UK CAS Letter Guide for Nepali Students explains what a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies is, when a university issues it, which details to check, how long it remains valid and what happens after it is used. A CAS is a secure electronic record and reference number from a licensed student sponsor, not a visa or a guarantee that UKVI will approve the application.
Information checked on 24 July 2026. Student immigration rules and each university’s CAS process can change, so confirm the current GOV.UK rules and the instructions sent by your sponsor before applying.
UK CAS facts at a glance
| Item | Current guidance |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, an electronic record assigned by a licensed student sponsor |
| Purpose | Provides the unique reference number and course information needed for a Student visa application |
| Validity | The CAS must have been issued no more than 6 months before the visa application date |
| Application timing | An overseas Student application can be made no more than 6 months before the course start date on the CAS |
| Number of uses | Normally one granted or refused application; a CAS linked to an invalid, withdrawn or void application may remain reusable |
| Visa guarantee | No; the applicant must independently meet every Student route requirement |
| Who corrects it | The sponsoring university or college, not the student or an education agent |
What is a UK CAS?
A Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies is the licensed sponsor’s electronic record for a particular student and course. Home Office sponsor guidance describes it as a virtual document similar to a database record. The university enters information through the Sponsorship Management System and gives the student a unique CAS reference number.
The number connects the visa application to information about the applicant, sponsor, course, finances and the academic and English evidence used for admission. You enter the reference number in the online Student visa form. A PDF or email commonly called a “CAS letter” is usually a university summary of that record; it is useful for checking details, but the underlying CAS is electronic.
A CAS is not the same as an offer letter
An offer letter describes the place a university is offering and any academic, English, deposit or document conditions. GOV.UK requires an unconditional offer from a licensed student sponsor before the Student route can be supported. Universities decide their own reasonable checks before assigning a CAS.
Meeting offer conditions does not always produce the CAS immediately. The sponsor may need to verify qualifications, funds, tuition payments, passport details, ATAS status or credibility information. Treat the university’s published deadline as an operational deadline, not as a promise that every complete file will be processed on the same day.
Who can assign a CAS?
Only an organisation holding the appropriate Student sponsor licence can assign a CAS. Check the institution’s exact legal or trading name in the current Register of Student Sponsors. A university’s appearance in a ranking, partnership page or agent brochure is not a substitute for sponsor status.
The licence must still be valid on the date UKVI decides the visa application. If a sponsor withdraws the offer or its licence ceases to support the CAS, the record can become invalid. Contact the university directly if its name or status is unclear.
When do universities issue a CAS?
There is no single national issue date. Sponsors normally assign a CAS after the applicant accepts the offer and completes the institution’s pre-CAS requirements. These can include an academic document check, a tuition deposit, financial review, passport verification, interview or confirmation of an ATAS certificate.
Those university steps are risk and admissions controls rather than identical Home Office requirements for every applicant. Read the exact conditions in the offer portal. Do not transfer a deposit to a personal account or assume that an agent can independently create a CAS.
How long is a CAS valid?
Appendix Student requires the CAS reference number to have been issued no more than 6 months before the visa application date. Sponsor guidance likewise states that an assigned CAS is valid for six months. If it is not used during that period, the sponsor system shows it as expired.
This six-month CAS validity is separate from the earliest application date. An applicant outside the UK must also apply no more than six months before the course start date stated on the CAS. Both conditions must be satisfied.
When can a student apply from Nepal?
A Student entry-clearance application can be submitted up to six months before the course start date. The applicant needs the CAS first. Applying too early in relation to the course start date or with an older CAS can make the application invalid or unsuccessful.
Allow time for identity steps, document verification and a possible interview. GOV.UK currently says an overseas Student application usually receives a decision within three weeks after processing begins, but complex cases can take longer. Do not buy a non-refundable flight before a decision.
Details every student should check
Compare the CAS summary with the passport, offer and payment records before submitting the visa form. Check:
- Full name, date of birth, nationality and passport details
- Licensed sponsor name and sponsor licence number
- Course title, academic level and full-time or part-time status
- Course start and end dates
- Main study address and any partner institution
- Tuition fee and the amount already paid
- Sponsor-provided accommodation payment where recorded
- English-language assessment method
- Qualifications or references used to obtain the offer
- Work placement, ATAS and remote-delivery information where relevant
A small spelling difference can be harmless in one context and important in another. Ask the sponsor to assess it; do not guess or silently enter a conflicting answer in the visa form.
Course dates and study level
The CAS must show the course title, academic level, start and end dates, weekly study information and place of study. These fields help UKVI assess whether the course qualifies, the application timing, permitted work and the length of immigration permission.
Research students should confirm whether the sponsor has recorded the course as a PhD, doctorate or research-based higher degree where that classification matters. A taught master’s and a research master’s can have different dependant implications under current rules. Read the UK Student dependant rules guide before planning family travel.
Tuition fees and payments on the CAS
The CAS must state course fees and any payment already made that the sponsor records. Check that a recent tuition payment is reflected before relying on it to reduce the funds shown for the visa financial requirement. Keep the official receipt as well.
A payment made after assignment may require the sponsor to add a sponsor note or update the record. The university decides the correct process. The amount in a personal spreadsheet, agent message or bank transfer screenshot does not override the CAS information UKVI sees.
Use the UK study cost guide to separate tuition, maintenance, visa fees, the Immigration Health Surcharge and travel costs.
