Global Talent: Royal society of science

With a Global Talent visa you can work in the UK in academia or research if you are a leader or potential leader in one of the following fields:

• science
• medicine
• engineering
• humanities

You may be eligible if you have any of the following:

• an eligible job offer as an academic or researcher
• an individual fellowship
• a research grant that is approved by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) or
• an eligible award

List of eligible awards can be accessed here

If you do not have any of the above mentioned criteria, you can apply by having your application peer reviewed, but your application will take longer.

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

The criteria you will need to meet for endorsement depends on whether you are applying on the basis of Fast Track or Full Peer Review.

Fast Track Endorsement Criteria 

In order to satisfy the fast-track endorsement criteria, you will need to satisfy at least one of the following three criteria:

Peer-reviewed research fellowship or award: You hold, or have held within the 5 years before the date of application, a peer-reviewed research fellowship or award named on the list published by the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering or the British Academy; 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; or

Hosted or employed in a UK research organisation: You will be hosted or employed in a UK research organisation named on the UKRI published list and will provide critical contributions to work supported by a substantial research grant or award from an endorsed funder named on the list published by UKRI.

In order to qualify for endorsement on the basis that you will be hosted or employed in a UK research organisation named on the UKRI published list you must either:

• Direct independently, or under the supervision of a Principal Investigator, a unique research or innovation project and have a PhD qualification or equivalent research experience (including industrial or clinical research), actively participate in a relevant field in a University, research institute or industry and have your name or post 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 acceptable to UKRI; or
• Make critical contributions to research by providing core technical or domain excellence or in developing new technologies and methodologies and have a UK bachelor’s degree or equivalent overseas research degree or equivalent research experience (including industrial or clinical research) and have research experience within a University, Research Institute or Industry.

Full Peer Review Endorsement Criteria

Full peer review applications are considered by either The Royal Society, The Royal Academy of Engineering, or The British Academy. UKRI does not consider full peer review applications.

In order to be endorsed on the basis of “Exceptional Talent” under full peer review you will need to show that you have been recognised as a leading talent in the field of science, engineering, humanities, or medicine and be an active researcher in a relevant field, typically within a university, research institute or within the industry.  You will also have a Ph.D. or equivalent research experience (including industrial or clinical research) and either (i) be a member of your national academy or a foreign member of an academy of another country; or (ii) have been awarded a prestigious internationally recognised prize; or (iii) provide a letter of recommendation from a senior member of a reputable UK organisation concerned with research in your field.

In order to be endorsed on the basis of “Exceptional Promise” under full peer review you will need to show that you have been recognised as having the potential to be a leading talent in the field of science, engineering, humanities or medicine and be an active researcher in a relevant field, typically within a university, research institute or within industry.  You will also need to have a Ph.D. or equivalent research experience (including industrial or clinical research) and be at an early stage in your career.  You will also need to have been awarded, or have held in the last 5 years, a prestigious UK based research fellowship, or an international fellowship or an advanced post judged by the endorsing body to be of equivalent to such a fellowship.

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

If applying on the fast track on the basis of having received a peer-reviewed research fellowship or award, you must provide written confirmation from an awarding body named on the list published by the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering or the British Academy that you hold, or have held in the last 5 years, an eligible peer reviewed fellowship or award.

Academic or research position

If applying on the fast track on the basis that 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 you will need to provide a job description setting out the duties and responsibilities of the position and a statement of guarantee from the Director of Human Resources, or equivalent, which confirms that:

• The job was advertised and an open competition was held, or where it was not, an explanation as to why not;
• You have accepted the job offer;
• The job title and department in which you will be based;
• You have responsibility for academic, research or innovation leadership and development; or will direct or lead an individual or team research project or programme of work; or will direct or lead an individual or team innovation project or programme of work;
• At least two references were received;
• At least three academic, research or innovation representatives were on the interview panel(s); and
• At least one expert in your field was on the interview panel(s), or at least one relevant expert, independent of the employing institution, was consulted before the job offer was made.

Hosted or employed in a UK research organisation

If applying on the fast track on the basis that you will be hosted or employed in a UK research organisation named on the UKRI published list you must provide a declaration from the Director of Human Resources, or equivalent at the UKRI-approved UK research organisation which confirms all the following:

• You have accepted the job offer or hosting agreement;
• The job title and department in which you will be based;
• That there is at least one year remaining on your employment contract or hosting agreement;
• That you will provide critical contributions to work supported by a substantial research grant or award from an endorsed funder;
• That you are essential to the execution of the grant or award;
• That at least 50% of your time will be spent working on the grant or award by the endorsed funder (Principal investigators and co-investigators can aggregate time spent on multiple eligible awards or grants to demonstrate this requirement);
• That a robust recruitment process has been completed where you were not named on the grant application.

Additionally, if applying on the fast track on the basis that you will be hosted or employed in a UK research organisation named on the UKRI published list you must show that the grant or award from an endorsed funder is worth at least £30,000, covers a minimum of two years; and is 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, by either providing a link to the grant or award on a UKRI-approved database the details on 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.

Full Peer Review

If applying for endorsement on the basis of full peer view you will need to provide a CV which sets out your career and publication history, together with a letter of personal recommendation from an eminent person resident in the UK supporting your Global Talent application which includes all of the following: (i) how the author knows you;  (ii) your achievements in the relevant field; (iii) how the author considers you shows exceptional talent or promise; and (iv)the contribution you would make to UK research excellence and wider society.

Once you have the documents you can apply for the first stage- endorsement.

You have to check which endorsing body approves your discipline.