Good preparation is key before applying for your visa to Study at City. It's essential to have your personal information, including your financial arrangements, ready to give your application the best chance of succeeding.
Applying for a Student visa should be fairly straightforward as long as you prepare carefully.
It is important that you provide the correct supporting documents and formal financial evidence to show that you have held the necessary funds for the required period.
Financial requirements for a Student visa application
You must have enough money to support yourself whilst studying in the UK and meet the financial requirements of a Student visa application.
Do not assume that just because you have a lot of money in a bank account that this will be acceptable - the money needs to be held for a set period of time and the documents need to be in a specific format.
Required funds in your bank account
You must show that you have:
- Your outstanding tuition fees for your courseas stated on your CAS PLUS
- A minimum of £12,006 for living costs for a course of 9 months or longer
The money needs to be in cash or certain specified investment funds (not Shares) that have been held in your bank account for a minimum of 28 days before the date you make your Student visa application and the statement must be dated no earlier than one month before the date of application.
The right amount of money during the 28-day period
Throughout the 28-day period it must be clear that the closing daily balance in the account has not dropped below the minimum amount that you are required to show.
The date the statement is issued must be before the date of application but no older than one month before the date of application. This is because, when you apply online, you are confirming that you meet the requirements and have the relevant documents on that date.
The UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) caseworker will look at the date of the closing balance and the amount of money held in the account on that date and then calculate the 28-day period from that date. .
You should note that the guidance states:
"The money you show us must be for your use for studying and living in the UK. The full amount of this money - which should be held in the manner specified in this guidance - must continue to be available to you after your application is made, except for any money you have to pay for course fees and living costs.
For example, you should retain the full amount of money you have shown us in your bank account, minus the balance you have paid for your course fees."
We advise that the funds remain in your account until you have received your new visa.
When you do not need to prove you have money to support yourself
You do not need to prove the financial requirement and you will automatically meet the financial requirement if:
- You have been in the UK for at least 12 months with a valid visa prior to the date of your Student visa application -and you must currently be in the UK and applying from inside the UK
- If you’re from a country listed under the ‘differential evidence requirement’.
You do not need to prove you have enough money to support yourself if you’re a British national overseas or from one of the low risk countries listed on the Government's Student Visa website.
The UKVI will sometimes ask a low risk national to send them the documentary evidence for a random check or where you have complex immigration history/security concerns/criminal records. If you are being asked to provide it, you’ll be contacted by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) after you’ve submitted your application.
Read the latest guidance on finances for student applications for more information about the money you need and how to prove it.
Types of funds you can rely on
You can show you have enough money using:
- Official financial or government sponsorship including from a university
- A student loan from a government, government sponsored loan company, or a regulated student loans scheme
- Your own money
- Your parent's money (if they provide a letter confirming they agree to you using it this way)
- Your partner's money if your partner is present in the UK or applying at the same time.
You, or the account holder (such as your parents or partner), must have control of the funds that you are relying on.
You must show the funds have been held for 28 days, unless you are relying on a student loan or official financial sponsorship. The bank statement(s) or evidence you use to show the funds must have been held for 28 days and must be dated within 31 days before the date you pay for your application. The 28 days is calculated from the closing date of the bank statement.
Financial documents you must provide in your application
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) must be able to verify any financial documents that you provide and the bank must keep digital records.
The following are acceptable:
If you use Personal Bank or Building Society Statements
These must show:
- Your name
- Your account number
- The date of the statement
- The financial institution’s name and logo
- A running balance ending no more than 1 month before the date of the application showing that the money in the account has not dropped below the required amount for a consecutive 28 day period.
You can use online bank statements if they contain all of the details listed above.
If you use a letter from your Bank or Building Society
A letter from your bank / building society confirming that you have sufficient funds.
This letter must include:
- Your name
- Your account number
- The date of the letter
- The financial institution’s name and logo
- A statement* from the bank confirming that the money in the account has not dropped below the required amount for a consecutive 28 day period.
*Suggested wording “This is to confirm that the balance in this account has not dropped below xxxxxx from DATE to DATE”. Or “I am writing to confirm that the balance in this account has not dropped below xxxxxx for the last 28 days”.
If you have official financial sponsorship
To prove you have official financial sponsorship from City this should be included in your Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS).
If your official financial sponsorship is from a government, scholarship agency or international company you’ll need to show a letter of confirmation from the official financial sponsor. The letter must show:
- The date
- The name of the financial sponsor
- Contact details of the financial sponsor
- How long the sponsorship will last
- The amount of money that is being provided or confirmation that all of your fees and living costs will be paid by the sponsor.
If you are receiving a student loan
For student loans you need to show a student loan letter which:
- Is dated no more than 6 months before the date of application
- Confirms the loan is a student loan provided by either the relevant government or a government sponsored student loan company or an academic or educational loans scheme
- Confirms there are no conditions on release of the loan funds other than a successful application to study
- Confirms the amount of the loan
- Confirms the loan is for you
- Is on official stationery
- Confirms the funds will be available to you, or paid directly to the sponsor, before you begin your course.
Using your parents' bank account
If you wish to use your parents’ bank statements, you will need to provide:
- Your original birth certificate showing the name of the parent(s) showing the funds
- An original signed and dated letter from your parent(s) confirming the relationship between you and that the money in their account is for your studies
- You will also need to provide your parents’ financial documents (as above). Please note that these must be personal bank accounts and not business accounts.