Visit the UK to do research
Find out what to do if you’re visiting the UK to do research. This could be academic research or research that’s relevant to a course you’re studying overseas.
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Step 1 Check if you’re eligible
Find out what activities you can do and how to prove your eligibility if you’re:
- an academic visiting to do research
- a student visiting to do research that’s relevant to your course overseas
You must meet the Standard Visitor eligibility requirements even if you do not need a visa.
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Step 2 Check if you need a visa
Depending on the country you're from, you might be able to visit the UK without a visa or by applying for an electronic travel authorisation.
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Step 3 Apply for a visa
A Standard Visitor visa costs £95 for up to 6 months.
If you’re an academic you can apply to stay for up to 12 months. This costs £190.
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or Apply for a family permit
You may be able to visit on a family permit if you have a family member who is:
- a citizen of an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland
- a Person of Northern Ireland
- a British citizen
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or Apply for an electronic travel authorisation
Apply for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) if you're a national of:
- Bahrain
- Kuwait
- Oman
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates
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Step 4 Check what you can bring with you
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Step 5 Check what you need to show at the UK border