Student visa

Your CAS

A CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) is a unique 14 digit reference number which is issued to you by the University once you have accepted your unconditional offer to study a course at the University. The CAS is issued through the Home Office’s online database. 

Your CAS will be issued after you have met the academic conditions as well as the advance fee payment requirement on your offer letter, either by paying the advance fee or by providing official sponsorship letter.

A CAS cannot be used more than once. This means if your visa application is refused, you should contact the International Office immediately with the following information:

• Your name and student number
• A scan of your refusal notice (all pages)

Applying for a CAS

Applying to the University of Huddersfield is a quick and easy process. Visit our applying to the University webpage for the application process. 

Visa processing times

The visa processing times vary from country to country. Visit the Home Office website to find the visa processing times in your country.

Some countries also offer a priority application service which takes around 3-5 working days. Find out online if you can make a priority application in your country.

When to apply

If you are starting a new course, you can make your visa application within 3 months of the course start date stated on your CAS.

If you are applying to extend your current visa, you must make an application before your current visa expires.

Visa application fee

If you are applying from outside the UK, use our online tool to work out your UK visa application fee.

If you are applying in the UK, visit this page for the latest visa application fee (scroll down to ‘Ways to apply’ section).

Working in the UK

If you are on a Student visa and studying a course at degree level or above, you will be permitted to work a maximum of 20 hours per week during term time and full-time during the official holiday periods published on the University website. See this webpage for the term dates.

You can work fulltime after you have finished your course and during the additional period granted at the end of your visa, for example two or four months. However, if you are repeating modules or your course end date has been extended, you cannot work full-time.

Self-employment

Students with a Student visa cannot be self-employed, engage in a business activity, or undertake a permanent fulltime job. This includes freelance photography, freelance writing, private tutoring or selling services or goods directly to an end customer.

Work placements

As a Student visa student you are permitted to undertake a paid or unpaid work placement as long as this meets the following requirements.

• The work placement must be an integral and assessed part of the course;

• The duration of placement must be less than 50% of the course;

• The University remains responsible of monitoring attendance for students whilst they are undertaking a work placement.

Any student originally holding a visa to study a course without a work placement but who later change their mind and decide to undertake a work placement should immediately notify their School’s placement team as well as the Immigration Team in the International Office.

Contact your placement unit.

Further details are available on the work placement webpage.

Working after course completion

Once you have completed your course and if your Student visa is still valid, you can work full-time until your visa expires.

English language courses

If you are studying an English language course or a Pre-sessional course of duration up to 11 months, you can come to the UK on a short term study visa. However, you will not be able to extend this visa in the UK. So if you wish to undertake further study in the UK after the English language or Pre-sessional course, you should apply for a Student visa.

Part-time study

Students studying on a part-time/distant learning basis from their country who wish to visit the University for a short period i.e. PhD students coming to meet their supervisors or attend their viva voce exam can apply for a Standard Visitor visa.

Please note the University does not allow part-time study on a Student visa. If you are in the UK on a Student visa studying a full time course and wish to change your registration to part-time or external student so you can finish the remainder of your course from your home country, you should discuss this with your school in the first instance. Once your mode of study has formally changed to part-time/external, the Immigration & Compliance team is obliged to report this to the Home Office, who may then decide to curtail or cut short your visa length.

Re-sits or PhD viva

You can apply for a Standard Visitor visa if you are a current student at the University and only coming to submit your course work or sit/re-sit an exam.

ATAS Clearance

ATAS clearance certificate is required by some postgraduate students studying science or engineering related courses. See our ATAS clearance page for further details.

Visa interviews

Do I have to go for an interview as part of my application?

Yes, possibly. The UKVI holds these interviews for most students applying for a Student visa from overseas. Visit our credibility interviews page for further details.

Non-enrolment

What happens when I don’t enrol for my course?

If you enter the UK on a Student visa for University of Huddersfield and do not enrol at your course within the enrolment period, you will be in breach of your immigration status. As part of its Sponsor License the University will be obliged to report your non-enrolment to Home Office who will cancel your visa. If you are delayed in joining your course (for example late visa processing), you must contact the International Office to request for more time before travelling to the UK.