Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

CAS Shield is the online system you will use to complete your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) application and prepare for your Student Route visa.

You will receive an email with a link to activate your CAS Shield account. Please activate your account as soon as possible when the email arrives.

If you haven't logged in within 7 days, CAS Shield will automatically send you a reminder.

Even if you are not yet ready to pay your deposit or upload your financial documents, you should begin using CAS Shield right away.

The first steps are quick and help prevent delays later:

• Check and confirm your personal details
• Confirm your course information

These steps allow our systems to begin preparing your application for further processing.

Some applicants are required to complete a pre‑CAS interview based on their country of application.

If this applies to you, your pre‑CAS interview will appear in your CAS Shield account once you have activated it. You will complete this online by recording your answers directly in the system.

After submitting your interview:

• Our Compliance Team will review your answers
• You will receive an email with your result
• You may be asked to complete a second interview if needed to support your application

To help you prepare, we provide a detailed pre‑CAS interview training guide, which explains what the interview assesses and how to structure your answers.

After you submit your CAS application, CAS Shield will advise you if we need further information to complete your CAS checks. 

Our CAS and Visa Compliance team reviews each application individually, so the documents requested will depend on your personal circumstances. 

You may be asked to provide or clarify: 

• Age verification: To confirm you meet the minimum age requirement for your course (only requested where relevant).
• ATAS Certificate: Required for applicants on specific Science, Engineering, or Technology‑related courses. This ensures compliance with UK government rules on controlled subjects.
• Birth certificate: Requested where needed to help confirm your identity.
• Financial documents: To show you meet UKVI financial requirements for tuition fees and maintenance funds. Evidence of living costs – if required, you may need to show you hold funds of £1,529 per month (up to a maximum of £13,761), kept in an approved account for at least 28 consecutive days.
• Passport or immigration information: To confirm your identity and eligibility for a Student Route visa, if you have already provided this in your application this will be uploaded automatically to your CAS Shield account.
• TB test certificate: Required for students from specific countries. You can check if this applies to you on the GOV.UK website: Tuberculosis tests for visa applicants.
• Previous visa refusal details:  Where relevant, to help us understand any past immigration decisions. 

CAS Shield will only ask you for the documents appropriate to your situation. 

Once you have finished all the steps in your CAS Checklist, our CAS and Visa Compliance Team will review everything you have submitted. When your checklist has been approved, you will be moved to Ready for CAS in CAS Shield. This means we are completing the final checks before your CAS can be issued.

When your application reaches this stage, please allow 3–5 working days for our team to issue your CAS number. You will receive an update as soon as it has been released, and you can track your progress at any time by logging in to CAS Shield.

Your final CAS can only be issued once all required checks have been completed. After the CAS is issued, UKVI only allows very limited changes, usually only to update the amount of tuition fees you have paid. Minor errors, such as small spelling mistakes, can be corrected through a sponsor note without affecting your application. However, if more than one significant error is identified, UKVI requires a full CAS reissue, which can cause delays.

Thanks to the CAS Shield process, you will have already checked and verified all your information before submitting your CAS application. This means we are confident that any errors should be minimal, and your CAS should not be affected one of the many benefits of our streamlined platform.

Finally – we appreciate your patience and the care you have taken in preparing your CAS application. We look forward to welcoming you to Kingston University.

Once you receive your Student Visa, you’ll need to update your CAS Shield account to let us know your visa outcome. CAS Shield will ask you to confirm whether your visa has been issued or refused, and you will be asked to upload evidence of this directly into the platform.

If you have been issued an eVisa, your immigration status is held digitally and linked to your passport. To help us verify your visa, you will need to generate a share code using the UK Government’s View and Prove Your Immigration Status service and upload it to CAS Shield.

How to generate your share code

1. Visit: https://www.gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status
2. Log in using your passport details and date of birth
3. Select ‘Prove your status’ and choose ‘to someone else’
4. When asked for a reason, select ‘Higher Education Provider’
5. A share code will be created for you
6. Download and save a PDF copy of your immigration status
7. Upload your documents to CAS Shield

Please upload all of the following to your CAS Shield account:

• Your share code
• The PDF confirming your immigration status
• Any other evidence requested based on your visa outcome

CAS Shield will guide you step‑by‑step, letting you know exactly what is needed and keeping you updated on your next steps. This helps ensure your enrolment can be completed smoothly and on time.

