What is the Academic Technology Approval Scheme?

The Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) was introduced on 1 November 2007. It is used to help stop the spread of knowledge and skills that could be used in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their means of delivery. This is in common with other governments around the world.

The ATAS is designed to ensure that people who are applying to study certain sensitive subjects in the UK do not have links to WMD programmes. We therefore advise you to find out if you need an ATAS certificate by visiting our ‘Do I need an ATAS certificate?’ pages before applying for a student visa, or extension.

How do I apply for an ATAS certificate?

If you need an ATAS certificate you will need to apply for one before you apply for your visa or extension to stay. Please be aware possession of an ATAS certificate does not guarantee you a visa, or extension of stay. However applications will automatically be refused if you need an ATAS certificate and cannot provide one.

When applying for a visa you must also provide evidence that you meet the usual student criteria. For more information on what you need to apply for a student Visa please go to the UK Border Agency website. If you need to apply for an extension of stay please see the Border & Immigration Agency website.

An ATAS certificate shows details of the course and Higher Education Institution you have applied for clearance for. Therefore if you have more than one offer from different Universities/Institutions you will need to apply for separate ATAS clearance certificates for each University/Institution and programme of study.

An ATAS certificate is valid as long as the details of your course do not change. You can apply for an ATAS certificate up to 12 months in advance of the beginning of your course.

How long does the application process take?

We advise against you making any travel plans before your ATAS application is resolved. We aim to respond to all successfully completed applications within 5 to 10 working days. This however can be longer during busy periods. We would therefore encourage you to apply as soon as you are able to.

If you are in the UK already and you need to extend your visa to complete your course, please check whether ATAS clearance is required. We would recommend that you apply for an ATAS certificate before you start your new course. Otherwise there is a risk that if your ATAS application is refused you would not be able to undertake the remainder of the course. This is because without an ATAS certificate you will not be granted an extension to stay.

We have answered some of the most frequently asked questions in our FAQ section.