Eligibility
Eligibility for this path to Global Talent endorsement is dependent on you having been awarded a Fellowship on the list approved by the endorsing bodies (The British Academy, The Royal Academy of Engineering and The Royal Society). You must either currently hold the Fellowship, or have held it within five years directly prior to your date of application.
The list is divided in two categories:
- Exceptional promise: Fellowships awarded to people who demonstrate the potential to contribute significantly as a future leader in their field of research or innovation in an academic or industry setting
- Exceptional talent: Fellowships awarded to people who can demonstrate that they are already a leader in their field.
Evidential requirements
For most Fellowships, you will simply need to provide a copy of your Fellowship award letter.
If you were awarded a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowship (MSCA Individual Fellowship until 2020) or a European Research Council (ERC) grant, please check the endorsing bodies’ guidance on what documents you need to submit (under “Assessment – Route 2 (Individual fellowships)”).
How to apply
Once you have the statement of guarantee, you can apply for endorsement.
On the application form, you will first be asked to enter your personal details. Once you have completed those sections, the form will ask you about your application. Please see the following guidance on some of the questions which may not be clear:
Immigration adviser: Do you have an immigration adviser based in the UK?Please select No, even if you have received advice from the HR Compliance team. Only select Yes if you have engaged the services of an external immigration advisor. Entry clearance or leave to remain: Are you applying for entry clearance or leave to remain (stage 2) at the same time as making this application for endorsement (stage 1)?This question is asking if you want to apply for the visa (stage 2) at the same time as the endorsement application (stage 1). You do not need to do so; this is only really beneficial to you if you are currently in the UK and your current visa is about to expire. Please contact the HR Compliance Team f you need further advice on this issue. Application criteria: Were you endorsed under exceptional promise or exceptional talent criteria?Select ‘Exceptional talent’ or 'Exceptional promise' as appropriate, according to which list includes your Fellowship. Field of Talent: State your field of talentEnter your field of talent as listed on gov.uk (if your particular field is not listed, please select the closest option), then choose the most appropriate endorsing body, again with reference to the list of fields by endorsing body. For academia, this should be either The British Academy, The Royal Academy of Engineering or The Royal Society. Fast track consideration: Are you applying for fast track consideration?Select "I hold a fellowship named in the Global Talent policy guidance" and provide the Fellowship title as it is shown on your Fellowship award letter. Tick the box to confirm that you will provide evidence of your Fellowship. Position applied for: Are you applying for a particular position within the UK?If you have a job offer from Cambridge, select Yes and provide the details. If you are already in post, please select No. |
After you submit the application, you should send your supporting document(s) to the Home Office using the email address on the short ‘checklist’ provided at the end of your application.
The Home Office will forward the application to the endorsing body you have selected on your application and, within 18 working days of this referral, you will receive a decision via email.
Once your endorsement has been granted, you can then apply for stage 2, which is the visa application itself. You must do so within 3 months of receipt of the endorsement confirmation. Please see the Applying for the visa section of this guidance.