Certain nationals in science and technology-related fields may need approval to study via The Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS).
The Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) is a scheme run by the UK Government which to check and approve studies and research undertaken by certain nationals in science and technology-related fields. The following Frequent Asked Questions will provide further explanation of your next steps and technical aspects of the check such as how long the certificate will be valid for and when you would need to apply.
There is a lot of information and guidance available on the ATAS website, including frequently asked questions and information on what to do if your ATAS application is refused.
Your ATAS certificate will remain valid for as long as your programme of study, provided that your subject area does not change. If you lose your ATAS certificate, you should email the ATAS team atas@fcdo.gov.uk
If you wish to switch to a course that requires ATAS clearance, you must obtain an ATAS certificate before you can transfer to that new course.
If your area of research or course is likely to change to one still affected by the requirement to have an ATAS certificate, then you should not register on the new course or start the new area of research until a new ATAS certificate has been applied for and has been successful.
An ATAS clearance certificate is issued for a specific course with a named Student Sponsor (typically a university) and remains valid as long as the Student Sponsor and/or course details do not change, including the length of the course.
You will need to apply for a new ATAS certificate if:
If you are continuing student changing the programme or requesting a visa extension you will be required to provide us with an ATAS certificate before we can approve your change of programme form or process your CAS. Therefore we strongly advise that you apply for an ATAS certificate in advance as we are not able to process any change of programme requests without ATAS clearance.
If you have further queries about the information listed above or need further clarity on the Academic Technology Approval Scheme, you can reach out to our Advice and Counselling Service or review the webpages on Visas and International student advice.