CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) detailed analysis
Forensic check of a draft / issued CAS against Appendix Student validity requirements before paying fees + applying.
UKCASAppendix StudentSponsor licence
The CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) is the single most-important document in a UK Student visa application. UKVI refuses applications where the CAS is invalid, expired, or inconsistent with the application data. Run a full forensic check before the applicant pays the GBP 524 application fee. CAS DATA AS ISSUED: """ [CAS_TEXT] """ COURSE INFO AS APPLICANT UNDERSTANDS: [COURSE_INFO] TUITION DEPOSIT PAID: GBP [TUITION_DEPOSIT_PAID] ATAS REQUIRED: [ATAS_NEEDED] §1 — CORE CAS VALIDITY CHECK (150-180 words) Confirm each field is present + valid: □ CAS number (format: E + 13 digits — e.g. E4G8A1B2C3D4E5) □ Sponsor licence number (8 digits) □ Sponsor name + address — match against UKVI Register of Student Sponsors □ Sponsor rating: A-rated (standard) or Probationary; cross-check current status □ Course title — exact match with university handbook □ RQF level — must be 3 (foundation), 4-5 (sub-degree), 6 (Bachelor), 7 (Master), 8 (Doctoral) □ Start date — within 6 months of CAS issue date □ End date — including thesis submission / dissertation period □ Mode of study — Full-time (required for Student route generally) □ Tuition fee per year (or total for course) — in GBP □ Tuition deposit paid — must match what applicant actually paid □ Maintenance held with sponsor (if any — counts toward 9-month requirement) §2 — DATA CONSISTENCY (100-120 words) Cross-check CAS data against: ▪ Applicant's passport: name spelling, DOB, nationality, passport number ▪ Applicant's English language evidence: matches what sponsor records as accepted ▪ Applicant's qualifications: degree certificates match the academic progression sponsor recorded ▪ Applicant's NARIC/ENIC report (if foreign qualifications used for entry) Common mismatches that trigger refusal: ▪ Name in passport differs from name on CAS (middle name omitted, surname order swapped) ▪ Course start date in CAS differs from applicant's understanding ▪ Sponsor recorded English evidence not accepted by UKVI (e.g. unrecognised test centre) §3 — APPENDIX STUDENT ST 8-12 REQUIREMENTS (100-120 words) For the CAS to be valid under Appendix Student: ▪ ST 8.2: CAS issued no more than 6 months before application date ▪ ST 8.3: Course must be at a recognised RQF level ▪ ST 9.1: Sponsor must hold a Student sponsor licence at the date application is decided ▪ ST 11: Genuine Student requirement — the CAS must reflect a course the applicant is genuinely intending to undertake ▪ ST 12: Academic progression — for follow-on study after a previous Student visa, must demonstrate progression (higher level, OR same level different subject with reasoned justification) If [CLIENT_NAME] is on a re-application or extension: cross-check academic progression evidence. §4 — ATAS GATE (80-100 words) If ATAS is required: the CAS must explicitly state "ATAS required: Yes" with the JACS code. If [ATAS_NEEDED] = Yes: ▪ Verify ATAS certificate obtained BEFORE submitting visa application ▪ Apply at academic-technology-approval-scheme.service.gov.uk (free) ▪ Allow 20-30 working days; 50+ working days for clearance-sensitive subjects ▪ ATAS certificate validity: 6 months from issue to course start ▪ Recently the Foreign Office has tightened ATAS for AI, quantum, nuclear research — expect closer scrutiny If [ATAS_NEEDED] = Unknown: contact the sponsor's admissions team to confirm — they have authoritative JACS coding. §5 — RED FLAGS THAT KILL THE CAS (80-100 words) Refuse to submit the visa application if any of these appear: ▪ Sponsor has just been suspended / revoked (check UKVI register the day of submission) ▪ CAS shows "withdrawn" status (sponsor can withdraw if applicant fails progression conditions) ▪ CAS issued for a course at a sponsor's "additional location" that is not yet approved ▪ CAS conditional on Pre-sessional English completion the applicant has NOT yet completed ▪ CAS shows tuition fee inconsistent with the sponsor's published fee schedule (suggesting CAS-mill fraud) §6 — RECOMMENDED ACTIONS (80-100 words) Based on the above analysis, recommend one of: (A) PROCEED — CAS clean, apply within window (B) REQUEST AMENDED CAS — specific field needs correction (e.g. name spelling, deposit amount) (C) HOLD APPLICATION — pending ATAS / progression / English evidence (D) ESCALATE TO SPONSOR ADMISSIONS — material issue requiring sponsor input (E) DO NOT APPLY — sponsor problem or applicant ineligibility For each recommendation, specify: who does what, by when, and what triggers the next step. End with: "DRAFT — for OISC/IAA-registered adviser or solicitor review. Re-check sponsor licence status on UKVI register on the day of submission; sponsors can be suspended overnight without applicant notification. Keep printed evidence of sponsor rating on filing day."
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