From the end of June we will begin issuing Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS) numbers to all those students who require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK (all students who are from outside of the European Economic Area).

What is a CAS?

A CAS is a virtual document which confirms that an institution is willing to act as your educational sponsor. With the CAS on your Tier 4 visa application form, the UKVI (UK Visas & Immigration) caseworker who considers your visa application will have access to a database which contains your personal details, details of your proposed course of study, and details of any fees you have paid to the University.

Once you receive your CAS, you can submit your Tier 4 visa application up to 3 months ahead of your course start date (for example, as the IFP course starts on 24th September, the earliest time you can submit your Tier 4 visa application is 24 June). You are advised to apply as early as possible within this time frame, allowing sufficient time for your application to be processed.

In order for your CAS to be valid it must:

• Have the same details on it as in your passport; and
• Have been assigned no more than six months before the date of your visa application; and
• Not have been withdrawn or cancelled by the Tier 4 sponsor or the Home Office; and
• Not have been used in a Tier 4 visa application which was processed and refused (where the fee was processed)

Having a CAS does not mean that you are guaranteed your application will be successful. You must meet all the requirements of a Tier 4 application, including completing the Tier 4 application form correctly and submitting all the required supporting documents.

You should also ensure that your course information (course title, start and end dates etc.) that appears on your CAS is copied exactly onto your application form.

Detailed information can be found on the University's Immigration webpages.

How do I get my CAS?

Before you are eligible to receive a CAS, you must hold an unconditional offer that you must have accepted. We also require you to have paid the £2000 deposit. We will then contact you to confirm that the personal details that we have on our records are still accurate and begin the CAS issuing process.

Once we are satisfied that all of the details are correct, we will send you an email confirming your CAS number and the supporting documents that you will need to submit with your Tier 4 visa application.