Funds may be held in any form of personal bank or building society account (including current, deposit, savings, pension from which the funds can be withdrawn or investment account) provided the account allows the funds to be accessed immediately.

Funds held in other accounts or financial instruments such as shares, bonds, credit cards, pensions from which the funds cannot be withdrawn immediately, regardless of notice period, will not be accepted as evidence of funds.

The account must be in the name of one of the following:

• the applicant, either alone or as a joint account holder
• the applicant's parent or legal guardian
• the applicant's partner if the partner has been granted permission or is applying at the same time as the applicant

If you are using an account in the name of your parent or legal guardian must provide that parent's or legal guardian's written consent to use of the funds and evidence of the relationship.

The ATAS is a UK government requirement for international students applying for certain postgraduate courses in sensitive subject areas. It aims to prevent the transfer of knowledge that could be used in the development of weapons of mass destruction or for military purposes. 

If ATAS clearance applies to your course, this requirement will be stated in your offer letter. You must obtain an ATAS certificate before submitting your UK visa application.

The application process involves providing personal details and information about the course you intend to study. Once approved, you will receive an ATAS certificate, which is a mandatory document for your visa application.

Important Information

• Timing: You can submit an ATAS application as soon as you receive your offer letter. Processing takes a minimum of 30 working days (6 weeks), and complex applications may take longer. There is no fast-track service. Demand is higher from April to August, which may extend processing times.
• Refusal: If your ATA application is denied, you will not be able to proceed with your visa application.
• Changes: If there are any changes to your course or personal details after receiving your ATAS certificate, you may need to submit a new application. 

The Bank Contact Details Form is required as part of the CAS request process to verify the authenticity of the financial documentation provided. This ensures that the funds meet the UKVI requirements and are held in a legitimate bank account, supporting a smooth and compliant CAS application.  

Please note, this form may not be required for students who meet the differential evidence requirement. If this form is applicable to your case or has been specifically requested, you are required to complete the Bank Contact Details Form and submit it via OSIS as part of your CAS supporting documents. 

The credibility interview is an important component of the student visa application process. Its purpose is to assess whether you meet the requirements to study in the UK and to confirm your genuine intent as a student.

To prepare effectively, it is important to understand the scope of the interview. You should be ready to discuss your chosen course, your university, and how studying in the UK aligns with your academic and career aspirations. Familiarity with your financial arrangements and the documentation supporting your application is also essential.

Ensuring you can provide clear, thoughtful, and honest answers will help the process go smoothly. Additionally, being organised, professional, and well-prepared will demonstrate your readiness for this stage of the visa process.

If you need further support, please contact our experienced and friendly team for assistance.

Your personal data will be handled in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).  

All information provided will be used exclusively for the purpose of supporting your visa application and will not be shared with any third parties outside of this process.

More information about KU data protection can be found on our privacy page.

You do not need to prove you have enough money to support yourself if you are from a country listed in the differential evidence requirement. 

If you are eligible, you will not need to submit financial evidence as part of your CAS request. However, you must still obtain and keep proof of your finances, as UKVI may request to review it during the decision-making process. Failure to provide the required documents within the specified timeframe may lead to the refusal of your application. 

Additionally, you must submit any other necessary documents, such as an ATAS certificate or TB test certificate, unless you qualify for an exemption

Accepted forms of financial evidence include:

• Bank statements (including electronic statements)
• Building society passbooks
• A letter from the financial institution (download a template here)
• Certificates of deposit

The most recently dated financial document must be no older than 31 days before the date of application.

If you have held UK immigration permission for at least 12 months on the date you apply for your Student visa from within the UK, you automatically meet the financial requirement and do not need to provide financial evidence. This does not apply to those who were previously exempt from immigration control. Short absences and holidays do not affect the 12-month period, but long absences (e.g. 3 months or more) may mean the requirement is not met. 

All Student Union Sabbatical Officer and Postgraduate doctor or dentist applicants who apply under the Student route automatically meet the financial requirement, without the need to provide evidence, whether they are applying for entry clearance or permission to stay, and no matter how long they have lived in the UK. 

