UK Student Visa Application: CAS, Documents and Financial Evidence
UK student visa step by step for 2026–27: CAS, £558 fee, IHS £776 a year, the 28-day funds rule and a week-by-week application timeline.
Your offer letter is only one part of a Student visa application. Check your CAS, financial evidence and required documents before submitting, using the current rules for your circumstances.
What the application costs and what it proves
Every application has the same two fixed costs: the £558 application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge at £776 per year of the visa. Because visa length includes the course plus a post-study buffer, the surcharge depends on course length more than people expect — a nine-month master's pays one year, while a four-year undergraduate degree pays £3,492. Budget both before you accept an offer, because payment is part of the application itself, not a later step.
The money evidence is the part that fails most often, and it fails on mechanics rather than amounts. Funds must be held for 28 consecutive days ending within 31 days of applying, and the required balance is £1,529 per month in London or £1,171 outside for up to nine months, plus unpaid fees. The table below shows the balance to hold for common course types with all fees unpaid.
| Course | Living costs | Plus unpaid fees | 28-day rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master's, 9 months, London | £13,761 | First-year fee on CAS | Funds held 28 days |
| Master's, 12 months, outside London | £10,539 | First-year fee on CAS | Funds held 28 days |
| Undergraduate, London | £13,761 | First-year fee on CAS | Funds held 28 days |
View as table
| Label | Value (weeks before course start) |
|---|---|
| CAS issued | 8 weeks before course start |
| Apply online | 6 weeks before course start |
| Decision (standard) | 3 weeks before course start |
| Arrive from | 4 weeks before course start |
The five decision points inside the application
A well-prepared application is a sequence of five confirmations. One: the CAS details match your passport exactly, including name order and date of birth, because mismatched letters are a top refusal reason that no fee refund covers. Two: the financial evidence covers the full computed requirement, not just the headline figure - a London applicant with 10,000 pounds of unpaid fees must show 23,761 pounds, not 13,761. Three: English and academic requirements are already met and evidenced, since conditional offers do not convert into visas. Four: ATAS applies if your subject is on the list, and it must be approved before the visa application itself. Five: the credibility answers - course choice, funding plan and post-study intentions - line up with your documents.
Timing holds the sequence together. The CAS can be issued no more than six months before course start, applications can be lodged up to six months ahead from overseas, and the standard decision lands in about three weeks. Work backwards from enrolment, hold the 28-day funds window inside the final month, and keep every document in the exact format the checklist names.
Start with your offer and CASFollow your university's instructions for accepting the offer and obtaining a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, known as a CAS. Check the course dates, personal details and fee information. If something is incorrect, ask the university to resolve it before you submit the visa application.
GOV.UK explains the Student visa route and the timing for applications made inside or outside the UK. Your circumstances determine which application process and supporting documents apply. An admission offer alone is not permission to enter or study in the country.
Check the financial evidence
Use the current GOV.UK financial requirements and the amounts on your CAS. The required course-fee evidence and living-cost evidence are separate. Some applicants qualify for an exemption or different evidence arrangements; check the conditions rather than assuming your nationality or scholarship automatically removes the requirement.
If you use bank statements, check the required holding period and the age of the evidence. If an official financial sponsor supports you, confirm what its letter covers and whether it meets the visa rules. A scholarship that covers tuition but not living costs may leave additional evidence to provide.
Prepare the documents relevant to your case
The application may involve identity documents, financial evidence, English evidence and additional certificates. A tuberculosis test or Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate is required only where the applicable rules say so. Check translations and make sure names and dates are consistent across documents.
Follow the identity-verification instructions given during the application. Keep copies of the completed form, supporting documents and payment confirmations. Do not book travel on the assumption that a visa decision will arrive on a particular day.
Read the decision and conditions
When a decision is issued, check your digital immigration status or other permission and follow the university's instructions before travelling. Review the course dates, work conditions and any requirements that apply to dependants or changes in study.
For a detailed decision on an unusual situation, contact your university's international student adviser or an appropriately qualified immigration adviser. Use this guide to organise the process; the current official requirements determine what your application needs.
Work from your CAS and current instructions
Before submitting, compare the details on your CAS with your passport and offer. Check the course dates, fees and any payments recorded by the sponsor. If something is wrong, contact the university rather than editing or explaining away an incorrect document yourself. Make a checklist for the evidence that applies to your circumstances, including any required financial, health or academic documents. Keep scans organised and readable. A visa appointment or application payment does not guarantee approval, so distinguish confirmed requirements from travel arrangements you have not yet committed to.
Organise the application around the CAS
The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies links your visa application to the sponsoring institution and course. When it becomes available, check the personal and course information carefully against your passport and offer. Ask the university to resolve an error before you submit rather than typing a different answer into the visa form and hoping the discrepancy is harmless.
Check what evidence the sponsor used to assess your admission, and which documents the official visa instructions require from you. The university's CAS process and the immigration application are connected but separate. Meeting an academic condition does not automatically establish that financial evidence or another visa requirement has been met.
A practical document sequence
| Stage | Action | Evidence to retain |
|---|---|---|
| Before the CAS | Meet the sponsor's conditions and provide requested details | Offer, fee information and correspondence about outstanding conditions. |
| After the CAS | Check names, course details and recorded payments | CAS information and any written correction from the sponsor. |
| Before submitting | Review current financial and document instructions | Required financial evidence, translations and any case-specific documents. |
| At submission | Complete the official form and identity process | Submitted answers, payment confirmations and appointment details if applicable. |
| After the decision | Read the permission and access the immigration status record | Decision details and instructions for your individual permission. |
Some applicants need additional documents such as an ATAS certificate or tuberculosis test result. The requirement depends on the relevant rules and circumstances. Use the official checklist and sponsor guidance; do not obtain an unrelated document simply because another student needed it.
Check financial evidence as a timeline
Where funds must be held for a specified period, write down the start and end dates and the planned application date. The current GOV.UK money guidance describes a twenty-eight-day holding period and a thirty-one-day relationship between the end of that period and the application date for relevant evidence. Check exemptions and accepted sponsorship or loan evidence separately.
Keep the visa-evidence total separate from everyday affordability. Tuition paid and recorded on the CAS, living-cost evidence, application charges and arrival expenses are different parts of the calculation. Ask the sponsor if a payment is not reflected correctly rather than subtracting it from your evidence without checking the instructions.
Read the decision before making the next assumption
After approval, follow the instructions for accessing and checking your immigration status. Confirm the conditions attached to your permission, including work and study restrictions. If a detail appears incorrect, use the official correction route or your university's advisers promptly. Keep travel plans consistent with the permission actually granted.
Can an academic offer replace a CAS?
An offer is not the CAS required for a Student visa application. Follow the sponsor's process for issuing the CAS after the relevant conditions are met.
Should I use an old checklist from a previous intake?
Use it only to organise early preparation. Check the current government instructions before submitting, especially for evidence amounts, fees and documents that may have changed.
Questions applicants often ask
How long does a UK student visa decision take in 2026?
The standard service is around three weeks outside the UK, with priority options where offered. Apply up to six months before your course starts, and keep your 28-day funds window inside the 31 days before you apply.
What is the total upfront cost of a UK student visa?
£558 application fee plus £776 per visa year of IHS: £1,334 all-in for a nine-month master's, £1,722 for a twelve-month course, and £4,050 for a four-year undergraduate degree.
Official sources and further readingRequirements and policies should be checked for your programme and application date.
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Official sources and further reading
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