UK Student Visa Guide: CAS, Finances, and the Interview

You may still hear people in Ghana refer to a "Tier 4 visa" — that name was retired when the UK moved to its points-based immigration system in December 2020. Today the correct route is simply the "Student visa," but the underlying logic is the same: prove you have a genuine offer, prove you can fund your studies, and prove you intend to study, not settle permanently through the back door.

Step 1: Get Your CAS

Once you accept an unconditional offer and pay any required deposit, your university issues a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) — a unique reference number, not a physical document, that contains your course details, tuition fees, and the university's Home Office sponsor licence number. Your CAS is normally valid for six months, and you cannot apply for your visa until it has been issued, so chase your university's international office if it's delayed.

Step 2: Prove Your Finances

You must show you can cover one academic year (up to nine months) of tuition, plus a fixed monthly living cost figure set by the Home Office — currently around £1,529 per month if studying in London, and £1,171 per month outside London, for up to nine months. This money must sit in your (or your parent's/guardian's, if they're your financial sponsor) account for a continuous 28-day period, and the bank statement or letter must be dated no more than 31 days before you submit your application. A single day's shortfall in the balance during that 28-day window is one of the most common — and most avoidable — refusal reasons we see.

• •Confirm the exact 28-day balance requirement with your bank before the window starts
• •If a parent or guardian is sponsoring you, prepare their relationship evidence (birth certificate, sponsorship letter) alongside the bank statement
• •Keep the account open and untouched until your visa decision arrives — closing it early has caused real refusals

Step 3: Tuberculosis Test

Ghana is on the UK's list of countries requiring a TB test for visas longer than six months. Book this only at a Home Office-approved clinic (IOM Ghana runs the official testing in Accra) — a test from any other clinic will not be accepted, and appointment slots can take a few weeks, so book as soon as your CAS is issued.

Step 4: Complete the Online Application and Pay Fees

• •Visa application fee (check the current published rate on gov.uk before paying — it changes periodically)
• •Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), paid upfront per year of your course, giving you access to the NHS
• •Biometric enrolment appointment at the visa application centre in Accra

The Credibility Interview

Many Ghanaian applicants are called for a short credibility interview, either in person or by phone. The officer is checking that your course genuinely fits your academic and career history, and that you understand why you chose this specific university and subject — not testing English fluency. Be ready to explain, in your own words: why this course, why this university, how it connects to your previous studies or work, your study plan, and your plan after graduation (including how a Graduate visa or return to Ghana fits in). Rehearsed, memorised answers that don't sound like you are easy for experienced officers to spot.

After Your Visa: The Graduate Route

If you complete an eligible bachelor's or master's degree and apply for the Graduate visa on or before 31 December 2026, you currently receive two years of post-study work permission (three years for a PhD) with no sponsor required. From 1 January 2027, that non-doctoral duration is reducing to 18 months under confirmed UK government changes — so if timing is flexible and you're finishing around that period, ask your university whether an earlier graduation and application date is realistic.