Applying for a visa
If you are coming to the UK to study a postgraduate degree for longer than six months, you will need to apply for a student (previously entitled Tier 4) visa from your nearest British Embassy or High Commission.
Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)
As part of your visa application, you will need a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from Loughborough University as your sponsoring institution. Your CAS statement will help you to calculate how much money you need to show for any outstanding tuition fees, and identify which documents you need to provide as evidence of how you secured your course offer.
If you are an international student and need to be issued with a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) to enable you to apply for your student visa, you should pay a deposit to confirm that you intend to study with us at Loughborough University. You can find more information on paying your CAS deposit on our dedicated webpage.
- Satisfied all the conditions of your offer
- Obtained an ATAS certificate if required
- Accepted your offer through the University's Application Portal
- Provided the University with your passport number
- Paid your CAS deposit
Remember to check your visa
When you receive your visa, if is important to check that all of the details are correct before travelling to the UK. It is often easier to have any necessary corrections made by the UK visa service in your home country before arriving in the UK.
Occasionally, problems occur with the spelling of names and addresses, especially for students who are applying for a visa from a country that uses a different alphabet to English. To minimise the risk of possible spelling issues, it is sensible to decide on one spelling of your name in English and then use this at all times. Preferably, this should be the spelling that is used in your passport.
Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)
Your visa will be issued for a period of 30 days, which provides you with enough time to travel to the UK and collect your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). Your BRP is an extremely important document containing permission for you to stay in the UK for longer than your original visa.
When you complete your visa application, you will need to provide contact details for somewhere in the UK and/or where you are studying. You will also need to confirm which Post Office you intend to collect your BRP from. You can use the university’s address for this purpose:
University address:
Nearest Post Office:
Already living in the UK?
If you currently hold a student visa with another UK institution, you must apply for a new student visa using a CAS from Loughborough University. You can do this by following the steps above.
If you have applied for a new visa whilst already living in the UK and have not received a decision before registration, please keep a copy of the Home Office letter confirming receipt of your visa application with you during the registration process. You should then bring your passport and BRP to the University for scanning, as soon as your documents have been returned. Failure to do so may result in the University placing you on a Leave of Absence and possibly withdrawing your student visa sponsorship if applicable.
UK Visas and Immigration advice
The UK Visas and Immigration information on the direct.gov website includes up-to-date information on how and where to apply for a student visa, and offers advice on the application procedures for your country.
Find out more