NHS: does its graduate management training scheme sponsor a UK visa?
Only in part. NHS sponsors its graduate management training scheme for some tracks or offices, not all. Base salary is £31,276, which sits below the £33,400 new entrant Skilled Worker threshold. Only when the London High Cost Area Supplement (HCAS) is added does total pay clear the bar, which means sponsorship is realistically confined to London region placements. Outside London the same base salary structurally cannot support a Certificate of Sponsorship.
- Sponsors grads?
- Some tracks
- Pay vs threshold
- Borderline
- Opportunity
- graduate scheme
- Pay
- £31,276 base, plus London HCAS where applicable
- Confidence
- high
What is covered: London region placements only, where base pay plus HCAS clears the new entrant threshold
Sources
- https://graduates.nhs.uk/roles/graduate-management-training-scheme/pay-and-benefits/
- https://graduates.nhs.uk/entry-eligibility/
Verdict last checked 2026-08-11.
Common questions
Does NHS sponsor visas for its graduate management training scheme?
Only in part. NHS sponsors its graduate management training scheme for some tracks or offices, not all. Base salary is £31,276, which sits below the £33,400 new entrant Skilled Worker threshold. Only when the London High Cost Area Supplement (HCAS) is added does total pay clear the bar, which means sponsorship is realistically confined to London region placements. Outside London the same base salary structurally cannot support a Certificate of Sponsorship.
Does the pay clear the UK Skilled Worker salary threshold?
The pay for this scheme sits close to the threshold, so it can depend on the office, the occupation going rate, or the new-entrant discount.
What is the catch international students miss with NHS?
Do not read this as a blanket yes. The scheme covers multiple specialisms and locations across England; only the London-weighted placements have pay high enough to make sponsorship arithmetically possible.
How should I confirm NHS's sponsorship before applying?
Read the specific vacancy on NHS's careers site, ask its early-careers team directly, and check the employer on the gov.uk Register of Licensed Sponsors. Policies and thresholds change, so treat this page as a starting point and confirm for the exact role and cycle.
Other public sector schemes
- Civil ServiceNo
- Foreign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeNo
- GCHQNo
- Teach FirstNo
- Police NowNo
- FrontlineNo
- Unlocked GraduatesNo
- BBCNot published
- Bank of EnglandSome tracks
- Local Government AssociationNo
- HM Revenue and CustomsNo
- Met OfficeSome tracks
- Environment AgencyNo
- Transport for LondonNo
- Network RailNo
- Nuclear Decommissioning AuthorityNo
- National Crime AgencyNo
- OfgemNo
- Bank of EnglandSome tracks
Before you apply
Scan your CV against UK applicant tracking systems for free, then tailor it to the schemes that can actually sponsor you.
Sponsorship data: Home Office register + job ad wording. Not immigration advice, verify on gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.