Overview
The Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) applies to all international students and researchers (apart from exempt nationalities) who are subject to UK immigration control and are intending to study or research at postgraduate level in certain sensitive subjects.
The subjects and research areas are those where knowledge could be used in programmes to develop Advanced Conventional Military Technology (ACMT), weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) or their means of delivery. Researchers and students in these sensitive subjects must apply for an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate before they can study or start research in the UK.
Students and researchers who are nationals of EU countries, the European Economic Area (EEA), Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland or the United States of America do not need an ATAS certificate.
You will be advised by the Doctoral College if you need to apply for ATAS. You can also follow this link to the GOV.UK website find out if you need an ATAS certificate
To Get Started
- Ensure you read the information about ATAS provided by the Doctoral College Admissions Administrator. You must use the exact wording provided on your ATAS Information Sheet, including the ‘Subject / Programme Title’, as any discrepancies may result in delays. If you have any queries about the information provided, please contact DoctoralCollegeAdmissions@herts.ac.uk for clarification before making any changes.
- Start the application form here
- Select the CAH3 code provided on your ATAS Information Sheet
- For the question "Are you a taught / research student or are you a researcher?" You MUST select ‘taught / research student’. DO NOT select Researcher as this is only for employees taking up a paid research position
- Select your country of nationality
- Create your account by following the instructions provided. If you already have an account, you can select ‘Sign In’
- Select ‘Apply for an ATAS certificate’.
Completing the Application
- Use this guide: Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Pay attention to the guidance provided in each of the sections of the online ATAS application form
- The form takes approximately 1 hour to complete
- You can save your progress and continue at a later date by logging in to your account
- There are 10 sections in the application. Here are some tips for completing individual sections:
Section 1: Proposed study
What subject will you be studying: Enter the programme title which you will find in the “Subject / Programme Title:” field on your ATAS Information Sheet
When will your course start?: Enter the “Programme start date” found on your ATAS Information Sheet
When do you expect your course to end?: Enter the “Expected programme end date” found on your ATAS Information Sheet. This date is in line with what will be requested on your CAS. Full-time PhD students have a maximum duration of registration period of 4 years, and your CAS will provide an additional 7 months for writing up, viva and corrections. Full-time Masters by Research students have a maximum duration of 18 months, and your CAS will provide an additional 7 months for writing up, viva and corrections.
What is your CAH3 course code?: You must use the CAH3 code provided on your ATAS Information Sheet. The CAH3 code and description is set by the programme title and cannot be changed.
What qualification will you be studying for?: Enter the qualification your offer is for e.g. PhD / Professional Doctorate / Masters by Research. This is confirmed on your ATAS Information Sheet.
Supervisor name at UK University: Enter the name of your Principal Supervisor as stated on your ATAS Information Sheet.
What will you be studying?: You must use the wording on your ATAS Information Sheet in the “Research Summary” section. This wording has been agreed by your School and Supervisor and any discrepancies may result in delays. If you have any queries about the information provided, please contact DoctoralCollegeAdmissions@herts.ac.uk for clarification before making any changes.
Why do you want to study this?: You should explain why you wish to study the programme you have received an offer for. Make sure you provide a full and clear explanation here, otherwise the ATAS team may ask you to provide further information which could slow down your application.
What are your goals when you complete your intended programme?: You should explain what you hope to have achieved by the end of your programme and what your future career intentions / aspirations are. Make sure you provide a full and clear explanation here otherwise the ATAS team may ask you to provide further information which could slow down your application.
Joint programme details: If your course of study is a joint programme / dual award with another university, please tick ‘yes’. This will be confirmed in your Offer Letter / ATAS Information Sheet however, if you are unsure, please contact DoctoralCollegeAdmissions@herts.ac.uk.
Section 2: Personal details
You should enter your personal details as they appear on the passport that you will be using for your visa application. This must also be the passport stated on your CAS.
Please answer the remaining questions in this section truthfully and accurately. If you answer ‘yes’ to any of the questions, you will be asked to provide further details.
Section 3: Spouse
If you select ‘single’, ‘divorced’ or ‘widowed’, you can move to the next section. If you select ‘civil partnership’ or ‘married’, you will be asked whether your spouse will be coming to the UK with you. If you answer ‘yes’, you will need to provide your spouse’s personal details.
