Academic Technology Approval Scheme

All new and existing members of staff who are applying for one of the following routes: 

• Skilled Worker visa
• Government Authorised Exchange visa 
• Standard/Academic visa

Nationals of the following countries are exempt from the ATAS requirement: 

• Australia 
• Austria
• Belgium 
• Bulgaria 
• Canada
• Croatia 
• Cyprus 
• Czech Republic 
• Denmark 
• Estonia 
• Finland 
• France 
• Germany
• Greece 
• Hungary 
• Iceland 
• Ireland 
• Italy 
• Japan
• Republic of Korea (South Korea)
• Latvia 
• Liechtenstein 
• Lithuania 
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• The Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Singapore
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• The United States of America

For Skilled Worker and GAE visa applicants, roles defined by the following SOC Codes are in scope: 

• 2111 - 2119 (encompassing all postdoctoral research positions, including Research Assistants)

The following roles are also in scope, but only where the individual will undertake research at a PhD level as part of the role: 

• 2161 (formerly 2150) Research and development managers 
• 2311 Higher education teaching professionals 
• 3111 Laboratory technicians

For visitors to the University, where applying for a Standard Visitor visa (business or academic category), the following activities are in scope for ATAS:

• Collaborating, gathering information and facts, or conducting research, either for a specific project which directly relates to employment overseas, or independently
• Carrying out research for their own purposes, if they are on sabbatical leave from their home institution
• Taking part in formal exchange arrangements with UK counterparts (including doctors) where research in an ATAS-liable research field (see step 4) will take place

ATAS is not required, for example, for visitors attending conferences, meetings, interviews, workshops etc.

The field/programme of research must be classified under one or more of the following CAH3 codes:

Biological Sciences

• Biology (Non-specific) - CAH03-01-02
• Biomedical Sciences (Non-specific) - CAH02-05-03
• Biosciences (Non-specific) - CAH03-01-01
• Biotechnology - CAH10-03-05
• Ecology and Environmental Biology - CAH03-01-03
• Genetics - CAH03-01-07
• Microbiology and Cell Science - CAH03-01-04
• Molecular Biology, Biophysics and Biochemistry - CAH03-01-08
• Plant Sciences - CAH03-01-05
• Zoology - CAH03-01-06
• Others in Biological Sciences - CAH03-01-10

Engineering

• Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering - CAH10-01-04
• Chemical, Process and Energy Engineering - CAH10-01-09
• Civil Engineering - CAH10-01-07
• Electronic and Electrical Engineering - CAH10-01-08
• Engineering (Non-specific) - CAH10-01-01
• Mechanical Engineering - CAH10-01-02
• Naval Architecture - CAH10-01-05

Mathematics and Computer Sciences

• Artificial Intelligence - CAH11-01-05
• Computer Science - CAH11-01-01
• Information Systems - CAH11-01-03
• Information Technology - CAH11-01-02
• Mathematics - CAH09-01-01
• Operational Research - CAH09-01-02
• Software Engineering - CAH11-01-04

Medicine

• Bioengineering, Medical and Biomedical Engineering - CAH10-01-06
• Pharmacology - CAH02-02-01
• Pharmacy - CAH02-02-03
• Toxicology - CAH02-02-02

Physical Sciences

• Astronomy - CAH07-01-02
• Chemistry - CAH07-02
• Materials Science - CAH10-03-07
• Natural Sciences (Non-specific) - CAH07-04-07
• Others in Geographical Studies - CAH26-01-05
• Physical Sciences (Non-specific) - CAH07-04-01
• Physics - CAH07-01-01
• Sciences (Non-specific) - CAH07-04-03

Technologies

• Maritime Technology - CAH10-03-04
• Materials Technology - CAH10-03-02
• Minerals Technology - CAH10-03-01
• Polymers and Textiles - CAH10-03-03

Veterinary Sciences, Agriculture and related subjects

• Agricultural Sciences - CAH06-01-02
• Others in Veterinary Sciences - CAH05-01-02

New members of staff who need a Skilled Worker or GAE visa must provide an ATAS certificate before we can issue you a Certificate of Sponsorship. 

We recommend that you apply for your ATAS as early as possible. It will normally take at least 30 working days for a decision to be made and no fast-track service is available. 

Researchers

What university of Research Institution will you be researching at?

