UK Student Visa: The Bank Balance You Must Show Goes Up on 30 November

In short: Students who apply for a UK Student visa on or after 30 November 2026 must show more money for living costs: £1,570 a month in London (up from £1,529) and £1,203 a month elsewhere (up from £1,171). This matters most to families planning a January 2027 start, whose visa applications fall on either side of that date.

What happened

The UK Home Office laid a set of changes to the Immigration Rules (known as HC 584) on 3 September 2026. Most of it deals with exchange programmes, but one part raises the "maintenance" amount, the money a Student visa applicant must prove they have to live on. The Home Office says the new figures match what UK home students can borrow for living costs in 2026–27.

The change takes effect on 30 November 2026. The rules say applications made before that date are decided under the rules in force on 29 November, so the old amounts apply to them.

As of today, the gov.uk "money you need" page still shows the old figures. That is expected until the date arrives, but it can confuse anyone reading it in December.

Old amount vs new amount

The rules ask for living costs for up to nine months of the course. Here is what that comes to:

	Apply by 29 Nov 2026	Apply on or after 30 Nov 2026
London, per month	£1,529	£1,570
London, 9 months	£13,761	£14,130
Outside London, per month	£1,171	£1,203
Outside London, 9 months	£10,539	£10,827

The rise is £369 over nine months in London and £288 elsewhere. The upper limit on accommodation fees already paid to the university, which can be counted against the living-cost amount, also goes up to £1,570.

For students

1. Find out which date applies to you. It is the date you submit the visa application, not the date on your CAS (the confirmation letter from your university). If your CAS comes in early November, you may be able to apply before 30 November at the old rate.
2. Don't rush a weak application to save £41 a month. A refusal costs far more than the difference. Apply early only if your documents are ready.
3. Check whether your course counts as London. For this rule, London means the City of London and the 32 London boroughs, and the rate depends on where you will study. A campus with a London-sounding name may be outside it. Your university's international office can confirm.
4. Use the right figure on the day. If you apply on or after 30 November, use the new amounts, even if your university's checklist still shows the old ones.

For parents

The extra money is small. The paperwork is where families lose time.

• 28 days, without a break. The full amount must sit in the account for at least 28 days in a row. If the balance dips below it even for a day, the 28-day period is broken.
• The timing window. The last day of that 28-day period must be within 31 days of the visa application date.
• Course fees come on top. You must also show money for the first year's course fee (up to nine months) that you have not already paid; the CAS shows what is owed.
• A parent's account is allowed. The parent must control the account and give a letter agreeing to its use for the visa.
• Keep a cushion. The Home Office converts rupee balances to pounds at the exchange rate on the day of application. If the rupee weakens, a balance that was just enough can fall short. A margin of a few per cent is sensible.

Key dates

Date	What
3 Sep 2026	Rule change laid in the UK Parliament
29 Nov 2026	Last day to apply at the old amounts
30 Nov 2026	New amounts apply to every new application

Sources

• Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules HC 584 (rules text, Appendix Student ST 12.3 and 12.4, commencement), checked 22 October 2026
• Explanatory memorandum to HC 584 (reason for the rise, start date), checked 22 October 2026
• GOV.UK: Student visa, money you need, checked 22 October 2026
• GOV.UK: Financial evidence for Student visa applicants, checked 22 October 2026

Dates can change. Confirm on the official website before you pay or apply.

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