How to apply for an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate

How to complete your ATAS application form, what you need to prepare and what to do if your application is delayed or refused.

An overview of the application process 

  1. Check your offer letter from the University to see if you need ATAS clearance for your programme.
  2. Get the CAH3 code from your offer letter. 
  3. Create an account on the ATAS website with your email address. We recommend you use an internationally recognised email server, for example Outlook, Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail or similar (ATAS have experienced difficulties with firewalls for local servers).
  4. Complete and submit the online application form on the ATAS website.
  5. Wait for a decision.
  6. Receive an email about your application (If your ATAS application is successful, you will receive a PDF file with your ATAS certificate in the email).

 

How to apply for your ATAS certificate

To apply for an ATAS certificate, you need to complete and submit an online application form on the ATAS website.

You do not need to pay for the ATAS application. 

Start your application on the ATAS website

You should read our guidance for the application process before you start your ATAS application. Further guidance is also available on the UK government website. 

UK government website: ATAS guidance 

Our guidance on the application process 

ATAS Application Guidance (796.69 KB / PDF)

Please note you should select the "taught/research student" option then select whether you are a taught or research student. 

For example, a PhD student would apply as a 'research student' for their ATAS application.

The other option of "researcher" relates to employment and would not be as a student. If you have applied as a researcher, the ATAS certificate issued later will be in the incorrect category. Make sure to apply in the correct "student" category. 

Visiting students: In the ATAS application form, you will be asked "what qualification will you be studying for?" and you will need to select this as 'Other – Not a UK qualification’ as you are visiting the University of Edinburgh only. 

Delays in the ATAS application process  

If you have been waiting more than 12 weeks, then contact us.

We can ask for an update about your ATAS application. However, the ATAS team is normally unresponsive, so we cannot guarantee that this will help.

Contact us through our enquiry form 

If your ATAS application is refused  

If your ATAS certificate is refused you can appeal the decision. However, for national security reasons, the ATAS team will not explain to you or the University why your ATAS certificate is refused. For this reason, it is impossible for us to advise on how to draft your appeal or help you make an application which is more likely to be successful. 

What you can do:

  • Check your original application to ensure you have not left out any information and that you have applied correctly. Our ATAS application guide will help ensure you have completed the application properly.
ATAS Application Guidance (796.69 KB / PDF)

UKVI guidance to applying for ATAS

  • Your refusal may related to your funding or area of research. Speak to your supervisor or scholarship provider to see if they can provide any advice. If relevant, get a letter of support from your School which addresses any particular areas of concern regarding activity that ATAS aims to prevent.
  • Appeal your decision by emailing ATAS@fcdo.gov.uk, ensuring to submit supporting letters and anything that you think you may have omitted from your original application. The appeal process can take some time, so you should discuss with your School whether it is possible to delay your start date while you are waiting on a response.

Please note that you will not be able to re-apply for ATAS for the same programme for 90 days after the date of refusal. 

Contact ATAS at: ATAS@fcdo.gov.uk

Contact us through our enquiry form 

Changes to your programme of study

You will need to apply and obtain a new ATAS certificate in any of the following circumstances:

  • your programme contents or research proposal has changed (for PhD students, relevant changes would be anything other than minor changes to areas of research or the use of any new research technique);
  • you need to apply for a new student visa to be able to continue on your programme;
  • you want to change to a new programme of study that requires ATAS or 
  • your programme start and end dates will be delayed by more than 3 months

Apply for a new ATAS certificate online

Next step

Once you have received your ATAS certificate and you have your CAS number, then you can start the visa application process. 

 Start  your visa application

 

 

 

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