Pre-CAS interviews, or creditability interviews, as they are often known, are essentially interviews that universities conduct to determine the student’s eligibility before issuing their CAS. The major goal of this interview is to evaluate the student’s will to study abroad and sincerity.
How will the interview take place?
The student and a representative from the university admissions office will do a 20 to 30 minute one-on-one interview over the phone or via a video platform like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, or Skype.
The university will email the student in advance which method they will use.
The student should expect to be asked about:
- Personal questions
- The course
- Education background and work experience
- Career plan (both short term and long term)
- Why they want to come to that particular university and their facilities
- Why they want to come to the UK
- How they made their decision, and whether they applied to any other university/ any other country
- Accommodation details
- How they will finance their studies and related details
- Immigration history
When will be pre CAS interview take place?
For most universities the students have to fill up a CAS shield and book an appointment for their PCI. At other times, students get links through email from the university about their PCI booking.
What happens after a student passes their PCI?
So once a student passes their PCI, students have apply for their CAS through the CAS shield or through email, they have to wait for the universities to send their CAS. After which they can proceed with their VISA application.
TIPS ON HOW TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW
- Students have to be specific and thorough in their responses to correctly describe themselves.
- Students should avoid giving general (nonspecific) replies
- Facts and numbers must be used to back up the responses.
- Students must try to be as natural as possible.
- Students should try to provide clear and sincere responses to all inquiries.
- Students must report any technical problems before exiting the interview.
- Students should verify that all responses are in English.
Students should ask the interviewer to repeat a question if they do not understand it. They may say, “Sorry, I couldn’t hear you, for instance. Could you kindly ask the question again?
