The Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) is a type of visa offered by the UK government that allows young adults aged 18-30 from certain countries to come to the UK for 2 years, spending their time studying, working or travelling.

• Andorra
• Australia
• Canada
• Hong Kong (through a ballot)
• Iceland
• India (through the India Young Professionals Scheme)
• Japan
• Monaco
• New Zealand
• San Marino
• South Korea
• Taiwan (through a ballot)
• Uruguay

The Youth Mobility Scheme visa lasts for 2 years. Citizens of Australia, New Zealand and Canada have the opportunity to add 1 year to their visa, extending their stay in the UK to 3 years.

The age range to apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme depends on the country you are from:

Ages 18-30

• Japan
• Hong Kong
• Taiwan
• Uruguay
• Andorra
• San Marino
• Monaco
• Iceland
• India

Ages 18-35

• South Korea
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Canada

There are several requirements which you must fulfil to apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa.

• You must be 18 or over when your visa starts
• You must be under 30 or 35 (depending on your nationality) when you apply
• You must have enough money to support yourself in the UK; you need to prove you have at least £2530 in your bank account
• You must not have any children under 18 who depend on you
• You can only take part in the Youth Mobility Scheme once

There is a fee for applying for a YMS visa. In addition to this, you must pay a healthcare surcharge and have sufficient savings to support you:

• The Youth Mobility Scheme visa application cost is £298.
• You will also need to pay an immigration healthcare surcharge of £1552, which covers your healthcare for 2 years in the UK.
• You also need to prove you have at least £2530 in your bank account to support yourself in the UK.

If you are planning to improve your English while studying and working in the UK, you will need to budget for the course fees and accommodation costs.

You will need to apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa online through the UK Government website: www.gov.uk/youth-mobility/apply

The documents you need to provide when applying include:

• Valid passport or other ID
• Bank statement showing you have sufficient funds
• Tuberculosis (TB) test results if you are from Hong Kong, India or South Korea
• Additional documents such as a criminal record certificate depending on your country

There are various ways to find a job in the UK, including online job boards and recruitment agencies. Once you arrive in the UK, you can network with people you meet, or ask local businesses directly whether they are hiring.

Languages United provides English courses that will improve your English and help you find a job. We give you advice on writing a CV and interview skills, as well as helping you find work.

You’ll probably need an Intermediate level of English (around B1 on the CEFR scale) to work in the UK. But don’t worry if you’re not there yet! The Youth Mobility Scheme visa has no English language requirements so you can take English classes when you arrive in the UK.

Languages United can test your current level and advise on a course to improve your English skills.

The UK is a great place to travel and explore; it’s a compact country so you can easily get from one place to another by train, coach or car, and it is very diverse and varied. Whether you thrive in busy cities, historical gems or beautiful landscapes, there is somewhere in the UK that you will love.

Languages United is located in the heart of the stunning city of Bath, which is famous for its golden Georgian architecture, cobbled streets and Roman history. It’s also easy to get to other popular attractions; Stonehenge, London, Oxford, Bristol and the Cotswolds are all reachable in under 2 hours.

The UK is also a great base for travel to mainland Europe, by plane, Eurostar train or ferry. You could wake up in London and be in Paris by lunchtime!