Documents required:
1. CAS number (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies)
CAS number (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) from the Student Services Information Desk (SSiD), University of Sheffield. This must be requested at least one week before it is required. Use this if you are applying to extend to complete an existing course. Insert your CAS number on your application form. If you are outside the UK you can request a CAS number from SSiD by visiting ask.sheffield.ac.uk/help/current/cas_outside
If you need a visa extension to start a new course you will get a CAS number from Admissions. If you need a visa extension to start a course at the English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC) you will get a CAS number from the ELTC. This CAS number makes up 30 of the forty points you need to extend your visa under the Points Based System.
If you believe that you have been given an academic extension, you must make sure that this can be confirmed on your computer record before requesting a CAS number.
Do not submit letters from supervisors.
2. Passport
3. Proof of funding
Students without sufficient funds will be refused. Remember, under the Points Based System, you obtain ten points for having sufficient funding.
You must show that you have held the necessary amount of money for at least 28 days. The last day of this 28 days period cannot be more than one month before the date that you make your application.
UPDATE:
From 4 July 2011 nationals from certain countries will not have to routinely submit their supporting documents with their visa application (certificates / transcripts, bank statements / sponsor letters). The UK Border Agency (UKBA) may however ask to see these documents at a later stage so it is important that you prepare all your documents and keep them in a safe place.
This exemption applies to you if you are a national of Argentina, Australia, Botswana, British National Overseas, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan (including those who hold a passport issued by Taiwan that includes the number of the identification card issued by the competent authority in Taiwan), Trinidad and Tobago and the USA.
All nationals must still submit their passport and ATAS certificate (if applicable).
If you have paid some or all of your tuition or University accommodation fees, the amount will then be deducted from the maintenance levels for which you need to show evidence. Your CAS record will be updated to show the amount of money that you have already paid.
You must declare on your visa application form that you hold the required funds and will continue to hold these funds for the purpose of studying in the UK unless they are used to pay for tuition fees and living costs.
Sponsored Students:
If you have full or part financial sponsorship from one of the following:
• Your home government
• The British government
• The British Council
• An international organisation, international company or university
You must provide a letter from the sponsor showing:
• Your name
• The name and contact details of the financial sponsor
• The date of the letter
• The length of time that you will be financially sponsored
• The amount of money that you have received from the sponsor OR a sentence that outlines that the financial sponsor will cover all tuition fees and living costs
If your financial sponsorship has ended within the last 12 months you will need your financial sponsor´s permission to stay in the UK. Your financial sponsor must write a letter giving you permission to stay in the UK. Applications without this letter will be rejected.
If you are only part financially sponsored, you will need to show that you have the remaining funds yourself. Money that is already in your bank/building society account from your financial sponsor cannot be used as evidence of your personal funds. Money from your sponsor can only be counted once.
Using money from parents:
You can use a bank account in your parents' name as evidence of funding for tuition fees and living costs.
Your parent's bank statements must include:
• the name of your parent(s)
• the account number
• the date of the statement
• the financial institution's name and logo
• the amount of money available (in UK pounds, using www.oanda.com as the currency converter).
You must also send:
your birth certificate, showing the name of your parent(s) OR
• a certificate of adoption showing your name and the name of your parent(s) OR
• a court document stating your name and the name of your legal guardian(s)
You must also send an original signed and dated letter from your parent(s) or legal guardian showing how much money they will give to you confirming:
• the relationship between you and your parent(s) or/guardian(s) AND
• that your parent(s) or legal guardian(s) have given their consent to the money being available to you for the purposes of studying in the UK.
The closing balance on any document must be in UK pounds. If you are using overseas currency, you must write the closing balance in UK pounds on the document. Look at the official exchange rate on www.oanda.com
All documents must be originals and must be in English.
Documents not in English or Welsh:
If one of your documents is not in English (or Welsh), the original must be sent with a fully certified translation by a professional translator. This translation must include:
• the translator’s qualifications
• confirmation from the translator that it is an accurate translation of the original document
• the date
• the translator’s signature
• the translator's contact detail