UK to raise student visa maintenance requirement from November 2026

The UK will increase the financial maintenance requirement for international students applying for a Student visa from November 30, 2026.

Students studying in London will need to show up to £14,130 for living costs under the new rules, while those studying outside London will need to show up to £10,827.

What students must show now and after November

Study location	Current monthly requirement	Current maximum for 9 months	Requirement from November 30	New maximum for 9 months
London	£1,529	£13,761	£1,570	£14,130
Outside London	£1,171	£10,539	£1,203	£10,827

The monthly requirement will rise by £41 for students in London and by £32 for students studying elsewhere in the UK.


For a nine-month period, the maximum amount will increase by £369 in London and by £288 outside London.

The figures apply to living costs and are separate from tuition fees, visa fees and the Immigration Health Charge.

How the requirement works

Under the Student route, applicants must show that they have enough funds to support themselves for each month of their course, subject to a maximum of nine months.

The amount depends on where the student’s main study location is based. Students studying in London face the higher requirement, while those studying outside London must meet the lower amount.

If a course lasts for less than nine months, the student will generally need to show funds for the relevant number of months. The maximum maintenance period remains nine months.

Students may also need to show money for any outstanding tuition fees stated on their Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies.

Accommodation offset will also increase

The maximum accommodation offset will rise from £1,529 to £1,570 from November 30, 2026.

The offset allows students to show less money in available funds if they have paid a deposit to their student sponsor for qualifying accommodation arranged by the sponsor.

The deduction is capped at the amount set under the Immigration Rules. Students cannot automatically deduct the full amount of rent or every accommodation payment they make.

An accommodation payment is separate from tuition-fee payments. Students should check whether the payment qualifies under the sponsor-arranged accommodation provision and whether it is recorded on their Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies or supported by an acceptable receipt.

Which rules will apply to applications?

Applications submitted before November 30, 2026, will be assessed under the Immigration Rules in force on November 29.

The revised figures will apply to applications made on or after November 30, 2026.

This means students planning to apply around the changeover date will need to check which version of the rules applies to their application.

Why is the amount increasing?

The Home Office said the revised figures will be aligned with the maintenance loans available to home students for the 2026/27 academic year.

The maintenance requirement is reviewed annually by the Department for Education. The government said it will continue to align the amount with maintenance loans available to students in the UK.

The annual increase had already been approved as part of measures announced in May 2024 to address abuse of the Student route. The Home Secretary also committed to continuing these changes in a statement issued on July 30, 2024.

Erasmus+ students will also see rule changes

The wider Statement of Changes includes separate amendments to the Student and Child Student routes to support the UK’s planned association with the Erasmus+ programme from 2027.

Under the amendments, Erasmus+ students may be sponsored for programmes that do not lead to an approved qualification.

Certain Erasmus+ courses at lower qualification levels will also be permitted. The rules will further allow qualifying Erasmus+ programmes to have work placements that would otherwise fall outside existing restrictions.

The Home Office said 412,825 study visas were granted in the year ending March 2026. It expects the Erasmus+ amendments to result in a moderate increase in the use of the Student routes.

The updated Student visa maintenance requirement will take effect on November 30, 2026.