Applying for your visa to study at Manchester

Most international students will need to obtain a Student Route visa to study at The University of Manchester.

To apply for this visa, you must have a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) issued by the University. The CAS is a unique reference number which confirms that the University has agreed to be your sponsor, and provides information about you and your study to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) as part of your visa application.

If you currently hold a different UK visa, you may be able to still use this when you choose to study. If you do, you should ensure that you’re still able to meet the conditions for which your visa was issued.

Further information about other eligible visa types is available on our Student Support site.

Receiving your CAS number

Once you have accepted an unconditional offer for your programme of study, you'll be invited to complete the Right to Study check. If the check identifies that you require a CAS to study at The University of Manchester, this will be sent to your academic School for them to start preparing your CAS.

If you’re undertaking a one-year taught master's degree, you are required to pay a deposit of £1,000 before the CAS can be issued. Visit our deposits and early payments page for further information.

Once your CAS has been created, you'll be sent an email asking you to check your draft CAS in MyManchester and confirm that your details are correct. Once you have confirmed these details via MyManchester, we will process your CAS and email it to you as soon as it’s ready, but no more than six months before your course start date.

How to apply for your visa

Our guidance will help you complete your online visa application form and tells you what documents are required as part of your application. Please read this guidance carefully, including the financial evidence requirements.

Student route applications can take up to three weeks to be processed and may take longer at busy periods or if your application has to be processed by a British embassy in another country. You can find out how long it will take for your application to be processed via the UKVI website.

Academic Technology Approval Scheme

The Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) is a certificate issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). It gives you security clearance to study certain sensitive subject areas in the UK.

If you are intending to study a subject that has been flagged under ATAS, you’ll be required to obtain a clearance certificate before you can study in the UK.

The requirement for ATAS is not limited to the Student visa category. You’ll also need ATAS if you are going to study your course using other time-limited visas such as Dependant visa, Work visa, Standard Visitor visa, or if you are an asylum seeker or refugee. You will also require ATAS clearance if you have pre-settled status under the EU Settlement scheme and you are not an exempt nationality. You will not require ATAS clearance if you have indefinite leave to remain in the UK.

For more information about ATAS, including a downloadable guide to completing the ATAS application form, please visit our Student Support site.

Immigration Health Surcharge

If you’re applying to stay in the UK for more than six months, you’ll need to pay an additional fee to entitle you to free hospital treatment under the National Health Service (NHS). This is known as the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS).

More information on the IHS, including the current charges, is available on our Student Support pages.

Fee payments

As you make preparations for your visa application and appointment, please bear in mind that any accommodation or tuition fee payments to the University will need to clear in the University’s bank account and be receipted in order for them to be reflected in your CAS.

Further visa guidance

We have detailed information and guidance available for international students applying for a visa to study in the UK. Visit our Student Support site to find out more.

Evidence of your Right to Study in the UK

In order to begin your course at The University of Manchester you will need to provide evidence of your Right to Study in the UK.  In most cases this will be the visa that you were granted by using the CAS that was created for you as part of the application process.

The documents that you need to provide to complete the Right to Study check will differ, depending on your immigration status or the type of visa you have. Further information on what you’ll need to provide can be found on our Student Support site.