Placements at King's can only be undertaken for purely Research placements, and provided the student can find a suitable academic supervisor independently.
• Student applicants must be registered on a degree at another Higher Education Institution outside of the UK, for the whole duration of the placement.
• Students must identify and receive an invitation from a King’s academic supervisor from an appropriate area of research for their area of study. You can look for a supervisor in the area of interest via the King’s College Research Portal. Please note academics are under no obligation to accept to supervise visiting students, so if they do not reply or do not accept, you will have to try someone else.
• Students from universities with whom we have an existing study exchange agreement are able to attend under exchange for research, outside an Erasmus+ Traineeship (and possibly with it), but please first discuss with your international office and then contact us to clarify if you are eligible.
• For Erasmus+ Traineeship, students must already have been chosen by their home institution to participate in an Erasmus+ traineeship.
Please note King's will not enter into a new Inter-Institutional Agreement (IIA) for this purpose, so if your home university requires an IIA, then only students from existing Erasmus exchange partners, that can use the existing IIA, can attend at King's under the Erasmus+ Traineeship. Please confirm with your home university International Office first that a new IIA is not needed before contacting a supervisor or applying to King's.
• Whilst Graduated students are eligible for an Erasmus+ Traineeship after graduation if they complete the placement within 1 year of graduation, they would need a UK Work Visa.
King's will not sponsor those for students and the British Council no longer sponsors them for the Erasmus+ 2021-27 call, so it is unfortunately no longer possible to do a placement at King's as a recent graduate, unless you have already right to work in the UK.
• Students from Universities without an existing study exchange agreement with King's and not coming under an Erasmus+ Traineeship should apply instead to the Visiting Research Students programme. For Undergraduate and Master students, there might not yet be a relevant program in place for the host department, so your identified King's academic supervisor will need to discuss this with their PGR admission team.
The Global Mobility Office does not administer that program, so any further queries on it must be made to the King’s Advisors team.
• For stays in the UK between 6 and 12 months, a Student Visa will be needed. Proven English Language Requirements will also have to be met (see Tab above).
• Stays under 6 Months (please note that the total UK stay must be under 6 months, including in days prior to or after the placement) can attend under a Standard Visitor Visa (some nationalities do not need to apply for that visa, but come under the same conditions).
Please note this applies only to current students, not newly graduated, who would require a work visa regardless of length of stay, and therefore cannot be hosted unless they can find an external sponsor for a work visa.
• Students seeking Clinical or Hospital placements must apply instead for:
- Medicine to the Clinical Electives Placement programme run by the GKT School of Medical Education.
- Psychiatry/Mental Health to the Clinical Electives Placement run by the IoPPN.
- Dentistry to the Dental Electives run by the Dental Institute directly (this programme is currently suspended)
- Nursing, a clinical placement is not currently possible within Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care.
The Clinical Electives Placements at King's are incompatible with Erasmus+ and we cannot facilitate students looking to do a clinical placement under Erasmus+.
- It is recommended that students apply for at least a three month placement, as this will give them more time to gain the necessary experience and complete the required tasks in a department at King’s.
- Research placements have no minimum length, but at least 2 months is recommended. The maximum length of visiting placements at King's is 12 months (continuous or seperate) at the same study level. The minimum period of an Erasmus+ Traineeship is two months (not 8 weeks) unless PhD, up to a maximum of 12 months.
- Extensions of placements that require a visa change (either extension to Visitor Visa or Student visa or change of visa type) are very difficult.
In particular extensions over 6 months, as you will need to re-apply for the new visa from outside the UK and await outcome to re-enter, meaning an interruption of several weeks, possibly months. You will also need to meet the English Language Requirement through an official test.
We therefore strongly advise you plan your placement dates carefully in advance.
Any extension request, once the placement has started, needs to be made at least 4 weeks in advance, even if keeping within the current visa allowance, and at least 2 months in advance if a change of visa is required.
- Placements under 6 months can be done under a Standard Visitor Visa (some nationalities do not need to apply, but are under the same conditions), but please note that the whole stay in the UK must be under 6 months, including any days before or after the placement. We therefore strongly advise for the placement dates to be slightly under 6 months to avoid any issues.
