Step 9: Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)
If you are not from the EEA or Switzerland and are planning to study in the areas of Science, Engineering and Technology, you may need to apply for clearance under ATAS.
If you are a UK or EU/European Economic Area national, please skip straight to Step 8.
Applicants for some programmes in the areas of Science, Engineering and Technology are required to obtain ATAS clearance before they can apply for a student visa.
Your offer letter from UCL will confirm if you need to obtain an ATAS certificate and will provide all the information required to complete your ATAS application.
The ATAS certificate can be applied for whilst you are holding a conditional or unconditional offer. The processing time is a minimum of 20 working days and we recommend that you apply for ATAS clearance a minimum of one month before you wish to submit your visa application.
Further information
If you do have questions about the process, you can find further information about ATAS clearance on our Immigration and visas website.
