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Attendee Resources
Justification Letter
To assist you to secure funding and time you want to attend OSM26, we’ve developed a brief justification letter available to download. We encourage everyone to personalize it as much as possible with details about your science and what you’re most excited about for the Ocean Sciences Meeting.
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Travel
There are so many ways to travel to Glasgow. The area has three major airports nearby that offer multiple flights daily, as well as train service from across the UK. Explore different travel options and directions for getting to the 2026 Ocean Sciences Meeting.
Glasgow Airport (GLA) is the closest airport to the city center, just 10 miles (16 km) to the west. This is the primary airport in Glasgow and offers nonstop flights to over 80 destinations. Visit the Glasgow Airport website for more information on getting into the city.
Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK) is located 32 miles (51 km) from Glasgow. It offers numerous direct flights from Europe and offers service into the city center via train and bus.
Edinburgh Airport (EDI) is located 39 miles (63 km) east of Glasgow and offers flights to more than 150 destinations. Edinburgh is accessible via a direct bus to Glasgow’s Buchanan Bus Station. Visit the Edinburgh Airport transportation page for more information.
Train
There are numerous ways to travel by train to Glasgow. The main train stations are Glasgow Central Station and Glasgow Queen Street Station. You can book tickets on ScotRail, Transpennine Express, and Avanti West Coast.
Ferry
Scotland is accessible by ferry from Belfast and Larne in Northern Ireland. Ferries dock at Cairnryan with bus service to Glasgow city center in just over 2 hours. Ferry service is also available from mainland Europe to Hull and Newcastle. To learn more please visit StenaLine or DFDS websites.
Getting around the Glasgow area is easy on public transportation, on foot, or by bike. The subway is the easiest way to get around Glasgow’s city center and west end. Nextbike offers bike sharing (both standard and electric bikes) in Glasgow. Learn more about your options on Visit Glasgow.
Citizens from more than 100 countries can enter the United Kingdom without a visa. There are several dozen countries where citizens would need to apply for visas before travel.
The most common visa for attending a conference in the UK is the Standard Visitor Visa (Business Route). This visa allows you to: Attend meetings, conferences, seminars, interviews, or other business-related activities. The link above provides general information on the visa, its duration, and limited activities surrounding that can or cannot be conducted in the UK.
If you need to apply for a visa, for the Ocean Sciences Meeting, you will need to provide a letter of invitation from the OSM organizers. Letters of invitation will be automatically generated for OSM attendees. This webpage will be updated with additional information on the timing of letters and how attendees can to receive one.
Attendees who will need a visa are encouraged to book registration as soon as it opens to ensure time is available for the visa process.
These resources can help
Generally, citizens of North America, Central America, most South American countries, European Union, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and several other Pacific Rim and African countries do not need a visa to enter the UK.
This webpage provides a list of countries whose citizens would need a visa to enter the UK. Check here for the most up-to-date information on visa needs.
As of August 2024, citizens of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates will need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation to enter the UK.
Use this tool to see if you will need a visa to enter the UK. This is the most up-to-date visa information.
If you do need a visa to enter the UK, this guide provides information on supporting documents and the visa process.
The visa process generally takes about three weeks. Current wait times are listed here.