ATASApplicationGuide
Thisguideisdesignedtoprovideguidanceonapplyingfor ATASclearancetostudentsandvisitingresearchstudents (OAS)comingtotheUniversityofExeter.
CompleteinformationaboutATAScanbefoundon:
www.gov.uk/guidance/academic-technology-approval-scheme
Enteryouremailaddress,createamemorablepassword,andthenclick‘Create account’
CheckifyouneedanATAScertificateandsetuptheapplication form–starthere
CAH3code
SelectthecorrectCAH3code:
Ifyouareanewstudent,thiswillbeconfirmedonyourofferletter.
Ifyouareacontinuingstudent,pleasecontactInternationalStudentSupport onvisaadvice@exeter.ac.ukandwewillbeabletoadviseonthecorrectcode.
Takecarewhenenteringthecodeasifitisincorrect,yourATASclearancewill notbevalidandyouwillneedtoreapply.
Areyouataught/researchstudentorareyouaresearcher?
Choose‘Taught/ResearchStudent’ifyouwillbestudyingacourseatExeter, includinganMPhilorPhDcourse,orasaVisitingPostgraduateResearchStudent. IfyouapplyforATASclearanceasaresearcher,yourATAScertificatewillnotbe validandyouwillneedtoreapplyasastudent.
Whattypeofstudyareyouundertaking?
Select‘research’ifyouwillbestudyingforaMPhil/PhD,anMRes,orifyouare comingtoExeterasavisitingpostgraduateresearchstudent.
Select‘taught’ifyouwillbestudyingforataughtMastersdegree.
Whatisyourcountryofnationality?
Selectyourcountryofnationality.
Last updated: 24/05/2023
Create
TheformwillconfirmwhetheryouwillneedtoapplyforATAS.Click‘Createan Account’
Enteryouremailaddress,createamemorablepassword,andthenclick‘Create account’
Beginapplication
Click‘applyforanATAS Certificate’
Areyouataught/researchstudent orareyouaresearcher?
Choose‘Taught/ResearchStudent’ ifyouwillbestudyingacourseat Exeter,includinganMPhilorPhD course,orasaVisiting PostgraduateResearchStudent.If youapplyforATASclearanceasa researcher,yourATAScertificate willnotbevalidandyouwillneedto reapplyasastudent.
Whattypeofstudyareyou undertaking?
Select‘research’ifyouwillbe studyingforanMPhil/PhD,an MRes,orifyouarecomingto Exeterasavisitingpostgraduate researchstudent.
Select‘taught’ifyouwillbe studyingforataughtMasters degree.
Checklist
Click‘yes’ifyouarereadytoapply
Confirmthatyouhavereceived yourCAH3code:
Ifyouareanewstudent,this willbeconfirmedonyouroffer letter.
Ifyouareacontinuingstudent, pleasecontactInternational StudentSupporton visaadvice@exeter.ac.ukand wecanadviseonthecorrect code.
Startapplication
Click‘start’
1:
ProposedStudyCoursedetails
1:ProposedStudy Coursedetail
WhatuniversityorHigher EducationInstitutionwillyoube studyingat? Select‘UniversityofExeter’
Whatsubjectwillyoubestudying? Thisisyourcoursetitleandshould beconfirmedonyourofferletter. Youdonotneedtoincludethe courselevelhere.Forexample,if youwillbestudyingPhD Engineering,youshouldenter ‘Engineering’
Itisimportanttoensurethisis correct,asifyouprovidethewrong coursetitleyoumayneedtoreapplyforATAS.
Ifyouareanewstudentandare unsureofyourexactcoursetitle, youshouldcontactAdmissions.
Ifyouareacontinuingstudentand arenotsureofyourcoursetitle, pleasecontactInternational StudentSupport.
Coursedates
Whenwillyourcourse start?/Whendoyouexpectyour coursetoend?
Enteryourcoursedates.Howyou dothiswilldependonwhetheryou areaneworcontinuingstudent:
Newstudents
Masters&PhDstudentsand visitingpostgraduateresearch studentsshouldchecktheiroffer lettertoconfirmtheircoursedates.
Continuingstudents
Thestartdateshouldbethedate thatyousubmittheapplication.
IfyouareacontinuingPhDstudent, pleasecontactInternational StudentSupportonwhowillbeable toconfirmthecorrectenddate.
CAH3codeandqualification
WhatisyourCAH3coursecode? Makesureyouselectthecorrect CAH3code.
Ifyouareanewstudent,this willbeconfirmedonyour offerletter.
Ifyouareacontinuing student,pleasecontact InternationalStudent Supportonandwewillbe abletoadviseonthecorrect code.
Takecarewhenenteringthecode asifitisincorrect,yourATAS clearancewillnotbevalidandyou willneedtoreapply.
