Prospective students
Immigration and visa information
If you are planning to study at UWS and you are Non-EU national or a national of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland (excluding Irish nationals), you may need to apply for a Student visa in order to enter the UK. There are also a number of important immigration considerations to take into account before making arrangements to travel to the UK.
Information for Prospective Students
Current students
Immigration and visa information
International students currently studying at UWS may need to apply for a Student visa (which replaces the Tier 4 visa) in certain circumstances. There are also a number of important immigration rules and regulations to be aware of while living in the UK as a Tier 4 / Student visa holder.
Information for Current StudentsCAS Information for UWS Scottish Campuses
CAS stands for Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies. If you are an international student and your course is more than 6 months long, you need a CAS in order to apply for a Student visa. Each CAS is a unique code that links to a virtual document on the UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) online system and contains information about you and your intended programme of study at UWS. That means that a CAS issued by the UWS can only be used in a Student visa application for study at UWS on a specific course of study for which the CAS was issued.
UWS CAS Information - FAQs (pdf)Academic Technology Approval Scheme
In order to study in the UK, international students undertaking certain courses of study may need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate in addition to their Student visa.
You may need an ATAS certificate if you are an international student and you're studying:
- as an undergraduate student
- a taught masters
- a research masters at PhD/doctoral level
- and applying for an extension to stay for the sole purpose of writing up your thesis (if your visa was issued after 30 November 2007) as a visiting research student
- an enhanced MEng undergraduate degree
The UK Government website provides comprehensive information about when an ATAS certificate is required along with application guidelines.
The information provided here by the University is just guidance. Immigration laws change frequently, so for the most up-to-date visa information, we recommend that you visit the UK Government website for visa information.
International Student Advisers
UWS’s team of International Student Advisers (ISAs) are authorised by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) to provide Level 1 immigration advice to our international students.
ISAs can advise on matters such as:
- Applying for a student visa including eligibility and financial requirements
- Protecting Tier 4 / Student visa status
- Bringing dependents to the UK
- Working during your studies
- Working after your studies including the Doctorate Extension Scheme (DES) and the Start up visa
CONTACT OUR INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ADVISERS
Discover more and watch this video about our International Student Support Team:
Watch International Student Support team video
Find out more about latest events including visa workshops:
Latest events (including visa workshops)
View and Register for our upcoming events on Eventbrite:
Click here to register for our upcoming events
For further information on travel, immigration and international student support, please visit the:
International Student Support MyDay tile
Alternatively, the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website is an invaluable source of information and advice for international students.
Last updated: 21/05/2021