Live, work & study in UK for 24 months! UK opens India Young Professionals Scheme ballot with 3000 slots

The United Kingdom has opened the next ballot for the India Young Professionals Scheme (YPS) today, February 17, 2026. The ballot will close at 2:30 pm India Standard Time on February 19, 2026, the UK Home Office announced.

The ballot opened at 14:30 IST on February 17 and will close at 14:30 IST on February 19. Applicants can enter at any time while the ballot remains open.

Selected applicants under the scheme can live, work and study in the UK for up to 24 months.

Who can apply?

The ballot is open to Indian citizens aged 18 to 30, or those who will turn 18 on the date of travel. Applicants must:

• Hold at least a bachelor’s degree

• Have savings of at least GBP 2,530

• Not have children under 18 with whom they live or support

Applicants must check if they are eligible for the visa before entering the ballot.

To enter, candidates will need to provide:

• Their name

• Date of birth

• Passport details

• A scan or photo of their passport

• Phone number

• Email address

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Entry into the ballot is free. However, applicants should only enter if they plan to apply for the visa, which costs £319, and if they meet all eligibility requirements, including having an eligible qualification and sufficient funds.

How selection works

There are 3,000 places available under the India Young Professionals Scheme in 2026. Most places will be allocated through the February ballot, with the remaining spots to be offered in a second and final ballot later in the year, likely in July.

Successful entries will be picked at random. Applicants will be informed of the results by email within two weeks of the ballot closing.

Each person can submit only one entry per ballot. Any additional attempts will not be counted.

What happens if you are selected?

If selected, applicants will have 90 days from the date of the email notification to:

• Apply online for the visa

• Pay the £319 visa application fee and the immigration health surcharge

• Provide fingerprints and a photo (biometric information)

If a candidate is successful in the ballot but decides not to apply for the visa, there is no requirement to inform authorities.

If unsuccessful, the result is final and cannot be appealed. However, applicants may enter future ballots, provided they continue to meet the eligibility criteria.

Part of the broader UK–India mobility partnership

The India Young Professionals Scheme operates under the UK–India Mobility and Migration Partnership signed in May 2021. The programme is similar to the UK’s Youth Mobility Scheme, offering young people from participating countries the opportunity to experience life in the UK.

The scheme works on a reciprocal basis. While the UK selects Indian applicants through a ballot system, eligible British nationals can apply year-round under India’s ‘Employment Visa – E 1’ route without a ballot.