Last updated: 24/05/2023
Whatqualificationwillyoube studyingfor?
Indicatewhatqualificationyouwill bestudyingfor.Thisshouldbe confirmedonyourofferletter.
IfyouareduetobestudyingaPhD butwillbeinitiallyenrolledonan MPhil,select‘PhD’.
Ifyouareavisitingpostgraduate researchstudent,youshouldselect ‘Other–NotaUKqualification’.
Supervisorand‘whatyouwill bestudying’
Supervisornameattheuniversity
IfyouwillbestudyinganMPhil/PhD, youshouldlisttheleadsupervisor foryourprogramme.Ensurethat youincludetheirfullfirstandlast name.Yoursupervisordetailsare includedinyourofferletter.
IfyouwillbestudyingaMasters programme,youwillnothavea supervisor.Youshouldlistyour headofdepartment.Findyour departmenthere,thenvisitthe ‘People’sectiontofindthenameof theheadofyourdepartment.
Whatwillyoubestudying?
IfyouwillbestudyinganMPhil/PhD, orarecomingtoExeterasavisiting postgraduateresearchstudent, yourresearchstatementwillbe includedonyourofferletter.
IfyouarestudyingaMasters programme(includingan integratedMasters),clickhereto findyourcourse.Then,onthepage foryourcourse,choosethe‘course content’sectionforalistof modules.
Whyyouwanttostudythe course&futuregoals
Whydoyouwanttostudythis?
Provideatleast5sentencesabout whyyouwanttostudyyourcourse.
Ifyouareacontinuingstudent whoseenddatehasbeenextended, youshouldexplainherethatyouare applyingforanewATAS Certificatebecauseyouhave receivedanextensiontoyour programmeofstudy.
Ifyouareacontinuingstudentwho isreapplyingforATASasyour coursecontenthaschanged,you shouldalsoexplainthishere.
Whatareyourgoalswhenyou completeyourintended programme?
Explainwhatyouhopetohave achievedbytheendofyourcourse andhowyourcoursetiesinwith yourfutureambitions.
Last updated: 24/05/2023
Jointprogrammedetails
Isthisajointprogrammewith anothercountry?
Select‘yes’ifoneofthefollowing apply:
Youarestudyingacoursewhich isjointlyawardedbythe UniversityofExeterand anotherinstitution
Youwillbesolelyawardedby anotherinstitution(forexample ifyouarecomingtoExeterona year/semesterabroad,orasa visitingpostgraduateresearch student)
Select‘no’if:
Yourcourseincludesa year/semesterabroadbutwill onlybeawardedbythe UniversityofExeter
Whichpartsofthecoursetake placeintheUK?
IfyouarecomingtoExeterasa visitingpostgraduateresearch studentyoushouldexplainthe researchyouwillbeundertaking whilstyouareintheUK.
Ifyouarestudyingadegreethatis jointlyawardedbytheUniversityof Exeterandanotherinstitution,you shouldexplainwhichpartsofthe coursetakeplaceintheUK, includinganymodulesyouwillbe studyingwhilsthere.
2:PersonalDetails
Givennames/surname
Enteryourgivenname(s)and surnameexactlyastheyappearon yourpassport
Gender
Selectyourgenderanddateof birth
Whattownorcitywereyouborn in?
Providethetownorcityyouwere bornin,andselectyourcountryof birth.
Passportdetails
Makesureyourpassport informationiscorrect.
Ifyouareissuedanewpassport afteryourATAScertificateis granted,orwhilstyourapplication ispending,theATASteamare happytoupdatethis,and InternationalStudentSupportcan contactthemtorequestthis.Please sendusyour6digitATASreference numberandscansofbothyourold andnewpassports.
Last updated: 24/05/2023
Whatisyournationality?
Selectyournationality.
Ifyouhaveadualnationality,select ‘yes’andprovidedetailsofyour secondnationality.
AdmissiontoUKrefusal
Militaryservicedetails
CBRNtrainingdetails
Governmentresearchdetails
Ifyouanswer‘yes’tothese questions,youwillbeaskedto providefurtherdetailsinafreetext box.
Itisimportanttobetruthfulwhen answeringthesequestions.
Listoflanguages,including competencylevel
Providedetailsofallthelanguages youspeak,includingyour competencyineachlanguage.
Youshouldselecttheoptionyou feelbestdescribesyourability.
3:Spouse
Whatisyourcurrentmarital status?
Ifyouselecttheoptionfor‘single’, ‘divorced’,or‘widowed’,youcan moveontothenextsection.
Ifyouselected‘civilpartnership’or ‘married’youwillbeaskedto providefurtherdetails;seethe stepsbelow.
Willyourspousebecomingtothe UKwithyou?
