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Information you will need for your application

Last updated: 24/10/2024 14:26

To apply for your Student visa, you'll need to provide the following pieces of information.

Your CAS number is your unique reference number which you will need to include in your visa application. Your CAS will be emailed to you and is not required in paper copy.

The CAS email will include:

  • your personal details
  • the qualification(s) upon which your offer was based
  • details of your course
  • our address
  • our sponsor licence number: NB0C74WCX

To get your CAS email you must have:

  • passed all your exams and sent us copies of your qualifications or transcripts required as part of your offer
  • accepted an unconditional offer for a course at Cardiff University
  • paid your deposit (if applicable)
  • checked that all the information on your draft CAS email is correct.

Before you are sent your final CAS, we will email you and ask you to check that all the details on your CAS are correct on the Online Applicant Service. Make sure the following are correct:

  • your personal details - for example, that your name is exactly as it appears on your passport
  • all the details of the qualifications shown in the evidence section of the CAS
  • details of the course that you are coming to study at Cardiff University
  • course duration
  • any tuition fee payment that you have made to the University is recorded on the CAS.

Your CAS email must not be more than six months old when you apply for your student visa. If you use it after this date, your application will be refused.

You will not be emailed your final CAS until you have checked your CAS online. Take time to check your CAS carefully and make the corrections on the Online Applicant Service (SIMS online).

It takes time to change your CAS after it has been issued, and your visa application could be delayed or even refused if your CAS is wrong. No changes can be made to the CAS once your visa application is submitted.

If you require any changes or have any questions at this stage, please contact the Student Visa Compliance Team via our web form.

This must be completed online. Select 'Student Visa'.

To read the guidance notes and download paper application forms, visit the GOV.UK website.

Download our guide ‘How to complete the OVERSEAS online Student Route Visa Application Form’.

For your Student visa application, you will need to submit your transcripts, certificates, and references showing that you have satisfied the entry requirements for your course at Cardiff University.

Your CAS will list the qualifications you need to submit. Please see the evidence section.

You need to show that you have a certain amount of money to cover your tuition fees and living costs in order to get a Student visa. Please access the money section in our downloadable Guide for applying for a Student route visa from overseas.

The maintenance requirement for students is increasing for any application submitted from 2 January 2025.

Currently, the amount needed is £1,023 per month of the course up to a maximum of 9 months. From 2 January 2025, this will increase to £1,136 per month of the course up to a maximum of 9 months.

Funds must be held for a minimum of 28 days, so if applying from 2 January 2025 ensure the higher amount of funds is held.

See our downloadable guide for further information about fee and maintenance amounts, time requirements, and further UKVI requirements for financial documents.

Please see our relevant ATAS page for more information.

ATAS clearance is required for postgraduate qualifications (taught and research) in certain science, engineering or technological disciplines but also includes some enhanced undergraduate courses such as MEng.

ATAS requirement will be stated in your offer letter and on your CAS. The relevant Common Aggregation Hierarchy (CAH) code can be found on your offer letter.

Please contact your academic school if you are unsure of your CAH code.

ATAS application take 30 working days to process and can take longer. There is no process to expedite applications. Please apply early. You do not need to wait for your CAS to apply and the information needed for ATAS application will be stated on your offer letter.

Residents from some countries are required to obtain a certificate confirming they are free from infectious TB before applying for a visa.

For more information see our vaccinations and health checks page and the Home Office information page.

You will need to provide your passport with your student visa application. Check that it is valid on the date of application and for sufficient time for the visa to be granted and for you to travel to the UK for your course.

If your passport expires during your time in the UK, check with your embassy to see if you are able to renew it in the UK, along with the requirements for doing so and the timeframes and costs for this.

It is important to hold a valid passport at all times while you are outside your home country. Do not let your passport expire without replacement.

If any of the documents (for example, references, qualifications, transcripts, and bank statements) you are submitting are not in English, then you must also include a fully certified translation by a professional translator.

As part of your visa application, you will need to visit a visa application centre to have your fingerprints and photograph taken. You must also take your passport and supporting documents to this appointment

The immigration health surcharge is a financial contribution to the UK's National Health Service (NHS). Find out more about this on our medical insurance page.

You will be required to pay this as part of your visa application and will not be able to proceed without it. This fee is payable even if you opt to take out private health insurance.

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