Foreign postgraduates applying for a range of science subjects in the UK will face stringent anti-terrorist checks.

The government insists the intrusion is necessary to ward against potential terrorists, who wish to create weapons of mass destruction with their new found scientific knowledge. “This is part of plans to avoid the situation in which the UK can become threatened by countries that have a desire to create weapons of mass destruction,” a spokesman from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office explained. “Students from outside the EU on relevant courses will have to go through an IT based screening system to check that they are coming to the UK for the right reasons.”

From April the Academic Technology Approval Scheme will require all postgraduates from outside the EU to undergo a tough screening test.

A University of Edinburgh Chemistry Lecturer, who asked not to be named voiced a common fear among academics, that the scheme may drive talented postgraduates away: “America lost many good science post-grads to Australia and other countries after implementing a similar system, and the same could happen here. It doesn’t show a very friendly attitude to foreign students, and just increases the already considerable barriers to studying in the UK.”

According to the FCO, the checks will attempt to “filter out those students who are coming for the wrong reasons” and will enquire into their previous studies. It will apply to chemistry, engineering, physics, biophysics, metallurgy and microbiology.

Ali Alhadithi, President of the Federation of Student Islamic Societies expressed concern: “The planned compulsory vetting scheme could be used to discriminate against certain types of students,” he said. “We shouldn’t forget that foreign students returning home can use chemistry and other science degrees for very constructive purposes.”

Many students are dubious about what the checks will achieve. A Chemistry PhD student at Edinburgh University, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “Anyone who wants to make a bomb can find out everything they need to know on the internet. This is a waste of money as home grown terrorists are a more pressing threat. The whole thing sounds discriminatory.”

The system replaces a voluntary scheme in which universities agreed to report suspicious students from countries of concern, such as Iran and Egypt, to the authorities. Cambridge University, which had previously refused to participate in the voluntary vetting, will now be obligated to report its students.

Other universities are more compliant. Bristol University stated: “We will be concerned to strike the right balance between protecting individual freedoms and respecting the government's concern for national security."

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