UK CAS and Credibility Interview: Guide for Nepali Students

Your UK CAS and credibility interview are two linked steps. A CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) is an electronic record your university creates once you meet its offer conditions, with a reference number you enter on your Student visa application. Before issuing it, many universities hold a pre-CAS credibility interview, and the Home Office can interview you again after you apply to check you are a genuine student. Your CAS is valid for six months from the date it is assigned, so you must apply for your visa within that time.

Last checked: 17 October 2026, against GOV.UK and Home Office guidance in force today.

UK CAS and credibility interview: key facts

What is a CAS?

GOV.UK says you need a CAS before you can apply for a Student visa, and that your education provider sends you the reference number once it has offered you a place. The Home Office’s Student sponsor guidance describes a CAS as “not a paper certificate or document but a virtual document, like a database record.”

You need an unconditional offer from a licensed student sponsor. That means you must usually clear every condition first: final transcripts, English requirement, deposit if the university asks for one, and any credibility check. Before you pay any deposit, confirm the university is on the official register of licensed sponsors.

What is in your CAS?

Under the sponsor guidance, the university must fill in the relevant details in the system. These include:

• your personal details;
• your course, its level, and the start and end dates;
• the course fees and how much you have already paid;
• how the university assessed your English, where that is required;
• how it assessed your ability to follow the course, including the qualifications it relied on;
• details of any agent used to recruit you.

The guidance also says you can ask the university for a copy of your CAS. Do it, and check every detail. A wrong name, wrong fee or wrong qualification on the CAS can cause problems with your visa, and the fee figures on it feed directly into how much money you need to show. See our UK student visa cost guide for how fees paid reduce the funds requirement.

How long is a CAS valid, and can you use it twice?

The Sponsorship duties guidance (version 10/2026) says a CAS is valid for six months from the date it is assigned. If you do not use it in that time, it expires. GOV.UK’s Student visa page says the same from the student’s side: you must apply within 6 months of receiving your CAS.

On reuse, the rule depends on what happened to your first application:

• Refused: if you want to reapply, the university must assign you a new CAS.
• Rejected as invalid, or withdrawn by you: the CAS can be used again for a further application, as long as it has not expired.

The guidance also tells universities to treat the CAS number as confidential and send it to you securely. Do not share it in group chats or with anyone who does not need it.

The university’s pre-CAS credibility interview

Universities must make sure prospective students are genuine and can comply with the Immigration Rules. The sponsor guidance says, “For example, you could interview students.” That is why many universities run a pre-CAS interview before they issue your CAS.

Formats differ. Two examples from official university pages:

• UWE Bristol uses an online, recorded interview for most applicants: you answer on-screen questions using your camera and microphone. Its topics are your course, your previous education or work, why the UK, and your plans after study. UWE says being asked to interview “does not mean there is a problem with your application.”
• Nottingham Trent University runs a roughly 15-minute recorded online interview for applicants from listed nationalities, allows one attempt, asks you to show photo ID, and posts the result within 10 working days. It says missing, failing or using AI tools can lead to rejection.

Passing a pre-CAS interview does not guarantee a visa. It is the university’s decision about issuing a CAS; the Home Office makes its own decision later.

The Home Office credibility interview

After you apply, a Home Office caseworker must be “satisfied on the balance of probability” that you are a genuine student. The Student caseworker guidance lists the kinds of things they look at. The list is not exhaustive:

• Immigration history: past UK and other visa applications, refusals, and whether you followed past visa conditions.
• Education history and plans: time since your last study, whether the course is progression, how well you know the course, institution and living arrangements, and how it fits your plans after study.
• Finances: a credible source of funds for fees and living costs, and how those funds were obtained.
• Course provider and agents: whether the institution or an agent involved is flagged for compliance concerns.
• English: concerns about your English can be considered.
• Dependants: whether a family member’s education or healthcare is a main reason for applying.

The guidance says caseworkers must not refuse you on genuineness grounds without interviewing you, except in limited cases such as a repeat refusal with no change in circumstances. It also says they must not refuse you just because you do not know local geography, like bus routes. If you fail to attend an interview without a reasonable explanation, the application can be refused. Interviews can be by telephone or at a set time and place, so keep your phone on and check every email address on your application, including spam.

