Academic Visitor
Academic Visitor is a sub-category of the Standard Visitor route and allows those highly qualified within their field of expertise and on sabbatical leave from their home institution to visit for up to 12 months to either:
- take part in a formal exchange
- carry out their own research
- take part in someone else’s research, teaching or clinical practice - as long as this does not involve filling a permanent teaching post
Only those employed by an academic or higher education institution overseas, in a teaching or research role, for the duration of their visit is eligible under the Academic Visitor visa route. In light of this, research staff should be eligible, but research students would not be.
Queen’s University is not permitted to pay salary to an academic visitor and you must be able to show that you’re able to support yourself and any dependents for the duration of your visit as part of your visa application.
If you are coming to the UK for less than six months, you may be able to stay in the UK as an academic visitor without a visa depending on your nationality – check if you need a visa in advance of traveling to the UK.