UK Student Visa: Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)
The CAS is the reference that connects your offer, licensed Student sponsor and course information to the visa application. The safest approach is to understand what it establishes, check the details before applying and keep it separate from the financial-evidence rules.
What a CAS actually is
A Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies is assigned by the education provider after an unconditional offer from a licensed Student sponsor. The sponsor gives the student the unique CAS reference to use with the Student visa application.
Check the CAS against the application you are about to submit
A strong application should not create avoidable inconsistencies between the sponsor information, course information and the details entered in the visa form.
A CAS has a validity window
Current Student sponsor guidance states that a CAS is valid for six months from the date it is assigned. That timing should be checked before the visa application is submitted.
A CAS is necessary, but it is not a visa decision
Assignment of a CAS does not guarantee that Student permission will be granted. The applicant must still satisfy the requirements that apply to the Student route and their individual application.
CAS and financial evidence are related, but they are not the same issue
This guide intentionally does not duplicate maintenance-funds calculations, the 28-day evidence rule or bank-document mechanics. Those remain in EYM’s dedicated UK Student financial-evidence guide.
Read the financial-evidence guide →Resolve the source information before trying to explain around it
If the CAS information does not reflect the course or circumstances you expect to use, contact the education provider. Correcting or clarifying the underlying sponsor information is safer than carrying an unresolved inconsistency into the application.
Need the complete UK Student visa pathway?
The UK Student visa pillar remains EYM’s authoritative page for the overall route, eligibility framework and broader application process.
Return to the UK Student visa guide →Check the CAS in the context of your full Student visa case.
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