Academic visitors must be either:

• a person on sabbatical leave from an overseas academic institution who wishes to make use of their leave to carry out research here (to do research for a book for example);

NB Those who are on sabbatical leave from private research companies are not eligible for leave under the academic visitor provisions.

or

• academics (including doctors) taking part in formal exchange arrangements with United Kingdom counterparts; or
• eminent senior doctors and dentists coming to take part in research, teaching or clinical practice.

In addition they must:

• not receive funding for their work from any United Kingdom source (payments of expenses or reasonable honoraria may be disregarded, as may payments on an exchange basis);
• not engage in any work other than the academic activity for which they are being admitted;
• not be filling a normal post or a genuine vacancy;
• not stay in the UK for more than 12 months;
• not intend to take employment in the UK;
• intend to leave the UK at the end of their visit;
• be able to maintain themselves and any dependants without having recourse to public funds (or be adequately maintained and accommodated by relatives or friends);
• be able to meet the cost of the return or onward journey from the UK.