Section 4: Contact details
Please enter your contact information very carefully and ensure the details you use are correct at the time of submitting your ATAS application. If ATAS need to contact you about your application, they will normally do so by email, so it is particularly important to ensure that your email address is correct.
Section 5: Undergraduate / Postgraduate studies
You should state if you have previously studied at either undergraduate or postgraduate level. This applies to courses studied in the UK and overseas. Please note this section only refers to courses you have already completed. You are not required to provide information about your high school education. Make sure you provide a full description in the ‘what you studied’ section and be careful to ensure you complete the dates correctly.
Section 6: Other studies
You should state if you have undertaken any other studies since you left school, such as formal professional training. Again, this includes study both in the UK and overseas. You don’t need to include information about your studies at school (up to the age of 18).
Section 7: Published papers
Please indicate here whether you have published any academic or professional papers. This includes any papers you have co-authored. If you answer ‘yes’, you will need to provide a brief summary of your paper.
Section 8: Employment history
Include details of any paid work you have done and any long-term voluntary or unpaid work since you left school. You do not need to include temporary jobs you have done while in education. If you have been employed but there are any long gaps when you were neither employed or in education, use this section of the form to explain what you were doing in this period, for example full-time parenting, or unemployed.
Section 9: Referees
You must provide details of at least 2 people who can provide a reference for your application. You should provide full names (first and last names; you should not use initials). They must have known you for at least 3 years and at least one should be an academic referee. ATAS advises that referees from your home country are strongly preferable but it is not essential if you have studied/worked in another country.
Section 10: Sponsors
Please provide details here about who is funding your studies. If you are self-funding, enter your own name and contact information. If you are funded by an organisation such as a research council, you will need to provide their details. If you have been offered a UH studentship, please use the information provided below:
What is the name of your sponsor?: The University of Hertfordshire
What is their address?: University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire
Post/Zip code: AL10 9AB
Country: UK
What email address should we use if we need to contact your sponsor?: DoctoralCollegeAdmissions@herts.ac.uk
The form also asks if you there any ‘conditions attached to your sponsor's offer’. An example of a condition would be that you are sponsored by your employer on the condition that you return to your job when your studies are completed.
Submit your application
Once you have completed all sections of the form, please check for any errors before submitting your application as this could delay the process and may result in a refusal.
If the ATAS team need to contact you for further information, they will do so via email and ask you to log back into your account to provide further information in the relevant section.
If you realise you have made an error after you have submitted your application, please email ATAS@fcdo.gov.uk with details of the error and ensure you also provide your application reference number and passport number. Do not submit a new application unless you are specifically instructed to do to by the ATAS team.
Please note that during the summer period (April to September) the processing time is 30 working days or longer, and about 20 working days during the rest of the year. In July and August (the busiest months for ATAS) we frequently see longer delays. The ATAS team deal with applications in date order and there is no priority service.
If you have been waiting for more than 12 weeks, please contact DoctoralCollegeAdmissions@herts.ac.uk. However, please note that although the University can request a progress update by emailing the ATAS team, we cannot expedite your application and due to the sensitive nature of ATAS, the University does not have influence over the ATAS process.
ATAS refused
Please note that if your ATAS application has been refused, you will only be able to submit a new application for the same course once 90 days has passed from the date of the email from FCDO notifying you of the refusal.
For national security reasons, the ATAS team will not explain either to the applicant or the University why the ATAS clearance was refused so it is not possible for us to advise or speculate on the reason for refusal. You MUST contact DoctoralCollegeAdmissions@herts.ac.uk before reapplying.
ATAS granted
An ATAS certificate is valid for 6 months from the date it is issued. If your programme start date is delayed for any reason, provided your ATAS certificate is still valid at the time you submit your visa application, you will not need to apply again. If your ATAS certificate will expire before you submit your visa application you will need to apply for a new ATAS using your updated start and end dates.
Once you have your ATAS certificate, please send a copy to DoctoralCollegeAdmissions@herts.ac.uk so that we can apply for your CAS.
Current students
All students who require an ATAS certificate to study their chosen course must apply for a new ATAS Clearance Certificate if they change supervisor, any of their course details change or their course end date is postponed for a period of more than 3 months, within 28 calendar days of the change, regardless of when your visa expires.