What is CAS Letter (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies)

The UK granted a whopping 486,107 study visas (as of September 2023), but did you know which nation topped the list? Well, it was the Indian students who got over a quarter (nearly 27%) of these visas. It clearly exhibits the country’s popularity among Indian students. One of the vital elements to apply for a UK student visa is a letter of Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies or a CAS letter. Here’s all you must know about the CAS letter.

What is CAS Letter

The CAS letter is a crucial document that you need to apply for your UK student visa. It is an online record of the admission process followed by your university and contains several vital details regarding your application. Your university prepares this document for evaluation by the UK’s Home Office. The CAS statement and CAS number, mentioning the details that they have given to the country’s Visas and Immigration Department, are sent to you by mail. 

What Information does CAS Letter List

Here’s a list of details that are included in the CAS letter: 

• CAS number of the student 
• The university’s sponsor license number
• Ending and starting date of the course 
• The university’s sponsor license address
• Qualifications used by the university for evaluating course eligibility of the student 
• Address of the student’s primary study site/location
• Confirmation that the course indicates academic progress if the candidate has already studied in the UK
• Fees already paid by the candidate
• Course fees
• Confirmation of English language proficiency
• Passport number of the student
• Name of the student as given in the passport 
• Scholarship details of the student, if applicable 

Why is CAS Letter Required

A CAS letter  is needed by all international students in the UK, especially when applying for a student visa. The CAS number confirms to the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) department the sponsorship of the candidate’s study in the UK university. It is the confirmation of the student being accepted for an education program in the UK.

How to Apply for CAS Letter 

The application process for the CAS letter varies depending on the category of students. Here are the three categories of students along with some guidelines that they should keep in mind while applying for the CAS letter. 

1. New Students: A deposit for CAS has to be paid unless applicants fall in any exempted category (loan recipient, fee waivers, scholarships, etc.). After the institution gets the deposit, candidates have to complete their applications online and upload documents, including proof of funds. The CAS letter processing time is usually a maximum of 10 days. 
2. Current Students: Those already studying at the university must download and complete the form and email it to the relevant department at the university. These requests are usually processed within a week. 
3. Pre-Sessional Students: Those choosing places in pre-sessional courses leading to degree courses have to pay their deposits simultaneously with the fees for the pre-sessional course. Thereafter, they must respond to the email with information required to generate the CAS number. The CAS statement should be carefully evaluated since a second CAS will be necessary while applying for an extension of the student visa for the degree course. 

Now, on that note, here is a brief guide to the application procedure: 

1. Pay the non-refundable CAS deposit (unless exempted).
2. Log into the university portal and request a CAS. 
3. Follow the mentioned steps and answer the questions on the portal. 
4. Upload all supporting documents, including the proof of funds, ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) certificate, and TB (Tuberculosis) certificate (if required). 
5. When the CAS draft is ready, you will get an email to check and confirm the details. You can log into the university portal to check and confirm the same. 

You will receive a copy of the final CAS statement via email after approval of the draft and the evaluation of supporting documents by the CAS team. 

As already established, a CAS letter is vital for your student visa application if you wish to study in the UK. The above-mentioned guidelines and details will help ensure you complete the application process smoothly without any hassles.