Global Talent endorsement - Peer Review

Eligibility

You can apply in either of the following categories, and it is up to you to decide which is most appropriate:

1. Exceptional promise: researchers who demonstrate the potential to contribute significantly as a future leader in their field of research or innovation in an academic or industry setting
2. Exceptional talent: researchers who can demonstrate that they are already a leader in their field.

Eligibility for this path to Global Talent endorsement is dependent on you:

• being an active researcher in a university, a research institute or industry; and
• having a PhD or equivalent research experience (ie 2/3 years) - this can including industrial or clinical research, but you cannot rely on experience gained during study; and
• Exceptional promise category only: being at an early stage in your career.

Evidential requirements

You will need to provide the following as part of your endorsement application:

• A short CV outlining your career and publication history (no more than three sides of A4 in length); and

• A letter of personal recommendation from an eminent person resident in the UK supporting your application.
  • The person must be familiar with your work and your contribution to your field, and qualified to assess your claim for exceptional talent or exceptional promise. 
  • The letter should include: 
    • how the eminent person knows you;
    • details of your achievements in your field; 
    • how, in their opinion, you exhibit exceptional talent or exceptional promise;
    • how you would benefit from living in the UK; and
    • how you are likely to contribute to UK research or innovation and to wider society.

• Exceptional talent category only: A second letter containing an objective assessment of your talent in the field.
  • The author of this letter must be an additional eminent person who is a senior member of a reputable UK organisation (eg Professor, Head of Department - the more senior, the better) concerned with research or innovation in your field. This person must be qualified to independently assess your claim of exceptional talent in your field and be able to comment independently and authoritatively on your application.
  • The letter must include:
    • a statement confirming that the author is a senior member of a reputable UK organisation concerned with research or innovation in your field; 
    • the reasons why they consider that your work shows exceptional talent and how you are likely to contribute to UK research or innovation excellence and to wider society; and 
    • a statement confirming their assessment is provided in their capacity as an objective expert in your field and is an objective assessment of your reputation in the field, notwithstanding any personal knowledge they may have of you or any direct involvement they may have (or previously have had) in your work. 

• Both of these letters should be written specifically for this purpose, signed, dated and on headed paper, with the author's contact details.

You will also be asked to write a personal statement as part of the endorsement application. In your statement, the review panel will look for compelling evidence that you demonstrate a high level of originality and creativity in your work, and how that work has advanced, or is likely to advance, your field. You should set out your research career history, your achievements and contribution to your field to date and your current research interests in a clear, logical fashion. If appropriate, include details of your international standing, the significance of your publications, prizes and research funding awarded, patents, and the impact of past innovation activity in a company, academia or as an individual. The panel will also expect to see a clear and credible plan for what you expect to do in the UK and how you will contribute to UK research and innovation excellence. Let your enthusiasm for your area of research shine through! The personal statement should be limited to 7,000 characters including spaces. It does not need to be on headed paper as you will insert the wording into the endorsement application form.

How to apply

Once you have gathered your evidence, 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:

After you submit the application, you should send the relevant documentation (the boxes you have ticked as above) 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 and, within 6-8 weeks 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.