Student Visa Maintenance Funds Increase From 30 November 2026

In Brief

The key date for the Student Visa financial requirement is 30 November 2026. If you make your application on or after that date, you will normally need living-cost funds of £1,570 for each month of study in London or £1,203 for each month outside London, subject to a maximum of nine months. Working with our UK Tier 4 Student Visa Solicitors can help you identify the correct figure, calculate any outstanding course fees and check whether your financial evidence meets the applicable rules.

If your application is made before 30 November 2026, it will be decided under the rules in force on 29 November 2026. Those rules require £1,529 per month in London or £1,171 per month outside London. The application date, rather than the date of your CAS, course or bank statement, determines which maintenance rate applies. You should also allow time to complete the 28-day holding period using the full amount required on your intended application date.

Student Visa maintenance amounts before and after 30 November 2026

As at 30 September 2026, the lower figures remain the operative legal requirement. The Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules dated 3 September 2026 substitutes the new monthly amounts and increases the permitted accommodation offset. It expressly provides that these particular changes take effect on 30 November 2026, while preserving the rules in force on 29 November 2026 for earlier applications. (gov.uk)

Application timing	London maintenance	Outside-London maintenance	Maximum for nine months	Maximum accommodation offset
Before 30 November 2026	£1,529 per month	£1,171 per month	£13,761 in London or £10,539 outside London	£1,529
On or after 30 November 2026	£1,570 per month	£1,203 per month	£14,130 in London or £10,827 outside London	£1,570

For a nine-month calculation, the increase is £369 for study in London and £288 for study outside London. Those figures relate only to the standard living-cost requirement. In many applications, the total amount that must be available will be higher because outstanding course fees shown on the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, or CAS, must also be covered. The maximum totals should therefore not be treated as a complete Student Visa budget.

Which maintenance figure applies to your Student Visa application?

The first point to understand is that the transition is controlled by the date of application. An application made before 30 November 2026 benefits from the saving provision and is considered under the rules in force on 29 November 2026. An application made on 30 November 2026 or later must meet the increased figures, even if the CAS was assigned, the course deposit was paid or the financial preparation began before that date. (gov.uk)

For a standard online application, you should focus on the formal application date under the Immigration Rules. Depending on whether you are applying for entry clearance or permission to stay, this is ordinarily connected to payment of the relevant fee or online submission and payment. It is not normally the date of your biometric appointment, document upload or eventual decision. Leaving submission until close to midnight or assuming that an incomplete payment has secured the earlier rate creates avoidable risk. (gov.uk)

In practice, you should decide on your intended application date before calculating the funds or starting the 28-day period. If your timetable may move beyond 29 November 2026, the safer approach is to prepare on the basis of the increased amount. That avoids a situation in which you have held the old total for 28 days but cannot apply because the new rate has become applicable.

How to calculate the Student Visa financial requirement

Is your course in London or outside London?

What matters is where you will study, rather than where you intend to live. The London rate applies where more than half of the course will be studied within the City of London or one of the 32 London boroughs. A student who lives in London but studies mainly outside London may therefore fall within the outside-London figure, while a student who lives outside London but studies mainly at a London site may need the London amount. (gov.uk)

Where a course uses several teaching sites, check the main study address and course arrangements recorded by the student sponsor. Do not choose the lower figure merely because your accommodation has an outside-London postcode. If the location is unclear, obtain confirmation before beginning the holding period because a mistaken location can affect every month of the calculation.

Count the course months and apply the nine-month cap

Next, calculate the length of the course for financial-requirement purposes. Any part of a month is rounded up to a complete month. A course lasting six months and one day is therefore treated as seven months, just as a course lasting six months and 25 days is treated as seven months. Once the course reaches nine months, no further monthly maintenance amount is added for the student’s standard living costs. (gov.uk)

For many degree students, the nine-month cap will produce the relevant maximum. From 30 November 2026, that means £14,130 for London or £10,827 outside London. A shorter course must be calculated using its actual number of months after rounding, so an applicant should not automatically use the nine-month maximum without checking the dates on the CAS.

Add any outstanding course fees shown on the CAS

In addition to maintenance, you normally need enough money to cover the outstanding course fees for the relevant period stated on your CAS. If some or all of the fees have already been paid, the payment should be recorded on the CAS. Where a qualifying payment was made after the CAS was assigned, a receipt issued by the student sponsor may be needed to establish the amount paid. (gov.uk)

The practical difficulty is that students sometimes calculate the monthly living-cost total correctly but overlook an unpaid tuition balance. Your working calculation should therefore begin with the outstanding course-fee figure and then add the appropriate maintenance amount. Payments that cannot be confirmed through the CAS or acceptable sponsor evidence should not simply be deducted on the assumption that they will be recognised.

