When you apply for your visa, you may need to provide evidence you have enough funding. If you are expected to but cannot provide specific evidence, your application will be refused. 

If you make a new visa application in the UK and you have been living in the UK with immigration permission (of any type) for 12 months or more on the date you apply, you will not need to meet the financial requirement. If you have not been living in the UK for 12 months or more, or are applying overseas, please read the following information carefully. 

Find out how much money you need

You need to prove you have enough money to pay the course fees for your current academic year and your maintenance requirements.

Find out how much money you need

Application Costs

You can find out about the current application costs on this government webpage. As well as the application fee, you will also need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge, which is set at £776 per each year of visa and is calculated in 6-month blocks. Please visit this webpage for information on how the UKVI calculate the IHS payments. Wrap-up time awarded after the CAS end date will be counted as well, so a student taking a 4-year PhD programme for example will be liable for 4.5 years of IHS payments upfront. 

Evidence of your finances

You need to provide the following financial evidence:

• You have held the required funds every day for a 28 day period.
• Your funds are in a financial institution that is accepted by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). Find out if your financial institution is accepted, and what to do if it is not.

Documents you can use as evidence

• Bank statement, and/or
• Bank letter, and/or
• Pass book, and/or
• Loan agreement dated no more than 6 months before the date of your application, and/or
• Sponsorship letter and permission to stay from sponsor, and/or
• Statement in the Evidence section of your Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS) which reflects that you will receive a scholarship from the University of Bristol, and/or
• Receipts for tuition fees and/or accommodation paid to the University of Bristol.

Financial institutions which are accepted

Your financial institution must be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) or, in the case of overseas account, the home regulator (official regulatory body for the country in which the institution operates and the funds are located). Caseworkers can check the Regulatory authorities and supervisory agencies list to see the financial regulators for each country. 

What to do if your financial institution is not accepted

• Move your money to a financial institution the UKVI accepts.
• Move your money at least 28 days before you make your visa application.
• Check you meet the other requirements.

Using a bank statement as evidence

The date of your bank statement must be no earlier than 31 days before your visa application date. It must show you have had the required funds every day for a 28 day period.

If you are using more than one account, the statements must cover the same 28 day period.

The bank statement must show:

• Your name.
• Your account number.
• The bank’s name and logo.
• The amount of money. If the money is not shown in pounds sterling, you will also need to include a currency conversion document from OANDA.

Accepted bank statements

• Paper bank statements printed on the bank’s headed paper.
• Electronic bank statements 
• Joint bank account statements, naming you on the account with one or more other person.

Using your parent(s)/guardian's bank statement

1. The date of the bank statement must be no earlier than 31 days before your visa application date. It must show the required funds every day for a 28 day period. 
2. The bank statement must show:
   • The name.
   • The account number.
   • The bank’s name and logo.
   • The amount of money. If the money is not shown in pounds sterling, you will also need to include a currency conversion document from OANDA.
3. You will need an original letter (in English) from your parent(s)/guardian confirming:
   • their relationship to you
   • confirmation that they allow you to use their money for your studies.
4. An original birth certificate as evidence of your relationship, or an equivalent document.

Using bank letters as evidence

The date of your bank letter must be no earlier than 31 days before your visa application date. It must show you have had the required funds every day for a 28 day period.

The bank letter must show:

• Your name.
• Your account number.
• The date of the letter.
• The bank’s name and logo.
• That the money has been in your account for 28 days.
• That you have the required amount of money.

Translations

A professional translator must translate any documents not written in English. Each translation must include:

• Name of translator.
• Details of translator’s qualification.
• Translator’s signature and date.
• Translator’s contact details.
• Statement: ‘I confirm this is an accurate translation of the original’.

Evidence of payments made to the University of Bristol

Using your CAS as evidence

If you have paid your tuition fees from your required funds we can include details of this on your CAS.

You do not need any other documents as proof of this payment if we include this information on your CAS.

If, after you have received your CAS, you pay more of your tuition fees, we can update your CAS to show this.

• Email pbs-cas-requests@bristol.ac.uk with the information
• You must wait for a reply confirming we have updated your CAS before you apply for your visa.

The maximum accommodation (maintenance) amount that you pay the University (not private/external accommodation providers) that can be shown on your CAS and deducted from your maintenance requirement is £1,334, even if you pay more. 

Payments not included on your CAS

If any payments to the University are not on your CAS but you are relying on the deductions to meet the financial requirement, you must have an Income Office receipt confirming that the funds have been received by the University. A PDF version should be accepted by the UKVI.