CAS stands for Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, which is a unique number that confirms an international student has been accepted on a course of study in the UK. It is an electronic document generated by the university that sponsors the students application for a student visa. The CAS number confirms that the student has been made an unconditional offer of a place to study in the UK and that they have accepted it. The student must enter this reference number on their visa application, and they must apply for their visa within six months of receiving their CAS.

The CAS process is different depending on the type of student, and the time it takes to receive a CAS number depends on the level of study and the time of year. The university will issue a CAS number up to six months before the course start date if the student is applying for a visa from abroad and three months before the course start date if the student is applying from within the UK. The CAS statement contains important information that the student should read in full and check the details carefully. The CAS number is essential for the students T4 visa application if they are an international student planning to study in the UK for more than six months.