The final phase of the points-based system’s student tier have been implemented. This has resulted in two major changes for Tier 4 sponsors.

Visa letters have become obsolete

From today, all potential Tier 4 students applying to UK from inside or outside the UK must use a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) in their application. All applications that do not contain a CAS will fall for refusal.

Sponsors will need to provide all potential students with a CAS reference number and sponsor licence number (SLN). Sponsors will also need to give students all the information they will need when making their application. This information may include:

• student name;
• student date of birth;
• course title;
• course start and end dates;
• details of any financial sponsorship or deposits taken;
• documents that should be included as part of an application to prove qualifications;
• CAS number; and
• ATAS certificate (if appropriate).

This additional information will help the potential student to complete their application correctly.

If a prospective student has a visa letter issued before 22 February 2010, they can no longer use it to apply for a Tier 4 student visa. If you have issued a visa letter to a student who is intending to apply to UK, you must replace the visa letter with a CAS. For out-of-country students, the date of application is the date when the application fee is paid – so a prospective student must be in possession of a CAS if they are paying their application fee today or later.

Mandatory reporting on students who have been assigned a CAS

Sponsors now must report via the sponsorship management system (SMS) on students who have used a CAS in an application to us.

Before you can issue CASs to migrants, you must have performed the transition exercise on the SMS.