UK Student Visa Financial Requirement: Maintenance Funds ASEAN Applicants Must Show
By Muntasir • Published Sep 18, 2026 • Updated Sep 18, 2026 • Study Abroad, Visas & Student Mobility
UK Student visa applicants must show £1,529 a month for courses in London and £1,171 a month outside London, for up to 9 months, held in one account for 28 straight days before they apply.
💵 London rate: £1,529 per month, up to 9 months
💵 Outside London rate: £1,171 per month, up to 9 months
⏱️ Funds sit in your account for 28 consecutive days before you apply
📩 That 28-day period must end within 31 days of your application date
🏠 No fund proof needed if you already held a UK visa for 12+ months
What the Home Office checks before it grants your visa
The UK Student visa route requires you to prove you can support yourself for your first year of study, on top of your tuition fee evidence. The Home Office calls this the maintenance funds requirement, and it applies to most applicants unless a government body or official sponsor already covers your fees and living costs.
Your university sets your tuition fee amount on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). The maintenance funds figure is separate and covers your living costs only, based on where you study and how long your course runs.
How much you need to show
The amount depends on whether your course is inside or outside London, and gov.uk sets a monthly rate capped at 9 months of study, even if your course runs longer.
| Where you study | Amount per month | Maximum months counted |
|---|---|---|
| Inside London (the City of London and its 32 boroughs) | £1,529 | 9 months |
| Outside London | £1,171 | 9 months |
Multiply the monthly rate by the length of your course, up to that 9-month cap. A 1-year course outside London needs £1,171 x 9 = £10,539. The same course in London needs £1,529 x 9 = £13,761. Courses shorter than 9 months use the actual number of months instead. See the exact rules on gov.uk .
The 28-day rule
Your bank balance must sit at or above the required amount for 28 consecutive days in a row, without dropping below the threshold on any single day in that window. The 28-day period has to end no more than 31 days before you submit your visa application.
This means you cannot pull together the funds the day before you apply. Plan to have the full amount in your account at least a month ahead, and check your statement for any dip caused by a transfer, a card payment, or a currency conversion fee.
Documents the Home Office accepts
Personal bank or building society statements, either paper statements or account activity you download from online banking
A loan letter from a recognized student loan scheme
An official letter from a financial sponsor, such as a government agency or employer, confirming they cover your fees and living costs
Gov.uk lists these as acceptable evidence types for the Student visa financial requirement . Whichever document you use, it needs to show your name, the account or sponsor details, and a balance or funding amount that matches what your CAS states.
When you skip the requirement
You do not need to show maintenance funds if you already held a valid UK visa for the 12 months immediately before your Student visa application. You also skip personal bank evidence if a government body or official financial sponsor is paying your full fees and living costs and confirms this in an official letter.
Mistakes that get ASEAN applications refused
Letting the balance dip below the threshold for even one day inside the 28-day window, often from a small transfer or a subscription payment
Submitting a bank statement dated more than 31 days before the application date
Showing funds in an account that is not in your own name, without a sponsor letter that meets the Home Office format
Moving money between accounts during the 28-day window, which resets the count
Check your balance against the exact London or outside-London rate for your course length before you book your appointment, and keep your statement dates inside the 31-day window right up to the day you apply.