Work in the UK as a researcher or academic leader (Global Talent visa)
Peer review
If you’re not eligible for another route, you may be able to get endorsement by having your application peer reviewed.
You can apply for endorsement as either:
- a leader in your field (called ‘exceptional talent’)
- a potential leader in your field (called ‘exceptional promise’)
Peer review is done by the:
- Royal Society, for science and medicine
- British Academy, for humanities and social science
- Royal Academy of Engineering, for engineering and technology
Eligibility
You need to:
- work in an approved research discipline
- be an active researcher - for example in a university, research institute or business
- have a PhD or equivalent research experience, including industrial or clinical research
You do not need a job offer to apply.
To apply through exceptional promise you must also be at an early stage of your career.
If you’re not eligible for peer review
If you’re not eligible for peer review, you may be able to work in the UK another way, for example with a Skilled Worker visa.
Documents you need to provide
You need to provide a copy of your CV. It must:
- outline your career and any publication history, if applicable
- be typed
- be up to 3 single sides of A4 paper
You must include a letter of recommendation from an ‘eminent person’ living in the UK who knows you and your work. The endorsing body must judge that the person has ‘internationally recognised expertise’ in your field.
The letter must be about your Global Talent application, you cannot use a letter that was written for another reason.
It must say how:
- the eminent person knows you
- they think you show exceptional talent or promise
- you would benefit from being in the UK
- you would contribute to the UK
It must also explain what plans you have for work in the future.
The letter must:
- be typed and dated
- be up to 3 single sides of A4 paper, excluding the author’s credentials and contact details
- be signed by the author, or by someone on behalf of the organisation recommending you
- include a telephone number and email address, and the organisation’s logo and registered address, if applicable
- come with the author’s CV (or other proof of their credentials that the endorsing body will accept)
Exceptional talent
If you’re applying through exceptional talent, you must also include a letter from an eminent person who is a senior member of a UK organisation. This must be someone who can give an objective assessment of your work based on their expert knowledge. They do not need to know you personally.
The letter must be about your Global Talent application, you cannot use a letter that was written for another reason.
It must:
- say how they think your work shows exceptional talent
- say how you would contribute to research and innovation in the UK
- include a statement saying which organisation they’re a senior member of
The letter must:
- be written by a different person to the one who wrote your letter of recommendation
- be typed and dated
- be up to 3 sides of A4 paper, excluding the author’s credentials and contact details
- be signed by the author
- include a telephone number and email address
- come with the author’s CV (or other proof of their credentials that the endorsing body will accept)
- include a statement saying it’s not influenced by any personal knowledge of you, although the author can be someone who knows you
How your application will be assessed
When making a decision on your application, the endorsing body will assess that you meet the eligibility criteria. It will also consider the following factors:
- your career history - for example the international reputation and impact of your work
- the strength of the statements in your recommendation letter and of the evidence in support of your application
- how you’ll contribute to UK research excellence and to wider society, including to the economy, by being based in the UK
There are other factors they’ll consider, depending on if you’re applying through exceptional promise or exceptional talent.
Exceptional promise
The endorsing body will consider:
- whether you’ve given enough evidence to show you have the potential to be a future leader in your field
- how much extra funding you’ve secured during, or after, a relevant fellowship
- whether you can give evidence of a relevant prize or award for early career researchers
- how significant your contribution to your field is, in relation to the career stage you’re in
Exceptional talent
The endorsing body will consider:
- whether you’ve won what they consider to be a ‘prestigious’ prize or award
- whether you’ve secured significant funding for your work in the past 10 years
- whether you’re regarded to be a leader in your field
Apply for endorsement
Once you have the documents, you can apply for endorsement.
To complete the form, you need to check which endorsing body approves your discipline.
Peer review endorsement applications usually take 5 weeks.
Apply for the Global Talent visa
You can apply for the Global Talent visa at the same time as you apply for endorsement, or after you have the endorsement confirmed.
If your permission to stay in the UK is about to expire, applying for the visa will extend it until you’ve been given a decision.
You’ll get a response within 3 weeks if you’re outside the UK, and 8 weeks if you’re inside the UK.