How to Get a CAS Letter for Your UK Student Visa: Step by Step

5 min read

You cannot apply for a UK Student visa without a CAS. It is the document that tells the Home Office a licensed university has accepted you onto a course, and the details on it are what your visa application is checked against. Knowing how the process works helps you get it sooner and avoid last-minute delays before your intake.

What a CAS actually is

CAS stands for Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies. It is an electronic record with a unique reference number, created by your university in the Home Office sponsor system. It lists your course, start and end dates, tuition fees, any fees already paid and the evidence the university used to assess you. You enter the CAS number in your visa application, so every detail on it needs to be correct.

The steps from application to CAS

• Apply to a university that holds a Student sponsor licence
• Receive an offer, then meet every condition so it becomes unconditional (final results, English test, references)
• Accept the offer and pay the tuition deposit the university asks for
• Send the documents for the CAS check, often including passport, transcripts, English test result and proof of funds
• Complete the university's credibility or pre-CAS interview if it asks for one
• Receive your CAS statement, check it carefully and then apply for your visa

Documents universities commonly check

• A valid passport, ideally valid for the full length of your course
• Original academic certificates and transcripts used to meet the entry requirements
• An English language test accepted by that university for visa purposes
• Bank statements showing your tuition balance and living costs held for the required period
• A tuberculosis test certificate if you live in a country where one is required
• An ATAS certificate if your subject is on the ATAS list (some science, engineering and technology courses)
• Details of any previous UK visas and any past visa refusals from any country

How long it takes

Many universities issue a CAS within one to three weeks once everything is complete, but this varies, and it slows down sharply in the weeks before a September or January intake. Universities generally will not issue a CAS more than a few months before the course starts. Once issued, a CAS can only be used for one visa application, so use it promptly.

Mistakes that delay a CAS

• Leaving the deposit or document upload until close to the intake deadline
• Bank statements that do not show the funds held continuously for the full period required
• Not mentioning a previous visa refusal, which can lead to a refused visa later
• Different spellings of your name or date of birth across documents
• Vague answers in the pre-CAS interview about your course, your career plan or who is funding you

Check your CAS before you apply

When you receive your CAS, check your name, date of birth, passport number, course title, dates, fees and fees paid against your own documents. If anything is wrong, ask the university to correct it before you submit your visa application. A mismatch is far easier to fix at this stage than after a refusal.

Each university runs its own CAS process and the rules change, so always follow your university's instructions and check GOV.UK. Sign in to YCC Navigator to practise pre-CAS interview questions with the student assistant, or run the compliance check to see whether your documents are ready.