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Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

Some courses at Goldsmiths require ATAS approval from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

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You will be/would have been advised if this is a condition of your offer and that you need to apply for ATAS approval from the FCDO.

What ATAS is

The UK government uses the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) to prevent the spread of knowledge and skills used to develop or deliver weapons of mass destruction and associated technology.

If you are studying certain science and technology degrees, and you are of a relevant nationality, you will need to submit the ATAS clearance certificate with your visa application. Your offer letter will confirm whether you need it.

If you require ATAS clearance, you need to apply for it before you make your application for Student Visa as you will need to show it when requesting your CAS from Goldsmiths.

If your course requires ATAS clearance, you still need an ATAS certificate before you can start the course, even if you have other types of UK time-limited visas, unless your nationality is exempt. 

If you’re in the process of applying for asylum in the UK, you must apply for an ATAS certificate to study in the UK.

ATAS exemptions

If you are a UK national or a national of any of the following countries, you do not need to apply for an ATAS certificate:

Check if you need ATAS

To check if you need an ATAS certificate you will need to know the CAH3 code that applies to your course or research.

Then you can use the check tool on GOV.UK.

How to apply for ATAS

  1. Check your offer letter from Goldsmiths 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
  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)

It is vital that you check to ensure that you have not made any mistakes before you submit your ATAS application. You should ensure that you have entered the information given to you by the Goldsmiths exactly as it appears on your offer letter. Submitting an application with mistakes could lead to delays in getting your certificate and you not being able to register on your course on time.

Do not submit duplicate applications as this adds to processing pressure, which may cause delays in getting your certificate.

Do not submit your ATAS application before you receive the ATAS information sheet from the Admissions team if you are a new student.

There is no charge for applying for an ATAS certificate and you can apply for as many certificates as you have offers.

Find out more about how to apply.

ATAS application processing times

Student and researcher ATAS applications take at least 30 working days (6 full weeks) to process.

There is no ‘fast track’ service. You should submit your ATAS application as early as possible.

Please note that during peak processing times (July, August, and September) it can take even longer to process an ATAS application, therefore we strongly recommend that you apply for your ATAS certificate as early as possible.

If you have not had a response from the FCDO, check your Junk/Spam folder, in case it has been filtered out. You can also contact the ATAS Team at the FCDO on ATAS@fcdo.gov.uk if it is more than 30 working days since you applied. The ATAS team aim to respond to your query within 5 working days, but this may not be possible during busy periods.

If you are unable to receive your ATAS certificate before the start date of your course, speak to your department or supervisor about deferring the start date of your course. There may be some flexibility with when you can start your course but do check any funding implications if you are sponsored too.

Your ATAS certificate is valid for six months from the date of issue for the purpose of applying for a Student Visa. You must submit your  Student visa application within this six-month period.

Changes to your study

You must apply for a new ATAS certificate within 28 days if:

  • You change your programme and the new one also requires ATAS
  • Your course content changes
  • Your research proposal changes
  • Your course end date is postponed for 3 months or more
  • Your programme’s length changes in case you need to do re-sits, or your thesis/research is taking longer than expected
  • You are applying to extend your Student visa more than six months after your existing ATAS certificate was issued
  • You move to another institution