Free tool · UK
UK Student visa funds calculator
How much money you need to show for a UK Student visa, and the dates your 28 days must cover.
Quick take. Show your first year’s unpaid fees plus living costs for up to 9 months: £1,171 a month outside London or £1,529 in London, rising to £1,203 and £1,570 for applications from 30 November 2026. Keep the full amount in the account for 28 days in a row, ending within 31 days of the day you apply.
£23,827 to show in your account
You apply on or after 30 November 2026, so the higher living-cost rate applies.
The 28-day rule: the full amount must sit in the account for 28 days in a row, and those 28 days must end no earlier than 14 June 2027. If your statement runs up to the day you apply, the money must be in by 18 June 2027. Put it in earlier to leave a margin: one day below the total breaks the 28 days.
Applying with an IELTS result too? Check what your university needs.
Amounts from gov.uk (checked 7 October 2026) and the Statement of Changes of 3 September 2026. For your own case, confirm on gov.uk and with your university before you apply.
Where most applications go wrong
- The balance dips for a day. A bank charge or a transfer out that takes the balance below the total, even briefly, restarts the 28 days. Keep a margin above the amount.
- The statement is too old. The 28 days must end within 31 days of the day you apply. A statement from two months ago does not count, however large the balance.
- The wrong rate. Applying on or after 30 November 2026 means the higher rate, even if you planned your savings around the old one.
- Fees on the CAS. The fees figure is the one on your CAS. If you paid more after it was issued, ask the university to update it before you apply.
The other condition on your offer
Funds are only one part of the visa. Your CAS also depends on meeting your university’s English requirement, usually an IELTS score with a minimum in each skill. Writing is the skill most often below the line. Read IELTS score requirements by country, or check an essay to see where your Writing stands.
Still choosing a country? See UK vs Canada vs Australia student visa costs.
Questions
How much money do I need for a UK Student visa?
Your first year's unpaid course fees, plus living costs for up to 9 months: £1,529 a month in London or £1,171 outside London. For a course of 9 months or more that is £13,761 or £10,539 in living costs, before fees.
Is the amount going up?
Yes. For applications made on or after 30 November 2026, the rates rise to £1,570 a month in London and £1,203 outside London. The date you apply decides the rate, not the date on your CAS or bank statement.
What is the 28-day rule?
The money must be in your account for at least 28 days in a row, and the last day of those 28 days must be within 31 days of the date you apply. If the balance drops below the amount on any day, even by a little, the 28 days start again.
Do fees I have already paid count?
Yes. Fees already paid to your university are taken off what you need to show. The amount still to pay is the one on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), so make sure it is up to date before you apply.
Does everyone need to show funds?
Not always. You may not need to send evidence if you have been in the UK on a visa for at least 12 months when you apply, or if you are a national of a country on gov.uk's differential evidence list, although you must still have the money and can be asked for proof. Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Ghana and Kenya are not on that list (checked on gov.uk), so applicants from those countries need to show funds.
Is this an official calculator?
No. It uses the amounts on gov.uk (checked 7 October 2026) and the rate change announced for 30 November 2026. It does not cover dependants or every special case. Check gov.uk and your CAS before you apply.