Document limits
Each endorsing body sets its own document limits
Count your documents before you start formatting. Extra material does not add weight: Pact only uses the first 10 documents, and Arts Council England ignores any letter beyond the 3 listed on the form.
Tech Nation
Tech Nation counts one document for one criterion
You need at least 2 documents for the mandatory criterion and at least 4 for the optional criteria, 2 for each of the 2 you choose. You cannot use the same document for more than one criterion. If a document runs past 3 pages, include only the most important parts, such as the main terms of an employment contract.
- Innovation (optional criterion 1) and significant contribution (optional criterion 3) test different things, so the same evidence may not satisfy both
- Founders and senior executives of a technology business in the last 5 years must include evidence such as sales by country and accounts
- Accounts must be audited, or cover more than 12 months, with a profit and loss statement and balance sheet signed by the directors
- Convert currencies to GBP where possible, or give the conversion rates you used
- Give your LinkedIn, GitHub and similar usernames in your CV
Format
Shrunken pages and lists of links are not accepted
Tech Nation does not accept evidence that is excessively compressed or reduced in size to fit the 3-page limit. A document that is only a list of links is also not acceptable, and any links should relate to evidence already in your application. Cut a long document down to the pages that matter instead.
- Arts Council England: for any webpage, send a full printed copy or screenshot and a working URL
- Screenshot full articles that sit behind a paywall, because assessors cannot open them
- No physical items such as DVDs, CDs or books, no zip files and no links to file-sharing sites
- Arts Council England: a link or screenshot of an online CV, bio or LinkedIn profile is not a CV
Reading the rules is one thing. Knowing how they apply to your own evidence is another.
Book a free 30-minute callTranslations
Documents in another language need a proper English translation
Tech Nation needs an authorised English translation of any document not originally in English, and it is not obliged to translate documents or online links itself. The translation does not count towards the 3-page limit, but the original must not exceed 3 pages. Arts Council England needs a full translation from a certified translator showing the translator's name, contact details and signature and the company stamp or details; web browser translations are not accepted.
Read the official guidanceYour contribution
Show what you did, not what your company or team did
Tech Nation asks that product designs or architecture diagrams show your personal work, not that of the company or team, and that published material includes the title, date and proof you are the author. Pact looks at your contribution to an award or nomination, not to the production as a whole, and accepts separate letters from award recipients that describe it. For example, a fictional backend engineer at a fintech start-up who rebuilt the payments service would show the design document with their name on it and the figure that changed, not the company press release.
Read the official guidanceVerifiable data
Every claim needs something an assessor can check
Tech Nation requires examples of work to come with verifiable evidence such as screenshots, press clippings or company-approved performance data, and it may check information and contact referees. For media coverage, include details of the publication and its audience, and figures such as page views or downloads where possible. Self-published LinkedIn or Medium articles and internal company awards are not enough as evidence of recognition.
Recency
Tech Nation's mandatory criterion uses the last 5 years
For Tech Nation, activity used for the mandatory criterion should fall within the past 5 years and show a steady level of activity; evidence made only to suit the timing of your application is not acceptable. Arts Council England needs media recognition, awards and engagements from the last five years. On the research fellowship route, a fellowship counts if you hold it now or held it within the last five years.
What not to send
The Royal Society does not need copies of your publications
Peer review is assessed solely on the required evidence, so extra paper does not help. Give the full bibliographic reference, publisher and a URL where available for your most significant publications in your CV, and the full reference and countries for any patents. The Royal Society lists these documents as not needed:
- Copies of full publications
- Degree certificates such as BA, BSc, MA, MSc or MRes
- Employment contracts or professional training certificates
- Award certificates or photos of medals
- Conference attendance or journal review certificates
- Conference proceedings or evidence of invited presentations
Related guides
Keep reading
Guides applicants usually read next on this topic.
What the Global Talent visa is, and how Stage 1 endorsement works
The Global Talent visa needs no job offer or sponsor and lets your family join you. Stage 1 is the endorsement application, where an endorsing body decides whether you are a leader or a potential leader in your field.
Read related guideGlobal Talent endorsement requirements: what each endorsing body asks for
Each endorsing body sets its own Stage 1 tests, so the requirements for a software founder, a researcher and a theatre director are very different.
Read related guideGlobal Talent endorsement documents: a checklist for each endorsing body
Each endorsing body has its own document rules, from page limits to who can write your letters.
Read related guideApplying from outside the UK. If your evidence comes from outside the UK, give assessors the context they cannot assume: certified or authorised English translations, details of each publication and its audience, and revenue or funding figures converted to GBP where possible.
Article FAQ
Questions to settle before you spend time or money.
Use these answers to check the practical risks, documents, and decisions connected to this topic.
Do my CV and letters count towards Tech Nation's 10 documents?
No. Your CV and letters of recommendation sit outside the 10 evidence documents.
Can I use one document for two Tech Nation criteria?
No. Each document can be used for one criterion only.
Can I shrink a long document to fit 3 pages?
No. Tech Nation does not accept evidence that is excessively compressed or reduced in size, so include only the most relevant pages.
Is a web browser translation good enough?
No. Arts Council England does not accept web browser translations, and Tech Nation needs authorised English translations.
Should I send copies of my papers on research peer review?
No. The Royal Society does not need copies of publications; give the full bibliographic references in your CV instead.
Can I send my LinkedIn profile instead of a CV to Arts Council England?
No. A link or screenshot of an online CV, bio or LinkedIn profile is not acceptable.
Plan your evidence
Not sure which documents to send?
We help you map what you already have against your endorsing body's limits and criteria, decide what to cut, and check that each document shows your own contribution.