CAS request form & CAS eligibility interview
To get your CAS you must take the following steps:
- Meet the conditions of your offer
- Pay your deposit (50%)
- Complete our online CAS Request form.
- Book a CAS Eligibility Interview, if you are asked to do so.
This website explains everything you need to know about the online CAS Request form and the CAS Eligibility Interview bookings process.
Please read the information on this website carefully and refer to our other sections (Applying for Your Visa) for further information.
When do you request your CAS?
The earliest you can receive your CAS from our admissions team is usually three months before the start of the course. The latest you can receive your CAS is normally about one month before the start date of your course, unless you are in the UK and meet the criteria for switching from your current visa to a Student Visa with us. You will receive a CAS request from email from our admissions team when you have an unconditional offer and you have paid your deposit.
How to get access to the online CAS Request form
You can usually expect to be contacted about the online CAS request process about three months before the course start date.
You will receive an email from our admissions team with a link to an online CAS Request form when you have received an unconditional offer and paid a 50% tuition fee deposit.
If you haven’t received the email and you meet the above two conditions, please contact us.
What documents you need to complete the CAS Request form
You will need the following documents for completing the online CAS Request form:
- Passport. If your passport is due to be renewed before you apply for your visa, please wait to get your new passport before completing this CAS request. form.
- University of Chichester offer letter/email.
- Deposit payment details and scholarship details (if applicable).
- Previous UK Immigration history details/documents, including UK visa refusals (if applicable).
- If you need a CAS Eligibility Interview, you will also need to have your financial evidence ready for uploading. Please see below for more information on how much money you need to have and how to demonstrate this.
How to complete the CAS Request form
- Please click here for detailed instructions on how to complete the CAS Request form: INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN MAY 2025.
- As part of the CAS Request process you will be asked to upload your passport and any previous UK visa refusal documents (if applicable). Please make sure you have these documents ready.
- Nationalities listed below will require an interview and the CAS request process will guide you to an interview booking portal.
- If you need an interview, you will also need to show evidence of meeting the UKVI financial requirements. You must upload the evidence as part of the interview booking process before the interview takes place.
Who does not need a CAS eligibility interview?
If your nationality is not listed below you do not need to book an interview. You will receive your CAS after completing the CAS Request form and uploading all the relevant documents.
PhD and alumni students, regardless of their nationality, do not need to be interviewed unless this is requested by the supervisor/admissions team.
Who needs a CAS eligibility interview?
If your country of nationality is listed below, you will need to book a CAS Eligibility Interview as part of the CAS Request process. You will get your CAS if you are successful in your interview, pass the financial checks and upload all the relevant documents.
- Afghanistan
- Bangladesh
- Ethiopia
- Ghana
- India
- Iran
- Iraq
- Kazakhstan
- Nepal
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Syria
- Vietnam
We reserve the right to add nationalities to the above list.
Our admissions team may ask you to take part in an interview even if your nationality is not listed above. This could be due to having had a previous visa refusal, unexplained gaps in your study/work history or if you have any criminal convictions,
Why are you interviewed?
When you apply for a Student Route visa, a UKVI caseworker may invite you to an interview to assess whether you are genuinely coming to the UK to study. This interview will consider various factors and the caseworker must be satisfied that on the balance of probabilities you intend to study and comply with all relevant requirements.
In order to comply with the University’s UKVI compliance responsibilities we must conduct a similar genuine student rule based interview before a CAS can be issued to the nationals listed above. You may also be invited to attend a CAS Eligibility interview if you have, for example, unexplained gaps in your work and study history, a previous visa refusal etc. Our admissions team will inform you need an interview based on these criteria.
You may be invited to attend a UKVI credibility interview even if you have not been interviewed by us. UKVI Credibility Interviews are explained on pages 14-20 of the Caseworker Guidance – Student and Child Student.
When to book the interview?
You will need to take these steps before you can book your interview:
- Have an unconditional offer.
- Pay your tuition fee deposit (50%).
- Complete the online CAS request form (see above for more information about the CAS Request form).
- You must have had your interview and completed the financial checks before our CAS issuing deadline of mid-August.
How to book your interview?
