The Global Talent visa is part of the UK government's commitment to put science, research and innovation at the top of its agenda allowing researchers, academics and other specialists to work and live in the UK.

There is no limit to the number of candidates who can be endorsed under the Global Talent route’s subcategory of Science, Engineering, Humanities, and Medicine.

The Royal Society (for applications in natural and medical sciences), the Royal Academy of Engineering (for applications in engineering), the British Academy (for applications in humanities and social sciences), or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) will determine whether applicants are leaders in their fields or have the potential to be leaders for science and research applications.

Whether you are applying under the Fast Track or Full Peer Review criteria will determine what requirements you must fulfil for endorsement.

Requirements for Endorsement by the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the British Academy and UK Research and Innovation

Whether you are applying under Fast Track or Full Peer Review will determine the requirements you must fulfil for endorsement.

Fast Track Endorsement Criteria

You must meet at least one of the following three requirements in order to meet the fast-track endorsement criteria:

• Peer-reviewed research fellowship or award: You are an awardee of, or have held for the five years before the application date, a peer-reviewed research fellowship or prize that is listed on the lists of the British Academy, the Royal Society, and the Royal Academy of Engineering; or

• Academic or research position: You have been appointed to an eligible academic or research position at an approved UK Higher Education Institution or research institute named on the list published by the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering or the British Academy;

• Hosted or employed in a UK research organization: You will be hosted or hired by a UK research organization included on the UKRI published list, and you will make significant contributions to work funded by a sizable research grant or award from a funder recognized by UKRI listed on the list. To be eligible for endorsement based on employment or hosting at a UK research organization included on the UKRI published list, you have to accomplish one of the following:

1. Lead a unique research or innovation project on your own, or with the guidance of a Principal Investigator, and hold a Ph.D. degree or equivalent research experience (including clinical or industrial research); actively engage in industry, research institute, or university in a relevant field; and have your name or position listed on the grant or award as the Principal or Co-Investigator, Researcher Co-Investigator, Post-doctoral researcher or Research Assistant, or an equivalent position approved by UKRI; or
2. Possess a bachelor’s degree from the UK, an equivalent degree from another country, or equivalent research experience (including industrial or clinical research), as well as research experience in a university, research institute, or industry. Make significant contributions to research by offering core technical or domain excellence or developing new technologies and methodologies.

Full Peer Review Endorsement Criteria

Applications for full peer review are evaluated by The British Academy, The Royal Society, or The Royal Academy of Engineering. Applications for complete peer review are not considered by UKRI.

You must prove to the endorsing body that you are an active researcher in a relevant field, usually within a university, research institute, or industry, and that you have been recognized as an exceptional talent in the fields of science, engineering, humanities, social science, or medicine to be endorsed based on “Exceptional Talent” under full peer review. Additionally, you will have research experience comparable to a PhD, including clinical or industrial research.

You must prove to the endorsing body that you have been recognized as having exceptional promise in the fields of science, engineering, humanities, social science, or medicine and that you are currently engaged in relevant research, usually at a university, research institute, or business, to be endorsed based on “Exceptional Promise” under full peer review. In addition, you must be in the early stages of your career and hold a PhD or similar expertise in research (including industrial or clinical research).

Evidence Required for Endorsement by the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the British Academy and UK Research and Innovation

Fast Track Endorsement Criteria

• Peer-reviewed research fellowship or award: You must submit written confirmation from an awarding body listed on the list published by the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, or the British Academy if you are applying on the fast track based on having received a peer-reviewed research fellowship or award. This confirmation must state that you currently hold, or have held within the last five years, an eligible peer-reviewed fellowship or award.

• Academic or research position: To apply fast track based on your appointment to a qualifying academic or research position at a UK Higher Education Institution or research institute listed on the lists of the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, or the British Academy, you must submit a job description outlining the responsibilities and duties of the role as well as a statement of guarantee from the Director of Human Resources, or an equivalent, attesting to the following:

1. An open competition was held once the position was advertised, or if one wasn’t, there was a reason stated;
2. The job offer has been accepted by you;
3. The title of the position and the division in which you will work;
4. You are in charge of developing and leading academic, research, or innovation programs; alternatively, you will oversee or manage a team or individual research project or work program; or you will oversee or manage a team or individual innovation project or work program;
5. Two or more references were obtained;
6. At least three members of the interview panel(s) represented academia, research, or innovation; And also,
7. Before making a job offer, at least one pertinent expert who was not affiliated with the hiring organization was contacted, or at least one expert in your area was present on the panel(s) conducting the interviews.

