Stage 1 − Endorsement application
You will only be considered eligible for this route if responsibility for academic, research or innovation leadership and development is a significant function of the role you have accepted. Or if you will be responsible for directing or leading an individual or team research or innovation project or programme of work.
If you have accepted the job offer of a senior leadership role at departmental, faculty or institutional level − such as Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Dean, Head of Department, or a role as a Professor, Associate Professor (Reader or Senior Lecturer) or Senior Group Leader, your HR Recruitment Co-ordinator will make you aware of this visa route as part of the recruitment process. Please read further down this page for information on eligible roles.
To apply for your endorsement, you will need to provide a statement of guarantee letter from the Director of Human Resources (or equivalent) at the University. You will also need provide your job description, setting out the duties and responsibilities of your role.
In order for the Staff Immigration Team to provide a statement of guarantee from the Director of Human Resources, they will need to confirm the recruitment process for your appointment has met all of the the following criteria:
- as an applicant, you have responsibility for academic, research or innovation leadership and development; or you will direct or lead an individual or team research project or programme of work, or you will direct or lead an individual or team innovation project or programme of work
- the job was advertised and an open competition was held, or where it was not, an explanation as to why
- you have accepted the job offer
- the job title and department in which you will be based
- at least two references were received
- at least three academic, research or innovation representatives from the University were on the interview panel(s)
- at least one expert in your subject field was on the interview panel(s) or at least one relevant expert independent of the University was consulted before the job offer was made
If this criteria has been met, the Staff Immigration Team will raise a letter for you which you can use to apply for your endorsement. This letter will be emailed to you.
The online endorsement application
As part of the online endorsement application, you will be asked to enter all your personal details. Once you complete those sections, you will be asked if you are applying under exceptional talent or exceptional promise criteria, in which case you need to select 'exceptional talent'.
Next you will be asked if you are applying for fast-track consideration. You will need to select that you have been appointed to a 'senior academic or research position at a UK HEI or research institute' and state the name of your position. You will then need to upload your statement of guarantee letter to complete your application. No other documents are required at this stage.
You should receive email notification that your endorsement has been successful within approximately one week.
Once you receive your endorsement confirmation, you can apply for your visa. You must apply within three months of receiving your endorsement letter.
Stage 2 − Apply for entry clearance or permission
You must apply online for a Global Talent visa. How you apply depends on whether you are:
- outside the UK and are coming to the UK
- inside the UK and extending your current visa
- inside the UK and switching from a different visa
After you apply
Please refer to our guidance on the Global Talent visa for further details.
Eligible roles
The 'academic, research or innovation leadership and development' category is for individuals in senior leadership roles at a departmental, faculty or institutional level. Typical duties may include strategy development and delivery and overseeing the management of staff and resources. Example roles (not exhaustive) include Vice-Chancellor, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Dean, Associate Dean, Head of Department, and Research Institute Director.
The 'directs or leads' category is for individuals whose role requires them to act independently in initiating, planning and managing a research or innovation project or programme of work without supervision.
If your role is an entry level postdoctoral research position, it is likely you will be ineligible.
If your role involves teaching and curriculum development − a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) for example, your endorsement application must confirm that directing or leading a research or innovation project or programme of work is a significant function of the role alongside your teaching and learning responsibilities. If it is not a significant function, you will not be considered eligible for this route.