Visiting Research students should be current postgraduate research (PGR) students at another Higher Education institution either in the UK or internationally. They will have a viable programme of research for which study in London is necessary.

Visiting Research students should identify a supervisor who is an academic member of staff at King’s and will personally support their application.

Please note that applications will only be accepted from students, who have arranged with a potential supervisor that they can visit King's. Any speculative applications where a supervisor has not been identified will be withdrawn.

Students should apply using King's Apply at least 10 weeks before their proposed start date. Please search for the Non-Award Research programme in your subject area and complete the following sections of the application form:

• Personal information
• Education: Detail any previously completed qualifications and provide scans of official transcript and certificates at degree level and above. If the original documents are not in English, we will also need to see official translation. Please provide details of your current study.
• Supporting statement: You will be required to upload an official letter confirming you are currently studying in this section. This needs to be on official headed paper and signed or stamped by your university. If the original letter is not in English, we will also need to see an official translation. The letter should confirm:

- The title of your current study

- The date you enrolled

- Your expected completion date

- That your study at King's will contribute to your current research

- Your fee status (if your current study is in the UK)

• English language: You should provide any certification of your proficiency in English as part of your application e.g. previous tests, previous study. Please read the guidance below on English language requirements for further information.
• References: Provide the details of your supervisor at King's as your referee (we do not require a second referee).
• Details of funding: Students should allow 6 weeks for applications to be processed.

Please see below the fee structure for visiting research students:

• For visits lasting up to 3 months, no fee would be charged
• For visits between 3 months and up to 6 months, a fee of £500 would be charged
• For visits between 6 months and up to 9 months, a fee of £2,000 would be charged
• For visits between 9 months and up to 12 months, a fee of £4,500 would be charged
• For visits of more than 12 months, normal tuition fees for your fee status will apply

Please note: extending the length of your visit will incur the fee applicable for the combined duration. This will also apply if you are extending the length during your initial visit or if you are returning to King’s to continue the same research.

It should be noted that the fee structure proposed will not apply to visiting research students who enter King's through a formal exchange agreement (i.e. within the Erasmus framework, or supported by an MOA). Applicants under these partnership routes must apply via study abroad or Erasmus.

All visiting research students should be able to communicate effectively in English (reading, writing, speaking and listening) and are 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.

The level of English language you are required to demonstrate for a visiting research programme is dependent on your length of stay and visa requirements:

• If you are visiting for up to 6 months and wish to apply for a Student Visa OR you are visiting for over 6 months up to 12 months and will require a Student Visa, you must meet the minimum English Language requirement below prior to your visit. This is equivalent to the CEFR level B2.
• If you do not require a visa to study in the UK OR you are visiting for up to 6 months and will require a standard Visitor Visa, competency is assessed on a case-by-case basis based on the information that you supply in your application. If it is determined that you are required to demonstrate your level of English proficiency, you must meet the minimum English Language requirement below prior to your visit. This is equivalent to the CEFR level B2.
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Accepted tests

Please read all of the below information carefully as there are a number of English language tests we can accept to meet our English language requirements.

If a test you have completed is not listed below, unfortunately we are unable to accept it as meeting our English language requirements.

The tests below must have been taken within the past two years in order to be valid, for example, if your visit begins in September 2021, you must have completed your English Language test between 1 September 2019 to 31 August 2021.

All elements of the test results must be demonstrated in one test to be valid (i.e. we cannot take a combination of your scores across two tests).

For students who require a visa to study in the UK but are not required to apply under the Student Visa route, if you are made an offer without an English language requirement, and choose to apply for a Student Visa, your offer will have to be updated to include an English language condition.

As a result, it is advisable that you let us know at the point of application if you wish to apply for a Student Visa rather than a standard Visitor visa.

A new Student Visa route came in to effect on 5th October 2020 impacting all non-UK/EU students from that date. This new route also impacts all EU/EEA/Swiss (excluding Irish) nationals who will arrive in the UK to study after 1st January 2021 if they have not successfully applied for pre-settled/settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.

Visiting research students must not enter the UK on an Academic Visitor visa or a Business Visitor visa. Guidance will be provided to make clear that the Academic Visitor visa in particular is not appropriate (to qualify for this visa, a visitor must have obtained their doctorate).

We are required to monitor the continuing engagement of all students on a Student Visa; given the short nature of the visit, options for this monitoring are being considered.

For further information about applying for a Student Visa, please go to our Visa & International Student Advice team's webpage.

As a Visiting Research student at King’s, you will need to enrol with King’s so that you can be provided with an email address, access to all appropriate facilities and support services including the Centre for Doctoral Studies and KCLSU.

We will only be able to enrol students who have been made an unconditional offer and this offer has been accepted via King’s Apply.