In addition to meeting the academic requirements, applicants may also need to meet non-academic conditions and/or may be subject to further checks or processes in order to be admitted to the University. Such checks may be required to comply with applicable UK legislation, relevant government requirements and/or the requirements of professional, statutory and regulatory bodies (PSRBs).
Details of any specific requirements will normally be set out on the relevant or admissions guidance page, or communicated to applicants at the point an offer is made - for example, through an offer letter. The University reserves the right to request further information or documentation, where reasonably required, to ensure compliance with applicable legal, regulatory, government or other additional requirements. Failure to satisfy such requirements may result in the withdrawal of an offer or place from the University.
Some of the most common non-academic requirements and checks are as follows:
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and occupational health checks
To comply with the requirements of relevant professional, statutory and regulatory bodies (PSRBs), applicants to certain vocational, professional or clinical courses and foundation routes may be required to obtain an appropriate level of clearance from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), and/or undertake occupational health checks.
Applicants will be informed where such requirements apply, either as a condition of an offer or following registration. Failure to meet required DBS or occupational health conditions may result in an offer being withdrawn.
Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)
Applicants who are subject to UK immigration controls may be required to obtain an ATAS certificate in order to undertake postgraduate study in specified subject areas, including integrated Masters programmes, which incorporate undergraduate and postgraduate study.
Applicants who require ATAS clearance must obtain an ATAS certificate before applying for a Student visa. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that sufficient time is allowed for ATAS and visa applications to be processed.
Applicants who require ATAS clearance will not be permitted to register on a course until the University has received confirmation of their ATAS clearance from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Further information about ATAS is available on the University website.
Trusted Research and national security considerations (postgraduate research only)
For certain postgraduate research programmes, the University may be required to consider factors relating to national security, research integrity and international collaboration, in line with UK government guidance on Trusted Research and Innovation.
Such considerations may include, where relevant:
- the subject area or potential applications of the research;
- the involvement of international collaborators, partners or sponsors; and
- applicable legal or regulatory obligations arising from the nature of the research.
Where necessary to comply with legal or regulatory requirements, the University may apply conditions to an offer or registration, require modifications to the proposed research, or, in exceptional circumstances, withdraw an offer or discontinue enrolment.
Export controls (postgraduate research only)
As part of its obligations under , the University may be required to assess whether an export licence is needed in relation to a proposed postgraduate research project.
Export control requirements are determined by the nature of the research topic, methods, materials, software, data, or technical know-how involved and may apply irrespective of nationality or immigration status.
There may be circumstances where failure to obtain a required export licence would affect an applicant’s ability to begin or continue a research project. This could result in the withdrawal of an offer, the suspension or revocation of enrolment, or a requirement to revise the research topic or methodology.
Additional requirements (postgraduate research only)
For some research degree programmes, applicants may be required to meet additional conditions stipulated by relevant PSRBs, UK Research and Innovation, Research Councils, or other statutory or regulatory bodies.
Where such requirements apply, they will be set out in the (see the section on ‘Ordinances and regulations and programmes of study for research degrees’) or communicated directly to applicants.