RGS

Applying for your visa

Jargon Buster

You may come across some words or acronyms (A group of letters to shorten a title or the name of something) during the process of applying as an international student, this simple jargon buster should help you to understand everything that you need for this process. 

 

CAS
Confirmation of acceptance of study – you must have this in order to apply for your student visa, and you will apply from your country of normal residency. It is a digital document that we send to UKVI to confirm we are sponsoring your visa and want you to be in the UK. 
UKVI

UK visas and Immigration – the department of the UK government that issues visas and sets immigration rules.

UKCISA UK Council for International Student Affairs, an organisation that can offer you independent advice, as an international student.
IHS
Immigration Health Surcharge. This is the fee you pay as part of you visa application which allows you to use the NHS in the same way that a UK National does. This is compulsory. The current cost is £388 per 6 month block. The months you are charged for is rounded up (never down) to the next 6 months.
NHS
National Health Service. This is how healthcare is provided in the UK. It is free at the point of delivery (provided you have paid the IHS) with the exception of dental care and opticians appointments. There are many ways to access care on the NHS depending on the seriousness or urgency of your situation.
VAC
Visa application centre – where you will go in your home country to give your biometrics.
Biometrics
Photo and fingerprints to identify you for your visa.
BRP Biometric residence permit. A small plastic card that contains your biometric information in a chip. These are being phased out at the end of 2024, so if you have one, it will probably expire on 31/Dec/2024.
eVisa
The digital visa that is replacing BRPs.

Share code

This is a code you get from your eVisa account that you can give to anyone wanting to check your immigration status.

Official financial sponsorship

For the purposes of your student visa application, you are only considered to have an official financial sponsor if your tuition fees and/or living expenses are being paid for by one of the following: the UK Government, your home country’s government, the British Council, an international organisation, international company (the UKVI requires an international company to be a company with a trading preseOfficialnce / registered office in more than one country), a university or UK independent school.

ATAS

Academic Technology Approval Scheme. All international Researchers and students (apart from some exempt nationalities) must apply for an ATAS certificate if they are undertaking a postgraduate course or research in certain sensitive subjects in the UK. Keele University will notify you if you need to do this.