Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)
What is a CAS?
A Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) is a virtual document that is required to apply for a Student Visa to study in the United Kingdom. It contains information about your course of study and personal details.
A CAS will only be issued if you have an unconditional offer from the University or you are an existing student who needs to extend their visa.
Do I need a CAS?
If you are an international applicant or require a Student Visa, and hold an offer, you may need to obtain a CAS in order to make a visa application to study with us.
Not all applicants will require a Student Visa to study with us in York therefore we recommend that you check if this applies to you before requesting a CAS. Find out whether you will need a Student Visa.
As part of the Student Visa process you may also be required to supply evidence of an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) Certificate. If an ATAS is required for entry, this will be noted on your offer letter.
How do I request a CAS?
New students: If you require a Student Visa to study in the UK, please consult the 'Student Visa' section of You@York for further instructions. You will need to follow the request task and upload your passport details. The task includes answering a few basic questions and confirming that you have read the conditions of sponsorship.
Important information: undergraduate students only
There is a maximum time limit ("cap") on studying at undergraduate level with a Student Visa. The CAS request task will ask you if you have previously studied in the UK in order for the University to make an assessment of the total time you have previously studied, to ensure you will have enough time remaining to complete your programme of study.
Following your request for a CAS, you may be required to provide further information in order for an assessment to be made. A CAS will not be issued until the assessment has been completed, and any delay may affect your visa application.
You do not need to pay a deposit if you are a new undergraduate student.
What to expect when applying for your CAS
You can apply for a CAS through the CAS request task in your You@York applicant portal. Before you apply you must have received and accepted an offer for your chosen programme at the University of York.
- The deadline to request your CAS is 11.59pm BST on Wednesday 3 September 2025.
- The last date on which we will issue a CAS for September 2025/6 start date will be Monday 15 September 2025.
You can apply in advance - even if you still have conditions to meet on your offer.
You will have the option of paying your tuition fee deposit. See 'Will I need to pay a deposit?' for further information. In most cases, all academic conditions will need to be met, and a tuition fee deposit paid before a CAS can be issued.
Within 10 working days of you applying for a CAS, meeting all conditions and paying your deposit we will assess your CAS request and in most cases issue your CAS. Where we need more information from you, we will contact you by email. This may mean that it takes longer than ten working days, but we will always aim to issue your CAS as soon as we can. If you have paid your tuition fee deposit please wait 10 working days before contacting us for an update on the status of your CAS.
You do not need to pay a deposit if you are a new undergraduate or postgraduate research student.
Do not make any non-refundable travel or visa appointment arrangements until you have received your CAS.
Frequently asked questions
Please read our frequently asked questions from our previous applicants for further guidance.
No, your passport only needs to be in date at the time the CAS is issued and when you first arrive in the UK.
Yes, the passport on your CAS will need to match the one you make a visa application or arrive in the UK with.
Quite frequently the database does not enable accents to be shown as part of the CAS so we may need to amend the name to allow for this to go through.
In order for us to issue a CAS in line with the UKVI we will enter your name into the surname field and a full stop in the first name field.
Your CAS will pull in any tuition fees and University of York owned accommodation fees that have been paid up to the point of CAS issuance. If you pay any extra after your CAS is issued but before your visa appointment, we will update your CAS accordingly - you do not need to contact us separately to request this. Please note there may be a short delay between you making the payment and your CAS being updated so please wait a few days before checking.
CAS do not include financial Scholarships/Sponsorships information. Please ensure that you take your financial award certificates and letters with you to your visa appointment.
Your CAS will list the maximum amount of time available for you to complete your programme. This usually includes the additional optional write up year for your thesis.
We only record information in this section for UKVI IELTS. A non-UKVI test will be recorded in the Documentation Evidence section of your CAS.
Occasionally you may be required to undergo a credibility assessment as part of your CAS request with the University of York.
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) often conduct their own credibility interviews for Student Visa applicants before granting a Student Visa that allows students to study in the UK. The purpose of the UKVI credibility interview is to ensure that an applicant has a genuine intention to study in the UK.
UKVI credibility interviews are conducted in English. UKVI credibility questions will focus on your reasons for studying in the UK, your background, study and career plans, finances and your plans after completing your studies.
If you are required to undergo a credibility assessment with the University of York you will receive an email with further information and options regarding the date and time of your appointment.
Once you have confirmed your date and time, the credibility assessment will be conducted via Zoom (or an alternative) in English. Students will need to show their passport during the credibility call.
University of York questions will also focus on your reasons for studying in the UK, your background, your study plans, careers plans and finances.
Following successful completion of your credibility assessment, meeting the outstanding conditions of your offer (if applicable) and once the admissions team has fully assessed your CAS request, they will proceed with issuing your CAS.
Please note that if your credibility assessment suggests that you do not have a genuine intention to study or your risk of visa refusal is exceptionally high, we reserve the right to not proceed with issuing you with a CAS.
What if I am unsuccessful in my credibility assessment?
You will first see a notification in your You@York portal.
If the credibility interviewer was unable to find evidence that you will meet UKVI credibility thresholds for entry to the UK to study we will not be able to proceed with issuing you with a CAS and your application will be withdrawn.
You will receive a formal withdrawal notification email.
What if I have paid a deposit?
If you have paid a tuition fee deposit, please email pg-deposits
Who do I contact if I have a credibility assessment query?
- Undergraduate applicants - ug-admissions
@york.ac.uk - Postgraduate applicants - pg-admissions
@york.ac.uk
Yes. When you are requesting your CAS in the 'Student Visa' section of You@York you will be asked to declare whether you have had a previous visa refusal or immigration ban.
You will also need to email any visa refusal/immigration information (for example, a letter issued by the Home Office) to Undergraduate Admissions (ug-admissions
We have a variety of teams that help to issue CAS for those looking to join us at the University of York. Please see the list below for the best team to contact:
Postgraduate Admissions
- Postgraduate taught and research applicants.
- Pre-sessional English - On campus applicants.
- Visiting student applicants.
- Hull York Medical School (HYMS) - Postgraduate applicants based at York.
- International Pathway College (IPC) - Applicants for pre-masters programmes.
Undergraduate Admissions
- Undergraduate applicants
- PGCE applicants
- MA in Social Work (UCAS) applicants
- Hull York Medical School (HYMS) - Undergraduate applicants based at York
- International Pathway College (IPC) - Applicants for international foundation year
Visa Compliance
- All current/enrolled York students
- Current student visa extensions
Hull York Medical School (HYMS)
- Hull York Medical School (HYMS) - Undergraduate and Postgraduate applicants based at Hull Campus
Further guidance
If you require further guidance on obtaining a Student Visa please complete the University of York International Student Support Self-Referral Form.