While the correct UK visa route will always need to be discussed with the department, faculty or college offering employment, or hosting the visit, the main visa routes for different activities within the collegiate University, are:
| Activity | UK visa route |
|---|---|
| Taking up an employed role | Skilled Worker is the main visa route for employed roles in the UK. Not all roles are sponsorable and certain salary and other requirements must be met but the department, faculty, college offering the role will confirm whether this route is appropriate if you are selected for the role. |
| Taking up an employed role as a leader or potential leader in academia or research | Global Talent is for individuals who have accepted a job in which they will have responsibility for academic, research or innovation leadership, those who have been awarded certain research fellowships, or whose research or specialist role was specified in a successful grant award from an 'endorsed funder'. |
| Coming for a visit to participate in collaborative research, working on their own research project | Tier 5 Sponsored Researcher is for those coming to undertake a 'supernumerary' research project, which does not form part of any ongoing research or project within the host department, faculty, college and which would not be carried out if they did not come to the UK. They must be in receipt of funding for the visit and cannot be self-funded. |
| Coming to speak at or attend a conference, meeting, or seminar, attend a job interview, or observe (but not undertake) research | Standard Visitor - Business is for those coming to undertake these and some other similar activities. They cannot undertake research or any other paid or unpaid work during the visit. |
| Coming to undertake their own private research and share knowledge and techniques, speak at or attend a conference, meeting or seminar. | Standard Visitor - Academic is for those employed by an academic institution outside the UK who are coming for a visit, or a longer visit while on sabbatical, to undertake their own private (not collaborative) research. They cannot undertake any paid or unpaid work during the visit. |
| Invited, and paid, to give one or a series of lectures, or act as an external examiner | Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visitor is for those being invited and paid for these activities but is only issued for up to one month. They must not be replacing the formal role of the course teacher, hence, they can deliver lectures as a 'guest slot' within a course of study but cannot be responsible for the design, delivery, marking, or review of a course etc. |
| Taking up a degree or other course of study at the University | a Student visa would be required with advice provided by the Student Immigration team |
| Coming for less than six months to undertake research which forms part of their degree studied outside the UK | a Visitor visa may be appropriate for those coming for less than six months to undertake research or be taught about research if this is a required part of, or is relevant to, their studies outside the UK and this is not paid work or work experience. Advice is provided by the Student Immigration team |
Family members will be able to apply for Dependant visas under most of these visa routes and it is possible sometimes possible to switch from one visa route to another (as long as the relevant visa requirements can be met) without having to leave the UK. Switching from the Visitor, visiting student, or other temporary visa routes, however, is not permitted.
Europeans will, in most cases, need to apply for and be granted a visa before coming to the UK and will have to pay visa fees and the NHS Surcharge. Current visa fees are detailed in the 'Costs' pages of the guidance on the current visa routes found at the links above. We also provide information about the Immigration Health (or NHS) Surcharge which is a charge per year for the length of the visa, which must be paid in full when applying for the visa, and then ensures access to treatment through the National Health Service (NHS). Those coming under the Visitor visa routes are not required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge and as a result will need medical or travel insurance to cover any treatment in the UK.
Those with queries can contact the department, faculty, or college offering employment or hosting a visit in the first instance, or the Staff Immigration Team.
