Research and Innovation Services

A thriving research ecosystem includes the international exchange of ideas and people. Each year, the University of Glasgow hosts research visitors from around the world. This page provides information about some of the practical elements of hosting visitors, along with guidance on some of the discussions you should have with visitors in advance of their arrival.

If you have additional advice that you think would be useful to add, please let us know via the Contact Us link.

Many research visitors to Glasgow will require a visa, normally a visitor visa, but this should be confirmed on the UK Visas and Immigration website. The earliest someone can normally apply for a visitor visa is 3 months before the planned date of travel. If biometric data needs to be submitted in person, this may require travel to another city or country, depending on where the visitor lives. It is important to give thought to how the costs for all aspects of the visa application will be met. As a host, you should provide a letter in support of the visa application. International Development Research Manager Mary Ryan can provide a template letter of support that is designed to address common reasons for refusal. Additional tips to flag to your visitor include:

• Consistency of information – many applications are rejected because information provided within the application is not consistent with supporting documentation. Information about income, outgoing costs and sources of income must match details of deposits and withdrawals in bank statements. Applicants should not estimate.
• Provide documentation for all information provided in the application. Visas have been denied because student applicants did not provide confirmation of enrolment in their stated programme. Make sure everything is corroborated.

Some countries are subject to UK Government sanctions, or are subject to other restrictions on certain activities. Additional care, risk assessment (and possibly export licenses, depending on the activities planned) are needed for visitors from certain countries and it is important to be aware of this and make the necessary arrangements up front.

If you are hosting a visitor from any countries on the UK Government's list of Countries subject to arms embargo, trade sanctions and other trade restrictions, particularly if they are visiting from countries subject to trade embargoes or arms sanctions, please contact the Research Governance and Integrity Team for guidance and support. 

Finding accommodation in Glasgow can be very challenging. We advise people who are hosting longer-term visitors to begin exploring options as early as possible. Some options that are available for short-term visitors include:

• University of Glasgow Accommodation Services - The University has limited accommodation available for staff within the student residences. Please contact Accommodation Services for details of current availability and price by email: shortstay@glasgow.ac.uk
• Hotels – Selective Travel can make bookings for Glasgow hotels. Details for how to arrange travel for someone else can be found on the Travel Hub.
• AirBnB – This is a popular option however it is important to note that the University of Glasgow cannot book or directly pay for AirBnB accommodation. This option is only available if the visitor accepts all liability associated with the booking, and is willing and able to book and pay themselves directly then claim the costs back retroactively. 

Financial discussions can be uncomfortable, but it is important for hosts to understand constraints that their visitors may face and for visitors to understand what costs are eligible to be claimed and what documentation needs to be provided when making a claim. Mismatched assumptions that are not addressed at the outset can jeopardize an otherwise strong collaborative relationship. As a host, you should ensure both you and your visitor are clear about:

• The funds available to support the costs of the visit. Is there a limit on the funds available?
• When are funds available? Not all visitors will be able to pay the costs of their visit up front and then claim them back after the visit ends. It is important to determine what your visitor’s needs in this regard might be. There is an option for accessing funds up front, but this comes with responsibilities for both the visitor and the host that both should be aware of (see below).
• What documentation is required for costs? University of Glasgow does not pay per diems for visitors and receipts are required for all expenses.
• What costs are eligible to claim (some funders allow for costs such as the purchase of cold weather clothing, while for others these costs are ineligible)?

Accessing Funds in Advance

If a visitor is unable to pay for incidental costs upfront and await reimbursement, it is possible to access funding in advance and then reconcile the payment with receipts. It is important to bear in mind that the host staff member is responsible for reconciliation of funds and maintaining appropriate evidence of expenditure for all purchases made using advanced funds.

The process for a deposit of funds directly into a visitor’s bank account in advance is:

• The host staff member submits a sundry payee form with a note on UofG letterhead appended to explain that no receipts are provided because this is a payment in advance, along with an explanation of why the funds are required in advance.
• Funds are directly deposited into the visitor’s bank account.
• Receipts must be kept for all purchases, provided to the host staff member and held by the host staff member in case of audit.
• Any unspent funds must be returned.

If it is not feasible to deposit funds directly into a visitor’s bank account, the process for acquiring a cheque is:

• The host staff member submits a sundry payee form that does not include any beneficiary bank details. Instead, write “Cheque” in the Bank Name/Sort Code/Account number field.  Append a note on UofG letterhead to explain that no receipts or bank details are provided because this is a payment in advance, along with an explanation of why the funds are required in advance.
• Once the payment is approved, the cheque must be physically collected from Tay House and can only be cashed at the HSBC branch located at 2 Buchanan St, Glasgow G1 3LB.
• Receipts must be kept for all purchases, provided to the host staff member and held by the host staff member in case of audit.
• Any unspent funds must be returned.

Visitors may be coming from very different working cultures and be subject to constraints that host staff may not be aware of. It is important to have discussions with incoming visitors about respective expectations about communication, availability, financial considerations, appropriate expense items, research integrity, obligations/expectations associated with funding, and working environment. Some examples of the kinds of scenarios that can occur include:

• A long-term visitor supported by a funder based in another country did not share with their host that the funder had very specific expectations regarding the number of publications to be produced during the visit. The visitor did not explain this to the host because they thought it would be too much of a bother. A plan was not put in place to address the required publications and in the end, the visitor submitted a publication without the team’s knowledge that turned out to be based on fraudulent data. The host flagged this to the journal and the paper was withdrawn.
• A visitor supported by an overseas source of funding did not have sufficient funds to support the cost of living in Glasgow once their funding was converted into pounds. The did not tell their host that they had started working another job to make ends meet, leading to significant tensions about lack of availability.
• A visitor opted to stay with a friend during a visit and promised that in return they would cover household costs. Receipts were submitted that included household construction supplies, cases of alcoholic beverages and haircare accessories. These costs were denied as part of the claim.