UK Global Talent route

The Global Talent route enables the most highly skilled individuals, who can achieve the required number of points, to enter the UK without a job offer if they are endorsed by a recognised UK body, as approved by the UK Home Office.

This route is designed to attract recognised global leaders and promising individuals in science, humanities, engineering, the arts and digital technology. Top scientists and researchers can benefit from a quicker endorsement process as part of a fast-track STEM scheme.

As of January 2021, the current list of approved endorsing bodies is as follows:

• The Royal Society, for science and medicine
• The Royal Academy of Engineering, for engineering
• The British Academy, for humanities
• UK Research and Innovation, for science and research
• Tech Nation, for digital technology
• Arts Council England, for arts and culture

Applicants can also work in the UK on a Global Talent visa if they’ve won an eligible award. These prizes have been identified by the Global Talent endorsing bodies as demonstrating exceptional talent in the following categories:

• Architecture prizes
• Arts and culture prizes
• Digital technology prizes
• Fashion design industry prizes
• Film and television prizes
• Science, engineering, humanities and medicine prizes

If you hold a prize from any of the lists, you can bypass the endorsement stage of the Global Talent visa route and go directly to the visa stage.