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Study in New ZealandUK Student Visa Financial Requirements Are Changing on 30 November 2026
The maintenance funds you must evidence for a UK Student visa rise at the end of November. Here is exactly what changes, what it costs you, and why applying before the deadline can save you money.
What is changing
From 30 November 2026, the living-cost funds a UK Student visa applicant must evidence increase. For a 9-month course the new totals are £14,130 for study in London and £10,827 for study outside London. Today the requirement is calculated at £1,529 per month for London and £1,171 per month outside London, for up to 9 months.
What has not changed
The way you prove the money is identical. Funds must sit in an eligible account for 28 consecutive days, and the closing balance date must fall within 31 days of your application date. The Immigration Health Surcharge also remains £776 per year of your visa, and the visa application fee remains £558 from outside the UK.
What this means in practice
If your course starts in January 2027 and your documents are ready, applying before 30 November 2026 means evidencing the lower amount. For a student outside London that is a meaningful difference in the cash you need to season for 28 days — money that many families borrow or block specifically for this purpose.
The mistake we see most often
Students focus on the balance and ignore the history. A large deposit that appears three days before the 28-day window opens invites questions about source of funds. Start the seasoning period early, keep the account active and ordinary, and retain evidence of where every large credit came from.
What you should do now
Confirm your intake date, confirm whether your university is inside or outside London, calculate the exact figure for your course length, and start your 28-day period immediately. If you are unsure which side of the deadline you fall on, send us your CAS timeline and we will map it for you at no cost.
Verify before you act
Government fees, financial thresholds and visa rules change frequently and often at short notice. Everything in this article is correct to the best of our knowledge as at 15 September 2026. Before you make a financial decision, confirm the current position with us or with the relevant government department.
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