Key Facts

• If you are an international student (i.e., you hold a passport from outside of the UK/EEA) you will need a valid CAS number in order to make a Tier 4 visa application.

• The CAS is a virtual document, that confirms that your institition is willing to act as your educational sponsor.

• When you put your CAS number on your Tier 4 visa application form, this allows a UKVI caseworker, to access your information electronically.

• Your CAS will provide the caseworker with your personal details, details about your proposed course of study and any course related fees.
• For information on how to request a CAS please see the relevant sections below for who is responsible for assigning your CAS for new students, continuing students and following a visa refusal.

Who assigns your CAS?

Admissions will issue your CAS if...

... you are starting a new course at Warwick (after you have accepted an unconditional offer and within 3-4 months to your course start date), including if you will spend a period of 'study abroad' or 'exchange' at Warwick

... you are starting a new course at Warwick and require a 2nd CAS because you received a visa refusal.

... you are taking the 10-week or 6-week Pre-sessional English language course

Immigration Service will issue your CAS if...

... you started your course more than 6 months ago

... you started your course less than 6 months ago but need a CAS because you are switching to Tier 4 from a different visa category

... you started your PhD course at a partner University outside of the UK (for example, Monash University), and now require a Tier 4 visa to continue your studies in the UK

... you are joining the year-round Pre-sessional course (but not the 10-week or 6-week Pre-sessional course).

... you are returning to studies after a break from your course (temporary withdrawal, resit without residence).

... you have gone through an 'internal upgrade' process from a Master's to a PhD course (i.e., you are not required to apply for your PhD seperately) and will need a new visa to complete the PhD course.

... you wish to apply for the Doctorate Extension Scheme (DES). Please refer to our website for information on when you can apply for DES and request a CAS.

What's the deadline for Admissions to assign a CAS?

It depends on whether you will make a visa application within the UK or outside of the UK.

If you confirmed on your 'CAS request webform' that you will apply for your Tier 4 visa from outside of the UK, the deadline to assign a CAS is detailed below (dates to be back tracked from the 'latest start date'):

• 5 working days + 2 days travelling, if you confirmed that you will use super priority (1 day) visa application service
• 2 weeks + 2 days travelling, if you confirmed that you will use priority (5 working days) visa application service
• 4 weeks + 2 days travelling, if you confirmed that you will use standard (3 weeks) visa application service

If you confirmed on your 'CAS request webform' that you will apply for your Tier 4 visa from within the UK, the deadline to assign a CAS is detailed below (dates to be back tracked from latest start date):

• Course start date will be the latest date for Admissions to assign the CAS
• If you requested a CAS after the course start date but before the 'latest start date', Admissions will contact immigration service and we will requeset that you make an appointment to see an Adviser and bring documents to demonstrate that you are in a position to make your visa application before your latest start date. Once we are satisfied of this, we will inform Admissions to assign your CAS.

Immigration Service CAS requests

- CAS request following a visa refusal (for new and continuing students who have just received a Tier 4 visa refusal)

- Year-round Pre-sessional course CAS request (for new students)

- CAS request for students overseas (for currently enrolled students who are returning to their home country to make a visa application following an extension or course transfer; students who are returning from a period of Temporary Withdrawal or Re-sit without Residence; and students who started a collaborative PhD programme with the University of Monash or University of Mons outside of the UK and are coming to the UK for the first time, AND, such students will make their Tier 4 visa application outside of the UK)

- CAS request for students in the UK (for continuing students who require a Tier 4 visa extension to cover the duration of their course (or apply for the Doctorate Extension Scheme/DES) - CAS should be requested as part of the appointment booking request form).