Your CAS letter, or Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, is issued by your UK university and is the document that unlocks your Student Visa application. Once it arrives, you have a specific sequence of steps to follow.

First, check every detail on the CAS carefully. It should show your name exactly as it appears in your passport, your course details, start and end dates, fees charged, and the amount you have already paid. If anything is wrong, even a single letter in your name, contact your university's international admissions office immediately and ask them to amend the CAS before you do anything else.

Once confirmed correct, go to the UKVI website and begin your Student Visa application online. You will need the CAS number to complete the form. The application also asks you to confirm financial evidence. You need to show you have enough money to cover your remaining tuition plus living costs for up to nine months, depending on where in the UK you will be studying. London requires more than other cities.

After submitting online, book a biometrics appointment at a UKVI Visa Application Centre. In India, these are operated by VFS Global. At the appointment, you submit your documents and provide fingerprints and a photograph. Bring your passport, financial documents, English language test results, TB test certificate if required, and your CAS details.

Standard processing takes around three weeks. Do not book flights until your visa is in hand.

Once your visa is approved, you receive a vignette sticker in your passport valid for 30 days to enter the UK. After arriving, you must collect your Biometric Residence Permit within 10 days. Your university will tell you where to collect it. Do not lose this BRP as it is your main identity document throughout your stay.