ATAS Clearance
Students coming to study in the UK (or continuing further study) in certain engineering, medicine and science related subject areas may need Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) clearance certificate as part of the admission as well as visa application process. The scheme is designed mainly for postgraduate (Masters and PhD) students undertaking study in sensitive subject areas.
Students starting a new course (which is subject to ATAS clearance) or extending visa to finish an existing course need ATAS clearance. If your course is subject to ATAS clearance, you must obtain a clearance certificate before the University can issue your CAS.
The ATAS certificate is issued by the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) in the UK. Further detail is available on the GOV.UK website
Who needs ATAS?
From 4 January 2019, a CAH3 code is required for an ATAS application instead of a JACS code. Your CAH3 code or subject area code will determine if you need to apply for ATAS clearance certificate. Your offer letter and CAS should have your CAH3 code on it. If you are unsure of the correct code, please contact the Admissions team.
Find out if your course is subject to ATAS clearance
From 6 July 2018 students studying courses of any length in relevant subject areas will require ATAS clearance. ATAS clearance will also be required for those coming to the UK under the short-term student route in order to study relevant courses for up to six months (where an applicant is 18 or older when applying for immigration permission or will turn 18 before the permission expires).
Changing your course or subject/research area
You may need to apply for fresh ATAS clearance if any of the following statements apply to you;
- you start a new Masters or PhD course that needs ATAS clearance
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you switch to a course (or subject area) that requires ATAS
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you are studying a PhD course, and during your study your research changes significantly.
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you are applying for a visa extension in order to finish a course that needs ATAS clearance
How to apply?
There is no fee for applying for ATAS clearance. You can apply for ATAS clearance online via the FCO website
Please note the standard processing time for ATAS application is 20 working days, however it may take longer during busy periods (usually between April and September). You must therefore apply well in advance.
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