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Skip to content The UK Academic Visitor Visa, which is part of the Standard Visitor visa category, allows foreign nationals to participate in academic activities in the UK. This visa is designed specifically for academics, senior doctors, and dentists.
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Foreign nationals are allowed to engage in specific academic activities for a maximum of six months under the UK’s Immigration Rules under the Standard Visitor visa. The formal name for this type of visa is “Academic Visitor,” yet this is a more informal word.
Individuals from foreign academic institutions can use the Standard Visitor visa to participate in official exchange programs with their UK counterparts or to conduct independent research while on sabbatical from their home facility. Participation in research is also open to senior dental and medical professionals. And if you’re a dentist or doctor, you can teach and practise in the UK as long as it’s not a permanent job.
Your country’s regulations for academic visitor visa applications will vary. Some foreigners can come to the UK as visitors without a visa, but others will need to get a visit visa first.
As long as their home country is on the UK’s list of visa nationals, they are considered visa nationals and need a visiting visa. People from countries that don’t need visas need to get entry clearance before they can visit the UK for less than six months or for any other reason. Therefore, in order to participate in academic pursuits while in the UK, they need to undergo the application process for an Academic Visitor visa.
Non-visa nationals, on the other hand, don’t usually need to get a visa to come to the UK as an academic if they plan to stay for less than 6 months. This means that their country isn’t on the list of visa-requiring countries. Even though non-visa nationals can stay in the UK for up to six months as visiting academics, they still need to apply for entry clearance when they get there.
This means that academic tourists from any country who want to stay for six to twelve months will need a Standard Visitor visa.
People from some countries that don’t need visas must now get permission through the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system before they can visit the UK. The electronic travel authorisation (ETA) method is a new way to make sure that travellers are safe before they come to the UK. This means that once this system is fully in place, all foreigners who come to the UK for education will need either an Academic Visitor visa or an ETA.
Citizens of Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE must now apply for an ETA instead of an EVW under the new ETA system. All non-visa holders who can travel without a visa now will need an ETA by 2024.
To get an ETA online, you have to pay £10. Most of the time, decisions are made in three working days or less.
If you are approved, your ETA will be valid for two years, during which time you can visit the UK more than once. But because the authorisation will be directly linked to the passport you used to apply for, you will have to reapply before the ETA expires if your passport is only valid for two years.
In January 2024, the laws governing academic and scientific activity, among others, were eased.
If you are visiting the UK on an Academic Visitor visa, visa-free but for academic purposes, or with an EVW or ETA, you must be there to participate in activities approved by the visitor regulations. The following academic tasks are allowed:
The Standard Visitor visa allows visiting academics to participate in activities related to their abroad employment, such as attending meetings, conferences, seminars, and interviews, in addition to the primary reason for their visit. It could also involve giving a one-time or brief series of presentations or speeches, as long as they are not arranged as commercial events and do not result in a profit for the organiser. You could also do things connected to tourism, like going on trips and seeing family and friends.
You must first meet the basic requirements for the Standard Visitor visa in order to be qualified for an Academic Visitor visa. As a visiting academic who wants to stay in the UK for more than 6 months, there are also extra requirements you need to meet.
The requirements for visitors are as follows:
You have to meet these standards even if you have an EVW or ETA that lets you travel without a visa.
If an academic wants to come to the UK for more than 6 months, they have to meet more standards. You must also be able to show that:
Speak to our assessment team now to confirm your eligibility and options for free on 02033844389.
You can apply for an Academic Visitor Visa up to three months before your trip.
You must fill out an online application with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), pay the required fee, and show proof of identity in the form of a current passport or other travel document. If you want a visa that lasts longer than 6 months, you may also need to make an appointment at an overseas visa application office to register your biometrics, which includes a photo and scan of your fingerprints.
Start the process by going to the UK Government’s website for visas and immigration. First, go to the visa application site and make an account. After you’ve registered, fill out the Standard Visitor visa application form and make sure all the information is right. You’ll need to pay the visa application fee online after you’ve filled out the form.
When you’re done with the application form and fee, you will need to make an appointment at a visa application centre. As part of the application process, you will need to give your fingerprints and photo (biometrics) at this appointment. You will also need to send in your supporting documents, either in person at the visa application centre or by mail if told.
Be sure to bring all of the necessary papers, including the confirmation of your appointment booking and a printed copy of the document checklist from your online application, to your scheduled appointment at the visa application centre.
The people at UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) will look over your application and documents after your meeting. The time it takes to process can change, but on average it takes three weeks. The status of your application can be checked online using the reference number given to you.
To show that you are eligible to be a visiting academic, you will need to send in a number of supporting papers. This could be a letter from your boss explaining when your exchange or sabbatical will begin and end, or it could be specifics about the study that needs to be done. You might also include a letter from the UK host group confirming that everything is set up for your research, exchange, or clinical practice.
For more than six months, if you want to come to the UK as a visiting academic, you will need to show proof that you are highly skilled in your field and currently work in that field at a college or university abroad.
Prior to beginning research in some areas at the postgraduate level or higher, you may be required to get a clearance certificate from the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS). You might also need a tuberculosis (TB) test document to show that you don’t have TB if you are coming to the UK for more than 6 months. This depends on where you are from.
Document | Description |
Passport | A valid passport that has at least one blank page for the visa. |
Letter of Invitation | A letter from a UK school officially inviting the applicant to take part in academic activities. |
Proof that you are a student | Applicants must show proof of their present academic position and qualifications. |
Proof of financial support | Show that the applicant has enough money to stay in the UK. This could be in the form of bank records or letters of sponsorship. |
Receipt of Healthcare Surcharge | Proof that the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) was paid, which lets you use the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. |
Travel Itinerary | Information about the trip, like when and where to stay and how to book flights. |
Completed Visa Application Form | The visa application form (typically filled out on the UK government’s immigration and visa website). |
Photographs | Passport-sized photos taken recently that meet the photo standards for a UK visa. |
Academic References | Recommendations from current or past teachers or coworkers. |
Information about job | If you are employed, you will need a letter authorising your employer to allow you leave for the entire visit. |
History of past trips | Information about past trips, such as any visas for other countries obtained. |
To get an Academic Visitor visa for six to twelve months, you will need to pay £200.
This type of visitor visa is valid for 6 months and costs £115. As long as you are already in the UK and want to stay longer, you can pay £1000 for an increase of six months, which lets you stay for up to twelve months.
It usually takes up to three weeks to process an Academic Visitor visa application from someone outside of the United States after they have paid the fee, shown proof of name, and gone to any appointments.
You might be able to pay to get a decision faster in some situations, based on where you are applying from. The fee for a priority decision within 5 business days is £500. The fee for a super priority decision by the end of the next business day is £1000. Before you apply for a visa, you should contact the local visa application centre to see if priority services are available.
Before you book a trip, you should wait to see how your visa application turns out. Even if you pay for a faster choice, it doesn’t mean you’ll be approved; you still have to meet the requirements to be a visiting academic.
Contact our expert team for guidance on your Academic Visitor Visa UK application. Call 02033844389.