Select University of Derby from the dropdown list.

Department

Type the name of the Department you will be working in. 

Proposed Research Area

Enter a one-line description of your research area - this can be taken from the "Subject/area of Research" section of the Statement of Research provided to you by your Department.

When will you start?

Enter your start date in DD/MM/YYYY. You can find this on your offer letter and/or contract of employment.

Research or Project Lead

Enter the name of the person leading the research/project.

What is your CAH3 code?

You can find this on your Statement of Research.

Personal Statement of Intent

This is not what you will be researching, but why. We recommend including information on why you want to specialise (or are already specialising) in this particular field/area of research, how you think the job will benefit you and what you hope to achieve.

You should also include:

• The type of visa you are applying for
• Your job title
• Any previous contact or collaboration you have had with the University, and/or any work/visits you have undertaken at the University before

There is a 2000 character limit (including spaces).

Research Statement

This should be taken directly from your Statement of Research (HR58 form). Do not change it in any way. 

There is a 2000 character limit (including spaces). If your Statement of Research is longer than 2000 characters, please contact your Department to ask them to update the statement and resend it to you.

Plans after completion of research

Say whether you plan to stay in the UK or not, and how you intend to use your completed research. There is a 2000 character limit (including spaces).

Title

Select the appropriate option from the dropdown list.

Given names

Type your first name and any middle names as they appear on your passport.

Surname

Type your last name/family name as it appears on your passport.

Gender

Select 'Male' or 'Female' (these are the only options).

Date of birth

Type your date of birth in DD/MM/YYYY format.

In what town or city were you born?

Type the name of the town/city where you were born.

In what country were you born?

Select the appropriate option from the dropdown list.

Passport number

Type your passport number - this should be the passport you are using to apply for your visa and travel to the UK. If you use a different passport, you may need to reapply for an ATAS certificate later. 

If you have dual nationality, check that one of them is not exempt from the ATAS requirement.

When was your passport issued?

Type the 'valid from' date in DD/MM/YYYY format.

When does your passport expire?

Type the 'valid to' date in DD/MM/YYYY format.

What is your nationality?

Select the appropriate option from the dropdown list. 

If you have dual nationality, decide which passport you will use to apply for your visa/enter the UK, and then select this option. This nationality will appear on your ATAS certificate.

Do you have a National Identification Number?

If yes, enter the number. 

Do you have dual nationality?

If yes, enter details of your second nationality (not the nationality of the passport you will be using to apply for your visa and enter the UK). 

Have you ever been refused admission to the UK either through visa refusal or denied entry?

You must declare this, but it will not necessarily affect your application outcome. 

Enter the circumstances of the visa refusal or denial of entry including date, visa type and reason for refusal/denial. 

There is a 2000 character limit (including spaces). 

Have you ever served in the military?

If you have, select Yes whether this was compulsory or not. Enter details of which branch of the military you served in, your role and rank.

There is a 2000 character limit (including spaces).

Have you ever trained in CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) or in using firearms? 

If Yes, enter details of the job you had at the time, any qualifications you have in relation to your training and how many years of experience you have with CBRN/firearms. 

There is a 2000 character limit (including spaces). 

Have you ever supported or worked on Government funded research and if so in what capacity?

If Yes, enter details of the project title(s), supporting researcher(s) and funding/sponsorship details. This includes EU funding as EU countries pay to be part of the EU, and some of that money filters to the ERC. 

There is a 2000 character limit (including spaces). 

Have you ever been a member of a government run talent programme?

If Yes, enter the details of the talent programme, including dates and sponsor. 

There is a 2000 character limit (including spaces). 

Do you have any social media accounts?

Enter the platform (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) and your username.

There is a 2000 character limit (including spaces).

List of Languages, including competency level

Select each language you speak from the dropdown list, and indicate your level of fluency (if you speak more than one language, you can select 'add another language').

Your Spouse is your husband, wife or civil partner (a civil partner is a legally recognised relationship between two people).

What is your current marital status?

Please complete this question whether you are married/in a civil partnership or not.

Select the appropriate option from the dropdown list. 

If you select Single, Divorced or Widowed, you will not be asked any further questions in this section. 

If you select Civil Partnership or Married, complete the rest of the questions in this section. 

Will your spouse be coming to the UK with you?

