What is the UK credibility (pre-CAS) interview?
The credibility interview - often called the pre-CAS or CAS interview - is a video or phone call the university (or a UKVI officer) holds before issuing your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies. It checks that you're a genuine student who understands the course, can fund it, and intends to comply with your visa. A weak interview can stop your CAS being issued, which means you can't apply for the visa at all.
What is the format of the pre-CAS interview?
It's a one-to-one call, usually 10 to 20 minutes, on Teams, Zoom or the phone. You're asked to have your passport, offer letter and CAS details to hand. The interviewer works through your course, your funding and your intentions, using follow-up questions to test rehearsed answers. You aren't told a result on the call - the university reviews it afterwards.
These are the questions asked in a real UK credibility interview, grouped by what a university checks before issuing your CAS. Prepare an answer to each that matches your documents.
Course fit
- 1.What is the exact name of your programme?
- 2.What level is your course, and what qualification will you receive?
- 3.Tell me about yourself.
- 4.What did you study for your bachelor's, and what grade did you get?
- 5.When did you apply, and when did you receive your offer?
- 6.What is your student reference number?
- 7.What were the entry requirements for your course, and did you meet them directly?
- 8.Which modules interest you most and why?
- 9.What is your course's credit structure?
- 10.What is your English test score?
- 11.Have you had any gaps in your education?
- 12.How did you spend your gap years?
- 13.Can you explain a recent academic project?
- 14.How did you prepare for this interview?
- 15.What would you say if asked about AI in education?
- 16.What is your backup plan if your CAS is delayed?
Institution choice
- 17.Why did you choose this institution over others that offered you a place?
- 18.What city is the university in, and why is that relevant to you?
- 19.Why did you choose the UK over the US, Canada or Australia?
Funding evidence
- 20.How much tuition have you paid so far, and how will you cover the rest?
- 21.Have you secured any scholarships?
- 22.Who is your financial sponsor, and what is their relationship to you?
- 23.What do your parents do, and what is their source of income?
- 24.Walk me through your maintenance funds and how they meet the 28-day rule.
Accommodation & city
- 25.Where will you live in the UK?
- 26.How much will your accommodation and living costs be?
- 27.When do you plan to arrive relative to your course start date?
Career plan
- 28.What do you plan to do after graduating?
- 29.What is the job outlook for your field in your home country?
- 30.Do you have work experience related to your course?
- 31.What extracurricular achievements can you share?
- 32.Do you plan to pursue further studies after this course?
Immigration history
- 33.Do you intend to stay in the UK after graduation?
- 34.Are you aware of the UK student visa attendance and work rules?
- 35.Do you have relatives in the UK, or will you bring any dependants?
- 36.Have you ever been refused a visa for the UK or any other country?
- 37.Have you studied or lived abroad before, and were there any visa issues?
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Practise free with an AI interviewerWhat happens during the pre-CAS interview
The interviewer already has your application. The call is a live check that you understand your course and can fund it - answer in your own words and keep every detail consistent with your documents.
- 1
Identity and document check
You confirm your name, passport number, student ID and the exact course title. Have your offer letter and CAS details in front of you.
- 2
Course and academic questions
The exact name and level of your course, the modules you'll take, the credit structure, your entry requirements and how you met them, and how the course builds on your background.
- 3
Funding questions
Tuition paid so far, how you'll cover the balance and living costs, your sponsor and their income, and how your maintenance funds meet the 28-day rule.
- 4
Intent and immigration questions
Why the UK over other countries, your plans after graduation, any UK relatives or dependants, prior visa history, and awareness of student visa work and attendance rules.
- 5
Outcome
There's no decision on the call. The university reviews it and either issues your CAS, asks for more evidence, or - if the interview raised serious doubts - declines to sponsor you.
Why students get rejected
A credibility interview goes wrong when your answers suggest you don't really understand the course, can't fund it, or aren't a genuine student. These are the common reasons.
Not knowing your own course
Being unable to name modules, the credit structure, or the entry requirements - or getting the course title or level wrong.
Funding gaps or the 28-day rule
Maintenance money "transferred recently", a balance below the required amount, or not knowing where your funds are held or for how long.
Generic reasons for the UK or the university
"It's a Russell Group university" or "the UK degree is only one year" with nothing course-specific behind it.
Answers inconsistent with your documents
Grades, dates, sponsor details or study history that don't match your application, transcript or bank statements.
Immigration-focused answers
Framing the Graduate Route or a UK work visa as your main goal, or leaning on UK relatives for support.
Over-reliance on an agent
Saying an agent chose the course and university for you, or being unable to explain decisions in your own words.
Interview tips: do's and don'ts
The habits that keep a credibility interview on track, and the ones that sink it.
Do
- Use the full, exact course title and know its level and credit structure.
- Name two or three modules and say why they interest you.
- Know the maintenance requirement for your city and that your funds held for 28+ days.
- Give course-specific reasons for the university and the UK.
- Keep grades, dates and sponsor details consistent with your application.
- Have your CAS, offer letter and financial documents open during the call.
- Speak in your own words, not an agent's script.
Don't
- Don't rely on "Russell Group" or rankings as your main reason.
- Don't say an agent picked your course and university.
- Don't present the Graduate Route or a UK job as your primary plan.
- Don't say part-time work will cover your living costs.
- Don't guess your maintenance figure or when your funds were deposited.
- Don't give answers that contradict your transcript or bank statements.
- Don't read long memorised passages - the interviewer will probe them.
