Proof of Funds for a UK Student Visa: How Much & How to Show It
A UK student visa requires £13,761 for London study or £10,539 for study outside London — covering 9 months of living costs — plus your first year's full tuition, held in your account for 28 consecutive days ending within 31 days of applying. No African country covered is on the Home Office's reduced-evidence list, so full documentation is required.
The Two Maintenance Amounts
The Home Office sets the maintenance requirement based on where your university is located — not where you live during your studies.
| Study location | Monthly amount | × 9 months = maximum to show |
|---|---|---|
| London (any university in the Greater London area) | £1,529/month | £13,761 |
| Outside London (anywhere else in the UK) | £1,171/month | £10,539 |
Source: gov.uk/student-visa/money, confirmed June 2026. VOLATILE — these figures are reviewed periodically. Check gov.uk before you apply, not this post.
The “× 9 months” is the maximum you need to show in a bank account. You do not need to show more than the 9-month cap even if your course is longer. But you must show the full amount, not a reduced figure.
Plus: First Year’s Tuition
On top of the maintenance figure, you must demonstrate you can pay your tuition for the first year, as stated on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). The CAS is the reference number your university generates once you have an unconditional offer; you need it to apply for a student visa.
If your CAS shows tuition of £30,000 for Year 1 and your university is outside London, the total you need to show is:
£10,539 (maintenance) + £30,000 (tuition) = £40,539
If your university is in London and tuition is £35,000:
£13,761 (maintenance) + £35,000 (tuition) = £48,761
These are examples only — your actual tuition is on your CAS.
The 28-Day Rule: The Detail That Catches Applicants
The funds must have been in your account for 28 consecutive days. The last day of that 28-day period must be no earlier than 31 days before the date you submit your visa application.
What this means in practice:
- If you plan to apply for your visa on 1 September 2026, the 28-day window must end by 1 August 2026 at the earliest — meaning funds must have been present continuously since at least 4 July 2026.
- The funds must not drop below the required amount at any point during those 28 days. Even a single day where the balance dips counts as a failure of the requirement.
- The evidence you submit must cover the full 28-day period — typically a bank statement showing the account balance on each day, or a letter from your bank confirming the minimum balance held continuously.
Start the 28-day clock early. Many applicants discover too late that they moved money between accounts or that a transaction temporarily reduced the balance. Once the funds are parked in the account, leave them there.
What Documents to Submit
The standard evidence for proof of funds is:
- Bank statements covering the 28-day period, showing your name, the institution name, account number, and the daily balance — or at minimum the opening and closing balance with a certified confirmation of the period. Statements must be from an official financial institution (not a mobile payment service or informal system). If your statements are not in English, include a certified translation.
- Official letter from your bank confirming the account balance and that the funds have been held for 28 consecutive days ending on a specified date. This is an alternative to statements where a letter is verifiable and in the required format.
- Scholarship letter if a scholarship covers your maintenance, tuition, or both. The letter must be from an official body (a government, a university, or an established foundation) and must confirm the amount and the duration of the award. If your scholarship covers maintenance but not tuition — or vice versa — you show the scholarship letter for the part it covers and bank evidence for the rest.
What does not work:
– Overdraft facilities — funds must be genuinely held, not available as borrowing
– Loans that are not formally and officially offered to you (e.g. an informal family loan; a loan from a private individual)
– A balance that appeared briefly and then moved out before the 28-day period was complete
All African Origins Must Show Full Evidence
This matters for applicants from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and South Africa: none of these countries is on the Home Office “differential evidence” list. The differential-evidence list reduces the documentation requirement for applicants from certain low-risk countries. Because none of the African origins covered here is on that list, all must submit complete financial evidence — the full 28 days, the full amounts, the full documentation.
Source: gov.uk/student-visa/money, confirmed June 2026.
The Immigration Health Surcharge: Separate, Upfront
The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is separate from the proof-of-funds requirement but must be paid upfront when you apply for your visa, for the full length of your visa. The student rate is £776 per year (confirmed: gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application, June 2026).
For a 3-year course, that is £776 × 3 = £2,328 paid at the time of visa application. This comes out of your own funds but is not included in the bank-balance requirement — it is a payment you make, not an amount you prove.
The Visa Application Fee
The UK student visa application fee is £558 (confirmed: gov.uk/student-visa, June 2026). Like the IHS, this is a payment at application, not a sum you prove in your bank account. But you need to have it available when you apply.
What a Realistic Total Looks Like
Here is a realistic first-application figure for an African student on a 3-year non-London programme at £30,000/year tuition (all figures confirmed, June 2026):
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Maintenance to prove (9 months, outside London) | £10,539 |
| Tuition for Year 1 (to prove) | £30,000 |
| Total to show in bank account | £40,539 |
| Visa application fee (to pay) | £558 |
| IHS (3 years, to pay upfront) | £2,328 |
| Total cash you need to have ready | ≈£43,425 |
Excludes flights, shipping, and initial settling-in costs. The maintenance you prove can then be used for living during your first year — it is not a one-way cost.