The online CAS Request form will ask you if you are a national of one of the countries listed above or if you have had any previous visa refusals. If you answer YES, you will see a link to the online CAS Eligibility Interview booking portal which allows you to select a time and date for your interview.
You will also need to submit your financial evidence as part of the booking process (see below for more information about evidence required). Your interview will be recorded and you will be asked to confirm that you understand the Interview Recording Privacy Statement (below).
Interview Recording Privacy Statement
Under the contractual lawful basis, we will use the information you provide us to ensure that you meet the Student Route visa requirements and to ensure the University meets its UKVI compliance responsibilities.
Your CAS Eligibility Interview will be recorded and this together with the information you have given us, assist us in being able to demonstrate that we have followed a thorough process before issuing students with a CAS to enable them to apply for a student visa. The information you have given us, assists us in reaching a decision to issue you with a CAS. The information will be held securely and only accessible by/shared with International Student Advisers, relevant Admissions and Academic Registry staff, auditors or UKVI. If you have any queries about this process, please email international@chi.ac.uk .
We will not share your personal data with anyone else without your permission and will securely delete it one year after expiry of our visa sponsorship, or within 12 months if we do not issue you a CAS.
To find out more about how the University complies with data protection legislation, including your rights as a data subject please visit www.chi.ac.uk/data-protection .
For any further queries or concerns about how the University complies with Data Protection legislation the Data Protection Officer can be contacted at DPOfficer@chi.ac.uk. You can also find out more about your rights as a data subject at www.ico.org.uk .
How to prepare for the interview?
The purpose of the interview is to talk about your plans to study at the University of Chichester. Try to relax and answer the questions in full and as naturally as you can. You should answer honestly and authentically and be prepared to expand on your answers – say as much as you can about the reasons for planning to study on your chosen course at the University of Chichester and in the UK.
•It will take about 20 minutes.
•You will need to access the Microsoft Teams link in your meeting invitation email.
•At the start of the interview we expect you to confirm your full name and show us your passport to prove your identity.
•Make sure you have a reliable internet connection for the duration of the interview.
•You will need to be in a quiet location and be alone where you will not be disturbed during the interview.
If you have any difficulties accessing the meeting link on the day of the interview, please email us international@chi.ac.uk.
How to demonstrate that you meet the UKVI financial requirements for a Student Visa (Financial Evidence)
We will check your financial evidence as part of the CAS Eligibility Interview process. You must have the evidence and share it with us before the interview takes place. You will be able to share your financial evidence with us when you book your CAS Eligibility Interview.
You must show that you have the funds to pay your tuition fees and living costs and you must demonstrate this is in a way that meets the UK Visas and Immigration rules.
Read this: CAS Eligibility Interview & Finance Checks document to understand how much money you need to have and what type of evidence you can use.
What to do after getting your CAS
Once you have passed the interview and financial checks, our admissions team will email your CAS to you. You must check that the CAS has your details recorded correctly. Please inform the admissions team if you see any mistakes. The CAS email includes a document which includes important information about your visa application. You must read the document carefully, as it will help you complete your online visa application form and it helps you understand what to do if you encounter any difficulties and who to contact if you need assistance. You should apply for your visa as soon as possible after getting your CAS. It can take up to three weeks to get your visa decision. During peak times it can take longer. See more information on how to submit your visa application by visiting the “Applying for Your Visa” section of this website.
Wait for your visa to be granted before travel
You will need to wait for your visa to be granted before travelling to the UK.
You will be issued a digital eVisa. Some nationalities may still be given a 30-day entry clearance sticker to enter the UK. You will receive instructions on how to access your eVisa when you receive a notification that it has been granted.
What happens if you don’t pass the interview and/or financial evidence checks?
In some situations we may reject an applicant based on their interview answers and/or in cases where fraudulent financial evidence has been provided. In addition, inability to provide evidence of meeting the financial requirements before the CAS issuing deadline can lead to a decision to not to issue a CAS. The decision to reject an applicant is final and cannot be appealed.
Who to contact if I have any questions?
Please email international@chi.ac.uk if you have any questions about the CAS request and CAS eligibility interview process or if you require visa advice. We are here to help and support you with your pre-arrival journey!