CAS Shield for UK: All you need to know
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International students require a UK Student Visa to study in the UK and a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies) letter to apply for this visa. This document includes information such as the student’s personal details, selected program, duration of the program, and a unique CAS number. Read article and get informed about what a CAS Shield is, how is a CAS issued, CAS requirements, and much more.
CAS Shield is an online platform used by UK universities to verify and process the documents of international students who have received an offer to study in the UK. A CAS letter issued to you by the university helps in the visa and immigration process. If a university in the UK provides you with a CAS shield then, this means that the university is agreeing to act as your UK student visa sponsor.
What is CAS Shield?
CAS Shield is an online self-service system that helps candidates to upload all of their information and important documents. CAS Shield will be auto-populated with information about the candidate and the candidate's programme that he/she provided at the time of application and he/she has to check this for accuracy. The information provided by you must be correct, otherwise, your visa may be refused.
How to Check Your CAS Shield Status?
Once your draft CAS is ready, you will receive an email from the university to check and confirm the details of your draft CAS. You need to visit the OSIS (Online Student Information System) and check the information. After confirming the details you need to approve the draft CAS.
What is Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies?
A CAS is an electronic statement that includes information about you and the programme you are going to study. It also includes your unique 'CAS number'. The university will send your CAS statement via email, once you meet the requirements to be issued a CAS.
What is Included in the CAS?
A CAS statement includes the following information.
- Candidate’s Full name
- Date of birth
- Nationality
- Passport number
- Course and level of study
- Course start and end dates
- University's sponsor license number
- University address
- Campus address
- ATAS requirements
- Details of previous UK study (if applicable)
- Tuition fees for the first academic year
- Tuition fees paid to date
- Qualifications required as part of your offer
When CAS will be Issued?
Once you have accepted the offer to study at your desired university and deposit the payment, the university will send you a CAS Shield invitation via email. CAS Shield is the online self-service system that enables you to provide all your necessary information and documents to receive your CAS. Your personal details on CAS Shield will be pre-populated with the information that you have provided during your application. Make sure the information provided by you is accurate, otherwise, your visa might be refused.
Once you have confirmed that the information is correct and your supporting documents have been approved, the university will issue your CAS. This can be done up to six months before your programme commences. However, you will be able to use it only 3 or 4 months before the commencement of your course.
Once you have your CAS, you should apply for a study visa as soon as possible. Once your visa is issued, you can arrive in the UK up to one month before your programme starts.
What Are CAS Requirements?
Aspirants need to submit some documents during the application process to receive the CAS letter. You need to submit a valid passport, transcripts, and mark sheets of your previous UG or PG course completed by you. You need to submit valid documents having proper credentials. Your CAS number will be issued after the certification of the documents.
How Many Days Does it Take to Get the CAS Letter?
Once you accept the offer from the university, the institution will verify the required documents and provide you with a CAS letter by email. Usually, universities take up to 10 days to send the CAS after confirming the details in the statement.
Can a student apply for a Student visa with an offer letter?
No, you can not apply for a student visa without a CAS number. A CAS number is arranged by the university.
Can you apply to UKVI directly for a CAS number?
No. Only authorised (government-approved) institutions can apply for CAS numbers on behalf of applicants who applied to study with them.
Learn more about studying in the UK
The United Kingdom is the home to some top universities in the world that offer quality law programs to International students. Mentioned below are some top law colleges in the UK for masters:
| LLM Colleges in UK | QS Ranking in 2024 |
|---|---|
| Oxford University | 2 |
| University of Cambridge | 3 |
| The London School of Economics and Political Science | 7 |
| UCL | 14 |
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Coventry University is one of the renowned universities popular for its rankings, academic structure, facilities, research opportunities, and location. The university offers over 130 UG and 100 PG programs across four faculties. Coventry University also ranked no. 1 for student-staff ratio in midlands as per 'The Complete University Guide 2025' and rated gold for student experience as per the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF 2023).