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Student visa for the United Kingdom
Money to show for the visa: £1,529/month London, £1,171/month outside, up to 9 months. Work while you study: 20 hours a week in term at degree level, full time in vacations. Checked against the official pages on 24 September 2026.
The numbers
- Money you must show
- £1,529/month London, £1,171/month outside, up to 9 months
- Visa fee
- £558, plus Immigration Health Surcharge of £776 per year
- Work while you study
- 20 hours a week in term at degree level, full time in vacations
- Stay after you graduate
- Graduate Route: 2 years if you apply by 31 December 2026, 18 months after that. PhD 3 years.
RISES to £1,570 / £1,203 for applications from 30 November 2026. Money must sit untouched for 28 days.
GOV.UK Student visa: money, checked 2026-09-24
GOV.UK fees, 8 April 2026, checked 2026-09-24
UKCISA, checked 2026-09-24
GOV.UK Graduate visa, checked 2026-09-24
Worth knowing: The Graduate Route falls to 18 months for applications from 1 January 2027 and maintenance funds rise on 30 November 2026.
The visa
The Student route, sponsored by a licensed student sponsor who issues your CAS. Fee £558. Immigration Health Surcharge £776 per year of the visa, and the visa is granted for your course plus a wrap-up period, so a one-year master's usually means paying around 1.5 years' worth.
Processing is three weeks from outside the UK, eight weeks inside. You can apply up to six months before your course starts from abroad.
The money rule causes more refusals than anything else. The funds must be in the account for 28 consecutive days, and the statement must end within 31 days of your application. One day below the threshold resets the clock. Refusals typically come from a dip in the balance, a statement dated too early, funds in a parent's account without the right birth certificate and consent letter, or a lump sum that has not yet aged 28 days.
One correction worth making. Several agency and news sites currently claim the holding period has been cut from 28 days to 14. It has not. GOV.UK and the September 2026 Statement of Changes both keep 28 days. Acting on the 14-day claim risks refusal.
What the UK student visa costs, item by item Bringing your family
Where to apply
At the embassy or consulate of the United Kingdom that covers your country, or through the visa application centre it names. Book early: in the busiest months appointments can be weeks away. Apply only through the official website; nobody can sell you a faster place in the queue.
Official pages: gov.uk. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you apply.
Government scholarships to study in the United Kingdom
- Commonwealth Shared Scholarships open, closes 8 December 2026
- GREAT Scholarships see the official page for dates
- Chevening Scholarships closed for this round
- Commonwealth Master's Scholarships closed for this round
- Commonwealth PhD Scholarships closed for this round
- Marshall Scholarships closed for this round
Which of these are open to your nationality
By nationality
From Algeria
From Armenia
From Azerbaijan
From Bangladesh
From Brazil
From Cameroon
From Canada
From China
From Colombia
From Egypt
From Ethiopia
From Georgia
From Ghana
From India
From Indonesia
From Iran
From Iraq
From Japan
From Jordan
From Kazakhstan
From Kenya
From Lebanon
From Malaysia
From Mexico
From Morocco
From Nepal
From Nigeria
From Pakistan
From Philippines
From Russia
From Saudi Arabia
From Senegal
From South Africa
From South Korea
From Sri Lanka
From Syria
From Tanzania
From Tunisia
From Türkiye
From Uganda
From Ukraine
From United Arab Emirates
From United States
From Uzbekistan
From Vietnam
From ZimbabweQuestions students ask
How much money do I need to show for a United Kingdom student visa?
£1,529/month London, £1,171/month outside, up to 9 months. RISES to £1,570 / £1,203 for applications from 30 November 2026. Money must sit untouched for 28 days. (GOV.UK Student visa: money, checked 2026-09-24).
How much is the student visa fee for the United Kingdom?
£558, plus Immigration Health Surcharge of £776 per year.
Can international students work in the United Kingdom?
20 hours a week in term at degree level, full time in vacations.
Can I stay in the United Kingdom after I graduate?
Graduate Route: 2 years if you apply by 31 December 2026, 18 months after that. PhD 3 years.
This page is general information from official sources, not immigration advice. For a decision about your own case, the official source or a regulated adviser is where that belongs.