How to prepare: step by step

1. Know your course. Be able to name modules, how it is assessed, its length, and why it suits you. Read the university’s own course page, not a summary.
2. Explain your progression. Link your +2 or bachelor’s, any work experience, and this course in a clear line. If there is a study gap, be ready to explain what you did.
3. Explain why the UK and why this university. Use real reasons: course content, structure, facilities, location.
4. Know your money. Who is paying, where the money came from (salary, business, land sale, loan), and the total cost. Your answer must match your bank documents.
5. Have realistic plans. Say what you plan to do after the course and how the degree helps, including plans in Nepal if that is true.
6. Know the work rules. Student work hours are limited, so your funding plan should not depend on part-time work.
7. Speak in your own words. Universities warn against reading scripts or using AI. Practise out loud in English with a friend or family member.
8. Get your interview transcript. If you are refused, the decision letter will tell you if you can ask for an administrative review. GOV.UK says it costs £80 (about Rs 16,239) and from outside the UK you must apply within 28 days.

For Nepali students: what to check at home

• Funding story in documents. If money comes from a loan, land sale or family business, keep the official papers ready (loan sanction letter, sale deed, tax documents) so you can explain the source honestly. Our bank balance guide covers how much is needed.
• Previous refusals. Declare every past refusal, for any country. Immigration history is on the caseworker’s list.
• Your agent. Whatever an agent tells you, the answers must be yours and true. The caseworker can consider whether an agent involved is of concern. Check that a consultancy is registered before you sign anything.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Memorised answers that collapse with one follow-up question.
• Not checking the CAS for errors in your name, course dates, fees or qualifications.
• Letting the CAS expire while waiting for funds to sit in the bank. Plan the 28-day funds period inside the 6-month window.
• Assuming a refused CAS can be reused. After a refusal you need a new one.
• Missing a Home Office call or email. Not attending without a good reason can lead to refusal.
• Answers that do not match documents, especially on who is funding you.

What to do next

Read our study in the UK from Nepal guide for the full process, and if things go wrong, our visa refused guide explains your options.

Frequently asked questions

How long is a CAS valid for a UK student visa?
Six months from the date the university assigns it. If you do not apply in that time, it expires.

Can I use the same CAS after a UK visa refusal?
No. Home Office sponsor guidance says the university must assign a new CAS if you reapply after a refusal. A CAS can be reused only if your application was rejected as invalid or you withdrew it.

What questions are asked in a UK credibility interview?
Typical topics include your course and modules, past studies, why the UK and this university, how you are funding your studies, and your career plans. The Home Office also looks at immigration history and finances.

Is the pre-CAS interview the same as the UKVI interview?
No. The pre-CAS interview is run by your university before it issues a CAS. The Home Office can interview you separately after you apply for the visa.

What happens if I miss my UKVI credibility interview?
If you fail to attend without a reasonable explanation, the caseworker guidance says your application can be refused, and must be refused if no acceptable reason is given.

When can I apply for a UK student visa after getting my CAS?
As soon as you have it, but no earlier than 6 months before your course starts, and within 6 months of receiving the CAS.

Related guides

• UK TB Test for Nepali Students: Clinics, Fees, Validity
• Graduate Visa vs Skilled Worker Visa After a UK Degree
• IELTS vs PTE for Nepali Students in 2026: Which to Take

Sources

• Student visa – GOV.UK
• Student visa: your course and CAS – GOV.UK
• Student sponsor guidance collection – GOV.UK
• Student sponsor guidance: Sponsorship duties, version 10/2026 – Home Office (PDF)
• Student and Child Student caseworker guidance (genuine student rule) – Home Office
• Ask for a visa administrative review – GOV.UK
• Pre-CAS (credibility) interviews – UWE Bristol
• Pre-CAS interview – Nottingham Trent University

Last checked: 17 October 2026. This is general information, not immigration advice. Rules change; check GOV.UK and your university before you apply.