Apply for your CAS

Shortly after receiving a conditional offer from Brunel University, you will be emailed a link to the CAS Shield system to begin your application for a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). This online platform will guide you through the process and help you upload all necessary documents. You must complete the CAS Shield application before Brunel can issue a CAS. We recommend that you complete the CAS Shield application as soon as you possibly can so you can receive your CAS and apply for your student visa in good time before the start of the course.  

You may be asked to complete a video recorded pre-CAS interview within the CAS Shield application. We do this because students may be interviewed by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) as part of their visa application, to ensure that they have a genuine intention to study in the UK. Therefore, a pre-CAS interview assures us that students are credible and, to the best of our knowledge, would be able to handle the questions that may be asked in a visa interview. 

The CAS Shield interview asks a series of questions on standard topics that would be fairly similar to one conducted by UKVI. You will be asked about why you wish to study in the UK and at Brunel University, how your chosen course supports your career plans and how your studies are being funded. The best advice we can give you (for both interviews) is to answer the questions clearly, honestly and in as much detail as you can. However, please see below for some further guidance on the common topics you will be asked about to support you with this. 

1. Your intentions to study in the UK and at Brunel University: You will be asked why you have chosen to study in the UK, as opposed to in your home country and other countries that offer a high standard of higher education (for example USA, Canada, and Australia). You will also be asked about your chosen course and to explain why you made the decision to do this at Brunel University, in comparison to other UK universities that offer similar courses. Therefore, before completing the interview, take this into consideration so that you can speak about this. What does Brunel University and our course offer that other institutions did not?  You will also be asked specific questions about the content and structure of your chosen course. 
   
   
2. Your education history: You will be asked about what you have studied in the past and how this relates to your chosen course at Brunel. 
   
   
3. Your post-study career plans: You need to explain what you intend to do after you have completed your degree and how this supports your career plans. How can the knowledge and skills you will obtain from the course be applied to your intended profession?
   
   
4. The funding of your studies and your UK living arrangements: The financial cost of studying in the UK is considerable, so you may be asked why you have made this decision when the cost of studying in your home country or other countries may be a lot less. You will be asked about how you are funding your studies in the UK, including tuition and accommodation fees and living costs. If you are being financially sponsored, or are receiving an education loan, you will be asked to provide details of this. You may be asked about the financial requirements of a student visa application, which you will need to know when you come to make it. You will also need to confirm where you intend to live in the UK, and why you have decided this. 

After receiving your offer, please try to meet all conditions as soon as you possibly can. Conditions of offer will typically require you to supply the following documents, if not already supplied in the original application, and the payment of a deposit or evidence of financial sponsorship/education loan. Please check your offer letter carefully and contact the Admissions Office if you have any queries about the conditions.

• Passport: Ensure your passport is valid, at least for the start of the course. If you plan to renew it, we recommend that you do so before starting your CAS and visa applications.
• Academic certificates/transcripts: Where requested, please supply scanned copies of your relevant certificates and transcripts, in order to meet any academic conditions of your offer. You may also be asked to complete a verification process to authenticate some UK degree qualifications (Higher Education Degree Datacheck). 
• English proficiency: Supply evidence of your English language proficiency to meet Brunel's English language requirement. This is likely to be a relevant qualification such as an IELTS certificate, but may include other qualifications as outlined in your offer letter. Please note that some common English qualifications, such as IELTS, have a two year validity period. Brunel will only accept these for entry if valid at the start of the course. 
• Tuition deposit/fees or evidence of financial sponsorship: Where applicable, please pay your tuition fee deposit or provide evidence of your financial sponsorship/education loan as early as possible.
• ATAS certificate: If required for your course, upload your ATAS certificate.

Your CAS will be issued once you have met all conditions of your offer, including the completion of your CAS Shield application, provided you have been deemed suitable for the sponsorship of a student visa. The CAS will be emailed to you within six months of the course start date, and contains essential information for your visa application. If there are any errors, please contact the Compliance Team immediately by replying to the CAS email.