International studentsStudent visa - supporting documents guidance

Important update - Changes to Student visa maintenance requirements effective 11 November 2025

Student visa finance requirements for maintenance (living costs) are increasing. The change means applicants must show a higher amount of funds to demonstrate they can support themselves during their studies. The current requirement will increase from £1136 per month to £1171 per month from 11 November 2025. This means the maximum funds to show will increase from £10,224 to £10,539 for Student visa applications made on or after 11 November 2025.

When applying for a Student visa from within the UK or outside the UK, you'll need to prepare documents to be considered by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) for your Student visa application. These are called your supporting documents.

Student revising

Preparing supporting documents for your visa application

To ensure a smooth Student visa application process, have all your supporting documents ready beforehand. Missing documents and incomplete applications risk your application being delayed or rejected.

How you submit your supporting documents will depend on your location:

Start gathering your documents early, as getting documents together can take time.  If applying outside the UK, check processing times in your country.

Documents you need to apply

Student working on a laptop

Student visa supporting documents list

All Student visa applicants must provide: 

  • your original current passport
  • your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number - you do not need to upload a CAS document
  • evidence you meet financial requirements - depending on your situation
  • translations of documents if they are not in English

Some Student visa applicants may need to provide:

  • Tuberculosis test - usually applicants applying from outside the UK if you have lived in certain countries for more than 6 months
  • Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate - certain courses only, this will show on your offer letter and CAS
  • your current Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) if you have one - for applicants in the UK only
  • evidence you completed your most recent programme, such as official transcripts or certificate showing awarded your qualification - for applicants in the UK currently on Student visa, this information will be on your CAS
  • proof of your English language proficiency - this information will be on your CAS
  • written unconditional consent from your official financial sponsor to apply for the Student visa - if you received a full scholarship covering all course fees and living costs from a government or international scholarship agency within the last 12 months and completed your programme
  • if you are under 18 years old - written consent from both your parents or legal guardians with both their signatures confirming: 
    • they consent to your Student visa application
    • they consent to your living and care arrangements in UK
    • if applying from outside the UK, they consent to your travel and reception arrangement in the UK

Applying under differential evidence requirement

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Differential evidence requirement

Nationals from some countries may not have to provide certain documents supporting their Student visa application.  These could be documents that show you meet finance requirements or your academic qualifications, as some examples.

However, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) can reserve the right to request your evidence that you meet finance requirements - even if you qualify under differential arrangements.

If UKVI requests you to provide evidence, you'll have a very short time to provide it.  If you fail to provide the requested evidence, this will result in a visa refusal.

You can find the list of nationals in the differential evidence requirement in Appendix Student, paragraph ST 22.1.

Who needs to show finances

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Do you have to provide evidence you meet finance requirements?

This depends on:

  • whether you are applying in the UK or outside the UK
  • if in the UK, how long you have been in the UK with a valid visa
  • whether your nationality is listed in the differential evidence requirement

See the table information below for who needs to show evidence of finances. 

Student visa applicant situationHas to show finances?
Student visa applicant - applying from outside the UK Yes, must show finances
Student visa applicant - in UK with valid visa for less than 12 months, applying in the UK Yes, must show finances
Student visa applicant - in UK with valid visa for more than 12 months, applying in the UK No, does not need to show finances
Student visa applicant - nationality listed in differential evidence requirement No, but should still meet finance requirements
Dependant visa application situationHas to show finances?
Dependant visa applicant - applying together with Student (in or outside UK) Same as Student visa applicant (see table above)
Dependant visa applicant - applying separately from Student (all nationalities) Yes, must show finances
Dependant visa applicant - nationality listed in differential evidence requirement

If applying separately from Student, must show finances

If applying together with Student, no, but should still meet finance requirements

Financial requirements - Student visa

Student using calculator

How to calculate your required funds

To study with us, you'll need to demonstrate sufficient funds. This includes:

  • your course fees and
  • £1136 per month for up to nine months of living costs (maximum £10,224) - for applications made before 11 November 2025
  • £1171 per month for up to nine months of living costs (maximum £10,539) - for applications made on or after 11 November 2025

The duration of your course determines the number of months of living expenses you need to show. This is based on the start and end dates listed on your CAS.

For example, if a course starts 1 February and ends 1 August in the same year, then you would need to show 7 months of living expenses.

If your course includes a partial month, round up to a full month. For example, 5 months and 1 week means you need to show 6 months of living expenses.

Check what funds you require to show depending on when you make your Student visa application.

Length of course Amount required (applying for Student visa before 11 November 2025)
Nine months or less Any unpaid course fees + £1136 multiplied by each remaining month of the course to cover living costs
More than nine months Any unpaid course fees + £10,224 to cover living costs for the first nine months

 

Length of course Amount required (applying for Student visa on or after 11 November 2025)
Nine months or less Any unpaid course fees + £1171 multiplied by each remaining month of the course to cover living costs
More than nine months Any unpaid course fees + £10,539 to cover living costs for the first nine months

Documents that can demonstrate you meet Student visa finance requirements

  • bank statements - if you are self-funded
  • parents' or legal guardians' bank statements - if you plan to use these, then you will have to provide:
    • your birth certificate as proof of relationship and
    • a letter of consent from your parents confirming availability of funds, purpose of you using the funds and confirmation of the relationship
  • letter from your bank confirming you have money for your course fees and living costs for a 28-day period
  • letter from your official financial sponsor - such as your country's home government, the British Council, an international scholarship agency or university
  • loan letter - from a government, government-sponsored student loan company or an academic or educational loans scheme

The above documents are some common examples.

If you're using funds that are specifically in Iranian Rials, Syrian Pounds or Mongolian Tugrik, convert your currency to GBP with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) exchange rate, for the current month. 

If you're using funds that are not in British pound sterling (GBP) or the above currencies, convert your currency to GBP through the OANDA currency converter website.

Do your documents have all the information required by UKVI?

Be sure to check the GOV.UK guidance for details on what information your financial documents should have.

The Immigration Rules Appendix Finance has all the information that must be included on any financial document used to support your visa application.

Dependants of Student visa applicants/holders

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Dependant supporting documents

Generally, dependants will need to provide the following documents for their Dependant visa application:

  • passport
  • Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) - only needed if applying in UK and previous visa was granted on BRP
  • evidence dependant meets financial requirements - depending on situation
  • evidence of relationship
  • Tuberculosis (TB) test certificate if required
  • translations of documents if they are not in English

Details on what kind of evidence can be provided as evidence of relationship is in the caseworker guidance:

Dependants will also need information from the Student visa applicant, such as:

  • Student visa applicant's CAS number
  • copy of Student visa applicant's passport showing Student visa if issued
  • copy of main Student visa applicant's BRP (if already in UK)

Your partner and children

Learn who is a dependant, what are the finance requirements and about the visa application process for your partner and children.