UK Student Visa Maintenance Funds Rise From 30 November 2026

What happened

Statement of Changes HC 584, laid on 3 September 2026, raises the money Student visa applicants must show for living costs. The new amounts apply to applications made on or after 30 November 2026. The explanatory memorandum says the rise matches the maintenance loans available to home students for 2026/27.

Study location	Up to 29 Nov 2026	From 30 Nov 2026	Nine-month total (new)
London	£1,529 a month	£1,570 a month	£14,130
Outside London	£1,171 a month	£1,203 a month	£10,827

Applications made before 30 November 2026 are decided on the rules in force on 29 November 2026. At the time of writing, the GOV.UK money page still shows the current figures.

Who is affected

The rise affects new Student visa applicants who need to show maintenance funds. That includes people applying from abroad for January 2027 starts and people in the UK applying to extend or switch. You need funds for each month of the course, up to nine months. Course fees still to be paid are on top.

What it means for your move

The rise is small: an extra £369 over nine months in London and £288 outside London. However, being even slightly short can lead to a refusal, which costs you the £558 visa fee and time. The 28-day rule has not changed. The money must sit in an eligible account for 28 days in a row, and the end of that period must be within 31 days of your application.

Studying is often the first step towards a permanent move. Graduates who apply from 1 January 2027 get 18 months on the Graduate route instead of two years (see our Graduate route guide).

What to do now

• If you will apply on or after 30 November 2026, budget on the new figures: £1,570 or £1,203 a month.
• If you can apply before 30 November, the old figures apply. Do not rush an incomplete application to save a few hundred pounds.
• Check the start date of your 28-day period so that it ends within 31 days of the application date.
• Read our maintenance funds guide and Student visa guide for evidence rules.

What happens next

GOV.UK guidance should be updated to show the new figures by 30 November 2026. See the UK hub and the updates tracker.