Request a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) for a Student Visa Application

Get a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies

Whenever you need to make a Student Visa application, you'll need a new Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number from the University of Warwick.

This includes if you are a new student starting a course from the beginning, or if you are a continuing student extending, changing, or resuming your course.

Applying overseas?

If you are applying for a Student Visa from overseas, the University will check you have time to get your visa before agreeing to issue a CAS to you

Applications overseas: deadlines to get your CAS

We have a responsibility to ensure your overseas Student Visa application will realistically allow you to come to Warwick and start, or resume, your course successfully from an academic perspective.

For this reason, there will be a "Latest Start Date" for your studies in the UK, which will be shown on your CAS. The University will only issue a CAS to you if you have time to make your application, receive your visa, and get to the UK before that date, specifically, that you have:

4 weeks (processing/passport return) + 2 days (travelling) if you are applying overseas using the "standard" application service
2 weeks (processing/passport return) + 2 days (travelling) if you are applying overseas using the "priority" application service
5 working days (processing/passport return) + 2 days (travelling) if you are applying overseas using the "super-priority" application serviceLink opens in a new window

You can see if and where "priority" and "super-priority" application servicesLink opens in a new window are available in your country using the VFSLink opens in a new window and TLSLink opens in a new window service options webpages.

Getting a CAS if you are a new student...

This means you are starting a new course from the beginning

Your admissions team will process your application for study and issue you with a CAS as soon as they can:

Step 1: Fulfil the conditions of your offer (get an unconditional offer)

The University can only issue you with a CAS once your course offer is "unconditional" (you have met all of our entry requirements and will be joining us at Warwick).

How do I get an unconditional offer?
Check your emails from your admissions team carefully and provide any required certificates, transcripts, qualifications, and other documents.

You'll also need to accept your offer using your applicant portal or via UCAS.

I won't be able to clear the conditions of my offer until quite close to my course start date - will that be a problem?
Try not to be too concerned - different qualifications in different countries are awarded at different times, so this is not unusual. UK Visas and Immigration offer expedited visa application services if you need to make a faster application once you have met the conditions of your offer and received your CAS.

Step 2: Confirm your details

You will be contacted automatically (you don't need to request this) when your Admissions Team is ready to issue your CAS.

If you will begin your course at Warwick in September/October, the earliest you will be contacted is:

Pre-Sessional English Students: April
Undergraduate Students: July
Postgraduate taught (Masters) Students: June
PhD Students: 3-4 months before the start of your course
Study Abroad/Exchange Students: August

You will also only be contacted once you have accepted your unconditional offer (see step 1). Once you have, after around 48 hours, you should receive an email from your admissions team about your CAS.

The email will ask you to confirm your details are correct and also to provide some information about when and where you will make your visa application, as well as any previous or existing visas you have for the UK. You must give this information fully and accurately, otherwise it could cause problems with your visa application.

Step 3: Wait for your CAS to arrive

Once you've confirmed your details (Step 2), your admissions team will check your circumstances and create your CAS.

This can take around 10 working days (2 weeks) at busy periods. We thank you for your patience as we aim to issue all CAS as quickly as possible.

Your admissions team will contact you if they need any more information, and to provide your unique CAS reference number. This can then be used in your visa applicationLink opens in a new window.

Your CAS email will also contain some useful guidance about making your application, as well as the exact details you need to enter about your course on the government website.

Get in touch if there is a problem

It's important to contact the right team with your CAS enquiry.

If something's changed and you think there might be a problem with your CAS, or, if you have checked the above steps and timelines carefully and believe you haven't received a communication that you should have, you will need to contact the team dealing with your CAS directly:

Postgraduate Students (Masters, PhD and Visiting) except for MSc students in WMG Read the Postgraduate Admissions Team Frequently Asked Questions Contact the Postgraduate Admissions Team
WMG MSc Students Read the WMG Information about getting your CAS Contact the WMG Admissions Team
Undergraduate Students Contact the Undergraduate Admissions Team
Pre-Sessional English Students Contact the admissions team for your main course using the above links
Warwick International Foundation Programme Contact the International Foundation Programme Team
Study Abroad/Exchange Students Read the Student Mobility Team Frequently Asked Questions Contact the Student Mobility Team

Getting a CAS if you are a continuing student...

This means you've already started your course, are changing to another course part-way through, or joining us at Warwick to continue your studies after beginning your course at an overseas partner institution

The Student Visa Advice Service can provide a CAS for you to continue your course in the UK:

Check your student record is up-to-date

Please verify that your student record has been updated with any changes before requesting a CAS.

For example:

If you have a new passport, provide it to us.
If you are returning from a period of Temporary Withdrawal, you must submit a "Resumption of Studies" requestLink opens in a new window
If you have received an extension to your University registration or will be resitting exams, this must have been officially recorded on your accountLink opens in a new window. If you are a taught Masters student, this will only take place following your official exam board (usually in November) - check with your academic department if you are unsure when this will happen. If you are a PhD student, you will receive an official confirmation email from the Student Records team when your extension has been approved
If you are changing course, the new course must show in your accountLink opens in a new window, or you must have submitted the course transfer requestLink opens in a new window

You must also resolve any overdue tuition fee paymentsLink opens in a new window on your account.

Check your Student Records Online Account

Submitting a Student Visa application in the UK: Request a CAS

You can only submit a Student Visa application (extend your visa) whilst you are physically within the UK if you currently hold a UK Visa (not a visit visa) and you:

have repeated, or will be repeating, part of your course or the time allowed for your dissertation or
have added a work placement year or study abroad year to your course or
have transferred from an undergraduate Bachelors to an undergraduate Masters course by adding a year or
are a PhD student and extended your course
have a current visa that is not a Student Visa or Visit Visa (you are switching into the Student Route from another category of visa) and, if you held a Student Visa in the past, you can show academic progressLink opens in a new window

Otherwise, you will need to apply overseas instead. You normally need to apply overseas if you are returning from Temporary Withdrawal, or a period of "Resit without Residence".

You must make sure you can meet the Student Visa application requirements. Contact us before requesting a CAS if you are unsure.

You must not attempt to submit an application until we have issued a new CAS to you - we normally process requests within 5 working days.

If you apply in the UK, you will need to submit the application on or before your current visa expiry date and you must not leave the UK whilst the visa application is in progress. Your rights in the UK remain unchanged during that time, provided you submit your application (pay the fees) whilst you still have a valid visa. Visa processing normally takes around 8 weeks, unless you pay for a faster serviceLink opens in a new window.

Request a CAS for an application in the UK (Continuing Student - current student login required)

Submitting a Student Visa application overseas: Request a CAS

You normally need to apply overseas if you are returning from Temporary Withdrawal, a period of "Resit without Residence", or a period where you have had no valid UK visa, or have been in the UK as a visitor. You will also need to apply overseas if you require a new visa to transfer to a lower-level course that isn't part of your original course.

You must make sure you can meet the Student Visa application requirements. You should check the guidance on financial evidence particularly carefully. Contact us before requesting a CAS if you are unsure.

We will check that you appear to have enough time to make your application before issuing a CAS to you. You must not attempt to submit an application until we have issued a new CAS to you - we normally process requests within 5 working days.

If applying for a new Student Visa overseas, you must submit the application in the country where you are living. This means you must be physically outside of the UK when you submit (pay for) the application, in a country where you have residence rights (are not just a visitor). You must remain outside of the UK until you have received your new visa, then travel to the UK once the new visa has been granted and after its start date. You will have a deadline to arrive back in the UK (your "Latest Start Date"), which will be shown on your CAS.

Request a CAS for an application overseas (Continuing Student - current student login required)

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