If you arrive in the UK more than 6 months before the end of the placement, you will not be able to be registered at King's and the placement will either need to be shorten to stay under 6 months from the date of arrival, or cancelled entirely.
Placement must enrol by the first Tuesday of the month and so should ideally start their placement on that day. The permitted start date are at present:
- Tuesday 2nd April 2024
- Tuesday 7th May 2024
- Tuesday 4th June 2024
- Tuesday 2nd July 2024
- Tuesday 06 August 2024
- Tuesday 03 September 2024
- Tuesday 01 October 2024
- more dates to be added later
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. However, placements must enrol on one of the dates listed above, although can then start later that month with agreement from their supervisor. The application must be completed at least 1 month ahead of the intended enrolment date, but preferably 3-5 months ahead of this date.
If the placement is over 6 months, then you will need to apply for a Student Visa, so applications at least 3 months in advance are needed for you to receive the visa in time. For placement under 6 months, if you need to apply in advance for the Standard Visitor Visa, you should also make sure to apply 3 months in advance.
Please note, if the application is submitted later than 4 weeks ahead of the start date, the start date will move to the next enrolment date a month later.
Students can only apply to a visiting research programme after being accepted by a King's academic supervisor. Once accepted, then they must apply online and receive an offer from the Admissions team before their placement is confirmed.
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For applications to the Visiting Research Students programme (students from non-partner universities and not on Erasmus), please refer to that page instead.
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To apply, students should complete and submit an online application form for the relevant programme. Students must use the accompanying Research Placement Application Guidance Notes (at the bottom of this page) while completing their application.
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All students will need to provide a transcript of their current studies, or if no transcript is available (PhD students), evidence of current registration at their home university covering the whole period of the placement. ALL transcripts submitted must include:
- Your Name
- Name of your home institution/university
- Name of your programme of study, course or major
- Period covered
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Erasmus Students must have an Erasmus+ Learning Agreement for Traineeship, fully signed and completed, by their home university and their supervisor at King's, before they apply online.
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Exchange Research Students (from a study exchange partner) need to request from their home university international office that they email us to confirm their nomination (email confirming they are aware of the placement, the student will be still fully enrolled during the placement and the placement is part of, or related to, their degree programme).
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As applications take at least 4 weeks to process, the application must be completed at least 1 month ahead of the intended start date, but preferably 3-5 months ahead of this date.
For placements over 6 months students will need to apply for a Student Visa, or nationals needing to apply for a Standard Visitor Visa, need to apply to King's at least 3 months in advance.
Please note, if the application is submitted later than 4 weeks ahead of the start date, the start date will move to the next enrolment date a month later.
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If you have any questions about your application, and have already made an online application, please contact the Admissions team via the messaging facility on the Application Portal. If you have not yet applied, please contact studyabroad@kcl.ac.uk.
All Visiting Research Students should be able to communicate effectively in English (reading, writing, speaking and listening) and be able to do so in an academic environment.
You should provide any certification of your competence in English as part of your application e.g. previous tests, previous study.
Applicants who require a Student visa to study in the UK (stays in the UK more than 6 months, including any days before or after the placement) will need to complete one of the acceptable English Language tests listed below Sections 1-3. This is equivalent to the CEFR level B2.
Applicants who do not require a Student visa to study in the UK (because have English/Irish passport, but do not meet high school requirement, see Exceptions, or other nationals with existing valid residence rights in the UK) or applicants who are applying for stays under 6 months can complete one of the acceptable English Language tests listed in sections 1-4.
There is more flexibility for students coming to King's for under 6 months, who can provide a letter from their home university that states they meet B2 level. Admissions will provide the template for this letter if suitable.
Students on Erasmus+ Traineeship may also use the Language part of the Learning Agreement instead of the letter (but only for stays under 6 months)
Please note that if you decide to change the length of stay to over 6 months after application or even offer, then the Student Visa will be required, and therefore the relevant English test will be required. Because of this extensions to over 6 months normally cannot happen once you have arrived.
