An offer letter is not enough to apply for a visa. Every destination requires a second, official “you’re confirmed and we’ve told the government” document. Knowing what it is — and that it comes after you accept and usually after a deposit — saves a lot of last-minute panic.
Names, fees, and procedures differ by university and change over time. Use this as an orientation and confirm the exact requirement with your specific institution and the official visa page (linked below) before you rely on any detail here.
Offer letter vs confirmation of enrolment
When a university accepts you, it sends an offer letter (conditional or unconditional). That’s the academic green light. But to apply for a visa you need a separate document that proves your place is confirmed and registered with the immigration system. The university only issues it once you’ve met your offer conditions, accepted, and usually paid a tuition deposit. The two are different stages — don’t confuse them.
What each country calls it
- check_circle United Kingdom — CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies): an electronic record with a unique reference number you enter on your visa form
- check_circle USA — Form I-20: issued by a SEVP-approved school once your place and finances are confirmed; you then pay the SEVIS I-901 fee
- check_circle Australia — CoE (Confirmation of Enrolment): issued after you accept your offer and pay your deposit, used for the subclass 500 visa
- check_circle Canada — LOA (Letter of Acceptance): from a Designated Learning Institution, often paired with a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)
- check_circle New Zealand — an Offer of Place / enrolment confirmation used for the student visa
The sequence (and where deposits fit)
The order is almost always the same, and the deposit is the gate:
- check_circle Receive offer (conditional or unconditional)
- check_circle Meet any conditions — final transcripts, IELTS/PTE, etc.
- check_circle Accept the offer formally
- check_circle Pay the tuition deposit the university requires
- check_circle University issues your CAS / I-20 / CoE / LOA
- check_circle You apply for the visa using that document
Pro Counsellor Tip
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Your deposit is the bottleneck most students underestimate. The confirmation document won’t be issued until the money clears — and an international transfer from a Sri Lankan bank can take several days. Initiate the deposit early so your CAS/I-20/CoE isn’t waiting on a transfer.
"Check it carefully the moment it arrives
A confirmation document with a mistake can sink your visa application, because the visa form must match it exactly. Check every field:
- check_circle Your name spelled exactly as in your passport
- check_circle Course title, level, and start/end dates
- check_circle Tuition fee and any deposit already paid, correctly shown
- check_circle Course and sponsor reference numbers
If anything is wrong, ask the university to reissue it before you apply — never try to “explain” a mismatch to a visa officer.
Got your offer but unsure what's next?
Send us your offer letter and we'll walk you through accepting, paying the deposit, and getting your CAS / I-20 / CoE / LOA issued correctly and on time.
Get Help With My Offer arrow_forwardDon’t pay a deposit blindly
A deposit is real money, often non-refundable, and it commits you to one university. Before you pay, be confident this is your firm choice, the institution is genuine and accredited, and you can realistically meet the visa requirements. This is exactly the point where scam “agents” pressure students into paying for fake places — pay tuition deposits only to the university’s own verified account.
Next steps
If you’ve just received an offer, this is the moment a counsellor is most useful — getting the acceptance, deposit, and confirmation document sequence right, on a timeline that lands your visa before your intake. Send us your offer letter to start. New to the process? Our study abroad hub covers every destination, and the UK student visa guide shows exactly where the CAS fits if you are heading to the UK.
Written by
Lanka Scholar Editorial
Lanka Scholar Editorial is the Lanka Scholar counsellor team — senior advisors who place Sri Lankan students into universities across 18 destinations. Articles are reviewed before publication and refreshed when fees, deadlines, or visa rules change.
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