Select Yes if they will come to/remain in the UK with you, even if they are not actually travelling with you. If you select No, you will not be asked any further questions in this section. 

Your spouse's details

Title

Select the appropriate option from the dropdown list. 

Given names 

Type your spouse's first name and any middle names as they appear on their passport.

Surname

Type your spouse's last name/family name as it appears on their passport.

Gender

Select 'Male' or 'Female' (these are the only options).

Date of birth

Type this in DD/MM/YYYY format.

In what town or city were they born?

Type the name of the town/city where your spouse was born.

In what country were they born?

Select the appropriate option from the dropdown list.

What is your spouse's nationality?

Select the appropriate option from the dropdown list. If they have dual nationality, decide which passport they will use to apply for their visa/enter the UK, and then select this option. 

Do they have dual nationality?

If yes, enter details of their second nationality (not the nationality of the passport they will be using to apply for their visa and enter the UK).

What is your preferred email address?

You will need to be able to access this email address, so please do not use an address which, for example, is linked to your current employer. We recommend you use an internationally recognised email server such as Outlook, Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail.

Alternative email address

If you have a second email address, enter it here.

What is your postal address?

Enter your postal address with each part separated by a comma (for example: University of Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby).

Post/Zip code (if applicable) 

If your address has a postcode or zip code, enter it here. If not, leave this question blank. 

Country

Select the appropriate option from the dropdown list.

Telephone numbers

Enter at least one telephone number - home, mobile and/or work. If any are international numbers, please make sure to provide the country and area dialling codes as appropriate. 

This section relates to studies you have already completed from your first/undergraduate degree onwards. Do not include any current studies. If there are long gaps in your education history, for example, if you took a break from studying, you should indicate this on the form. Complete a separate section for each course of study. There is a different part of the form for studies at colleges or other institutions. 

Have you undertaken any undergraduate or postgraduate studies?

If you have a university level education, tick Yes.

University name

Enter the name of the institution.

In which department or faculty did you study?

Enter the name of the department or faculty in which you studied.

University address

Enter the postal address with each part separated by a comma (for example: University of Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby).

Post/Zip code (if applicable)

If the address has a postcode or zip code, enter it here. If not, leave this question blank.

Country

Select the appropriate option from the dropdown list.

What was your course or thesis title?

Enter the full title of your course/thesis.

When did you start your course?

Enter this in DD/MM/YYYY format.

When did your course end?

Enter this in DD/MM/YYYY format.

What qualification did you receive?

Enter the qualification you received. 

Provide a brief description of the subjects covered on your course

Describe what you studied. 

Response limited to 500 characters including spaces. 

Add another study

If you need to add another section for more undergraduate/postgraduate study, click this button and repeat the steps above.

Complete this section if you have completed any study after school (aged 18+), including formal professional training, which was not at a university. 

Have you undertaken any studies since you left school, other than those you told us about in section 5?

Select yes if you have studied somewhere that was not a university (do not include school). 

Name of college or education institution 

Enter the name of the institution. 

In which department or faculty did you study?

Enter the name of the department or faculty in which you studied. 

College/institution address

Enter the postal address with each part separated by a comma (for example: University of Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby). 

Post/Zip code (if applicable)

If the address has a postcode or zip code, enter it here. If not, leave this question blank. 

Country

Select the appropriate option from the dropdown list. 

What was your course title?

Enter the full title of your course. 

When did you start your course?

Enter this in DD/MM/YYYY format.

When did your course end?

Enter this in DD/MM/YYYY format. 

What qualification did you receive?

Enter the qualification you received. 

Provide a brief description of the subjects covered on your course

Describe what you studied. 

Response limited to 500 characters including spaces. 

Add another study

If you need to add another section for more non-university study, click this button and repeat the steps above.

You must complete a separate section for each academic or professional paper you have published. 

Have you published any academic or professional papers?

Select Yes or No as appropriate. 

What was the title of your paper? 

Insert the title in full. 

What subject was it about?

Enter the subject matter (for example mechanical engineering, nanotechnology, aeronautics). 

In which year was it published?

Enter this as YYYY (for example: 2015).

Did the publication have any co-authors? 

If yes, enter their full name(s).

Provide a brief summary of your paper

Summarise the content of your paper. 

Response limited to 500 characters including spaces. 

