How much money do I need for a UK Student visa in 2026?

Your first year's tuition fee (or the balance still owed) plus living costs of £1,334 per month for up to 9 months if you study in London (£12,006) or £1,023 per month outside London (£9,207). The funds must be held for 28 consecutive days.

What is the 28-day rule?

The required money must sit in your account (or a parent's) for at least 28 consecutive days without ever dropping below the total needed. The closing balance must be dated no more than 31 days before you apply. A single dip below the amount during those 28 days invalidates the evidence.

Whose bank account can the money be in?

Your own account, your parents' or legal guardian's account (with a letter confirming their consent and your relationship), or a joint account held with one of them. Money in a sibling's, friend's, or company account does not count.

Do tuition payments reduce what I need to show?

Yes. If you've already paid some or all of your first-year tuition, your CAS shows the balance remaining, and you only need to evidence that balance plus the living costs. A paid deposit shown on the CAS directly reduces the figure.

Who is exempt from showing maintenance funds?

Applicants who have held valid UK leave for at least 12 months at the date of application, government-sponsored students, and certain low-risk nationals under the differentiation arrangements (who may only need to confirm funds exist rather than submit full statements).

Student Visa Financial Requirement 2026: Maintenance Funds

TL;DR

For a UK Student visa you must show first-year tuition (or the balance owed) plus living costs of £1,334/month for London (£12,006 for 9 months) or £1,023/month outside London (£9,207). The money has to be held for 28 consecutive days in your name or a parent's, with the closing balance no more than 31 days old when you apply.

The two pots of money

Pot	What you must show
Tuition	Your first year's course fee, or the remaining balance if you've paid a deposit
Living costs	£1,334/month (London) or £1,023/month (outside London), for up to 9 months

You only ever need 9 months of living costs, even if your course is longer — the rules assume you can top up funds while studying.

Living costs by location

Where you study	Per month	Maximum (9 months)
In London (inside the M25)	£1,334	£12,006
Outside London	£1,023	£9,207

"London" is defined by the local authority your main study site sits in, not where you live. Check your CAS — it states which rate applies.

The 28-day rule (the part that catches people)

The required total must be held continuously for 28 days:

The balance must never drop below the total needed at any point in the 28 days
The closing balance must be dated no more than 31 days before you submit
Statements must show your name (or your parent's), the account number, the bank's name, and the date of each transaction or the closing balance

A single mid-period dip — even by £1, even for one day — invalidates the whole 28-day window, and you have to start a fresh 28 days. Don't move money between accounts during this period.

Whose money counts

Funds can be held in:

Your own account
Your parents' or legal guardian's account — add a letter confirming their consent and a birth certificate or similar proving the relationship
A joint account you hold with a parent or guardian

Money in a sibling's, friend's, employer's or company account does not count. The funds must be cash in a current, savings, or similar account — investments, shares, pension funds, and bonds are generally not accepted unless cashed into a qualifying account before you apply.

How tuition payments reduce the figure

If you've paid a deposit, your CAS shows the amount paid and the balance remaining. You only evidence the balance plus living costs. Paying more tuition up front is a common way to bring the total within reach of available savings.

Who is exempt

You don't need to show maintenance if:

You've held valid UK leave for 12 months or more on the date of application
You're government-sponsored (an official financial sponsor covers fees and living costs — include the sponsor letter)
You're a national covered by the differentiation arrangements, who may only need to confirm the funds exist rather than submit full statements (you must still actually hold them, and UKVI can request the evidence)

Worked example

Aisha is starting a one-year Master's in London. Her course fee is £22,000; she's paid a £5,000 deposit, so the CAS shows £17,000 remaining. Her maintenance is £1,334 × 9 = £12,006.

Total she must show held for 28 consecutive days: £17,000 + £12,006 = £29,006.

If she'd studied outside London, maintenance would be £1,023 × 9 = £9,207, and the total £26,207. And if she'd paid the full tuition up front, she'd only need to show the £12,006 (or £9,207) maintenance.

What your statements must show

Whatever account you use, the evidence must clearly show:

Your name or your parent's/guardian's name (with the consent letter and proof of relationship)
The account number and the bank or financial institution's name
The balance on each day, or the closing balance, dated within 31 days of your application
That the required total was held for the full 28 consecutive days without dipping below it

Bank letters, printed statements, or official electronic statements are accepted; ad-hoc screenshots usually aren't. If you use a parent's account, include their written consent and your birth certificate proving the relationship.

Currency and overseas accounts

If your funds are in a foreign currency, UKVI converts them to pounds using the OANDA exchange rate on the date of your application. Exchange rates move, so leave a buffer — holding only the bare minimum risks falling short if the rate shifts on the day. A 5–10% cushion above the required figure protects you from a refusal caused purely by currency movement.

Common refusal reasons

A dip below the threshold during the 28 days
Statements too old — closing balance more than 31 days before submission
Wrong account holder — funds in an ineligible person's name
Missing parental consent letter when using a parent's account
Non-cash funds — shares or investments counted as savings

Loans and official sponsorship

You don't always need the money sitting in a personal account:

An official student loan counts if you have a letter from a government, government-sponsored body, or a recognised loan provider, confirming the funds are available and not subject to further conditions (the loan must be paid to you, or directly to the university).
An official financial sponsor (government, university scholarship, international organisation) covering fees and/or living costs is evidenced by a sponsorship letter on official headed paper, dated within 6 months. If a sponsor covers everything, you may not need to show personal funds at all.

Private loans from family or informal arrangements do not count — the money has to be your own cash savings, held under the 28-day rule, or one of the recognised loan/sponsorship sources above.

For the full document set this pairs with, see Student visa documents. Run the checklist generator for a list tailored to your course, country and funding, or return to the Student visa guide.