UK Student Visa Proof of Funds: Bank Balance, 28-Day Rule and Tuition Calculations

If you are planning to study in the UK, one of the financial requirements you need to understand before applying for a Student visa is proof of funds.

How Much Money Do You Need for a UK Student Visa?

For applications under the current rules, students generally need to demonstrate enough money to cover their outstanding course fees for the relevant academic year, plus the required living costs.

The current living-cost requirement is:

£1,529 per month for students studying in London
£1,171 per month for students studying outside London

The living-cost calculation is capped at a maximum of nine months.

That means the maximum maintenance amount for a student is currently:

Studying in London

£1,529 × 9 months = £13,761

Studying outside London

£1,171 × 9 months = £10,539

These amounts are for the Student visa financial calculation. They should not necessarily be treated as a complete estimate of what you will actually spend while living in Britain.

Your real expenses could be higher or lower depending on your accommodation, transport, food and lifestyle.

Tuition Fees Are Part of the Calculation

Living expenses are only one part of the financial requirement.

You may also need to show that you have enough money to cover the outstanding tuition fees stated on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).

The CAS is particularly important because it contains information about your course and the tuition fees relevant to your application.

For example, suppose your university shows £20,000 in tuition fees for the relevant academic year and you have already paid £5,000, with that payment properly reflected or evidenced for your application.

Your remaining tuition would be:

£20,000 − £5,000 = £15,000

If your course is outside London and the full nine months of maintenance is required, the calculation would be:

£15,000 tuition + £10,539 living costs = £25,539

For a course in London:

£15,000 tuition + £13,761 living costs = £28,761

This is simply an example. Your actual required amount should be calculated from your own CAS, payments and circumstances.

The 28-Day Rule Explained

One of the most important parts of the UK Student visa financial requirement is the 28-day rule.

If you are relying on personal or qualifying family-held funds, you generally need to show that the required amount of money has been held for at least 28 consecutive days.

The balance must not fall below the required amount during that period.

The final day of the 28-day period must also be within 31 days of the date you submit your visa application.

This is why simply depositing a large amount of money shortly before your visa application can cause a problem.

For example, if you need £25,539 for your particular calculation, it is not enough to have £25,539 appear in your account immediately before applying. The relevant funds generally need to have been maintained at the required level for the required 28-day period.

When Should You Start Preparing Your Bank Statement?

It is better to plan your financial evidence before you are ready to submit the visa application.

First, confirm your:

University and course
Tuition fee shown on your CAS
Tuition payments already recognised
Study location
Required maintenance amount
Source of your funds
Date on which your 28-day period will be completed

Then work backwards from your intended visa application date.

This can help prevent a situation where you have the right amount of money but the bank evidence does not satisfy the required dates.

What Bank Documents Can Be Used?

UKVI allows several types of financial evidence, depending on how the funds are being provided.

For personal funds, acceptable evidence can include bank statements, building society passbooks, certificates of deposit and letters from a bank or building society, provided the evidence meets the applicable requirements.

The evidence should clearly show important information such as:

Your name or the relevant account holder’s name
The financial institution
The account details where applicable
The amount of money available
Relevant dates

UKVI can also verify financial evidence with the bank.

For this reason, applicants should provide genuine documents issued by their financial institution and should never alter bank statements or other financial records.

Can You Use Your Parent’s Bank Account?

A student’s own bank account is not the only possible source of funds.

Under the applicable rules, money held by a parent or legal guardian can potentially be used if the requirements are satisfied. There are specific requirements concerning the relationship and written consent, so simply having money in a relative’s account does not automatically make it acceptable evidence.

If you intend to rely on a parent’s funds, prepare the supporting documents as one complete package.

This may include the relevant bank evidence, proof of the relationship and the required parental consent.

It is important that the names and information across the documents are consistent and easy to understand.

What If You Have a Scholarship?

A scholarship or official financial sponsorship can change how you demonstrate your funding.

For example, an official sponsor may cover all or part of your tuition fees or living costs.

In that situation, the relevant sponsorship documentation should clearly show the amount or expenses covered and the period of sponsorship. Where required, sponsorship information should also be properly reflected in the student’s CAS or supported by the appropriate documentation.

Do not automatically assume that receiving a scholarship means you no longer need to demonstrate any funds.

The important question is what exactly the scholarship covers.

A scholarship that covers tuition but not living expenses may still leave you with a separate maintenance requirement.

What About Student Loans?

