What is CAS and How to get one?

Applying to an international university means to follow and complete various steps and processes. From qualifying to the English language test to writing a perfect and accurate SOP, everything should be to the point and step by step. After all the processes, the document that matters the most is the CAS letter. The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies letter is evidence that you have obtained a position for the course of your university. And without it, you cannot apply for the visa. In this article, we will learn what CAS is and how to get one.

What is CAS?

The CAS stands for Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies. Getting it is highly important for the international students to study in the UK. You are only issued a Confirmation of acceptance for studies after you have been accepted for the admission and confirm the offer letter by making payment to lock your seat. When you get the confirmation of acceptance for studies, it will provide you with a 14 digit reference number which is mandatory to make a visa application. In the visa application form, you need to put this reference number that is provided by the UKVI to your university and from the university to you.

There is a lot of information stated in the Confirmation of acceptance for studies letter including the 14 digit number, course type, level, passport information, payment details, personal information and many things. It is important to verify all the information in the CAS shield properly because any error here can be the result of visa rejection.

Which information will contain in your CAS?

In the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, along with the 14 digit number, there will be information regarding-

• Sponsor university license number
• Title of the course
• Beginning and last date of the course
• Course nature
• University and campus address
• Nationality
• Details of previous UK study
• Work placement ship
• All personal details like name, gender, birth country, birthplace, date of birth, residency address etc.
• Tuition fees for the first academic year
• Tuition fees paid to date
• The amount you have already paid
• English language proficiency score
• If you have paid any amount for accommodation
• Qualification that helped you to secure a place in the university
• Passport number and your name on the passport

You will find all these details in the webpage link sent by your university. You must check all the information very carefully to see if there is any false information or not. After your confirmation of all accurate information, the university will send it to the UKVI. It is UKVI that will assign the CAS number to your university. After that, the university will provide that number to you.

Importance of a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies letter

After making a university application, getting a CAS is very important for the visa application. Without a Confirmation of the Acceptance for Studies number, international students will be unable to fill the student visa application form. Students can either request for it or the university will issue it to the students.

Steps you can follow to get a CAS letter-

Getting a confirmation of acceptance for studies has multiple steps. Usually, those steps vary from university to university. Some universities will issue you a confirmation of acceptance for studies only after successfully completing the Pre-CAS or Credibility interview after getting an unconditional offer letter and paying the certain deposit. 

However, it’s not a fixed rule. Some of the UK universities will ask you to pass the credibility interview first after getting the unconditional offer letter. If you pass the credibility interview, then you will be asked to pay the deposit and request for it. 

Moreover, there are some universities too where you can apply for a CAS with a conditional offer letter if your English and Academic qualifications are okay. In this issue, you can pay the deposit and attend the credibility interview. When you pass the interview, you can email the documents along with the results to the university. After that, the university will apply at UKVI for the Confirmation of acceptance for studies number confirming that the university has made you an unconditional offer letter and you have accepted this. After that through UKVI, the university will issue you a CAS number.

Another important thing is that there are some UK universities available where you do not need to attend the credibility interview to get a confirmation of acceptance for studies.

What are the basic supporting documents needed with your student visa application?

The documents needed to provide while making a visa application depend on many things. Some are mandatory documents and others are depending on the circumstances. The supporting documents needed with the student visa application are:

• An unconditional offer letter from the university and it should be less than three to four months before the start of your course.
• Proof of course fee deposit as mentioned in the offer letter
• TB test report
• Proof of finances and the types of documents you can provide to prove your finances are- Personal bank statement, bank letters, official loan letters, official financial sponsorship letters.
• Bank statement that shows that your funds are 28 days matured
• If there is any naming error in the passport, birth certificate, academic documents, bank accounts, then the name affidavit format should be provided.
• If funds are kept in parents account, birth certificate should be provided
• If funds are kept in spouse account, marriage certificate should be provided
• Consent and sponsorship letter
• ATAS certificate ( if required)
• English language evidence
• Translated documents if anything is not in English
• Letter of consent from the government 

But this is not the fixed document list. Some universities may ask you to submit more and some universities less.

How to apply for a CAS letter?

In your official email, the university will send the information regarding it. You can check all the information in the dashboard and can be asked by the university to submit more documents. The university may ask you again to verify all the information submitted there. After that, if everything is ok, the university will send you a CAS reference number.

Is it mandatory to pass the Pre-CAS interview to get the confirmation of acceptance for studies letter?

You must pass the pre-CAS interview to get the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies. If you failed in the interview, the university will not issue you a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies letter. However, it is not necessary that each and every candidate will be interviewed by the UKVI.

What is the processing time of a CAS letter and when it is issued?

Most of the students ask how long it takes to process a CAS letter. Once the information in the confirmation of acceptance for studies statement is correct, the university will issue it within 10 days. If the UK confirmation of acceptance for studies letter processing time exceeds 20 days, you must contact the admission committee.

How can I make a visa application after receiving the CAS number?

When you make a visa application, you need not provide the CAS letter. In the visa application form, you have to put the individual Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies reference number given to you. After receiving the reference number, you need to follow the given instructions:

• Visit the UKVI website and by filling out important details including the 14-digit number to complete the student visa application process.
• Pay the visa application fees and the immigration health service charge
• To get the biometric residence permit to book your biometric appointment
• Attend the biometric appointment by submitting all the documents like passport, TB test report, financial statement etc.
• If you are asked to attend the credibility interview, do it as per instructions.
• Soon the Home Office will contact you regarding the decision.

How much CAS payment should I deposit?

Again, it varies from university to university and course to course. You may be asked to deposit 3000 or 80% of the course fee.

Tips to get a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies easily-

The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies is a very important document. Getting it is essential to study in the UK as it is an assurance that you are accepted as a student by the UK university. So let’s here discuss some tips to get a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies easily-

• Get an unconditional offer letter at least 4 months before the commencement of your course.
• Provide the deposit.
• Pass the Credibility interview
• Verify all the information in your confirmation of acceptance for studies shield is accurate.
• Get the CAS reference number.

What will happen to the CAS number if my visa application is unsuccessful?

If your visa application gets rejected or unsuccessful, you can’t use the former Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies. Instead, if you re-apply for the new CAS number. Now if the reason for your visa refusal is the financial statement, the authority needs to show the new financial documents before issuing you the new one. However, if your visa gets rejected due to an “incredibility interview, it is recommended to submit an administrative review to overturn the decision.

If you need any information, help regarding the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, the counselors of AIMS Education can provide you in a great way. Besides, the compliance team of AIMS education can help you to get preparations for the Pre-CAS interview so that you can pass the interview smoothly.

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