Students starting their course early because their studies include an in-person pre-sessional need to ensure they make the necessary plans to have the correct visa in place before the pre-sessional course begins. If you cannot present a valid visa upon arrival at Cambridge, you will not be permitted to start the pre-sessional course where this is being undertaken in person. You will need to meet all the conditions of your offer to be issued a CAS to support a visa application. The University does not issue CAS only for the purpose of attending a pre-sessional. The CAS and visa is issued to cover both the in-person pre-sessional and the main course.
Students who are required to take a pre-sessional course which will be delivered remotely (i.e. without a requirement to be in attendance in person) will not be eligible for visa sponsorship to support earlier arrival for this. The start date for CAS and visa purposes will be the start date of the main course. If you apply for your visa sufficiently early, it can be valid for up to one month prior to the official start date of your main course.
Steps to take to ensure your visa is issued in time
Your CAS cannot be issued until you have met all of the conditions of your offer, and after your admission has been confirmed. It is therefore important to consider the following:
- You cannot start your course on a visa issued for another institution.
- Aim to meet all of the conditions of your offer as early as possible.
- Apply for ATAS clearance if required. This process takes at least 30 working days and you can apply when you have a conditional offer.
Prepare for your visa application early. You can submit your application as soon as you receive your CAS if you have all the necessary documents prepared.