UK student visa funds for 2027: the new maintenance rules explained

What is changing from 30 November 2026?

The UK Home Office published an annual uplift to the Student route maintenance requirement in its 3 September 2026 Statement of Changes. The higher figures apply to Student visa applications made on or after 30 November 2026, so they are especially important for January 2027 and September 2027 applicants.

The maintenance requirement is the amount a student must show for living costs. It is not the total study budget and does not replace the requirement to cover course fees shown on the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). Applications made before 30 November 2026 are decided under the rules in force on 29 November 2026.

How much money should a 2027 applicant calculate?

Start with the outstanding tuition fee for the first academic year, as stated on the CAS. Add the maintenance amount for each month of the course, capped at nine months. For most degree courses lasting nine months or longer, that means using the full nine-month total.

For example, a London student with £9,000 of first-year tuition still unpaid would calculate £9,000 plus £14,130, giving £23,130. A student outside London with the same outstanding tuition would calculate £9,000 plus £10,827, giving £19,827. These examples do not include the visa application fee, Immigration Health Surcharge, flights, accommodation deposits or personal setup costs.

The 28-day rule still matters

Where cash funds are used, the required balance must normally be held for at least 28 consecutive days. UKVI counts back from the closing balance date on the most recent financial evidence, and that evidence must be dated no more than 31 days before the online visa application date.

A balance that falls below the required amount during the 28-day period can break the evidence window, even if it is restored later. Plan for exchange-rate movement and normal bank transactions rather than holding the exact minimum with no buffer. UKVI converts foreign currency using the OANDA spot exchange rate on the application date, so a rupee estimate made weeks earlier is not a guaranteed visa figure.

• Work backwards from the intended online application date.
• Keep more than the minimum to absorb exchange-rate movement.
• Avoid withdrawals that take the balance below the requirement.
• Check that the closing balance date is within the permitted 31-day window.
• Make sure names, account numbers, bank details and balances are clearly shown.

Which financial evidence can be used?

Official UKVI guidance allows qualifying funds from the student's own account, a parent's account with a consent letter, or a partner's account in the specified circumstances. A government or regulated student loan and official financial sponsorship can also be used when the evidence meets the rules.

Personal current or savings accounts must allow immediate access to the money. Acceptable evidence can include paper or electronic bank statements, a building-society passbook, a certificate of deposit, or a compliant bank letter. UKVI may verify the evidence with the bank.

What this means for Indian students

India is not on the current list of nationalities that receive the differential evidence arrangement, so Indian applicants should expect to provide compliant financial evidence with the application. Even applicants from a listed nationality must still meet the requirement and can be asked for proof later.

The safest approach is to finalize the course and campus, receive the CAS, calculate outstanding tuition plus the correct maintenance amount, and begin the bank-evidence window early. A last-minute deposit can delay the earliest safe visa application date by at least 28 days.

• Confirm whether the CAS campus is inside or outside London.
• Calculate only the first academic year's outstanding course fees.
• Use £14,130 for nine months in London or £10,827 outside London for applications from 30 November 2026.
• Add a sensible currency buffer; do not publish or rely on a fixed INR conversion.
• Coordinate bank evidence, CAS timing, TB testing where required and the visa application date.
• Check GOV.UK again before submitting because guidance may be updated when the new amounts take effect.

Build the budget before accepting the offer

The visa minimum is not a promise that the amount will cover every real expense. Compare tuition, deposits, rent, transport and setup costs before accepting a place. A course outside London may have a lower visa maintenance requirement, but the right decision still depends on academic fit, university support and the actual local cost of living.

AE Global Group can help you compare UK courses, review the application timeline and organize the financial-document plan around your CAS. We do not decide visas, and this guide is general information rather than legal advice; the current Immigration Rules and UKVI guidance remain the authority for your application.