How can I get my CAS number?
To request a CAS number you need to have been made an unconditional offer and firmly accepted it. Please send us your confirmed qualification results via the Applicant Portal as soon as you have them so that you can apply for your CAS as soon as possible.
Once you have an unconditional offer that you have firmly accepted, the link to the Â̲èÖ±²¥ CAS questionnaire will appear in Student View, under the Visa information tab. Please complete the questionnaire in full, upload copies of all required documents and click submit when you are finished.
We will issue you with a CAS number for the Â̲èÖ±²¥ if you meet all of the eligibility requirements for English language, academic progression, maximum UK study periods and have paid a tuition fee deposit (where due).
English language
You must meet the UK Home Office requirements for English language ability.
Unless you meet one of the approved exemptions, you must have a valid English language qualification that is equivalent to:
- a minimum of level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) if you will be studying a course at degree-level and above (eg bachelors, masters, postgraduate diploma/certificate, doctorate).
or
- a minimum of level B1 CEFR if you will be studying a course at below degree-level (eg foundation degree), which must be in the form of a Secure English Language Test (SELT).
For a list of the approved exemptions, SELTs and further information please visit the .
Academic progression
- You must meet the Home Office requirements for academic progression.
- If you have already studied in the UK on a student visa (whether the course has been completed or not), your new course of study must represent academic progression from your previous study; it must be at a higher academic level than your previous UK course.
For more information about academic progression, please visit the .
Maximum UK study periods
You must meet the Home Office requirements on maximum time spent studying in the UK on a Student visa.
Unless you meet one of the approved exemptions, your course at the Â̲èÖ±²¥ must not lead you to exceed the maximum time limit for study within the UK on a Student visa:
- You must not spend more than a total of five years studying at degree-level on a Student visa.
- You must not spend more than a total of two years studying at below degree-level on a Student visa.
For a list of the approved exemptions and for more information, please visit the .
International tuition fee deposit
- Not all students need to pay a tuition fee deposit, for example if your fees are being paid via US Federal Loan or a government. For a full list of deposit exemptions, please check the information on our international fees webpage.
- If you do need to pay our £5,000 tuition fee deposit, this must have been paid and the funds cleared for us to issue a CAS.
- You are strongly advised to pay your deposit as soon as you can to secure your course place – but you can pay it after your submit your CAS questionnaire, or after you have passed your pre-CAS interview.
Pre-CAS interview
Applicants may be required to attend a pre-CAS interview as part of our assessment of their suitability to be sponsored for a student visa. The Visa Compliance team will confirm if you are required to attend a pre-CAS interview after your CAS questionnaire has been assessed.
Applicants who do not respond to the interview invitation, fail to attend, or do not pass the interview will be refused a CAS/Student visa sponsorship and their offer of a place at the university will be withdrawn.
When will I get my CAS number?
Before we can issue you with your CAS number, we will need to assess your completed CAS questionnaire, supporting documentation and pre-CAS interview responses (if applicable) against Home Office visa regulations.
This means that CAS assessments and timescales will vary according to your personal circumstances, and we cannot guarantee that you will be issued with a CAS, even if you hold an unconditional academic offer to study and have provided us with all requested information.
Our CAS deadlines are the last possible chance for you to submit the questionnaire and still receive your CAS number; it does not guarantee that you will also have enough time to apply for and receive your visa.
A CAS number can only be used in a visa application up to six months after it has been assigned.
The Home Office rules allow you to apply for a visa six months before the start of your course – however, the Â̲èÖ±²¥ will start issuing CAS numbers three to four months before the start of a course.