Do you qualify?
- Have you added your unpaid first-year fees from the CAS to the living costs?
- Have you counted the course months, up to 9, at the London or outside London rate?
- Has the full amount stayed in the account for 28 days in a row?
- Will you apply within 31 days of the end of those 28 days?
- Is the money in your account, or a parent's or partner's with a consent letter?
- Is the money held as cash in a regulated bank, without crypto, shares, pensions or overdraft?
Answer the questions to see where you stand.
A first check against the rules in this guide. The consulate checks your own case.
Key facts
- Living costs in London
- 1,529 pounds a month; 1,570 from 30 November 2026 3
- Living costs outside London
- 1,171 pounds a month; 1,203 from 30 November 2026 3
- Months counted
- Course length, up to 9 months 2
- Each dependant
- 845 pounds a month in London, 680 elsewhere, up to 9 months 2
- 28-day rule
- Held 28 days in a row, ending within 31 days of applying 1
- Visa fee from outside the UK
- 558 pounds 6
- Immigration health surcharge
- 776 pounds a year 7
How much money you need in 2026
You need two amounts together 2:
- Course fees still unpaid for the first year, as stated on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). Fees you already paid count when the CAS shows them or you have a receipt from the university.
- Living costs for each month of the course, up to 9 months.
London means the City of London and the 32 London boroughs 1. The September 2026 Statement of Changes raises the monthly figures for applications made on or after 30 November 2026; applications made before that date are decided under the rules in force on 29 November 2026 3.
| Where you study | Before 30 November 2026 | From 30 November 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| London, per month | 1,529 pounds 1 | 1,570 pounds 3 |
| London, 9 months | 13,761 pounds | 14,130 pounds |
| Outside London, per month | 1,171 pounds 1 | 1,203 pounds 3 |
| Outside London, 9 months | 10,539 pounds | 10,827 pounds |
If you paid an accommodation deposit to your university, you can deduct it from the living costs, up to 1,529 pounds, or 1,570 pounds from 30 November 2026 2 3.
Example with made-up figures. Chidi, from Lagos, starts a 12 month master's in Manchester and still owes 6,000 pounds of fees. Applying in November before the 30th, he shows 6,000 + 9 × 1,171 = 16,539 pounds.
The 28-day rule and the evidence UKVI accepts
The money must be in the account for at least 28 days in a row, and the end of that period must fall within 31 days of the date you apply 1. UKVI counts the 28 days back from the closing balance on your most recent statement 4. The balance needs to cover the full amount on every one of those days.
Evidence UKVI accepts 4:
- Personal bank or building society accounts, current or savings, in your name, your parent's or your partner's. Money in a parent's account needs a letter from the parent agreeing to its use.
- A student loan letter dated no more than 6 months before you apply, from a government, a government-sponsored company or an academic loan scheme.
- Official financial sponsorship, shown on your CAS or in a letter from the sponsor.
UKVI does not accept overdrafts, cryptocurrency, stocks and shares or pensions, nor accounts at banks that are not regulated in their country or that lack electronic records 4. Balances in naira, rupees or cedis are converted at the OANDA spot rate on the day you apply 4, so a fall in your currency during the 28 days can leave you short: keep a margin above the minimum.
Citizens of a list of countries usually do not have to send this evidence with the application, although UKVI can still ask for it. Nigeria, Pakistan, India and Ghana are not on that list, so applicants from these countries submit the financial evidence with the application 1. If you have already lived in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months when you apply, you do not need to show funds 1.
Bringing a partner or children
Most students can no longer bring family. For a course starting on or after 1 January 2024, a partner or child can join you if you study a PhD, another doctorate or a research-based higher degree, or if you are a government-sponsored student on a course longer than 6 months 5 2.
Each dependant needs money on top of yours 2:
| Where you study | Per dependant, per month | 9 months |
|---|---|---|
| London | 845 pounds | 7,605 pounds |
| Outside London | 680 pounds | 6,120 pounds |
The months count up to 9, or the length of the permission you apply for when that is shorter 2. The same 28-day rule applies to the dependant's money 5. The September 2026 changes did not alter these dependant figures 3.