Indicatewhetheryourspousewillbe comingtotheUKwithyou.
Ifyouselect‘no’,youcanmoveonto thenextsection.
Ifyouanswer‘yes’,youwillbeasked toprovidefurtherinformation aboutyourspouse,asbelow.
Givennames/surname
Provideyourspouse’sgivenname(s) andsurname,astheyappearon theirpassport
Gender
Indicateyourspouse’sgenderand dateofbirth
Whattownorcityweretheyborn in?
Providedetailsabouttheir town/cityandcountryofbirth
Whatisyourspouse’snationality?
Selectyourspouse’snationality.If theyhaveadualnationality,you shouldalsoprovidedetailsoftheir secondnationality.
4:ContactDetails
Emailaddress/postaladdress
Provideyourcontactdetails.
IfATASneedtocontactyouabout yourapplication,theywillnormally dosobyemail,soitisimportantto ensurethatyouremailaddressis correcthere.
Last updated: 24/05/2023
5:Undergraduate /Postgraduatestudies
Haveyouundertakenany undergraduateorpostgraduate studies?
Indicatewhetheryouhave previouslystudiedateither undergraduateorpostgraduate level.Thisappliestocoursesstudied intheUKandoverseas.
Ifyouanswer‘yes’tothisquestion, youwillneedtoprovidedetails, includingadescriptionofthe subjectscoveredonyourcourse.
Ifyouanswer‘no’tothisquestion, youcanmoveontothenextsection.
7:Publishedpapers
Haveyoupublishedanyacademic orprofessionalpapers? Thisincludesacademicor professionalpapersyouhave publishedonyourown,orthoseyou haveco-authored.
Ifyouanswer‘yes’tothisquestion, youwillneedtoprovidemore information,includingabrief summaryofyourpaper.
Ifyouanswer‘no’tothisquestion, youcanmoveontothenextsection.
6:Otherstudies
Haveyouundertakenanystudies sinceyouleftschool,otherthan thoseyoutoldusaboutinsection 5?
Indicatewhetheryouhave undertakenanyotherstudiessince youleftschool,suchasformal professionaltraining.Again,this includesstudybothintheUKand overseas.
Youdon’tneedtoinclude informationaboutyourstudiesat school(uptotheageof18).
Ifyouanswer‘yes’tothisquestion youwillneedtoprovidefurther details,includinginformationabout thesubjectscoveredonyour course.
8:Employmenthistory
Haveyoueverbeenemployed? Answerthequestionsaboutyour previouswork.Beasaccurateas possiblewiththeinformationyou provide.Youwillalsoneedto provideasummaryoftheworkyou did,includingyourmaintasksand responsibilities.
Youshouldincludedetailsofany paidworkyouhavedoneandany long-termvoluntary/unpaidwork youhavedonesinceyouleftschool. Youdon’tneedtoincludeany temporaryjobsyouhavehadwhilst atUniversity.
Last updated: 24/05/2023
9:Referees
Youmustprovidedetailsofatleast 2peoplewhocanprovidea referenceforyourapplication. Theymusthaveknownyouforat least3yearsandatleastoneshould beanacademicreferee.ATAS advisesthatrefereesfromyour homecountryarestrongly preferablebutitisnotessentialif youhavestudied/workedinanother country.
Yourfriendsandfamilycannot providereferencesforyou.
Makesureyouincludethereferee’s fullname,notjusttheirinitials(e.g. DrSarahSmithnotDrSSmith).
Ifyourrefereesdonotmeetthe requirementslistedabove,it’slikely thatATASwillreturnyour applicationandaskyoutoprovide furtherinformation.Thiswillcause delayswithyourapplicationbeing processed.
10:Sponsors Aboutyoursponsors
Providedetailsaboutwhoisfunding yourstudies.
Ifyouarefundingyourownstudies, enteryourownnameandcontact information.Ifyourparentsare fundingyou,providetheirs.
Ifyouarefundedbyan organisation(suchasaresearch council,governmentor internationalscholarshipagency) youwillneedtoprovidetheir details;youmayneedtocontact themtorequestinformationasitis importantthatthedetailsyou providearecorrect.
Ifthereareconditionsattachedto yoursponsor’sofferyouwillneedto providedetails.
11:Submitapplication!
ATASapplicationsgenerallytakeat least20workingdays(4fullweeks) tobeprocessed.FromAprilto September,however,theycantake atleast30workingdaysto complete.
SometimesATASmaycontactyou torequestfurtherinformation.In thisinstance,theprocessingtime beginsagainfromthedatethatyou providetheadditionalinformation. Forthisreason,itisimportantto ensurethatyouareasdetailedand accurateaspossiblewheninitially completingtheform.
Last updated: 24/05/2023