Financial Evidence Requirements – Guidance for Student route visa applicants

On this page

• Funds Required
• Financial Evidence Calculator
• Acceptable Evidence
• Our quick reference financial guide

In order to receive a visa to study in the UK, a student applicant must obtain 70 points under the current Points-based system: Student route. Financial evidence represents 10 points without which a student applicant will not be able to receive a Student route visa.

Therefore, it is important you to submit all the relevant documents outlined below and highlighted by your Admissions Team contact.

It is your responsibility to check that your financial evidence documents meet all the requirements set out by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI, the UK Government’s Immigration services). This page should be used as information only and we strongly advise you read the guidance produced by the UKVI.

To ensure that students have sufficient funds available to study with us, and to reduce the risk of your visa being refused, we ask most students to provide us with their financial evidence to assess prior to your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) being released. If you are exempt from showing financial evidence for your visa application, we will notify you during your admissions with us.

Funds Required

You must show that you have enough money to pay for your course and to support yourself during your studies (living costs). You need to be able to show the entire first year’s course fees (tuition fees), plus the prescribed living costs.

Course Fees (Tuition Fees)

Please note that if you have already paid your course fees, or part of them, this amount will be deducted from the total amount required to evidence. Example: Your course fees for the first academic year are £9,900 and you pay a £4,950 deposit. The outstanding course fee balance for the first academic year is £4,950.

Living Costs

You need to show that you have enough money to support yourself during the course. For all UK Student Visa applications submitted on or after the 2nd January 2025, you will need to show:

• Outside London: £1,136 per calendar month, for up to maximum 9 months (total £10, 224).
• Inside London: £1,483 per calendar month, for up to maximum 9 months (total £13,347).

Accommodation

If you have paid an accommodation deposit to the College (living in College arranged accommodation) you can add up to a maximum of £1,483 to offset the amount of course fees required to show. Example: Your Course fees for the first academic year are £9,900 and accommodation fees for the first academic year are £7,500 and you pay a £4,950 deposit plus £2,500 for accommodation fees. The outstanding course fee balance for the first academic year would be £3,467 (£9,900 minus £4,950 minus £1,483).

Use the table below to determine the amount required for the College you are applying to and then add the course fee amounts, along with some further course information, into the Financial Evidence Calculator to give a rough guide of how much you will need to show as financial evidence.

Once you are complete check out the types of financial evidence you will need to show the available funds.

Acceptable Evidence of Funds

There are only a limited number of financial evidence types you can use for a visa application to study in the UK. They are as follows:

• Your own money
• Your partners money (only if they are also applying for a visa to come to the UK or already have permission)
• Your parent(s) or legal guardian(s) money
• Official financial or Government sponsorship
• A student loan from a Government, Government sponsored loans company or regulated student loans scheme (including a student loan from a bank/financial institution)

Evidence provided must be in English and where it is not it must be appropriately translated by a fully certified translator/translation company.

If you are showing evidence in a currency that is not GBP you must convert the currency amount by using the Oanda currency website.

Each financial evidence type comes with specific documentary requirements as set out below:

1. Your money, your partners money, your parent(s) or your legal guardian(s) money
   The money that you show must be accessible funds (e.g., cash) with no restrictions on the access of the money available and where it can be withdrawn at any time. Current, deposit, savings and investment accounts can be used.
   (i) You can show a document that is a:
   • bank or building society statement
   • building society passbook
   • certificate of deposit
   • letter from a bank or building society

   (ii) The financial evidence document must show:

   • name of the account holder(s)
   • account number
   • date of the statement or letter
   • show the bank/building society/financial institution details such as name, contact details and/or branch code. The details should be on the bank/building society’s/financial institutions official stationery (headed paper), so the logo should be present.
   • the statement/letter can be printed or electronic but not handwritten

   You are not able to use:

   • an overdraft facility
   • an account that cannot be accessed immediately (locked pension funds, stocks and shares, bitcoin savings, bonds, credit cards)
   • a third-party account (such as an uncle, sibling, family friend, dependant partner)
   • an account which the account holder does not have financial control over the funds (company accounts)
   • an account that is held in an unregulated financial institution and one that does not keep electronic records
   • funds that were acquired unlawfully

   (iii) Additionally, where the evidence is a financial statement/passbook/certificate of deposit it must show:

   • transactions and the amount held for the required length of time
   • no wording which indicates the funds cannot be accessed at any time

   (iv) Additionally, where the evidence is a letter it must show:

   • the available balance and the amount held for the required length of time
   • contain contact details so that it can be verified
   • be signed by the bank/building society/financial institution

How long must the money be held in the account and when can use it for my visa application?

Financial evidence, described in section 1 above, must show that the funds have been held for a consecutive 28-day period (finishing on the date of the closing balance). During the 28-day period the balance must not go below the required available funds amount. The date of the closing balance must be no more than 31 days before the visa application submission date.

Parent(s) or legal guardian(s) accounts only

If you are using financial evidence in your parent(s) or legal guardian(s) name you must have their consent to use the funds and evidence your relationship with them.

You can prove your relationship by evidencing:

• an original birth certificate (or your home country equivalent documentation) showing the names of your parent(s)
• a certificate of adoption showing the names of both parent(s) or legal guardian(s)
• a court document naming the legal guardian

Please note an Affidavit is not permitted to prove a relationship with a parent(s) or legal guardian(s).

You must also provide a letter, written by your parent(s) or legal guardian(s) confirming:

• their relationship with you, and
• their permission for you to use their funds to study in the UK.
• Official Financial or Government Sponsorship
  If you have successfully gained official financial or Government sponsorship you are required to show a letter confirming:
  • the date
  • the name of the official sponsor
  • the sponsors official stationery (headed paper with contact details of the sponsor)
  • how long the financial sponsorship will last
  • the amount of money that is being given to you or a written statement confirming that all your fees and living costs will be covered

  There is no requirement for the official financial sponsorship to be held for 28 days.

• Student Loans
  If you have successfully gained a student loan you are required to show a letter confirming:
  • a date that is no more than 6 months before the student visa application
  • the loan is a student loan from either a Government, Government sponsored student loans company or an academic or educational loans scheme provided by a regulated financial institution
  • there are no conditions attached to the release of the loan other than a successful visa application
  • the loan amount
  • the loan is for you (only you)
  • the lenders official stationery (headed paper with contact details of the lender)
  • the funds will be available either:
    • before you travel to the UK
    • paid directly to your sponsor institution before you travel to the UK (the living portion of the loan must be available for you by the time you arrive in the UK)
    • before you begin your course if provided by a national Government

There is no requirement for the loan to be held for 28 days.

Please note, any information you provide may be questioned by the UKVI during a visa application. It is important that you are able to explain where your funds have come from.

Are you still unsure as to whether your financial evidence will meet our requirements? If so, email you Admission team lead and we’ll be happy to help.