• Hosted or employed in a UK research organization: If you are applying on the fast track based on that you will be hosted or hired by a UK research organization listed on the UKRI published list, you will need to submit a declaration from the director of human resources, or an equivalent, at the UK research organization approved by the UKRI, attesting to the following:

1. You have agreed to the terms of the job offer or hosting agreement;
2. the department in which you will work and your job title;
3. that your hosting deal or job contract has at least a year left on it;
4. that you will make important contributions to projects funded by a sizeable research grant or award from a donor that you have been recommended for;
5. that the funder has approved the grant or award and that you are crucial to its execution;
6. that you will devote at least 50% of your time to working on the grant or award (primary investigators and co-investigators may total time spent on several eligible awards or grants to prove this requirement);
7. that while you were not listed on the grant application, a thorough recruitment procedure has been carried out.

Applying on the fast track based on that you will be hosted or employed by a UK research organization listed on the UKRI published list requires you to demonstrate that the grant or award from an endorsed funder is at least £30,000, covers a minimum of two years, and is either funded by a one-time grant or award won in an open competition or attributed to a large institutional, renewable award subject to periodic peer review. You can do this by either providing a link to the grant or award on a database approved by UKRI, the details of which will be verified by UKRI against the aforementioned requirements, or by presenting written confirmation of the grant or award from the endorsed funder that the applicant will be employed in a UK research organization either by providing a link to the grant or award on a UKRI-approved database, the details of which will be checked by UKRI against the above requirements, or by providing written confirmation of the grant or award from the endorsed funder that the above requirements are met and are either funded by a one-off grant or award that has been won in open competition or attributed to a large institutional, renewable award that is subject to periodic peer review.

Full Peer Review

To be considered for endorsement based on full peer review, you will need to submit a CV outlining your professional background and publications, along with a letter of recommendation supporting your Global Talent application from a distinguished UK resident. This letter should cover the following: (i) the author’s knowledge of you; (ii) your accomplishments in the relevant field; (iii) the author’s assessment of your exceptional talent or promise; and (iv) the expected contribution to UK research and innovation excellence.

If you demonstrate exceptional talent, you will also need to submit a letter from another prominent figure in your industry that includes the following:

• A statement attesting to the author’s position as a senior member of a respectable UK organization focused on innovation or research in your field; and
• how the author believes your work shows exceptional talent; and
• the intended benefit to the wider society and excellence in research or innovation in the UK; and
• a declaration verifying that notwithstanding any personal knowledge, they may have of you or any direct involvement they may have (or have previously had) in your work, the author’s assessment is provided in their capacity as an objective expert in their field and is an objective assessment of your reputation in the field.

Global Talent Visa Application Following Endorsement

You will have three months from the date of the endorsement letter to submit your application under the Global Talent category to enter or remain in the UK after receiving your endorsement.

If you do not currently possess, or were not previously granted, permission to remain as a Visitor, Short-term Student, Parent of a Child Student, Seasonal Worker, Domestic Worker in a Private Household, or outside the Immigration Rules, you may apply from within the United Kingdom to switch to the Global Talent route.

The Home Office will evaluate your immigration history and character in addition to confirming your endorsement to make sure you are not rejected on the basis of general grounds for refusal.

The UK Global Talent visa category does not have any maintenance or English language proficiency requirements.

You may seek leave for as long as you like, up to a maximum of five years, throughout full-year periods. Your request for a longer period will not impact the application process, but it will impact the Immigration Health Surcharge amount you must pay.

If you require professional legal assistance for a Global Talent Visa in the fields of Science, Engineering, Humanities, Social Sciences and Medicine, please contact us on 020 3865 6219 or leave us a message.