UK Student Visa Maintenance Funds Are Rising: Budget to These Numbers from 30 November
On 3 September 2026 the Home Office laid Statement of Changes HC 584: Student visa applications filed on or after 30 November 2026 must meet higher maintenance funds. This page gives you the old-vs-new figures, the easily-misread filing-date rule, what has not changed, and the trend — every claim traceable to official gov.uk sources. Last verified 2026-09-19.
Old vs New at a Glance
HC 584 (laid 3 September 2026) raises Student visa maintenance funds as below — funds are assessed per month of the course, capped at nine months.
Column two applies to filings up to 29 November 2026; column three applies from 30 November 2026; the last column is the capped nine-month total (current → new).
| Location | Current (to 29 Nov 2026) | New (from 30 Nov 2026) | 9-month cap (old → new) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inner London | £1,529/month | £1,570/month | £13,761 → £14,130 |
| Outside London | £1,171/month | £1,203/month | £10,539 → £10,827 |
It Keys on Your Filing Date, Not Your Course Start
The most easily misread point: the line is drawn at your application filing date — file by 29 November 2026 (inclusive) and current amounts apply; file from 30 November 2026 and the new amounts apply. When your course starts and when your offer arrived change nothing. In the official wording: if you apply before 30 November 2026, you will be assessed under the current, lower amounts.
Practically: if you are budgeting for a late-2026 or 2027 intake, plan your filing date around the 30 November line — filing a week earlier saves £41 × 9 = £369 in Inner London (£32 × 9 = £288 outside). The delta is modest, but you should know where the line is.
What Has Not Changed (Ignore the Clickbait)
HC 584 moves only the main applicant's monthly figures. The following stand unchanged:
- Dependant maintenance funds are unchanged: £845/month Inner London, £680/month outside (most undergraduates and taught master's students cannot bring dependants anyway — those who can are mainly research postgraduates on programmes of nine months or more, and government-sponsored students).
- The 28-day rule is unchanged: funds must be held for 28 consecutive days, never dipping below the required amount on any single day; the bank statement must be dated within 31 days of the application.
- Exemptions are unchanged: those with 12 months' residence in the UK, and certain nationalities (the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, most EU countries and others), generally need not submit financial evidence with the application unless UKVI asks.
- The Graduate route is unaffected: its application needs the fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge, with no proof of maintenance funds — this increase amends the Student route.
The Trend, and How We Track It for You
This is the second rise after the November 2025 increase, and it follows the England home-student maintenance loan (2026/27) — the "pass mark" for financial evidence now ratchets up annually. Families budgeting a year ahead should leave headroom.
We patrol gov.uk, Home Office announcements and Statements of Changes daily; on 30 November 2026 we will re-verify this page against the official "Student visa: Money you need" figures and refresh the "last verified" date.
FAQ
My course starts in 2027 — will the new threshold apply to me?
It depends on your filing date, not your course start. Applications filed by 29 November 2026 (inclusive) are all assessed under the current, lower amounts — the official wording: if you apply before 30 November 2026, you will be assessed under the current amounts. If you can assemble a complete application before end of November, current rates apply; if not, budget to the new figures. Do not rush an incomplete application just to save the difference — a refusal costs far more than the delta.
Inner London or outside London — how is it decided?
By your study location — whether the campus where you will study is in Inner London — not your home address and not where you attend your visa appointment. The gov.uk "Student visa: Money you need" page lists the Inner London boroughs. For multi-campus or joint programmes, follow the study location on your CAS; if unsure, budgeting to the Inner London rate is the safer side.
I am already in the UK — does it affect my extension? What about the Graduate route?
HC 584 changes the maintenance-funds figures for the Student route, applying to applications filed from 30 November 2026. The Graduate route is separate: its application needs the fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge, with no proof of maintenance funds — this increase does not affect Graduate filings.
Is this a trend? Will it rise again?
The two most recent moves: an increase in November 2025 to the current figures, and HC 584 (3 September 2026) aligning with the 2026/27 England home-student maintenance loan — the "pass mark" now ratchets up annually with the loan. Families budgeting a year ahead should leave headroom. We patrol the official sources daily (gov.uk, the Federal Register, USCIS, NAFSA); if anything material changes, this page is updated and its "last verified" date refreshed.
This page is a summary of public policy information, not legal advice. UK immigration rules and their implementation may change; defer to the official texts of the Home Office, UKVI and gov.uk. For decisions material to your status planning, consult a regulated immigration adviser (OISC) or a lawyer.