Qualifications listed on the CAS
The CAS can identify certificates, transcripts or references the sponsor used to make the offer. Appendix Student generally requires evidence of those qualifications or references unless an exception applies. For degree-level study with a higher education provider that has a track record of compliance, the applicant may not need to submit the qualification evidence, although the sponsor still records how the offer was assessed.
Follow the personalised document checklist instead of assuming an exemption. Keep original qualifications and certified translations available because UKVI can request evidence or verify documents.
English language information
The CAS must show how the English-language requirement is met. Depending on the course, sponsor and applicant, this may refer to an approved test, a qualification, a previous degree taught in English or the higher education provider’s own assessment where the rules permit.
Make sure the test name, scores and reference details match the evidence and application form. The CAS does not allow an applicant to claim an English basis the sponsor did not use.
ATAS information
Certain postgraduate subjects require an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate before study. The CAS records whether the ATAS condition applies. If required, the Student application must include the correct certificate for the course and institution.
ATAS is separate from the CAS and visa. Start early because the university cannot replace the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office decision. Ask the sponsor to resolve any mismatch between the course details on the CAS and certificate.
How tuition deposits affect CAS issuance
Many universities require a deposit before assigning a CAS, but there is no universal deposit amount in Appendix Student. The amount, refund policy, deadline and acceptable payment channel come from the institution.
Read the refund terms before paying, especially the treatment of a visa refusal, withdrawal or missed enrolment. Use only the university’s verified payment system. A CAS does not itself guarantee that a deposit will be refunded.
What if the CAS contains an error?
Stop before submitting the visa application and send a clear correction request to the sponsor. Include the CAS reference securely, identify the field and attach reliable evidence. The sponsor may correct the electronic record, add a sponsor note or assign a new CAS depending on the issue.
Do not edit the CAS summary yourself or ask an agent to invent an explanation. If the application has already been submitted, contact both the sponsor and UKVI using the official process because changing information after submission can be more complicated.
Can one CAS be used more than once?
A CAS normally supports one visa application. Appendix Student says it cannot have been used in an earlier application that was granted or refused. Sponsor guidance states that a new CAS is needed if an application fails and the student wishes to reapply.
An important exception applies when the earlier application was rejected as invalid, withdrawn or made void: the original CAS may still be usable if it remains assigned and otherwise valid. Do not assume its status. Ask the sponsor to check the Sponsorship Management System before any new application.
CAS status terms explained
- Assigned: the sponsor has created the record and it may support an application if all conditions remain met.
- Used: UKVI has linked it to a decided application; it cannot normally support another one.
- Expired: six months passed without valid use.
- Withdrawn: the sponsor has withdrawn sponsorship or the offer.
- Cancelled: the Home Office or sponsor action has invalidated it.
The student cannot view or change these statuses in the sponsor system. Contact the university’s international admissions or visa-compliance team.
CAS and the financial requirement
A CAS records tuition fees and eligible payments, but it does not prove that every remaining pound has been held in an acceptable account for the required period. A student from Nepal normally needs separate compliant financial evidence unless another rule removes that evidence requirement.
The figures and account evidence must match the current financial rules. Avoid moving money immediately after a statement is produced if that breaks the required holding period. The UK Student visa documents guide covers the wider application evidence.
CAS and the credibility interview
Assignment confirms that the sponsor wants to sponsor the student, but UKVI independently considers whether the applicant is genuine. Course choice, university research, finances and post-study plans should therefore be consistent across the CAS, application and any interview.
Do not memorise a script copied from another applicant. Review the next guide on UK Student visa interview preparation after it is available in this cluster.
Step-by-step CAS checklist
- Choose a licensed sponsor. Confirm the institution in the current register.
- Meet the offer conditions. Complete academic, English and document requirements honestly.
- Follow the university process. Pay only through verified channels and finish any pre-CAS checks.
- Receive the reference securely. Treat it as confidential personal information.
- Check every field. Compare it with the passport, offer, fee receipt and course page.
- Resolve errors first. Obtain confirmation from the sponsor before applying.
- Prepare visa evidence. CAS does not replace finance, TB, ATAS or other required documents.
- Apply within both time limits. Check CAS age and the course-start application window.
- Keep the record. Save the CAS details for enrolment and any later Graduate application.
Common CAS mistakes
- Calling an offer letter a CAS
- Applying with a reference assigned more than six months earlier
- Submitting before checking passport and course details
- Relying on a tuition payment not recorded by the sponsor
- Assuming a CAS guarantees the visa
- Using a CAS already linked to a refused application
- Sending the reference number publicly or to an unverified person
- Ignoring a sponsor message about a withdrawn offer or changed course date
Frequently asked questions
Is a UK CAS a paper letter?
No. It is an electronic sponsor record with a unique reference number. A university may send a PDF or email summary commonly called a CAS letter.
How long is a CAS valid?
It must have been issued no more than six months before the Student visa application. An unused CAS expires after that period in the sponsor system.
Does a CAS guarantee a UK Student visa?
No. The applicant must still meet the validity, genuine-student, financial, English, document and other applicable requirements.
Can I correct a CAS myself?
No. Contact the licensed sponsor. It decides whether to update the electronic record, add a sponsor note or assign a replacement.
Do I need a new CAS after a visa refusal?
Normally yes. A CAS used in a granted or refused application cannot be reused. A sponsor may confirm that one linked only to an invalid, withdrawn or void application remains usable.
Related guidance in Nepal
For a visible second review of the offer, CAS and Student visa sequence, use the MKS Education UK counselling guide. Students who need IELTS, PTE, GRE, GMAT or SAT preparation can compare options at MKS Prep. The licensed university and UKVI remain the final authorities for the CAS and visa decision.