Guidance

Financial evidence for Student and Child Student visa applicants

Find out how much money you need to get a Student or Child Student visa, and how to prove you have the money.

From:
UK Visas and Immigration
Published
5 October 2020
Last updated
4 April 2024 — See all updates

Overview

When you apply for a Student or Child Student visa, you must show you have enough money to pay for your:

  • course fees

  • living costs

  • partner or children’s living costs, if you’re bringing them on your visa

You do not need to provide financial evidence if:

  • you’re applying for permission to stay and you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months

  • your nationality is exempt

  • you’re applying as a Student Union Sabbatical Officer

  • you’re applying to study as a doctor or dentist in training

How much money you need - Student visa

Course fees

You need to show you have enough money to pay your course fees. These are shown on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).

Your education provider will send your CAS when they offer you a place on a course.

Living costs

If you board at a residential independent school, you need enough money to pay boarding fees for one academic year.

For all other courses, you need:

  • £1,023 for each month of your course (up to a maximum of 9 months), if you’re studying outside London

  • £1,334 for each month of your course (up to a maximum of 9 months), if you’re studying in London

For each dependant you bring, you also need:

  • £680 for each month of your visa (up to a maximum of 9 months), if you’re studying outside London

  • £845 for each month of your visa (up to a maximum of 9 months), if you’re studying in London

How much money you need - Child Student visa

Course fees

You need to show you have enough money to pay your course fees. These are shown on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).

Your education provider will send your CAS when they offer you a place on a course.

Living costs

The amount of money you need for living costs depends on where you live.

If you board at a residential independent school

You need enough money to pay boarding fees for one academic year.

If you live during term time with a foster carer or close relative who is a UK resident or British citizen

The person you are living with needs £570 for each month of your course (up to a maximum of 9 months).

You need:

  • £1,560 for each month of the visa (up to a maximum of 9 months) for the first child accompanying the parent

  • £625 for each month of the visa (up to a maximum of 9 months) for each additional child

If you live independently as a 16 or 17 year old

You need:

  • £1,023 for each month of your course (up to a maximum of 9 months), if you’re studying outside London

  • £1,334 for each month of your course (up to a maximum of 9 months), if you’re studying in London

How to prove you have the money

You can prove you have enough money using:

  • a student loan from a government, government sponsored loan company, or a regulated student loans scheme

  • an official financial sponsorship – for example, from a national government or university

  • your own money

  • your parent’s money – they must provide a letter confirming they agree to you using it this way

  • your partner’s money, if your partner is in the UK or applying at the same time

You cannot use:

  • overdrafts

  • cryptocurrency

  • stocks and shares

  • pensions

  • bank accounts that are not regulated by the financial regulatory body in the country in which the bank operates

  • bank accounts that do not use electronic record keeping

Evidence you need to provide

Student loan

You need to show a student loan letter which:

  • is dated no more than 6 months before you apply

  • confirms the loan is a student loan, provided by either the government, a government sponsored student loan company, or an academic or educational loans scheme

  • confirms there are no conditions on the release of the loan, other than a successful application to study

  • confirms the amount of the loan

  • confirms the loan is for you

  • confirms the money will be available to you, or paid directly to the sponsor, before you begin your course

Official financial sponsorship

You need the reference number sent by your education provider. This is shown on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).

If your financial sponsorship is not recorded on your CAS, you also need to show a letter of confirmation from the financial sponsor.

The letter must show:

  • the date

  • the name of the financial sponsor

  • contact details of the financial sponsor

  • how long the sponsorship will last

  • the amount of money they will give you (or confirmation they will pay all your fees and living costs)

Your own money, or your parent’s or partner’s money

The money can be in any form of personal bank or building society account, such as a current account or a savings account.

If you’re using your own money, it must be an account you control.

If you’re using your parent’s or partner’s money, it must be an account they control.  

The money must have been acquired legally. For example, it cannot be money from working illegally in the UK.

The account must allow immediate access to the money.

You must have had enough money for 28 days in a row. The 28 days is calculated by counting back from the date of the closing balance on the most recent evidence you provide.

To prove this, you can provide any of these:

  • bank statements – these can be paper or electronic downloads

  • building society passbooks

  • certificates of deposit

  • letters from your bank or building society

The evidence must be from no more than 31 days before the date you apply for your visa. It must show:

  • your name

  • the name of the bank or building society

  • how much money is in the account

If the money is in a foreign currency, we will convert it to British pounds using the spot exchange rate on OANDA for the date of the application.

We may verify the evidence with your bank. If we cannot verify the evidence, your application may be refused.

Nationalities that do not need to provide financial evidence

You do not need to prove you have enough money if you have any of these:

  • British National (Overseas) passport
  • Hong Kong SAR passport
  • Macau SAR passport
  • Taiwan passport, including the number of your Taiwanese identification card

You do not need to prove you have enough money if you’re a national of:

  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Bahrain
  • Barbados
  • Belgium
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • Brunei
  • Bulgaria
  • Cambodia
  • Canada
  • Chile
  • China
  • Croatia
  • Cyprus
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Dominican Republic
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Indonesia
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kuwait
  • Latvia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Malaysia
  • Malta
  • Mauritius
  • Mexico
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Norway
  • Oman
  • Peru
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Qatar
  • Romania
  • Serbia
  • Singapore
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • South Korea
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Thailand
  • Tunisia
  • United Arab Emirates
  • USA
Published 5 October 2020
Last updated 4 April 2024 + show all updates

  1. Removed information about the Doctorate Extension Scheme, which is no longer open.

  2. List of unacceptable evidence updated.

  3. Updated 'Control of the funds' section to clarify how the 28 days are calculated.

  4. Financial requirement figures amended in line with 1 December changes to Immigration Rules.

  5. First published.

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