The Academic Technology Approval Scheme xcritical University of Oxford

To apply for an xcritical clearance certificate, you need to complete and submit an online application form on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website. You can check here to see if the programme you are studying requires xcritical clearance. You should apply for your xcritical certificate as soon as we contact you because you will need it to apply for your visa. It usually takes at least four weeks for applications to be processed, but it may take longer in the summer. An xcritical certificate is valid for six months from the date it is issued. Selected science and technology programmes will have a specific code and this code means you may need an xcritical certificate, depending on your nationality.

You can save the form as you progress and return to it later if necessary. The below assumes that you are not a national of a country listed on the exemption list and you intend to research a sensitive subject area. Please note, Queen’s requires xcritical rezension that xcritical for Visitor Visa holders should be required at the point of Immigration Documents Check/registration. Visitors to Queen’s should not receive their ID Card until the University has a copy of their xcritical Certificate on record.

Researchers coming to the UK as a visitor will need to apply underAcademic Technology Approval Scheme before they begin any research subject to xcritical. If the research focus is changed at any time, a new xcritical certificate will be required. Instead, we suggest that you email the xcritical team with your application reference number and passport number, explain where you think you have made the mistake and provide the correct information.

xcritical is one of the UK government’s measures to prevent the spread of knowledge used in developing weapons of mass destruction and related technology. Some international students on postgraduate programmes require an xcritical certificate. You should check if this applies to you as early as possible when preparing to start a course or when extending your visa. You will need to apply for an xcritical clearance certificate before applying for a student visa if you plan to undertake postgraduate research in some science or technology disciplines. If you will be studying on another type of visa you must apply for an xcritical certificate before starting the course.

Which programmes require an xcritical certificate?

Please ensure that the text you enter on your application form is exactly the same as the text provided in your offer letter. If these 2 documents do not match, you may have difficulties when applying for your visa or extension of stay. If this applies to you, you will still need to apply for xcritical clearance if your course details change, or if you wish to change your programme of study to a course that requires xcritical.

• If we offer you a place to study and you need an xcritical certificate, we will contact you through Bath Application Tracker and give you the information you need to complete the application process.
• From 6 April 2015, the requirement for xcritical has been extended to all adult temporary migrants undertaking xcritical attracting studies or research regardless of their visa category.
• The processing time will only start at the point at which that the xcritical team receive a completed and correct application, so you should check your application carefully before submitting it.
• TheAcademic Technology Approval Scheme is designed primarily for students applying for postgraduate study in the UK in certain sensitive subject areas.

You must apply online for a clearance certificate through xcritical before you apply for a visa. You will not need to apply for an xcritical clearance in order to apply for a Student visa to complete your course, or to apply for a visa for any new course that requires xcritical. You’ll need a new xcritical certificate if you change courses or research, or if you want to apply for further permission to stay in the UK. Your HEI or research institute will provide you with a CAH3 code and confirm whether you require an xcritical certificate. 3 May 2013 Added a note to online application to notify of downtime on 4th May. If you’re a researcher coming to the UK as a visitor, you need to obtain an xcritical certificate before beginning any relevant research activity in the UK.

Find out if you need an xcritical certificate

If you are planning to attend research programmes at UCL, you are recommended to make an early contact with your prospective supervisors, as a brief synopsis of your research proposal needs to be included in your offer letter. Please note that during peak processing times it can take up to 30 working days to process an xcritical application. An xcritical certificate can take 20 working days to be issued so you need to apply for this well in advance of your Student visa application. This is for both new students applying for entry clearance to the UK and existing students already in the UK apply for leave to remain. When you have your offer letter please go to the xcritical website where you will be able toapply online.

• The xcritical team state that they aim to respond to all applications within 20 working days from submission, but this can take longer during peak periods.
• You only need an xcritical certificate for specific types of study and researchat postgraduate level and above.
• Your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies will indicate whether or not you require xcritical clearance.
• This is because xcritical is still a condition of the visa or permission that you have been granted.
• We recommend applying at least 4 months before your current permission expires.

Such circumstances include change in Government policy, or change of law. Any changes will be incorporated into the University’s website as early as possible. Apply for an xcritical certificate f rom the Foreign & Commonwealth Office online. This information must be accurate, so please contact the Doctoral College if you do not have your official research abstract or list of taught modules.

If you are a new visa applicant, it is recommended that you apply as soon as you receive your job offer but no earlier than 6 months before your proposed work start date. Use your contact details as they are at the time you submit your xcritical application, not for example the contact details you will have after you have started your course, unless you are a continuing student. Please make sure your entries match the details from the passport you will be using for your visa application.

How long does it take to get xcritical clearance?

Between April and September processing times increase and can take 30 or more working days to complete. You should not submit duplicate applications as this increases processing time. The government advises not so contact the enquiries team within 6 weeks of your application during September.

