You have been invited to visit the University of Edinburgh
Visitors coming to the University of Edinburgh may need a visa to come to the UK.
It is very important that you are in the UK under the correct visa category for your intended activity at the University. There are specific restrictions on what you can do, allowed payments and the length of your visit – depending on what visa you have
Please note, those who enter the UK as a tourist will only be able to take part in general tourist activities such as sight-seeing or visiting museums. You will not be able to take part in any business or academic activities at the University of Edinburgh on this visa.
What are the categories?
Standard visitor route – Academic
- You should be an academic in employment with an overseas institution (research students and retired academics are not eligible under this route); AND
- Coming to the UK to carry out one of the following activities:
- On sabbatical leave and planning to carry out research for your own purposes (e.g. research for a book);
- Taking part in a formal exchange with the University (salary must continue to be paid by overseas institution); or
- An eminent senior doctor or dentist coming to take part in research, teaching and/or clinical practice
If you wish to stay for up to 12 months then you will also have to provide evidence that you are highly qualified within your own field of expertise and working in that field at an academic or higher education institution.
Standard visitor route – Visiting researcher or scientist
- You should be a researcher or scientist employed overseas; AND
- Coming to the UK to carry out one of the following activities:
- Gathering information and facts for a specific projects which directly relates to his employment overseas; or
- Sharing knowledge or advising on an international project that is being led from the UK, provided the visitor is not carrying out research in the UK
You must remain paid and employed overseas and must only carry out activities that are incidental to your job overseas.
Standard visitor route – business activities
- Business activities will normally be linked to a person's employment overseas and include:
- Attending conferences or seminars - it is expected that these would last no more than a couple of weeks
- Attending a meeting or interview
- Speaking at a one-off conference - provided these are not commercial events and the organiser is not making a profit
- Translating for a business person
- Conducting site visits and arranging/signing trade agreements
- Board-level directors attending board meetings
Permitted Paid Engagement Visitor
- You can apply for a Permitted Paid Engagement visa if you have been invited to the University of Edinburgh and want to receive payment for that specific work.
- This includes:
- A visiting examiner or assessor may examine students and/or participate in or chair a selection panel;
- A visiting lecturer may give one or a short series of paid seminars/lectures in their field of expertise (cannot be full or part-time work);
- A professional artist, entertainer, musician or sports person may carry out an activity directly related to their profession.
A PPE visiting examiner, assessor and/or lecturer must be highly qualified in their field and should normally be employed by an overseas institution. Retired academics should not eligible under this route.
PhD students who wish to come to the UK to complete research for their thesis should consider applying for a short-term study visa, which is valid for up to six months or a Tier 4 student visa if their research is part of the PhD degree course and will take longer than six months.
More information about student routes can be found here:
Immigration service - applying for a visa
How do I apply for the visitor visa?
How and where they apply for a visa will depend on whether you are a visa national or a non-visa national, and, in some circumstances, for how long you are coming to the UK.
Visa Nationals
A list of visa nationals can be found in Appendix 2 of the Visitor Immigration Rules:
This includes nationals of China, Colombia, India, Pakistan and Russia.
Visa Nationals need to apply for a visa from outside the UK in advance of their travel.
A non-visa national is anyone who is not on this list.
This application is made online:
You will need to submit a letter of invitation from the University of Edinburgh, as well as other supporting documentation.
Non-Visa Nationals coming for up to 12 months (i.e. Academic Visitors)
A non-visa national who is coming to the UK for up to 12 months (i.e. an Academic visitor) will need to apply for a visa before travelling to the UK. You should follow the same procedure as visa nationals (above).
Non-visa national coming for up to 6 months
You do not require a visa in advance of travel to the UK. Instead, you would announce the purpose of your visit to the Immigration Officer at the airport on arrival at the UK airport – i.e. that you are coming to the UK under one of the above categories. You should carry the letter of invitation from the University of Edinburgh, and additional supporting evidence, in their hand luggage and present this to the Immigration Officer on arrival.
If you are a non-visa national and are concerned that there is a risk of refusal, you should consider making an online visitor visa application before travelling to the UK, to avoid being refused entry at the airport.
Please note, those coming to the UK as PPE visitors must not use the eGates.
Evidence required
You will need a letter of invitation from the University of Edinburgh. Please speak to the School or department that you wish to visit for more information.
You will also need additional supporting documents and a list can be found here:
Visitor visa - supporting documents
NEW: ATAS (the Academic Technology Approval Scheme) Requirement
From 21 May 2021, visiting academic researchers (other than exempt nationals) who are carrying out or taking part in research at postgraduate level or above in certain sensitive subjects must hold an ATAS certificate before they begin any such research.
Although this certificate is only needed before research begins, it is strongly advised that the visitor obtains this before travelling to the UK.
Exempt Nationalities: Those from EU/EEA, United States of America (USA), Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, and South Korea.
More information on applying can be found here: Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) - GOV.UK