What a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies Is and Why ASEAN Students Need It

What a CAS actually is

A Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, known as a CAS, is a unique reference number your UK university or college issues electronically once you meet every condition of your offer and confirm you want to enrol. It is not a physical document or PDF certificate. You receive a CAS number and enter it directly into your online Student visa application.

Only institutions on the UK government's register of licensed Student sponsors can issue a CAS. Check that your chosen university holds this license before you accept an offer, since an unlicensed institution cannot sponsor your visa at all.

When your university issues it

Your university issues your CAS after you accept your offer, meet any academic or English conditions attached to it, and pay any required deposit or tuition instalment. Most universities issue CAS numbers a few months before your course starts, since the CAS stays valid for 6 months from its issue date.

This 6-month window means you apply for your Student visa reasonably soon after your university generates your CAS, rather than requesting it too early and letting it expire before you apply.

What information sits inside your CAS

• Your CAS reference number

• Your course title, level, and start and end dates

• Your sponsor's license number

• Your total course fee and any amount you already paid toward it

• Confirmation of the qualifications and English language ability used for your admission

UK Visas and Immigration cross-checks the details in your visa application against what your university submitted for your CAS, so make sure your personal details, like your name and passport number, match exactly across both.

Maintenance funds and your CAS

Alongside your CAS, most applicants show they support themselves financially. If you study in London, you show £1,529 a month for up to 9 months . Outside London, the figure drops to £1,171 a month for up to 9 months. You need this money held in your account for a continuous 28-day period, ending within 31 days of when you submit your visa application.

Some UK sponsors qualify for an arrangement where they certify directly on your CAS that you already paid enough toward your tuition and living costs, which removes the need for you to submit separate bank statements. Ask your university whether this applies to your offer before you gather financial documents on your own.

Why ASEAN applicants need to plan around CAS timing

Visa processing, English test bookings, and financial evidence gathering all take time, so treat your CAS issue date as the start of a countdown rather than a formality. Students from Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and other ASEAN countries often need extra weeks to arrange bank documents that meet UK Visas and Immigration's exact format and translation requirements, so start as soon as your university confirms your CAS.

If your course start date moves, or you defer your entry to a later intake, ask your university to reissue your CAS with the new dates rather than using an outdated one, since a mismatch between your CAS and your actual enrolment date causes visa refusals.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying for your visa with a CAS that expires before your intended travel date

• Letting your bank balance for the 28-day requirement drop below the minimum on any single day

• Using a different spelling of your name on your CAS than on your passport

• Assuming a scholarship covers your maintenance requirement without written confirmation from your sponsor

After your CAS is issued

Once you have your CAS number, gather your financial evidence, book an approved English test if your course requires one you have not already met, and complete your online Student visa application through UK Visas and Immigration. Pay the visa fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge, which covers your access to NHS care during your stay.

If your CAS is withdrawn or you switch course or university

A university can withdraw your CAS if you fail to meet a remaining condition, miss a payment deadline, or decide not to enrol. If this happens before you apply for your visa, ask whether a new CAS is possible once you resolve the issue, or start your application to another institution from scratch.

If you accepted an offer, received a CAS, and then decide to switch course or university, tell your original sponsor so they withdraw the CAS correctly, then wait for your new institution to issue a fresh one that matches your revised study plan. Applying with a CAS tied to a course you no longer plan to take leads to a refusal.

CAS is not the same as your offer letter

Your offer letter confirms a place exists for you. Your CAS confirms you accepted it, met every condition, and are ready to apply for your visa. Universities issue offer letters months ahead of a CAS, often as soon as you meet academic and English conditions, so do not treat your offer letter as sufficient for a visa application. Only the CAS number works in the online Student visa form.