In African Currencies (June 2026)
Using World Study Africa verified figures June 2026: 1 GBP ≈ ₦1,807 | KSh172 | ₵15.8 | R21.8. African currencies are volatile — re-check before you pay.
| GBP amount | NGN ₦ | KES KSh | GHS ₵ | ZAR R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £10,539 maintenance (outside London) | ₦19.0M | KSh1.81M | ₵166,500 | R229,600 |
| £13,761 maintenance (London) | ₦24.9M | KSh2.37M | ₵217,400 | R300,000 |
| £30,000 typical year-1 tuition | ₦54.2M | KSh5.16M | ₵474,000 | R654,000 |
| £558 visa fee | ₦1.01M | KSh95,900 | ₵8,820 | R12,170 |
| £776/yr IHS | ₦1.40M | KSh133,400 | ₵12,260 | R16,920 |
| £40,539 (maintenance + £30k tuition) | ₦73.3M | KSh6.97M | ₵640,500 | R883,700 |
Common Mistakes That Lead to Refusals
Timing errors. Moving funds into an account less than 28 days before applying. The 28-day clock must be complete before the 31-day window closes relative to your application date.
Gaps in the balance. A single day where the account balance dips below the required amount. Set up an alert or check statements carefully before submitting.
Informal sponsorship letters. A letter from a family member promising to support you does not meet the standard. If a parent is funding you, the funds need to be in their bank account with a certified sponsor statement confirming they are providing the funds — combined with an official statement that the funds have been held for 28 days.
Not factoring in tuition. Some applicants prove maintenance but overlook that the CAS amount must also be evidenced. Check your CAS carefully for what tuition figure is stated.
Using a closed, reduced, or informal account. Mobile money statements and informal savings records are not accepted. The account must be a recognised financial institution.
The CAS: You Need This Before You Can Apply
You cannot apply for a UK student visa without a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). This is a reference number your university generates only after you have an unconditional offer and have met any outstanding conditions (English test, deposit, etc.). Your CAS states the course, start date, tuition amount, and your details — and these must match your application exactly.
Universities generate CAS numbers within a specific window before the course starts. Do not assume you can get one early. Check your university’s timeline for CAS generation and factor it into your visa application planning.
Visas Now Go Through VFS Global
As of November 2024, UK student visa applications for African applicants are processed via VFS Global visa application centres (VFS replaced TLScontact). You submit biometrics — fingerprints and a photograph — at a VFS centre. Decision time from outside the UK is typically around 3 weeks. Book your VFS appointment early, particularly in cities where demand is high (Lagos, Nairobi, Accra).
How World Study Helps
Our advisory helps African students understand exactly what financial evidence they need, how to structure their application, and which documentation gaps create refusal risk — before they pay a visa fee. The core service is free.
Check your eligibility → to see whether your profile and finances fit the UK student visa requirements, or message our advisors on WhatsApp for a specific question about your situation.
For everything about the UK student visa process — from CAS to biometrics to post-study work — see the proof of funds pillar → and the wider UK visa guide.
Frequently asked questions
You need to prove you can cover both maintenance and tuition. For maintenance: £13,761 if studying in London (£1,529 per month × 9 months), or £10,539 if studying outside London (£1,171 per month × 9 months). On top of that, you need your first year's tuition fees as stated on your CAS. So for a £30,000/year programme outside London, you need to show approximately £40,539 in total. These figures are confirmed on gov.uk/student-visa/money and were verified June 2026. VOLATILE — re-check gov.uk before applying.
The funds must be held in your bank account (or accounts) for 28 consecutive days, and the end of that 28-day period must fall within 31 days of the date you submit your visa application. For example: if you apply on 1 September, your funds must have been in your account continuously from at least 4 August, and the 28-day period must end on or after 1 August. Source: gov.uk/student-visa/money.
Gov.uk requires bank statements or a letter from your bank confirming your balance and the period funds have been held. The account must be in your name (or a parent or legal guardian's name if they are sponsoring you). Official scholarship letters count as evidence where the scholarship covers maintenance. There is no requirement to use a UK bank — an account in your home country is acceptable, provided the evidence is in English or accompanied by a certified translation. The Home Office does not accept overdraft facilities or funds from loans not officially offered to you.
Yes. Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa are all not on the Home Office differential-evidence list. This means you must submit complete financial evidence — there is no reduced-documentation route for any of these nationalities. Source: gov.uk/student-visa/money, verified June 2026.
Add up: maintenance (£10,539 outside London or £13,761 London) + first year's tuition (as on your CAS, e.g. £30,000) + the student visa fee (£558) + the Immigration Health Surcharge upfront (£776 per year × your visa length, e.g. £2,328 for a 3-year course). For a 3-year non-London programme at £30,000/year tuition, that comes to approximately £43,425 to have available — before flights and relocation costs. All figures as of June 2026.