Example with made-up figures. Ayesha, from Lahore, applies in December 2026 for a PhD in London and brings her husband. Living costs alone come to 14,130 pounds for her and 7,605 pounds for him: 21,735 pounds.
Other costs and checks from Nigeria, Pakistan, India and Ghana
- Visa fee: 558 pounds when you apply from outside the UK 6.
- Immigration health surcharge: 776 pounds a year for students and their dependants 7.
- Tuberculosis test: Nigeria, Pakistan, India and Ghana are on the list of countries where you need a TB test from a clinic approved by the Home Office 8. The certificate is valid for 6 months from the date of the x-ray 9.
- English: B2 for degree level courses and B1 below degree level; these four countries are not on the exemption list 10.
- Timing: you can apply up to 6 months before the course starts, and a decision from outside the UK usually takes 3 weeks 6.
After your degree, the Graduate visa lasts 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026, and 18 months if you apply from 1 January 2027 6.
Step by step
- Step 1 of 5Read your CAS
Note the fees still unpaid for the first year and the study location 2.
- Step 2 of 5Work out the total
Unpaid fees plus the monthly amount for London or outside London, times the course months up to 9 2.
- Step 3 of 5Use the right year's figures
From 30 November 2026 use 1,570 or 1,203 pounds a month 3.
- Step 4 of 5Hold the money for 28 days
Keep the full amount in the account for 28 consecutive days 1.
- Step 5 of 5Apply within 31 days
Submit the application within 31 days of the end of the 28 day period 1.
Documents you will need 7 documents
- Valid passport
- Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies(CAS) reference
- Bank or building society statements covering the 28 days, or a student loan or sponsor letter
- If the money is a parent'stheir consent letter and proof that they are your parent
- Receipts for course fees or accommodation deposits already paid to the university
- TB test certificate from a Home Office approved clinic
- English test result or other proof of English at the required level
Questions
Do I need to show 9 months of living costs for a 2 year master's?
Yes. The rule counts the months of the course up to 9 2, so any course of 9 months or longer needs 9 months of living costs.
Which amount applies if I apply in November 2026?
Before 30 November 2026, 1,529 or 1,171 pounds a month. On or after 30 November 2026, 1,570 or 1,203 pounds 3.
Can my parents' money count?
Yes, if it is in an account they control and they give a letter agreeing to its use for your studies 4.
What if my balance dips below the amount for a day?
The money must be held for 28 days in a row 1. A day below the total breaks the run, so wait until you have 28 full days before you apply.
Do I need to show money if I am already studying in the UK?
Not if you have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months on the date of your application 1.
Before you rely on this
- The living cost figures are reviewed every year to follow UK maintenance loans; check GOV.UK on the day you apply 3.
- The GOV.UK money page still showed 1,529 and 1,171 pounds when we checked; the higher figures come from the Statement of Changes HC 584 and apply from 30 November 2026 1 3.
- Some websites still quote older monthly amounts: use the GOV.UK figures for the date of your application.
- Questions for a UK immigration adviser: does my bank meet UKVI's rules on regulation and electronic records, and how will a currency fall during the 28 days be treated in my case?
- This guide does not cover Child Student visas, boarding school fees or Student Union sabbatical officers.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change: confirm with the consulate or a lawyer before you apply.
Sources10 sources, 10 official
- Student visa: money you needofficialUK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK)
- Immigration Rules Appendix StudentofficialHome Office (GOV.UK)
- Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules: HC 584, 3 September 2026officialHome Office (GOV.UK)
- Financial evidence for Student and Child Student route applicantsofficialUK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK)
- Student visa: your partner and childrenofficialUK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK)
- Student visaofficialUK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK)
- Pay for UK healthcare as part of your immigration application: how much you have to payofficialUK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK)
- Countries where you need a TB test to enter the UKofficialUK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK)
- Tuberculosis tests for visa applicantsofficialUK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK)
- Student visa: knowledge of EnglishofficialUK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK)
