What Is a CAS?
A Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) is a unique electronic reference number that a UKVI-licensed UK university issues once you accept an unconditional offer. It is mandatory for the UK Student Visa application and confirms to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) that you have a genuine place on a qualifying course. A CAS is valid for six months from its issue date and can be used for only one visa application. This guide covers how to get a CAS, what it contains, and how to avoid the errors that most often cause a refusal.
What a CAS Statement Contains
- CAS number
- Unique 14-character reference, entered on your visa application
- Personal details
- Full name, date of birth, nationality, passport number
- Sponsor details
- University's UKVI sponsor licence number
- Course details
- Title, level, start and end dates, mode of study
- Financial details
- Tuition fees and deposit paid, or named sponsor
- Prior UK study
- Details of any previous study undertaken in the UK, where relevant
How to Get a CAS
Six steps from unconditional offer to visa-ready CAS. HOA supports each step at no cost — see our full application guide.
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Accept your unconditional offer
All academic and English-language conditions must be met before a university can consider issuing a CAS.
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Pay any tuition deposit requested
Most universities require a deposit, or confirmed sponsor funding, before a CAS is generated.
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Submit any outstanding documents
Provide transcripts, passport copy, and financial evidence requested by the university's compliance team.
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University issues your CAS
The university enters your details into the UKVI Sponsor Management System (SMS), generating your unique CAS number.
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Check your CAS statement immediately
Verify your name, passport number, course title, and dates exactly match your documents. Report errors at once.
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Apply for your UK Student Visa
Submit your visa application using the CAS number within its 6-month validity window, alongside your financial evidence.
Financial evidence tip: the funds shown on your bank statement must match your CAS and satisfy the 28-day bank balance rule — £10,827 outside London, £14,130 in London (UK Home Office, Appendix Student, 2026).
CAS Validity and Visa Application Windows
Your CAS is valid for 6 months from issue. When you can submit your visa application depends on where you are applying from.
| Stage | Applying from outside the UK | Applying from inside the UK |
|---|---|---|
| Earliest application | 6 months before course start | 3 months before course start |
| Standard decision time | ≈3 weeks after biometrics | ≈8 weeks after biometrics |
| CAS validity | 6 months from issue date | 6 months from issue date |
Source: UK Home Office, Immigration Rules Appendix Student, gov.uk, 2026. Standard, non-priority processing.
Why CAS Accuracy — and University Choice — Matters
Your CAS must exactly match your passport, academic documents, and financial evidence. A misspelt name or an incorrect course date is one of the most common UK Student Visa refusal reasons. Report any error to your university's admissions team immediately, before you apply.
CAS allocation can be restricted at source. Under the UKVI Sponsor Compliance framework effective 1 June 2026, a university's CAS allocation is tied to its visa refusal rate: Amber-band universities (4–5% refusal rate) have CAS issuance frozen pending review, and Red-band universities (above 5%) face a mandatory CAS cut of at least 10% (UKVI Sponsor Guidance, June 2026). Choosing a university with a strong compliance record protects your CAS timeline as well as your visa outcome — see HOA's university rankings data.
House of Admissions checks every CAS detail against your documents before you apply — part of the free service behind HOA's 99% UK Student Visa success rate (internal tracking data, 2016–2026). Read more in our CAS explainer article.