UK Student Visa Bank Balance in 2026

UK maintenance rules look simple on paper: show your fees and a monthly amount for up to nine months. In practice, financial refusals are among the most common we see, and almost none of them are about a family that could not afford the course. They are about money held for 27 days instead of 28, statements dated a week too early, or an account in a relative's name with no consent letter.

The amounts, before and after 30 November 2026

The increase comes from the Statement of Changes HC 584, laid on 3 September 2026. The date you submit the online application decides which figures apply. Your CAS date and bank statement date do not.

How to calculate your figure

Take the course fees still owing for your first year (your CAS shows the total and any amount already paid), then add living costs for the length of your course, up to a maximum of nine months. If your university is in London (the area of the 32 boroughs and the City of London), use the London rate.

Example: a one-year MSc outside London with first-year fees of £18,500, of which £6,000 has been paid. Outstanding fees are £12,500. Applying on 1 December 2026, living costs are 9 × £1,203 = £10,827. Total to show: £23,327. If you paid university accommodation fees, up to £1,570 of that can be deducted from the living costs under the new rules.

The 28-day rule, in plain words

The full amount must sit in the account for 28 consecutive days. Day 28 must be no more than 31 days before the date you apply. And the balance must never drop below the requirement during those 28 days, even overnight. If it does, count again from the next day.

Common ways people break it without noticing:

• Moving money between two accounts during the period, so neither shows 28 full days.
• Paying a tuition deposit from the same account mid-period, which drops the balance.
• Using a statement whose closing date is 35 days before the application.
• Relying on a fixed deposit opened 20 days earlier.

Whose account, and what documents

The money can be in your own name, a joint account, or in the name of a parent or legal guardian. For a parent's account, you need proof of the relationship (usually a birth certificate) and a signed letter from the parent confirming the money is available for your studies. Education loans from approved lenders can also count if the loan letter meets the Home Office rules.

Statements must show your name or your parent's name, the account number, the bank's name and logo, and the balance across the full period. The Home Office also keeps a list of financial institutions whose statements it will not accept, so check that your bank is not on it before you rely on it.

Who does not need to show funds

Students who have lived in the UK on a valid visa for at least 12 months on the application date usually do not need to show living costs. Nationals of the countries on the "differentiation arrangements" list, such as Australia, Canada and the United States, do not need to submit the evidence with the application, although UKVI can still ask for it.

Why money belongs in your interview answers too

Universities increasingly test finances in pre-CAS interviews, not just on paper. You should be able to explain, in a few sentences, who is paying, where the money came from and how the family copes without it.

• Who is paying, and their job or business.
• Where the money came from: salary over years, business income, rent or a sale.
• How long it has been in the account, and the exact amount you showed.
• How the household continues while you study.

Four clear points, spoken calmly and backed by the documents, settle the money question quickly. If any part of your funding is complicated, such as land sale proceeds, a loan or several sponsors, plan the explanation before the interview, not during it.

SOP Writer Editorial Team

Specialist SOP & visa writers since 2017 · Sydney and Dhaka