Acceptable tests:
Section 1 - English language proficiency tests
The tests listed below are valid if they have been taken within two years of the start date of your placement. The start date for the purposes of English language requirements is the 1st day of the month in which your programme commences, i.e. if your programme starts in September 2024, the test must be dated within two years of 1st September 2024. All elements of the test results must be demonstrated in one test. We cannot take a combination of your scores across two tests.
We cannot take TOEFL MyBest scores or IELTS One Skill scores.
Cambridge Advanced Certificate (CAE) / Cambridge C1 Advanced
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169 overall with a minimum of 160 in each skill
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Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) / Cambridge C2 Proficiency
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169 overall with a minimum of 160 in each skill
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IELTS (Academic)
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5.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each skill
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IELTS (Online)
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5.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each skill
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Pearson Test of English (Academic) We also accept Pearson Test of English (Academic) for UKVI. We do not accept Pearson Test of English (Academic) Online
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59 overall, with a minimum of 54 in each communicative skill
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TOEFL iBT Institution code: 0394 OR TOEFL iBT Home Edition OR TOEFL iBT Paper Edition
Please note that we do not accept the TOEFL Paper-delivered Test
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72 overall with a minimum of 17 in writing and listening, 18 in reading and 20 in speaking
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Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE)
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Level III (ISEIII) with pass in each skill
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NO OTHER TESTS ARE ACCEPTED
IMPORTANT: English language proficiency tests in section 1 are only valid if they have been taken within two years of the start date of the placement.
Section 2 - A-level, AS-level, International Baccalaureate and GCSE/IGCSE
Note: The tests listed below are valid if they have been taken within five years before the start date of your placement. The start date for the purposes of English language requirements is the 1st day of the month in which your placement commences i.e. if your placement starts in September, the qualification must be within five years of 1st September.
Please note: all IGCSE English qualifications requiring Speaking and/or Listening must have this separately endorsed on their Candidate Statement of Results and/or certificate. Evidence must be provided with your application - please send a scan of your IGCSE certificate and Statement of Results via King’s Apply after you have submitted an application.
We accept all GCSE English Language specifications that are currently available in the UK.
GCE A-level / AS-level English Language or English Language & Literature
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Grade C
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International Baccalaureate Diploma English A (English Language/Literature/Language & Literature)
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Higher Level 4 Standard Level 5
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International Baccalaureate Diploma English B (English Language)
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Higher Level 5 Standard Level 7
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GCSE English Language
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Grade B or 6
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IGCSE English First Language CIE/CAIE (Specification 0522)
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Grade B
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IGCSE English First Language CIE/CAIE(Specification 0500)
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Grade B plus Speaking and Listening at grade 2
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IGCSE English First Language CIE/CAIE(Specification 0990)
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Grade 6 plus Speaking and Listening at grade 2
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IGCSE English Second Language CIE/CAIE(Specification 0511)
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Grade A
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IGCSE English Second Language CIE/CAIE(Specification 0510)
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Grade A plus Speaking and Listening at grade 2
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IGCSE English Second Language CIE/CAIE (Specification 0991)
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Grade 7 with Speaking and Listening at 2
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IGCSE English Second Language CIE/CAIE (Specification 0993)
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Grade 7 with Speaking and Listening at 2
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IGCSE English Language A Pearson/Edexcel (Specification 4EA1 Post-2018)
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Grade 6 including spoken endorsement
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IGCSE English Second Language Pearson/Edexcel (Specification 4ES1)
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Grade 7 including spoken endorsement
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IGCSE English Language B Pearson/Edexcel (Specification 4EB1 Post-2018)
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Grade 6 including spoken endorsement
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Oxford AQA IGCSE English Language (Specification 9270)
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Grade 6 including Speaking and Listening endorsed at Merit
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Oxford AQA IGCSE English as a Second Language (Specification 9280)
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Grade 7
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Section 3 - International school level English language qualifications
Note: The tests listed below are valid if they have been taken within five years before the start date of your placement. The start date for the purposes of English language requirements is the 1st day of the month in which your programme commences i.e. if your programme starts in September, the qualification must be within five years of 1st September.
