Request a new CAS (current students)

This page is for current students and postgraduate researchers (PGRs) at the University who wish to request a new Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) because you need to make a new Student visa application.

This usually means that there has been a change to your course that has resulted in your previous visa being cancelled or the extension of your course end date.

Every CAS has a unique number that can only be used once per application. You cannot apply for a Student visa using a CAS that has already been used for a previous application.

You will need a request a new CAS if you need to apply for a new Student visa or to extend your Student visa in the UK.

Please note: If you are an applicant or starting a new course, you do not need to request a CAS. Your CAS will be emailed to you by the University’s admissions team after you have accepted your offer.

When to request a new CAS

You must ensure that you request your new CAS as early as possible, so that you will have enough time to make your new visa application.

If you need to extend your Student visa

You can request a new CAS up to three months before the date that you will need your new Student visa to begin. This might be the start date of the next academic year or semester, or the date that your current visa expires.

If you need to extend your Student visa because you have added a work placement/industrial or study abroad/international year to your course, you should either request your new CAS three months before the start of your placement year or at the end of your placement year.

If you are returning from suspension/temporary leave/external resits

You can request a new CAS up to six months before the date you are required to return to the University.

If you took temporary leave for medical reasons, you must first provide your school with medical evidence to prove that you are fit to return to your studies.

If you are returning following external resits, we will not be able to process your new CAS until your school has confirmed that you are permitted to progress to the next level of your course.

If you are a PGR returning from suspension, you should contact your graduate school to discuss your return before requesting a new CAS.

How to request a new CAS

You must complete the CAS Request Form. After you submit the form you will receive a confirmation email instructing you to send copies of the documents that we will need to process your request.

Complete the CAS Request Form

You must be logged in with your University of Leeds Microsoft account to open the CAS Request Form.

Required documents for a CAS Request

After you submit the CAS Request Form you will be asked to send us copies of the documents that we will need to process the request.

We will check these documents to confirm that you are eligible to apply for a new Student visa and you meet UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)’s financial requirements for the new application.

If you are a taught student, please email your documents to the CAS extensions team at CAS@leeds.ac.uk.

If you are a Postgraduate Research (PGR) student, please email your documents to the Doctoral College Operations Progression and Examinations Team at rp_student@adm.leeds.ac.uk.

Include your student ID number with your email.

Please provide copies of the following documents:

Passport
Previous CAS
Previous UK visas
Any Notices of Cancellation or Notices of Curtailment you have received from the Home Office
ATAS certificate, if required (find more information below)
Financial documents (e.g. bank statements), unless you are exempt (find more information below)
Letter from your official financial sponsor, if applicable
If you have previously been financially sponsored, and this has come to an end within the last 12 months, you must provide a letter of consent to continue your studies from your sponsor
English translations of any documents that are not in English.

If there are any documents that you are unable to provide, please include an explanation for the reasons why in your email.

You may be asked to provide additional documents if these are necessary to process your CAS request.

Further information about the ATAS requirement

The Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) applies to certain international students and PGRs studying specific sensitive technology-related subjects. If your course requires ATAS approval, you will be required to submit a valid ATAS certificate with your new Student visa application. ATAS applications take at least 30 working days to be processed but they can take longer during the busy period of April to August. Each ATAS certificate is valid for six months.

You do not need a new CAS to apply for an ATAS certificate. You can apply for your new ATAS certificate before you receive your new CAS.

It is your responsibility to check if you need a new ATAS certificate, and to apply for your new ATAS certificate in sufficient time.

Find more information about ATAS.

Further information about the financial requirement

If you have lived in the UK with a valid visa for at least the last 12 months and you apply to extend your Student visa inside the UK, you will automatically meet UKVI’s financial requirement and you will not need to submit any financial documents with your Student visa application. If this applies to you, do not need to send any us any financial documents with your CAS Request.

If you apply for your new visa outside the UK or if you have been in the UK for less than 12 months, you will need to meet the financial requirement on the date you submit your visa application. You will need to send us copies of your financial documents (e.g. bank statements) so that the Student Visa Advice team can check that you meet the requirements. We will still check that you meet the financial requirement if your nationality does not normally need to submit financial documents when applying for a Student visa. Your CAS Request will not be approved if you are unable to prove that you meet the financial requirement.

If you are using your parents’ money, please also send us a copy of the signed letter from your parent(s) confirming they have given you permission to use their money for your visa application and a copy of your birth certificate (or other official evidence of your family relationship such as a household register).

It is your responsibility to maintain your funds at the required level after our checks have been made. Your visa may be refused if you do not meet the financial requirements at the time of your application.

Find more information how to meet the financial requirement, including how much money you need and which documents you can use.

Processing your CAS Request

After we have received your CAS Request Form and documents we will check your details to confirm that you are eligible for a new CAS. As part of these checks, the information that you have supplied with your CAS Request Form may be shared with your school, the Fees team, and the Student Visa Advice team.

Our checks will include:

If there is an academic need for you to spend more time in Leeds
If you are required to be in the UK for your course
If you have met any conditions set by the University for returning to your studies
If your new visa will be within the Student visa time limits
If you meet the financial requirement
If you meet or are exempt from the academic progress requirement
If you are PGR, the records of your supervision meetings in GRAD must be up to date.

A CAS is usually issued within five to 10 working days of all the checks being completed. Please note that your request may take longer to process if we need further information from you, your school, or the Fees team.

Receiving a new CAS

If your CAS Request is approved your new CAS will be sent to your University email address. Your new CAS will be valid for six months.

When you receive your new CAS you should check all the details carefully (including the course end date) to ensure they are correct. If there are any errors please email the team that processed your request.

When your CAS Request might be rejected

The University will not issue a new CAS to any student that does not meet the requirements for a Student visa or for study at the University of Leeds. Your CAS Request may be rejected if (the below list is not exhaustive):

You do not provide the requested information and documents with your CAS Request
You submit the Request too early
There is no academic requirement for you to be in the UK (or approved study abroad), for example if you are resitting part of your course as an external student or you are a PGR who has been referred for re-examination and your school has confirmed that you do not need to be in the UK during your referral period.
The University’s immigration compliance team determines that there is a strong likelihood that your new application for a Student visa will be refused
You have exceeded or will exceed the time limits for studying in the UK with a Student visa
You have outstanding debts to the University
You do not pass any required financial screening and due diligence checks that may be required for students from certain countries

If your CAS Request is rejected we will write to you via email to explain the reasons why and your next steps.

Use your new CAS to make a new application

After you receive your new CAS you will need to prepare and submit your new Student visa application.

Where to submit your new application

If you have a valid visa and meet, or are exempt from, the academic progress requirement, you can choose to apply to extend your Student visa inside the UK.

If you already have a valid Student visa and are applying to extend this visa inside the UK, you must submit the new application before your current visa expires. You will be able to stay in the UK and study while the new application is pending, but you will not be able to travel until you receive the decision.

Find more information about extending your visa in the UK.

If you do not have a valid visa or if you do not meet the academic progress requirement, you will be required to apply for your new Student visa outside the UK in your home country.

Find more information about applying for a new visa outside the UK.

If your application is refused

If your new visa application is refused you will not be able to use the same CAS number again. If you receive a visa refusal you must email the Student Visa Advice team at studentvisaadvice@leeds.ac.uk with a copy of your refusal letter and wait for their advice.

Get support

We recommend that any current students or PGRs needing to apply for a new Student visa contact our Student Visa Advice team for free advice and support with your new application. Email the Student Visa Advice team at studentvisaadvice@leeds.ac.uk (please include your student ID number with your email).

If you have any questions about your CAS Request please contact the relevant team: