarding the qualification together with an original academic transcript.

The original academic reference must be on the official headed paper of the institution and clearly show:

1.        your name; and

2.        the title of the award; and

3.        the date that you enrolled on the course; and

4.        the date of the award confirming that it has been awarded.

The academic transcript must be on the institution's official paper and must show the following details:

1.        your name; and

2.        the title of the award; and

3.        the name of the awarding institution; and

4.        confirmation of the award.

MBA eligible programmes