If you have already completed the qualification, please send a scan of your certificate via King’s Apply after you have submitted an application.
Austria Reifeprüfungszeugnis
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Pass English at 2 (gut) in both written and oral
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Brunei O level taken with Cambridge International Exams (Specification 1120)
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Pass at grade B
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Denmark Studentereksamen (STX) / Højere Forberedelseseksamen (HF) / Højere Teknisk Eksamen (HTX) / Højere Handelseksamen (HHX)
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Pass English (A or B) at grade 7
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European Baccalaureate
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Pass English L1 at 70%; English L2 at 80%
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France Baccalauréat
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Pass English at 13 where English is the first foreign language (LV1/LVA)
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France Option Internationale du Baccalauréat or Baccalauréat Français Internationale (British English or American English)
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Pass Language and Literature (English) in American, Australian or British Streams at 12
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German Abitur
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Pass English at 12 (Gut) when taken as a Hauptfach / Leistungskurs / Kurs mit erhöhtem Anforderungsniveau
Applicants completing the Abitur in Baden-Württemberg or Bavaria will need to pass English at 12 in their final year.
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Iceland Stúdentspróf (bóknámsbraut)
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Pass English at 9 (when taken as a compulsory language)
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Mauritius O levels taken with Cambridge International Exams (Specification 1125/1126)
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Pass at grade B
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Netherlands Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO)
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Pass English at 8 (goed)
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Norway Vitnemål for Videregående Opplæring
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Pass English at 4 when taken as a Common Core Subject
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Singapore O-Level (SINO) taken with CIE English Language
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Pass at grade B4
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Singapore Integrated Programme (section 4) English Language
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Pass at grade B
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Sweden Högskoleförberedande Examen
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Pass English at grade C (a minimum of 150 credits)
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If you do not require a Student visa to study in the UK, we are additionally able to accept any of the qualifications from section 4.
Section 4 - European English language qualifications
Note: The tests listed below are valid if they have been taken within five years before the start date of your placement for applicants who do not require a Student visa. The start date for the purposes of English language requirements is the 1st day of the month in which your programme commences i.e. if your programme starts in September, the qualification must be within five years of 1st September.
If you have already completed the qualification, please send a scan of your certificate via King’s Apply after you have submitted an application.
If you require a Student visa to study in the UK and are completing one of the following qualifications, you will have to obtain an additional English language test/qualification from those listed in sections 1 to 3.
Belgium Diploma van Secundair/ Certificate d'Enseignement Secondaire Superieur
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Pass English at 80% / 16 out of 20 / grote onderscheiding /avec grande distinction
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Finland Ylioppilastutkintotodistus
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Pass English at 5 (M) magna cum laude approbatur
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Luxembourg Diplôme de Fin d'Etudes Secondaires
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Pass English at 45 (bien)
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Switzerland Certificat de Maturité / Maturitätszeugnis / Attestato di Maturità
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Pass English with 5 (bien/gut/bene)
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- Nationals of the following countries, who have successfully completed a high school level 3 qualification (A-level equivalent) from a majority English speaking country are not required to complete an additional English language test. The qualification studied must follow the education system of a majority English speaking country.
Antigua & Barbuda
Australia
Barbados
Belize
British Overseas Territories
Canada
Dominica
Grenada
Guyana
Ireland
Jamaica
Malta
New Zealand
St Kitts & Nevis
St Lucia
St Vincent & the Grenadines
The Bahamas
Trinidad & Tobago
U.K.
U.S.A.
Applicants currently studying at a US university are also exempt from providing proof of English Language proficiency.
- Postgraduate applicants who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree (of at least three years duration), a postgraduate taught degree (of at least one year), or a PhD in one of the above UKVI-defined majority English speaking countries are not usually required to complete an additional English language test. Please note all applicants meeting the English requirement through one of these qualifications need to have successfully completed it within 5 years of the start date of their visit at King's.
An overseas student has contacted you to do a research placement (for their own research/thesis and/or to gain experience by helping in yours).
