In order to apply for a Student Visa you will require a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number. You must have met all your conditions of entry and have an unconditional offer before you can request a CAS number and begin the visa application process.
If you are applying for your visa outside the UK, you can apply for your Student visa up to six months before the start of your course. If you are applying in the UK, you can apply up to three months before your course starts.
Obtaining a visa can take some time. Wherever possible you should allow enough time to apply for your visa so you can start your course on time. Leaving it until the last minute may delay or even prevent you taking up your place at the RCM. The RCM’s International Team will do everything we can to support students to begin their courses on time.
What is a CAS?
All students coming to the UK to study at a higher education institution (HEI) have to be ‘sponsored’ by their institution.
The RCM will issue you with a CAS, which is a number linked to an electronic record of your details that can be seen by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) in their computer system.
This confirms that the RCM has offered you an unconditional place and wishes to sponsor you to come to the UK. You cannot submit a visa application until you have obtained a CAS number. A CAS is valid for 6 months from the date it is issued.
How to request a CAS
Check that you have met all the conditions of your offer and that your place on your course is guaranteed unconditional (GU). This will be displayed on your UCAS Conservatoires Track record if you applied to the RCM through UCAS Conservatoires. If you are unsure please contact our Admissions team.
The RCM is not permitted to issue you with a CAS until we can confirm you meet the UKVI English language requirements, which state that you should be able to speak, read, listen and write in English to at least CEFR B2 level.
UKVI English language requirements
Once you are sure you have met all the conditions of your offer, including any academic requirements, and your offer is guaranteed unconditional please complete a CAS request form.
You cannot save and return to your CAS request form. Please make sure you have all your details to hand before starting.
If you have an unconditional offer to start at the RCM in 2024, please complete the CAS Request Form for 2024-25. Note that the form will not be available until late March.
CAS Request Form for 2024-25
If you are a continuing student who needs to apply for a visa part way through your studies, you can request your CAS using the same form but bear in mind that some questions might not be relevant to you. Please contact international@rcm.ac.uk if you need any assistance.
What happens next?
Once you have submitted your request the RCM will process your details and issue your CAS. At peak times we receive a lot of CAS requests, so please allow plenty of time for this.
The RCM will e-mail you a CAS statement. This is a print-out of what UKVI can see on their computer system.You do not need to enclose this with your visa application. Check your CAS statement carefully. The ‘Evidence Provided’ section will list any academic certificates you have used to meet the conditions of your course.
We recommend that you carry a print-out of your CAS Statement with you when you enter the UK. Doing so can speed up the time it takes to get across the UK border.
Enquiries
If you are having difficulty with your CAS or if you are unsure whether or not your offer is guaranteed unconditional, please contact our International team who will be happy to advise you.
