What is the CAS Letter UK?

Studying abroad comes with a lot of hurdles as there are a lot of formalities a student need to fulfill like an application form, writing an SOP, English proficiency test, etc.. When the country you are planning to study is UK, there comes an important document called Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies or CAS Letter.  

It is issued by the university you have been accepted to and is a crucial document to apply for a UK Tier 4 student visa . CAS letter UK is valid for 6 months from the date of issue and provides all the information to the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) department. 

Read along if you plan to know more about CAS Letter UK, this blog consists of all the required information regarding CAS letter you want to know!

What is a CAS Letter?

CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) is a letter issued by the UK universities (where you have applied and selected for the course) to international students. It serves as a proof that the student is accepted by the university as well as it is the key component for Tier 4 student visa application.  CAS letter UK  has a unique number that shows that the xyz university in the UK has agreed to be the educational sponsor.

It is an electronic document that is issued to selected candidates by the college or university and is valid for six months from the date of issue but there are a few institutions where a candidate needs to apply for a CAS letter.  

 

What information does the CAS letter consist of?  
 

CAS letter consist of information related to the student candidature such as student name, chosen program, chosen university, course length, etc. Check out what other details are available on the CAS letter:

• Passport number and name on your passport
• Candidates date of birth
• 14-digit unique reference number 
• License number of the university/sponsor.
• Sponsor/University  License Address
• Course name and duration. 
• Start and end date of course. 
• Candidates qualifications which helped them secure a place in the university
• Course tuition fee. 
• Amount candidates have already paid from the tuition fee.
• Paid accommodation fee(if any).
• English proficiency scores such as IELTS or TOEFL.

How to Apply for CAS Letter?

Many UK universities automatically issue CAS letters to students just after students accept the offer and pay the required deposit of the chosen program. The university requested  UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) for the CAS number on behalf of the student. After the university confirms that the student has been recognized to study at the university, UKVI grants the CAS number to the university, and the university, in return, issues it to the student.

But there are certain universities like the University of Kingston that require students to apply for the CAS letter on their official website. Check out the steps how to apply for  CAS letter UK  below: 
 

Step 1: Pay the non-refundable deposit:   International students need to first pay the non-refundable deposit which is their first installment of the tuition fee before requesting for the CAS letter. 

Step 2: Log into OSIS and upload the supporting documents  

The next step is to login to the OSIS  platform to request a CAS letter. You need to answer a few questions such as:  

• If you have ever studied on a student visa in the UK
• If you have any visa refusals for UK
• If you pending applications with UKVI
• Is your studies  partially or fully funded by a scholarship, organization or government.
• Financial documents like  student loan, bank statement details, etc.
• You'll need to provide a TB test from a UKVI-approved TB test center.
• If you want to study science or engineering degrees you will need to apply for an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) Certificate.  
   

The team will then assess the supporting documents you have uploaded and may ask for any additional documents or information, so it is advised to check email regularly. 

Step 3: Approval of draft CAS Information  

Once your draft CAS is ready, you will receive an email asking to confirm details. For that you need to:

• Log into OSIS and go to the Visa page.
• Click View draft CAS against your CAS request record.
• Check if the details are correct and confirm it by approving your draft CAS.

Step 4: CAS is issued  

After completing all the requirements, the team will then check the supporting documents and you will get a copy of your final CAS statement on the email. After that you can apply for your UK visa.

What is the Processing time for CAS Letter UK?

There is no fixed processing time for CAS letters set by the universities. It is done on the basis of first come first serve basis. The student who has submitted the application early will get the preference and CAS letter.

Once you agree to study in the university, the university will check the uploaded documents and provide you with the CAS letter via email. Normally it takes around  3-7 business days to receive the letter. You can wait till 20 business days, if you still have not received the CAS letter you must contact the university admission team.

What is a Combined CAS number?

It is a CAS number and is issued to students if they plan to study more than one course at the same time at a similar university. With the help of a combined CAS number, students get the permission to apply for one visa to stay in the UK till both their courses get completed.

Conclusion

A CAS letter is  an important document that is required if you plan to study in the UK universities. Make sure to carefully fill out the details while requesting for the CAS letter. Once you have the  CAS letter for UK, you can easily apply for the UK visa.

Speak with an Edmissions expert at edmissions.com about your study abroad journey. Contact Edmissions specialists at [email protected] to learn more about study abroad opportunities.