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 limited to 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 ATAS certificate before they can study or conduct research in the UK.

Please note that the guidance below relates to the ATAS requirements for post-doctoral researchers and academic staff undertaking research (including those undertaking teaching and research) for work purposes, as well as international academic visitors and not for the purposes of study.

If you need to apply for an ATAS certificate for the purposes of your programme/course of study, please refer to the Student Immigration Service ATAS webpage for more information.

However, if you are undertaking research for work purposes on the basis of your student visa, you will need a separate ATAS certificate and should continue to refer to this guidance.

You can find a detailed explanation of the ATAS application process on the Government’s webpages.

When an ATAS certificate is needed

You'll need to apply for an ATAS certificate if all five of the following criteria are met:

1. Role Level - you will be carrying out research (for work/academic visit purposes) at PhD level or above
2. Subject Area - your subject area falls under one of these academic subject (CAH3) codes; and
3. Role Type - your role is sponsored or categorised under one of these Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes
4. Nationality - you are not a citizen of one of the following countries: EU/EEA countries, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland and the United States of America
5. Visa Application Type - you need to apply for, or already have, a Skilled Worker visa (for employees), Temporary Work - Government Authorised Exchange visa (used predominantly for visiting academics/researchers), Standard/Academic Visitor visa, or Student visa.

Find out more about what you must provide if you are a hiring manager recruiting a new member of staff who is subject to the ATAS requirement, or if you'll be hosting a visitor who is subject to the ATAS requirement.

Applying for an ATAS certificate

You can apply for an ATAS certificate on the Government’s webpages.

Applications are free, but can take up to 30 working days to be processed, so we recommend applying as soon as you can to avoid any delays to your start date.

If your ATAS application is successful, you’ll receive your ATAS certificate by email from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). You should check your junk folders regularly to ensure the email has not been filtered out. When you receive your ATAS certificate, you should:

• check the details on it are correct and match your research documentation from the University
• if the details are correct, print the certificate and include it in your visa application documentation
• contact the ATAS unit at ATAS@fcdo.gov.uk if there are mistakes or inaccuracies

The University will also receive a copy of this email confirming if your application has been successful.

ATAS certificates must be used within 6 months of the date of issue, after which they will expire.

ATAS certificates for new members of staff

If you’ve been offered a position at the University and need a Skilled Worker visa to take up your new role, the Staff Immigration Team will let you know if you’ll need an ATAS certificate and will supply you with a research statement and further required information.

You’ll need to obtain an ATAS certificate before the Staff Immigration Team will issue your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to you. As part of your application for your Skilled Worker visa, you’ll be asked to upload a copy of your ATAS certificate.

ATAS certificates for existing members of staff

If you’re already a member of staff and previously needed to obtain an ATAS certificate as part of your original Skilled Worker visa application, you’ll need to obtain a new ATAS certificate if you extend/renew your Skilled Worker visa.

You’ll need to obtain an ATAS certificate before the Staff Immigration Team will issue your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to you.

There are also instances where you’ll need a new ATAS certificate, even when you aren’t making an application to extend/renew your Skilled Worker visa.

You’ll need to obtain a new ATAS certificate if:

• your job title changes, including through academic promotion and researcher progression
• the content of your research project or the project scope changes
• you start work on a new or different research project to the one referenced in your original ATAS application
• the financial sponsor or conditions of financial sponsorship changes at any time during your research programme (for clarity, ‘financial sponsor’ and ‘financial sponsorship’ means, for externally funded roles, the funding body, and conditions of funding)

If you anticipate any of the above taking place, please inform the Staff Immigration Team and be sure to receive your new ATAS certificate before any changes take place.

If any other changes are planned and you aren’t sure if you’ll need a new ATAS certificate, please reach out to the Staff Immigration Team for support.

ATAS certificates for visiting academics/researchers

If you’re visiting the University and plan to carry out research at PhD level or above and you’re not an exempt national, you’ll need to apply for an ATAS certificate.

If you’re applying for a Standard Visitor visa, you won’t need to provide an ATAS certificate as part of your visa application, but you must receive your ATAS certificate before any research activities begin.

The University is required to check your ATAS certificate before allowing any research to commence; if this is not provided, you won't be permitted on-site.

If you need a Government Authorised Exchange (Temporary Work) visa for your visit, you’ll need to obtain an ATAS certificate before the Staff Immigration Team will issue your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to you.

As part of your application for your Government Authorised Exchange (Temporary Work) visa , you’ll be asked to upload a copy of your ATAS certificate.