The UK is still one of the most popular study destinations for students from South Asia and Africa, but the route has become more expensive and more closely watched. In 2026 the fee went up again, the money you must show is rising at the end of November, the Graduate Route is shrinking from January 2027, and universities face tougher compliance targets that make them more careful about who they sponsor.
The short version
- Visa fee: £558 from 8 April 2026, plus the £776 a year health surcharge.
- Living-cost funds rise on 30 November 2026 to £1,570 a month in London and £1,203 outside.
- Graduate Route: two years if you apply by 31 December 2026, 18 months from 1 January 2027 (PhD stays at three years).
- Universities now face stricter refusal and completion targets, so expect harder credibility checks before a CAS.
The 2026 changes in one table
| Change | Date | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Visa fee £524 to £558 | 8 April 2026 | Applies to main applicants and each eligible dependant |
| Maintenance £1,529 / £1,171 a month | Since 11 November 2025 | London / outside London, up to nine months |
| Maintenance £1,570 / £1,203 a month | Applications from 30 November 2026 | Nine-month maximum £14,130 / £10,827 |
| Graduate Route 18 months | Applications from 1 January 2027 | Bachelor's and master's graduates; PhD keeps three years |
| Stricter university compliance (BCA) | Phased in from 2026 | More pre-CAS checks and interviews |
| International student levy | From 1 August 2028 (England) | £925 per student per year, paid by universities |
Fees and the health surcharge
The Student visa application fee rose from £524 to £558 on 8 April 2026, and it is the same whether you apply from outside or inside the UK. On top of that sits the Immigration Health Surcharge, which for students is £776 for each year of the visa, or £388 for a part year of six months or less. For a one-year master's with the usual extra months, most students pay the surcharge for more than a year, so check the exact amount when you apply.
Want your answers written around your real documents, inside the limits? A senior writer can take it from here.
Get a Free QuoteThe money you must show
You need your first year's outstanding course fees, as shown on your CAS, plus living costs for up to nine months. For applications made before 30 November 2026 that is £1,529 a month in London and £1,171 a month elsewhere. The Statement of Changes HC 584, laid on 3 September 2026, raises this to £1,570 and £1,203 for applications made on or after 30 November 2026.
The rule people trip on is time, not amount. The full balance must be held for 28 consecutive days, and that period must end no more than 31 days before you apply. If the balance dips below the requirement for a single day, the count usually starts again. Our guide to UK maintenance funds shows how to calculate your figure.
The Graduate Route from 2027
The Graduate Route lets you stay and work after your degree without a job offer. If you apply on or before 31 December 2026, you get the current two years. Bachelor's and master's graduates who apply on or after 1 January 2027 get 18 months. PhD graduates keep three years. Since you can only apply after your university reports that you have completed your course, the date your results come out now matters. We explain the timing in the Graduate Route in 2027.
Dependants
Nothing new here in 2026, but it still surprises people. Since January 2024, only students on postgraduate research courses (such as a PhD or research master's) and government-sponsored students on courses longer than six months can bring dependants. If you are on a taught master's, your spouse and children cannot come as your dependants.
Tougher checks by universities
Every university that sponsors international students must pass the Home Office's Basic Compliance Assessment. The government is tightening the targets: visa refusals expected to fall below 5 per cent instead of 10, enrolment to rise to 95 per cent and course completion to 90 per cent, phased in with some discretion for smaller institutions. A university that fails risks limits on recruitment or its licence.
The effect on you is direct. Universities cannot afford students who get refused or drop out, so many now run longer credibility checks before issuing a CAS: interviews, financial pre-checks and closer questions about gaps and course choice. Treat the university interview as seriously as the visa itself. Our guide to credibility interview questions and how to answer them is a good place to start.
The international student levy
From 1 August 2028, universities in England will pay a levy of £925 for each international student each year, with the first 220 students at each provider exempt. Students do not pay it directly, but the sector expects some of the cost to show up in tuition fees. If you are planning study for 2028 or later, budget for higher fees.
What has not changed
- You still need a CAS from a licensed sponsor and English at the level your course requires (B2 for degree-level study).
- You can apply up to six months before your course starts from outside the UK, and decisions usually take about three weeks.
- The genuine student requirement still applies, and UKVI can interview you if it has doubts.
- Successful applicants now get an eVisa rather than a physical residence permit card.
What this means for your statement and interview
The UK does not ask for an SOP in the visa form, but your university almost certainly asks for a personal statement or statement of purpose, and both the university and UKVI may test your story in an interview. With compliance pressure higher, the questions are sharper: why this course, why this university, why the UK instead of home, how you are paying, and what you will do afterwards.
The answers you write for admission should be the same answers you give out loud. That consistency, more than any polished phrase, is what convinces an interviewer. We prepare UK statements and interview notes together for exactly that reason.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the UK Student visa fee in 2026?
£558 from 8 April 2026, whether you apply from outside or inside the UK. You also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge of £776 for each year of your visa, and the visa fee again for any dependant who is eligible to come.
How much money do I need to show for a UK student visa?
Your first year's outstanding course fees plus living costs for up to nine months. For applications made before 30 November 2026 that is £1,529 a month in London or £1,171 outside London. From 30 November 2026 it rises to £1,570 and £1,203. The money must be held for 28 consecutive days.
Is the Graduate Route still two years?
It is two years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026. Bachelor's and master's graduates who apply on or after 1 January 2027 get 18 months. PhD graduates keep three years.
Can I bring my family on a UK student visa?
Only if you are on a postgraduate research course, such as a PhD or research master's, or are government sponsored on a course longer than six months. Taught master's students have not been able to bring dependants since January 2024.
Do I need an SOP for a UK student visa?
The visa form does not ask for an SOP, but many universities ask for a statement and hold a credibility or pre-CAS interview, and UKVI can interview you too. A clear written plan makes both easier to pass.
Official sources we checked
Want this handled by a specialist who has done it since 2017? We write every word by hand, around your real profile.
Start Your SOP