What is a CAS number?

A CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) is a unique reference number issued by a UK university or college that holds a Student sponsor licence. It is not a physical document but a digital record in the Home Office system. The CAS contains your personal details, course information, fees paid, and confirmation that you meet the academic requirements for the course.

How long is a CAS valid?

A CAS is valid for 6 months from the date it is assigned to you. You must use it to apply for your Student visa within this period. If your CAS expires before you apply, you will need to ask your university to issue a new one.

Can I use the same CAS for a visa extension?

No. Each Student visa application requires a new CAS. If you are extending your visa for the same course or starting a new course, your institution must issue a fresh CAS. You cannot reuse a CAS from a previous application.

What if there is an error on my CAS?

If you spot an error on your CAS, contact your university immediately. They can withdraw the incorrect CAS and issue a new one with the correct information. Do not submit a visa application with an incorrect CAS, as this could lead to refusal.

Can I get a CAS from more than one university?

Technically yes, but you can only use one CAS for a visa application. If you have offers from multiple universities, decide which one you want to attend before asking for a CAS. Having multiple unused CAS records does not affect your visa application.

CAS for UK Student Visa: Everything You Need to Know

A CAS is a unique reference number issued by your UK university or college confirming your place on a course. It is a digital record, not a paper document, and contains your course details, fees, and academic qualifications. Your CAS must be valid (less than 6 months old) when you apply for your Student visa. Getting the CAS right is essential because errors or missing information can lead to visa refusal.

What a CAS Contains

Your CAS contains key information that the Home Office uses to assess your Student visa application:

Your personal details: Full name, date of birth, nationality, and passport number.
Course details: Course title, level (such as undergraduate or postgraduate), start and end dates.
Fees: Total course fees and any deposits already paid.
Academic qualifications: The qualifications you used to gain your place, and whether your university has seen the originals.
English language: How you met the English requirement (through an SELT test, a university assessment, or other evidence).
ATAS clearance: Whether your course requires Academic Technology Approval Scheme clearance (relevant for certain postgraduate courses in sensitive subjects).

The Home Office checks your CAS against the information in your visa application. Any discrepancies can delay or derail your application.

How to Get a CAS

You cannot request a CAS directly from the Home Office. It is issued by your university or college. The typical process is:

Accept your offer of a place and meet all conditions (academic qualifications, English language, deposits).
Your university checks that you meet the Student visa requirements and that their sponsor licence allows them to sponsor you.
The university assigns a CAS to you through the Home Office's Sponsor Management System.
You receive a CAS statement (usually by email) containing your CAS reference number and all the details listed above.

The time between accepting your offer and receiving your CAS varies by institution, but it is usually 1 to 4 weeks. Some universities issue CAS only after you have paid a deposit. Others issue it automatically once all conditions are met.

Checking Your CAS

Before you apply for your visa, check every detail on your CAS carefully:

Is your name spelled exactly as it appears on your passport?
Is your date of birth correct?
Is the passport number correct? If you have recently renewed your passport, make sure the CAS shows the new number.
Are the course dates accurate?
Do the fees and deposit amounts match your records?
Is the English language assessment method correctly recorded?

If anything is wrong, contact your university immediately. They can withdraw the CAS and issue a corrected one. Do not apply with an incorrect CAS.

CAS and Financial Evidence

The fees shown on your CAS directly affect how much financial evidence you need to provide. The Home Office calculates the amount you need to show as: course fees (minus amount already paid as shown on CAS) plus living costs for up to 9 months.

If your CAS shows that you have already paid a large deposit, the amount of financial evidence you need is reduced. This is why it is often worth paying as much of your fees as possible before the CAS is issued.

CAS for Visa Extensions

If you need to extend your Student visa, for example because you are progressing from a foundation course to a degree, or from a bachelor's to a master's, you need a new CAS. Your new institution (or the same institution if you are continuing) must issue a fresh CAS for the new course.

See our Student visa extension guide for the full process.

What If Your CAS Is Withdrawn?

A university can withdraw a CAS if you no longer meet the conditions, if you do not pay required fees, or if there is a problem with your application. If your CAS is withdrawn after you have already applied for a visa, your visa application will be refused.

If your CAS is withdrawn before you apply, you need to resolve the issue with your university or find a new course at a different institution that will issue a new CAS.

Related Guides

For official information, see the GOV.UK Student visa page and the Student route immigration rules.