Apply the accommodation-deposit offset carefully

A limited offset is available where you have paid money to your student sponsor for accommodation arranged and provided by that sponsor. Before 30 November 2026, the maximum deduction is £1,529. For applications made from 30 November 2026, the maximum becomes £1,570. Paying a larger accommodation amount does not increase the statutory deduction beyond the applicable cap. (gov.uk)

Crucially, rent or a deposit paid to a private landlord, letting agent or independent accommodation provider does not qualify for this offset. The relevant payment must be to the student sponsor for sponsor-arranged accommodation and should be properly reflected on the CAS or supported by an acceptable receipt from the sponsor. This distinction can leave an applicant needing substantially more money than expected. (gov.uk)

The 28-day holding period and financial evidence date

Perhaps most critically, calculating the right amount is only the first part of the requirement. Unless an applicable exception applies, the full required balance must normally be held continuously for 28 days. The end of that 28-day period must be no more than 31 days before the application date. A bank statement covering the correct total but ending too early may therefore fail to demonstrate the requirement. (gov.uk)

If the balance falls below the required amount during the 28-day period, even temporarily, you should not assume that the earlier days still count. In most cases, you will need to wait until the complete required amount has again been held for an uninterrupted 28-day period. This is particularly important when regular payments, bank charges or exchange-rate movements could reduce the sterling value of the account.

• Confirm the exact total required for the planned application date before starting the 28-day period.
• Use an account or qualifying source of funds permitted by Appendix Finance and ensure the money is immediately accessible where required.
• Do not include an overdraft facility, unavailable credit or investments that cannot be withdrawn immediately.
• Check every daily balance during the holding period rather than relying only on the opening and closing figures.
• Ensure the most recent financial evidence is dated within 31 days before the application date.
• Keep a buffer where funds are held in foreign currency because the sterling conversion is assessed under the applicable exchange-rate rules on the application date.

Where money is held in a parent’s or legal guardian’s account, additional evidence is required to establish the relationship and provide written consent for the applicant to use the funds. Our Immigration Lawyers can review the account ownership, holding period, document dates and supporting consent before submission. That review can identify a technical evidence problem while there is still time to complete a fresh holding period. (gov.uk)

When may a student not need to submit financial evidence?

The 12-month UK residence provision

If you are applying for permission to stay and have been living in the UK with permission for at least 12 months on the date of application, you meet the Student financial requirement without having to show funds under the ordinary maintenance test. This is a precise rule: it is not enough simply to have first entered the UK more than 12 months ago, and it does not provide the same exemption to a person making an entry-clearance application from overseas. (gov.uk)

Differential evidence arrangements

Some applicants qualify for differential evidence arrangements because of their nationality, passport and place of application. In those circumstances, financial documents may not need to be submitted with the initial application. That does not remove the underlying obligation to possess the required funds. The decision maker may request the evidence, so relying on differential evidence without actually holding the correct amount for the correct period is unsafe. (gov.uk)

Student loans and official financial sponsorship

A qualifying student loan or official financial sponsorship may be used instead of, or together with, money held in an ordinary account. The evidence must satisfy the specific requirements for the lender, sponsor, amount, availability and document date. Where sponsorship or a loan covers only part of the required total, the remaining balance must normally be demonstrated through another permitted source. These routes may also alter how the 28-day holding rule applies, but they do not permit informal promises of future support. (gov.uk)

Worked Student Visa maintenance examples

Example 1: Nine-month course in London after 30 November 2026

Suppose you apply on 5 December 2026 for a course lasting more than nine months in London. Your CAS shows £5,000 in outstanding course fees, and you have paid £1,570 directly to the student sponsor for qualifying sponsor-arranged accommodation. The calculation is £14,130 maintenance plus £5,000 fees, less the £1,570 accommodation offset, producing a required total of £17,560. That full amount must be evidenced under the applicable rules.

Example 2: Six months and 20 days outside London

For an application made after the change, a course lasting six months and 20 days is rounded up to seven months. The outside-London maintenance calculation is therefore seven multiplied by £1,203, giving £8,421. If the CAS also shows £3,500 in unpaid course fees and there is no qualifying accommodation offset, the combined financial requirement is £11,921. Using six months would understate the requirement by £1,203.

Example 3: Funds started before the change but application made afterwards

Imagine that you began holding £13,761, the old nine-month London maximum, in October 2026 but submit the application on 30 November 2026. The new £14,130 maximum applies, leaving a £369 shortfall before considering course fees. Topping up the account on the application date will not retrospectively create a 28-day period at the higher balance. You would normally need to hold the complete increased amount for a fresh qualifying period before applying.

Common Student Visa financial requirement mistakes

The message is not to treat this as a simple bank-balance exercise. A refusal risk can arise from using the correct amount on the wrong date, applying the wrong location rate, deducting an ineligible payment or presenting evidence that does not cover the required period. Each stage of the calculation should be checked against the CAS, the planned application date and the source of funds.