First you need to make sure that their project is appropriate for your specialty, they have the right background for the project and their role in it, you are satisfied their level of English is suitable for the work (they may also need to meet B2 language requirements, but this will be assessed at application by Admissions, if required) and of course you have the time to supervise them in the period they are planning to come. The maximum length of stay is 12 months.
Extensions of placements can be very difficult if a visa extension or change is required (as the student has to leave the UK to do so, likely for many weeks ), so we strongly advise you think carefully about the suitable length of stay in advance. Please note that students can only stay in the UK under 6 months without needing a student visa. So it is strongly advised for a 6 months placement that dates are agreed to be slightly under 6 months, to take into account that students will most likely not arrive in the UK on the 1st day and leave on the last day of the placement.
Please note that only a King's Academic, meaning someone who can be first supervisor for PhD students at King's, can be the official supervisor for those visits. Day to day mentoring can however be delegated.
If you are happy to supervise the student, then there are different routes depending on where they are from:
Please note all visiting students need to apply for, well in advance, and be enrolled on a student programme, regardless of length of stay. Affiliate accounts are only suitable for associated Staff and must not be requested for this purpose.
For students from a partner University, without Erasmus+ Traineeships.
If they are from a University with whom we have an existing study exchange agreement (they or you should check with the Global Mobility Office first), they can attend for research as an exchange student. It is not possible to set up an exchange agreement just for this purpose, it has to be already in place. There is no fee charged by King's.
Enrolments for those students can only happen on the first Tuesday of each month so they should start their placement on that date, or later that month once they have been enrolled.
The Global Mobility Office will need to receive a direct email from their home university International Office confirming the placement is authorised by them, part of their studies and that they will still be registered with them during the whole placement.
The student needs to follow the instructions to apply under the Research Placement Application Guidance Notes.
For students from non-partner universities, not under Erasmus+ Traineeship.
- PhD students should apply through the Visiting Research Student programme. This programme is not run by the Global Mobility Office, and queries should be directed to your Faculty's PGR Admissions Team. A fee is charged for stays over 6 months.
- Non-PhD students (PGT and UG) should be able to apply to do research at King’s under that programme, but please discuss this directly with your department's PGR Admissions team to identify the suitable non-award program. (see https://www.kcl.ac.uk/policyhub/research-experience-visiting-student-policy).
A fee is charged for stays over 3 months.
For Students wishing to attend under an Erasmus+ Traineeship, as long as the home university does not require a new International-Institutional exchange agreement to be signed .
The minimum length of the placement is 2 months (not 8 weeks) unless a PhD student, and up to 12 months.
If the student is in their first year after graduation during the placement, rather than a current student, the Traineeship is no longer possible in the UK, please see below under Graduate.
The student will need to complete an Erasmus+ Learning Agreement for Traineeships, provided by their home university. You will be responsible for signing on behalf of the ‘host institution’. This document will detail what the student will do and/or learn while here, and is a guideline for what can be expected from all parties involved. As supervisor, it is your responsibility this is followed, and that the student has enough work for a full-time placement.
One part of the agreement asks about Insurance provided by the host institution: You should select No for Accident insurance, and Yes for Liability.
Please do not sign any other document than those titled "Erasmus+ Learning Agreement for Traineeships" without checking with the Global Mobility Office first.
- For current students (still actively enrolled at their home university for the whole duration of the placement): they will then need to apply through the King’s Admissions portal, at least a month in advance of their intended stay (3 months if the placement is over 6 months or a Visa is required). Please note enrolments for those students happen on the first Tuesday of each month so they can only start their placement on that date, or later that month if they have been enrolled (please see under Traineeships length and start date.) No fee will be charged by King’s.
- Graduated students (no longer enrolled on a university programme during their proposed placement): Whilst Erasmus+ traineeships can be obtained in the first year after graduation, UK immigration rules means they would need a work visa. King's will not sponsor those for them, and the British Council no longer sponsors those for the 2021-27 Erasmus call. Therefore, unless they already have Right to Work through another immigration route (Work Holiday visa, Settled or Pre-Settled status or British or Irish citizenship for example), the placement will not be possible. If they do have this right to work, then they will need to go through the Visiting Appointments route, the above programs are only for current students.