All postgraduate taught (Master’s) applicants excluding Masters by Research (MPhil/PhD)  who require a Student Visa must pay a non‑refundable deposit of £5,000. As part of the CAS Shield process, you’ll be able to let us know when you plan to pay your deposit. We will then check in with you on that date to ensure everything is going smoothly with your transfer of funds.

This deposit will be credited toward the first instalment of your tuition fee and must be received before we can issue your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).

The payment will appear on your CAS under the “Fees paid to date” section. When you submit your financial documents for your visa application, this amount can be deducted from the total funds you are required to show.

You are exempt from this deposit if you provide evidence that an official financial sponsor or student loan covers your first-year tuition fees and full living expenses (£13,761). 

Please note that if your scholarship or loan does not fully cover the fees required for your visa application, the deposit will still be necessary. It will contribute toward the total funds needed for your application. 

How to pay your deposit 

To proceed with your deposit payment and secure your place, please visit our payment options page. 

Prompt payment will help ensure there are no delays in processing your CAS request. 

Financial sponsorship must be provided by one of the following:

• His Majesty’s Government
• The applicant’s national government
• The British Council
• An international organisation
• An international company
• A university or Independent School

UKVI accepts student loans issued by:

• A government
• A government-sponsored student loan company
• An academic or educational loan scheme regulated by:
  - The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
  - The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA)
  - The relevant official regulatory body in the country where the institution is based and the funds are held

If you are relying on a student loan, you must provide a student loan letter from the lender as evidence. The letter must meet the following criteria:

1. It is dated no more than six months prior to the application date.
2. It confirms the loan is a student loan provided by:
   The relevant government,
   A government-sponsored student loan company, or
   An academic or educational loan scheme.
3. It states there are no conditions on the release of the loan funds other than successfully applying to study in the UK as a Student or Child Student.
4. It specifies the loan amount.
5. It confirms the loan is issued to you (the applicant).
6. It confirms the funds will either:
   Be available to you before traveling to the UK,
   Be paid directly to your student sponsor before traveling, with any living cost portion made available to you upon arrival in the UK, or
   Be available before your course begins, if the loan is provided by your national government.

From 11 November 2025, the total funds required for your application include:

• Your first-year course fees
• £13,761 for maintenance (living expenses)
• An additional £300 to account for potential currency fluctuations

These funds must be held in full for a continuous 28-day period, and the balance must not fall below the required total at any point during that time.

You may wish to pay some of your tuition fees or halls of residence fees in advance. The following pre-payments can be confirmed on your CAS:

• Up to 100% of your tuition fees.
• Up to £1,529 of your halls of residence fees (you may pay more, but this is the maximum that can be confirmed on your CAS).

Please note: If you make a pre-payment before requesting your CAS, the amount will be deducted from the total financial requirement you need to demonstrate in your financial documents.

Where any specified documents provided are not in English or Welsh, the applicant must provide the version in the original language and a full translation that can be independently verified by UKVI officials. The translation must:

• Confirm it is an accurate translation of the original document
• Include the translator’s full name, signature, and contact details
• Be dated

If you are applying for a UK visa to stay for more than six months, you may need to take a tuberculosis (TB) test before submitting your application. This requirement applies if you have lived in a country where TB is considered common. It is part of the UK Home Office’s efforts to protect public health.

Who Needs to Take a TB Test?

You must take a TB test if:

• You are applying for a visa for more than six months and
• You have lived in a country where TB testing is required

You do not need to take a TB test if:

• You are applying for a visa for six months or less
• You have lived for at least six months in a country not on the UK’s TB testing list and have not been away from that country for more than six months

How to Take the TB Test

• The test must be done at a UK government-approved clinic
• If your result is clear, you will be issued a TB certificate

Important Information 

• When applying for a UK visa, you must provide a valid TB test certificate issued within six months before your application date. The application date refers to the day you submit your UK visa application form online and pay any applicable fees.
• Please note that TB test certificates are only valid for six months from the date of issuance. Plan your clinic appointment carefully, considering the time needed to schedule, complete the test, and travel to an approved clinic.

