All international students and researchers (aside from exempt nationalities) who are subject to UK immigration control and wish to pursue postgraduate study in uk or research in a number of sensitive fields must first obtain approval under the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS certificate).
The topics and research fields are those in which information may be applied to projects that aim to create advanced conventional military technology (ACMT), weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), or their delivery systems. Before they can study or conduct research in the UK, researchers and students in these delicate fields must apply for an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) accreditation.
An ATAS certificate is not required for students or researchers who are citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, or the United States of America.
All other researchers and students are required to apply for an ATAS certificate. If you are pursuing postgraduate study or conducting sensitive research in the UK, you must apply. You might also need ATAS permission if you’re applying to take an undergraduate course that includes a master’s year.
If you’re a new student, you must obtain an ATAS certificate before requesting authorization to visit the UK. You should apply six months before your course begins once you have received your university’s offer. In order to provide applicants with enough time to apply for their visa, an ATAS certificate is valid for six months after the day it is issued. As soon as you receive a conditional offer to study at a UK higher education institution, you should apply for your ATAS certificate (HEI). Before you apply for your UK visa, be sure that your ATAS certificate will not expire.
An ATAS certificate for the HEI you are attending and the programme of study, including any modules or intended research, is required if you are already in the UK on a student visa. If any of these specifics change, you should determine if you still require an ATAS certificate and submit an application for a new one if necessary.
Make a note of the date when your entry permit into the UK is set to expire so that you have enough time to submit your ATAS and stay permit applications before your existing permit expires. We advise submitting your application at least 4 months before the expiry of your current authorization.
Before requesting a UK visa or permission to enter the country, academic researchers applying under the Skilled Worker, Global Business Mobility, Tier 5 International Agreement, and Government Authorised Exchange channels must apply for and receive an ATAS certificate. Before you apply for an ATAS certified not need to have a final job contract. If you will be working under a standard occupational classification (SOC) that calls for ATAS, your employer will let you know.
Before starting any pertinent research activities in the UK as a guest, researchers are required to get an ATAS certificate. But you don’t have to before you apply for a UK visa (where relevant).
If you want an ATAS certificate in order to enter the UK as a guest, you do not have to obtain it prior to applying for a visa, but you should do so before leaving. Before starting the research, the HEI/research institute must verify the ATAS certificate; if this is missing, you will not be allowed on the premises.
Additionally, you must submit details regarding: