The Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) was introduced on 1 November 2007 and students studying certain subject areas at MSci/MEng undergraduate level, PhD or Masters level will require ATAS clearance. Most non-EEA nationals who require immigration permission to be in the UK and intend to study on one of these courses will be required to apply for ATAS clearance. Full details of the courses that are part of this scheme can be found on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website.
The ATAS scheme falls under a wider responsibility at Imperial to ensure that our research balances protecting the UK’s national security while driving scientific advancements forward. Further information is available on our website.
| Exempt nationalities | Student Route visa | non-Student Route visa | Extending visa in the UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nationals from the UK, EU, EEA, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the USA are NOT required to have ATAS clearance. | The majority of students will be applying to study under a Student Route visa and if ATAS is required for your course / nationality then this will be a condition of your offer for study. A CAS number will not be issued until all conditions of your offer have been met. | If you are in the UK under a non-student visa, and that immigration permission allows you to study in the UK, and ATAS clearance is required for your course / nationality this will be a condition of your offer for study. A CAS number will not be issued until all conditions of your offer have been met. | Any students (unless from an exempt nationality) already in the UK who need to apply for a new visa to commence or continue on one of the relevant courses will also need to get ATAS clearance before making a Student Route visa application. A CAS number will not be issued until you hold the relevant ATAS clearance. |
General information
To apply for ATAS you will need to know the CAH for your course.
STUDENTS STARTING A NEW COURSE OF STUDY
Refer to the UG Course page or PG Course page to find your course. Scroll down the page to the 'Entry Requirements' section and select the 'Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)' option from the list.
STUDENTS ON A CONTINUING COURSE
If you are planning to extend your Student Visa, and need to obtain ATAS, please check with your department or email the International Student Support team to request the CAH code for your course. If you are on a taught degree (Undergraduate or Postgraduate Masters) refer to the UG Course page or PG Course page to find your course. Scroll down the page to the 'Entry Requirements' section and select the 'Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)' option from the list.
You should apply as soon as you have an offer. As ATAS is a condition of your offer or continuation on a course, a CAS number cannot be issued until all conditions are met and this includes ATAS.
The ATAS processing times are variable and can take much longer during the busy periods. The ATAS website will give an estimated date by which you should receive your certificate; however, this is not a definite prediction. Please do not panic if you have not received your certificate by this date.
If you are requested to amend/update information that you have submitted as part of your application, this will further delay the date by which you will receive a decision.
Please note the College is not able to chase-up ATAS applications. On average ATAS processing takes a minimum of 6 weeks but can take longer. During the busy time of year applications may take longer and some applications are more complicated.
An ATAS certificate is only valid to be used with a visa application for 6 months from the date of issue. Please ensure that you submit your visa application before the certificate expires!
ATAS application
Guidance for completing the ATAS application form
Please refer to the detailed Imperial ATAS Guide to help you complete the form. It is essential that you use this guidance to help you fill in the form to prevent any potential issues and delays.
Please also refer to the FCO examples of proposed research for PhD students needing to complete the application form.
ATAS application queries
- Can you speed up the processing of my ATAS application?
- I have made a mistake on my application, what can I do?
- What if I have obtained a new passport since I applied?
- What if I cannot provide referees that I have known for 3 years?
- What if my application is refused?
The short answer to this is No. There is no method for expediting applications so please ensure you allow plenty of time to obtain the certificate (we advise a minimum of 3 months). If your application has been pending for more than 3 calendar months please alert us by emailing the International Student Support team.
If you have made a factual mistake on your application in any of the following areas you will need to withdraw your application and start again:
- Course name
- My name
- My date of birth
- My passport information
- CAH code
If you have selected ‘Researcher’ rather than ‘Student’ as the application type you will need to withdraw the application and start again.
If you have been issued a new passport please email the International Student Support team with your ATAS ID and a photo of the photo page in your new passport and we will forward this on to the ATAS team.
- If your ATAS has already been issued then the ATAS team will re-issue your certificate with the new passport details.
- If your ATAS has not yet been issued it should be issued with the correct information.
Where you have changed nationality, you may be required to apply for a new ATAS.
It is important you try and find referees that have known you for 3 years if at all possible. If you really can’t (this is sometimes more difficult for those applying for ATAS to start an undergraduate MEng or MSci) then provide referees who have known you for as long as possible and add a note to the free text address field explaining why you don’t have referees who have known you for at least 3 years. This might be because you have changed High Schools / countries etc.
If your application is refused, you are not able to submit a new application for the same course for a period of 90 days. You can submit an appeal against the decision but these are difficult to win as the grounds for refusal are not stated, due to UK National Security measures. If you are a new student, you may have to defer your offer or withdraw from the application process as ATAS is a condition of entry to the course. If you are a continuing student, please email the International Student Support team for advice.