Yes! We offer a wide range of scholarships and alumni discounts specifically for international students. These options vary depending on your course, level of study, and eligibility. Scholarships are designed to help reduce financial pressure and support you throughout your studies. To explore the full list of opportunities and find out what you may be eligible for, please visit our Scholarships and funding page.

Application tips

• Check eligibility requirements: You will need an offer for a course at Kingston University before you can apply for a scholarship. Each scholarship or discount may have specific criteria, such as academic performance, financial need, or course-related requirements. Make sure to review these carefully before applying.
• Stay on top of deadlines: Deadlines can vary, so we recommend applying as early as possible and ensuring all required documents are submitted on time.
• Explore alternative funding options: Scholarship schemes are very competitive, and we only have a few awards to give. You may find it useful to explore alternative funding options, such as loans or support from your employer.

Please note: While you are waiting for the outcome of your scholarship, if you choose to request your CAS, the award will not be reflected in your CAS letter. You will still be required to show evidence of the full amount of funds needed for your CAS and visa application, as per UKVI requirements.

Your partner and children (‘dependants’) may be able to apply to join you in the UK or extend their stay if you are:

• A government-sponsored student on a course lasting more than 6 months; or
• A full-time student studying a PhD, doctorate (RQF level 8), or another research-based higher degree.

For full details on eligibility and requirements, please refer to the official UK Government website.

A transfer to an alternative course may be permitted before the final CAS has been issued, subject to approval by both the Admissions Office and the CAS and Visa Compliance Team.

Once a CAS has been issued, course transfers are generally not permitted, in order to maintain compliance with the Home Office’s record-keeping and visa sponsorship requirements.

If you wish to request a course change after enrolment, you must submit a formal request to your Course Support Administrator Team for review and consideration. For further information and advice regarding immigration matters, please contact [email protected].

The deposit is fully refundable if you meet one of the following criteria:

• You are an undergraduate student.
• You are a Research Degree student.
• You have requested the refund before your final CAS has been issued.

The deposit is not normally refundable if:

• You are a postgraduate student and have received your final CAS.

Deposit transfer 

If you need to defer your place, the deposit can be held and automatically transferred to your new course. This will save you from paying the deposit again and help avoid any currency fluctuations or transaction fees. 

Visa Refusal 

In the event of a visa refusal, you may apply for a refund of your deposit. All refunds are granted at the University’s sole discretion and are dependent on the submission of sufficient, verifiable evidence. You will be required to upload your visa refusal letter to your CAS Shield account as part of this process. Please note that all approved refunds are subject to a £250 administration fee. If a refund is not approved, your payment will be automatically deferred to the next available intake.

How to request a refund 

Undergraduate and Research Degree students: If you believe you are eligible for a refund, please raise an enquiry via the StudentHUB. 

Postgraduate students: If you have been issued a CAS, you may appeal for a refund within three months of the start date specified on your CAS. You must provide adequate supporting evidence and submit your request via email to [email protected]. 

If you have all the required supporting documents ready, they meet UKVI’s requirements, and you approve your draft CAS promptly, we aim to issue your final CAS within a few working days.

If any documents are missing or don’t meet UKVI’s standards, processing may take a bit longer. To help avoid delays, please review the guidance on this webpage, as well as other reliable resources like GOV.UK and UKCISA. Make sure your documents are complete and accurate, and keep an eye on your email for updates. The sooner you provide the necessary information, the faster we can process your CAS.

• Insufficient time to make a successful student visa application
• Unlikely to arrive before the latest course start date
• Incorrect or insufficient funds to meet the requirements
• Not have the required maintenance funds
• If documents submitted are deemed to be fraudulent
• CAS request is submitted after the latest course start date deadline
• Student has exceeded (or will exceed by the end of their course) the maximum time allowed on a student visa

• A CAS is only valid for six months from the date it is issued.
• When you make your student visa application you must include all original documents stated on your CAS, where required (low-risk nationals do not need to submit original documents). Failure to do so could result in a visa refusal.
• If you are applying for your student visa from inside the UK your course must start within 28 days of your current visa expiry date.
• If your current visa is due to expire soon or has expired then you should contact the CAS team urgently.