Add another paper

If you need to add another section for a further paper, click this button and repeat the steps above.

Include all employment (paid and long-term unpaid) except temporary jobs you have held during undergraduate/postgraduate vacation time. If there are any long gaps in your employment history, for example if you were unemployed or a full-time parent, you should indicate this on the form. 

Have you ever been employed? 

Select Yes or No as appropriate. If you select Yes, you will need to complete the rest of this section. If you select No, you will skip to the next section. 

What was the name of the company or organisation you worked for?

Insert the name of the company/institution which employed you.

What was their address?

Enter the postal address with each part separated by a comma (for example: University of Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby). 

Post/Zip code (if applicable)

If the address has a postcode or zip code, enter it here. If not, leave this question blank. 

Country 

Select the appropriate option from the dropdown list. 

What position did you hold?

Enter your job title (for example: design engineer, researcher, HR Manager). 

When did you start your job?

Enter this in DD/MM/YYYY format. 

Are you still doing this job?

If No, enter the last date you worked in the job. 

Job description

Enter a brief summary of the work you did, including your main tasks and responsibilities. Response limited to 500 characters including spaces. 

Add another job

If you need to add another section for other employment, click this button and repeat the steps above.

• Give details of 2 referees who have known you for at least 3 years
• At least one of the referees must be from the academic sector
• If you have work experience, you should include a referee from your employment
• Though the guidance on the form says at least one of them should be "from your country of origin" (which means the country where you were born), this is not essential if you have not lived in that country for some time; for example, if you have lived in the UK for a number of years, you may wish to give the details of 2 UK-based referees
• Family members are not accepted as referees

Title

Select the appropriate option from the dropdown list. 

What is the full name of your referee? 

Provide a first name and last name; you must not use initials. 

What email address should we use if we need to contact this referee?

Enter your referee's email address.

What is their telephone number? Please give a direct number if possible.

Enter your referee's telephone number (if this is outside the UK, include the country and area dialling codes). 

How long have you known this referee?

Select the appropriate number of years and months from the dropdown lists (remember, this must be at least 3 years and 0 months). 

What is your referee's position within this organisation?

Enter their job title. 

What does this organisation do?

Enter the sector (for example engineering or higher education). 

Name of the organisation your referee works for?

Enter the name of the company/institution. 

What is their address?

Enter the organisation's address here, not your referee's home address. If this is not a person from your country of origin, we recommend including a sentence here which explains that you have lived elsewhere for a number of years so you are providing details of a more up to date referee. 

Post/Zip code (if applicable)

If you address has a postcode or zip code, enter it here. If not, leave this question blank. 

Country

Select the appropriate option from the dropdown list. 

Add another referee

If you need to add another referee, click this button and repeat the steps above.

This section refers to your financial sponsor, not your immigration sponsor. If you are grant-funded, you should enter the details of your funding body. If your salary/funding is paid directly from the University of Derby, please enter your Department's details. 

What is the name of your sponsor?

(Grant funded) Enter your funding body's name. 

(University of Derby funded) Enter "University of Derby".

What is their address? 

(Grant funded) Enter the organisation's address; if they have more than one office, give the main office. 

(University of Derby funded) Enter your Department's postal address.

Post/Zip code (if applicable)

(Grant funded) If the address has a postcode or zip code, enter it here. If not, leave this question blank. 

(University of Derby funded) Enter your Department's postcode. 

Country

(Grant funded) Select the appropriate option from the dropdown list. 

(University of Derby funded) Select "United Kingdom" from the dropdown list. 

What email address should we use if we need to contact your sponsor?

(Grant funded) Enter an email address given to you by your funder. 

(University of Derby funded) Enter your Department's general email address. 

Are there any conditions attached to your sponsor's offer?

(Grant funded) Select Yes or No as appropriate. 

(University of Derby funded) Select Yes or No as appropriate. 

Provide details of the conditions your sponsor has attached to their offer

(Grant funded) Include any conditions associated with the funding (in other words, if there are any circumstances it will be removed or changed). 

(University of Derby funded) If you are an existing employee, enter "ongoing right to work in the UK". If you are a new employee, please refer to your offer letter. Response limited to 500 characters including spaces. 

Add another sponsor

If you are funded from more than one source, click this button and repeat the steps above.