Money required for a Student visa

How much money you need 

You must have enough money to cover:

• your course fees for one academic year
• your living costs in the UK (up to nine months)

Total required = course fees, plus living costs, minus any payments already made.

If you cannot show the correct funds in the correct way, your visa will be refused.

Course fees

Your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) shows the amount you owe in course fees.

Living costs

You must show £1,171 per month, for each month of your course, up to a maximum of nine months.

Payments already made

If you have already made any payments, these can be deducted from the total required. This includes:

• course fee payments shown on your CAS
• up to £1,529 paid for University accommodation

Example

If your course is 12 months:

• course fees: £15,000
• living costs: £1,171 × 9 = £10,539
• total required: £25,539

If you have already paid £5,000:

• you must show: £20,539

When you do not need to prove you have this money

You do not need to show evidence that you meet the financial requirement if:

• you have been living in the UK with valid immigration permission for at least 12 months on the date you apply
• you are applying from within the UK
• you have not been absent from the UK for more than 3 months during that 12-month period

How long you need to hold the money

You must hold the full amount of money for at least 28 days in a row before you apply.

The balance must not drop below the required amount during this time.

The end date of the 28-day period must be within 31 days of the date you apply for your visa.

How to prove you have the money

Accepted documents

You can use:

• bank statements
• bank letters
• passbooks
• loan agreement letters (dated no more than 6 months before your application)
• sponsorship letters and permission to stay
• Statement in the Evidence section of your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) that you will receive a University of Bristol scholarship
• receipts for tuition fees or accommodation paid to the University

Bank statements

You can use:

• printed statements on official bank paper
• electronic statements
• joint account statements (as long as your name is on the account)

Your bank statement must:

• be dated within 31 days of your visa application
•  show you have had the money for 28 days prior to the application being made
• include:
• your name
• your account number
• the bank’s name and logo
• your balance

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

If your balance is not in pounds sterling, you must include a currency conversion from OANDA.

Using a parent or guardian’s account

If you use a parent or guardian’s money, they

• a letter confirming:
  • your relationship
  • that you can use the money
• your birth certificate (or equivalent)

Bank letters

A bank letter must:

• be dated within 31 days of your visa application
• show you have had the money for 28 days

A bank letter must include:

• your name
• your account number
• the date of the letter
• the bank’s name and logo
• confirmation that you have the required funds

Translations

If your documents are not in English, you must provide a certified translation.

Each translation must include:

• the translator’s name
• their qualifications
• their signature and the date
• their contact details
• the statement: ‘I confirm this is an accurate translation of the original’.

Accepted financial institutions

Your money must be held in a regulated financial institution.

Check if your bank is on the Regulatory authorities and supervisory agencies list.

If your bank is not accepted, you must:

• move your money to an accepted institution
• hold the funds there for at least 28 days before applying
• make sure you still meet all other requirements

Payments to the University

If you have paid any of your course fees, this will be included on your CAS.

You do not need any other documents as proof of this payment.

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

1. Email student-visas@bristol.ac.uk with the information

1. You must wait for a reply confirming we have updated your CAS before you apply for your visa.

Accommodation payments

You can deduct money paid to the University for accommodation from your living costs requirement.

You cannot deduct payments made to A2Dominion, Unite House or any other third-party or private landlord.

The maximum you can deduct is £1,529, even if you have paid more.

Payments not included on your CAS

If your payments are not shown on your CAS and you need them to meet the financial requirement, you must provide a receipt from the University’s Income Office.

A PDF receipt is acceptable.