A qualifying student loan can also be used as financial evidence in circumstances permitted by the Student visa rules.

The loan documentation needs to satisfy the relevant requirements, including information about the amount of the loan and when the funds will become available.

A simple loan application or an indication that you may qualify for financing is not necessarily the same as an approved qualifying student loan.

Always check that the documentation meets the current UKVI requirements before relying on it.

Money UKVI Does Not Accept

Not every type of financial asset can be used to satisfy the Student visa financial requirement.

Current UKVI guidance specifically identifies certain resources that cannot be used, including:

Overdrafts
Cryptocurrency
Stocks and shares
Pensions
Certain accounts that do not meet the required regulatory or electronic-record requirements

The important point is that having significant personal wealth does not automatically mean you have acceptable evidence for the Student visa financial requirement.

What If Your Money Is in Nigerian Naira?

International students do not necessarily need to hold their funds in pounds sterling.

If the required funds are held in another currency, UKVI uses the applicable exchange-rate method specified in its guidance to determine the sterling equivalent. The current financial-evidence guidance states that foreign-currency funds are converted using the OANDA spot exchange rate on the date of application.

This is particularly important when planning from Nigeria because exchange rates can move considerably.

For your personal budgeting, it can be sensible to leave some additional room rather than calculating your naira balance using a rate that may no longer apply when you submit your application.

However, your final calculation should be based on the rules and exchange-rate method applicable to your application.

What Happens If Your Bank Balance Drops?

The 28-day requirement is about maintaining the necessary level of funds, not simply reaching the required balance at some point.

If your balance falls below the required amount during the relevant period, you should not assume that depositing the money again later automatically fixes the problem.

For example, if your required balance is £25,539 and the account temporarily drops below that amount during the evidence period, you may no longer have the continuous 28-day evidence you expected to rely on.

This is one reason it is important to avoid unnecessary withdrawals from the account while building your financial evidence.

Do You Need to Keep the Money After Getting Your Visa?

The proof-of-funds requirement is designed to demonstrate that you have sufficient resources for your Student visa application.

However, students should also prepare a realistic financial plan for their actual move to the UK.

Visa costs, flights, accommodation deposits, transportation, food, personal expenses and other arrival costs may require additional money beyond the minimum amount used for the visa calculation.

Therefore, the minimum visa figure should not automatically be treated as your complete study-abroad budget.

Are There Students Who Do Not Need to Submit Financial Evidence?

Yes. There are circumstances where an applicant may not need to provide financial evidence upfront.

For example, a person applying for permission to stay in the UK who has already been living in the UK with valid permission for at least 12 months may meet the financial requirement without having to show the funds.

There are also nationality-based differentiation arrangements under which some applicants may not normally be required to submit financial evidence upfront. However, UKVI can still request evidence in some circumstances.

This means that applicants should not assume that another student’s visa process will be identical to theirs.

Your nationality, immigration history, course and funding arrangements can all affect the evidence required.

A Simple UK Student Visa Funds Checklist

Before submitting your application, check the following:

☐ Your CAS is available and the tuition figures are correct.

☐ You know how much tuition remains outstanding.

☐ You have calculated the appropriate living-cost requirement.

☐ You have checked whether your university is in London or outside London for the relevant calculation.

☐ Your required funds have been held for the necessary 28 consecutive days where the 28-day requirement applies.

☐ The final date of the 28-day evidence period is within the permitted timeframe before your application.

☐ Your bank documents are clear and genuine.

☐ Your name and other details are consistent across your documents.

☐ Any parent, sponsor or loan documentation meets the relevant requirements.

☐ You have accounted for tuition payments already recognised by your university.

☐ You have checked the latest GOV.UK guidance before submitting the application.

Final Thoughts

The UK Student visa proof-of-funds requirement can look complicated at first, but the basic calculation is easier to understand when you separate it into two parts: outstanding tuition fees and required living costs.

For the current rules, the maintenance figure is £1,529 per month in London or £1,171 per month outside London, up to nine months. The maximum nine-month maintenance figures are therefore £13,761 and £10,539 respectively.

The 28-day rule is equally important. If you are relying on personal or qualifying family funds, you generally need to demonstrate that the required amount was held continuously for 28 days, with the end of that period falling within the required timeframe before your application.

Most importantly, do not rely on old figures or information from another student’s application. UK immigration requirements can change, so check the latest official guidance immediately before applying.

Official sources checked: September 24, 2026. Immigration requirements and financial amounts can change, and this article is general information rather than individual immigration advice.