• Using £1,529 or £1,171 for an application made on or after 30 November 2026.
• Choosing the rate by reference to the course start date or CAS issue date instead of the application date.
• Forgetting to add outstanding course fees shown on the CAS.
• Failing to round a part month up to a complete month.
• Deducting rent paid to a private accommodation provider from the maintenance total.
• Allowing the account balance or foreign-currency value to fall below the requirement during the 28 days.
• Assuming differential evidence arrangements mean the money does not need to be held.

Where a problem is identified before submission, changing the application date may provide time to correct it. By contrast, submitting first and hoping that an unexplained shortfall or defective document will be overlooked is risky. Although a decision maker may request clarification in some circumstances, an applicant should not plan a case around receiving an opportunity to repair evidence after applying.

Student Visa financial evidence checklist

Before submitting the online application, work through the calculation and evidence in sequence. This helps prevent one late payment, balance movement or date change from undermining an otherwise well-prepared application.

1. Fix the intended application date and identify whether the pre-30 November or increased rate applies.
2. Confirm whether more than half of the course will be studied in London or outside London.
3. Count the course months, rounding any part month up and applying the nine-month cap.
4. Add the outstanding course fees recorded on the CAS.
5. Deduct only an eligible sponsor-arranged accommodation payment, up to the applicable statutory cap.
6. Check whether an exemption, qualifying loan, official sponsorship or differential evidence provision applies.
7. Hold the full required balance continuously for 28 days and keep an appropriate currency buffer.
8. Check that the closing date of the evidence falls within 31 days before the application date.

Ultimately, the figures, evidence and submission timetable must all align on the same application date. If your planned date changes, repeat the calculation rather than assuming the earlier work remains valid. You should also recheck the consolidated Immigration Rules immediately before applying, particularly if your application will be submitted after a future rules update.

OTS Solicitors’ View

The central risk created by the 30 November 2026 change is not the size of the increase alone. It is the possibility that a student completes a valid 28-day period using the old amount but submits after the increased requirement has taken effect. A relatively small shortfall can then mean that the evidence does not establish the financial requirement applicable on the application date.

For that reason, the safest preparation starts with the submission timetable rather than the bank statement. The Personal Immigration Solicitors at OTS Solicitors can calculate the required amount, review the CAS and accommodation payments, assess parental funds or sponsorship evidence and check the 28-day sequence. Early review is especially valuable where a course enrolment deadline or existing immigration permission limits the time available to restart the evidence period.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do I need for nine months in London from 30 November 2026?

The maintenance amount is £14,130, calculated as nine months multiplied by £1,570. You must normally add any outstanding course fees shown on your CAS. You may deduct up to £1,570 only if you have made a qualifying payment to your student sponsor for accommodation arranged and provided by that sponsor.

Does the new amount apply if my CAS was issued before 30 November 2026?

Yes, if your application is made on or after 30 November 2026. The CAS issue date does not preserve the earlier maintenance figure. The transitional provision is based on when the application is made, so a student with an earlier CAS must still meet £1,570 per month in London or £1,203 outside London when applying from that date.

Can my parents hold the Student Visa money?

A Student applicant can generally rely on money held in an account belonging to a parent or legal guardian, provided the requirements of Appendix Finance are met. You will normally need evidence of the relationship and written consent allowing you to use the funds. The account and money must also satisfy the control, accessibility and holding-period requirements. (gov.uk)

Can I deduct rent paid to a private landlord?

No. The accommodation offset is limited to a qualifying payment made to the student sponsor for accommodation arranged and provided by that sponsor. Rent, a holding deposit or another payment made to a private landlord, letting agent or independent accommodation provider cannot normally be deducted from the Student Visa maintenance total.

What happens if my balance falls below the requirement for one day?

A one-day shortfall normally breaks the continuous 28-day holding period. You should generally wait until the complete required amount has again remained available for a fresh uninterrupted period before applying. Check the daily balance and, for foreign-currency accounts, leave enough of a buffer to protect against an adverse exchange-rate movement.

Do differential evidence applicants still need to hold the money?

Yes. Differential evidence arrangements generally affect whether the financial documents must be submitted with the initial application; they do not remove the underlying financial requirement. The Home Office can request the evidence. You should therefore calculate and hold the required amount as though the documents will need to be produced during consideration of the application.

Do I need evidence if I have lived in the UK for 12 months?

You may meet the financial requirement without showing funds if you are applying for permission to stay and have been living in the UK with permission for at least 12 months on the application date. The precise immigration history matters, so do not rely only on the date you first arrived or the total time elapsed since entry.

Contact OTS Solicitors

For advice on calculating Student Visa maintenance funds, reviewing your CAS or checking bank, parental, loan or sponsorship evidence, call OTS Solicitors on 0203 959 9123 or contact OTS Solicitors. Our Immigration Solicitors can review the financial requirement and application timetable before you submit your Student Visa application.