Guide to the CAS statement

As a non-UK passport holder you require immigration permission that allows you to study in the UK. For most students with an offer for a postgraduate programme at LSE, the visa you require is a Student visa.

Please note that if you are currently in the UK with a Standard Visitor visa (also known as a tourist visa), a Short-term Visitor visa or with certain types of immigration categories, you cannot apply inside the UK for a Student visa.

If you are in the UK and you do not already have a Student visa, please contact the International Student Visa Advice Team to find out whether you are able to apply inside the UK.

The CAS statement we sent you contains a list of information that LSE has supplied to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) in order to generate your individual CAS.

The CAS is a unique reference number and NOT a paper document. You do not need a hard copy of your CAS when making your visa application.

The CAS links you to LSE and means you can only study at LSE. If you use a CAS from another university in your application, you will not be able to study at LSE until you have applied for a Student visa for LSE.

1.  CAS details: Your visa will list the 'sponsor licence number’, which identifies LSE as your Student visa sponsor. This means that if you want to study at LSE, you must use the CAS issued by LSE. If you obtain a Student visa for a different institution and then decide that you want to study at LSE, you will have to apply again with an LSE CAS and obtain a new visa. If you have not travelled to the UK yet, you should do this before leaving your home country.
   Your CAS number is unique to you and the programme you will be studying. You will need to use this number in the Student visa application form.
   The only part of the CAS which can be changed is the sponsor note. If we need to make a change after issuing you with a CAS (for instance because you have a new passport) we will send you an updated CAS with the changes explained here.
2.  Student details: Please ensure that the details contained in your CAS match those in your passport exactly.
   There are two exceptions to this. Firstly, the nationality and country of birth fields are both chosen from a UKVI list. These should refer to the same country as your passport, but the wording may be slightly different (for example ‘INDIA rather than ‘Indian’).
   Secondly, the UKVI’s IT system does not accept accents or non-English characters (so André, for example, may show as Andre).
   Please note that the formatting of your name on your CAS should match that on your passport. We may have split your names into the categories to make it easier for you to apply for your visa online. It is important that all the names listed on your passport are on your CAS and your application but the formatting can be flexible. 
3.  Course details: Please confirm that the course details are correct.
   The course level will always be QCF_NQF8 or QCF_NQF7. Please note NQF is the equivalent to RQF on the Student visa application form.
   Please note that you should always use the course start date quoted in your CAS statement when completing your visa application. The offer letter may show a slightly different date due to the way in which we organise the registration period to avoid overcrowding.
   You are not required to submit your LSE offer letter or certificate with your visa application.
   For the vast majority of students, the CAS statement will confirm that ATAS clearance is ‘Not required’. If your offer letter states that you require ATAS clearance, but you have obtained your CAS without having obtained an ATAS certificate, please inform the Graduate Admissions Office immediately.
4.  Evidence provided: LSE will have assessed your English ability before issuing you with your CAS. Your CAS will confirm that you do not need to supply a Secure English Language Test (SELT).
   Previous UK student only refers to people who have studied on a Student visa, or a Tier 4 visa from before 2020 – not short-term or other non-student visas.
   If you are studying a course at the same level as your previous course, we will have explained the reasons why. You may also be asked about this in a visa interview.
   In the evidence reviewed section we will list the degree qualification that we used to assess you for your offer. Please note that your CAS statement will list only one set of qualifications, even if you have obtained more than one degree.
   You will not need to provide evidence of your qualification as part of your application because LSE is a Higher Education Provider with a Track Record of Compliance.
   
   
5.  Fee information: Your CAS statement will confirm the first-year programme fees and the course fees paid to date. It is important that you do not pay more than your first-year fees. Any overpayments that you make will be returned to the bank account from which the payment originated.
   If you have recently made a payment towards your fees that is NOT reflected in your CAS statement, please wait for an updated version to be sent to you. Please note that we can only update your CAS statement if you have not yet applied for your visa.
   If you have financial support from LSE this information will be added to your CAS. If you have support from outside of LSE, this will not be added to your CAS (unless the money is paid). You can provide evidence of such funding in your visa application.
   Accommodation fees (including deposits) will not be listed on your CAS. If you require an official receipt, you can request one from the Accommodation Office by emailing Residences.Fees@lse.ac.uk

1. Financial requirements:You should read the information on the Student Advice and Engaagement team webpage very carefully. It is not difficult to apply for a Student visa, but it is easy to make simple mistakes which can lead to your visa being refused. In our experience, the majority of refusals occur because of avoidable mistakes with financial documents. Please take care.
   At the visa application stage, you will also need to provide evidence (in the form of official bank statements, scholarship letters and / or receipts) that you have the finances in place to cover your tuition and maintenance costs.
   You will need to hold the finances in place for a consecutive 28-day period finishing on the date of the closing balance. This closing balance must be no more than 31 days before you apply. Details of money already paid towards your LSE tuition fees will be listed on your CAS.
2. Credibility interviews:Many students are asked to attend an interview as part of the application process. Students who are required to attend an interview will probably experience delays to their visa application. We therefore advise you to submit your visa application as soon as possible (no more than three months before the start of your programme if you are applying from inside the UK and no more than six months if you are applying from outside the UK), once you meet the Student visa financial requirements.
3. Academic progression: If you are already in the UK as a Tier 4 student studying at a different institution, you must apply for a Student visa to study at LSE before you can register at LSE and start your programme. If you have previously had permission to stay as a pre-Tier 4 Student or a Tier 4 (General) Student, then LSE can only give you a CAS for a new course if your new course represents academic progress from your previous studies.
   UKVI now require:
   •     Justification for study at the same level which shows that the new course relates to previous study or aids the applicant’s career plans (you may also be required to justify this in a credibility interview).
   •     No study at a lower level is permitted – your application will be refused.
   •     Students who fail to successfully complete their previous course of study can only apply outside the UK for the visa. You may need transcripts from your previous course.
   •     If you are not going to receive official confirmation that you have completed your course in time to apply for a visa to study at LSE, you can contact your current university to request a letter which states that, based on your performance throughout the course, the university deems that you are highly likely to complete the course successfully. If you are a current LSE student, you can request this letter from Registry here. Alternatively, you can choose to apply for the visa from outside the UK where this academic progression regulation is not applicable therefore a ‘highly likely letter’ would not be necessary.
   •     Academic progression does not apply if the applicant is applying from overseas.
   
   For further information or if you think you are affected by this, please check the guidance from the LSE Student Advice and Engagement team on applying inside the UK.

Please note, your CAS can only be used once. If your Student visa application is refused, you must inform LSE and request a new CAS. You should not re-apply using the same CAS number because you will receive a second refusal. Your new CAS number will only be issued to you once you have been advised how to avoid another refusal by the Student Advice and EngagementTeam. You should note that LSE reserves the right not to issue you with a new CAS if you are at risk of further refusals.
Please read the LSE’s Student Advice and Engagement team guidance for more information about these and other visa issues.