What is ATAS?
The Academic Technology Approval Scheme 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.
Everything you need to know about ATAS Application:
If your course requires ATAS clearance as part of UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requirements, you will need to apply to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for clearance as a 'taught/research student' before you apply for your visa.
When you begin your ATAS application, please select Durham University from the drop-down menu. Your ATAS certificate must be linked to Durham University to be able to use this as part of your visa application to study at Durham University.
What is my CAH code?
To apply for ATAS you will need to know the CAH code for your course. If you are a postgraduate taught applicant, this will be included in your offer letter. Postgraduate research applicants are provided a link with information about their CAH code (Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)
ATAS is required for the following programmes:
G5K609 Scientific Computing and Data Analysis MSC PT F300 100425 - CAH07-01-01
H1K609 New and Renewable Energy MSC PT H221 100175 - CAH10-01-09
H1KA09 Advanced Mechanical Engineering MSC PT H300 100190 - CAH10-01-02
F3K209 Particle, Strings and Cosmology - CAH09-01-01 (Mathematics)
When should I apply for ATAS?
You should apply for ATAS clearance well in advance (at least one month) of making your student visa application as the processing time for ATAS can be as long as 30 working days.
How long will it take for me to get ATAS clearance?
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office aims to respond to all applications within 20 working days from submission, but this can take longer during peak periods.
How long is ATAS valid for?
An ATAS certificate is only valid to be used with a visa application for 6 months from the date of issue. Please ensure that you submit your visa application before the certificate expires!
The application asks for my named Supervisor at Durham University – I do not know who this is.
If you do not know or do not have a named Supervisor, then please search for your course information page on the Durham University website and use the name of the Head of Department for your area of study.
If you are coming to do a PhD at Durham, please include the name of the lead supervisor for your project.
What if I don’t know what modules I’ll be studying?
MSc students must enter the titles of the optional modules which they think they might choose to study as part of the course. For details of the modules available on your course, please see the Postgraduate Module Handbook.
I have already obtained ATAS clearance, but I entered the incorrect CAH code – what should I do?
You will need to make a new ATAS application using the correct CAH code.
Detailed guidance on how to apply for an ATAS certificate is available on the Government website: Guidance on how to apply for an ATAS certificate.