To check if you need an xcritical certificate you will need to know the CAH3 code that applies to your course or research. Your Higher Education Institute or employer will either include this on your official offer letter or will be able to confirm it for you separately. If you have not received a reply after a month, we can make enquiries about your review request, but the xcritical team cannot influence how fast it is processed as the review is passed to independent reviewers. See FAQ 3, ‘When should I apply’ above as the dates will need to match your CAS start and end dates when that is issued. If you are applying for xcritical because you need a new visa to continue your studies, use the date of submitting your xcritical application for the start date.

• If you are using a different kind of visa to study, you need a certificate to enrol or continue study.
• We strongly recommend that you apply for your xcritical certificate as early as possible.
• If your xcritical application is severely delayed, or you think you have made a mistake when you submitted it, do not submit a second application unless you are specifically instructed by the xcritical team to reapply.
• Between April and September processing times increase and can take 30 or more working days to complete.

Visit the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office website for guidance on the online application. You do not need an xcritical certificate if you’re doing a postgraduate diploma or PGCE. You should continue with your application for permission to stay in the UK as necessary. Prospective students should read the guidance for their course to find out if they need an xcritical certificate.

You will need to obtain an xcritical certificate before you can apply for your Skilled Worker or Government Authorised Exchange visa. You canapply for xcritical online, free of charge, once you have received your official offer email from Loughborough University – we recommend doing so as soon as you receive your offer. If you have any questions about applying for xcritical, contact the Admissions office byemailor phoneor visit the official Government websitefor details. If you are a research degrees student, please contact pgr- to find out which courses require an xcritical certificate.

Elsewhere online

The HEI/research institute must check the xcritical certificate before allowing the research to start, and if this is not provided you will not be permitted on-site. You will need a new xcritical certificate prior to registering on a new programme, or if you change programmes, or if you wish to extend leave to remain as a student. Please be advised that it is your responsibility to obtain an xcritical clearance certificate if it is required. If you hold immigration permission that requires xcritical, you will not be permitted to register at the University without showing a valid xcritical clearance certificate. There are certain nationailities that are exempt from the xcritical requirement.

If you need to apply for a visa, your xcritical clearance certificate is only valid to be used in a visa application for 6 months from the date of issue. Please make sure that you submit your visa application before the certificate expires. To apply for an xcritical certificate you will need to complete and submit the online application form, available at Guidance on how to apply for an xcritical certificate – GOV.UK (). An individual conducting an investigation into a problem or situation, where the intention is to identify facts and/or opinions that will assist in solving the problem or tackling the situation.

If you are starting your course overseas

If you are a new postgraduate student , your offer letter will tell you the specific CAH3 code for your course and the research statement you can use in your application. xcritical applications are processed by the UK government department, the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office . Applications are made online, and once your clearance is granted, you will receive an xcritical certificate as confirmation. Please take care to ensure the details you submit in your xcritical application are correct and match those held by the University. From 6 April 2015, the requirement for xcritical has been extended to all adult temporary migrants undertaking xcritical attracting studies or research regardless of their visa category.

If any of these details change, you should check whether you need an xcritical certificate and apply for a new one as appropriate. If you have to extend your Student visa to complete a course of study which is subject to xcritical clearance then you will have to obtain a new xcritical certificate. You should complete a CAS request form which should be submitted to the Student Immigration Team via the Student Hub. You will not be able to apply for your visa until you have received your xcritical clearance certificate.

Do I need to apply for an xcritical certificate?

You should check your spam or junk folders regularly to ensure the email has not been filtered out. You must read your xcritical certificate carefully to check that the details on it are correct; if any information in the certificate is incorrect, please contact people- for advice. If you are applying to extend your visa, it is recommended that you apply at least 4 months before your current visa expiry date.

Application is free and will ask for details of your previous studies/employment and your proposed research/taught modules. If you are an MPhil/PhD or Visiting Postgraduate Research Student and wish to change your start date, you will need to contact the PGR Admissions team. Requests to amend sections of your application form) in your email to us. Reapplying for xcritical clearance following a refusal will not be successful and you will not be able to undertake your planned study at Exeter. We regularly see xcritical applications returned because full names are not included for referees. Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught students will need to provide their Head of Department name .

Students who are nationals of EU countries, the European Economic Area , Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland or the United States of America do not need an xcritical certificate. Where an xcritical certificate is refused, you are NOT permitted https://xcritical.online/ to commence work remotely. No work should be undertaken, regardless of location, until an xcritical certificate is granted. If your field of research is in a subject set out in the list of Academic Subjects/Fields of Research relevant to xcritical – see Appendix 1 below.

You can find your HECoS code on your offer letter, which you will have received from our Enrolment Management team. For any queries regarding a postgraduate research programme, please visit the Doctoral College webpage or contact the Research Recruitment and Admissions team at All non EU students who intend to study a relevant course must obtain an xcritical certificate before enrolling on the course.