<p>The maintenance fund requirement is the most common cause of UK student visa refusals. It is not complicated, but it is exacting: the rules about amounts, account types, time periods, and documentation formats are applied strictly. Understanding every detail prevents a preventable refusal.</p> <h2 id="tldr">TL;DR</h2> <ul> <li>You must demonstrate sufficient funds to cover first-year tuition (as stated on your CAS) plus living costs</li> <li>Living costs: GBP 1,023/month (outside London) or GBP 1,334/month (inside London) for up to 9 months</li> <li>The funds must be held in an acceptable account for 28 consecutive days without dipping below the required amount</li> <li>The bank statement closing balance must be dated within 31 days of your visa application date</li> <li>Acceptable evidence: personal bank statement, parent’s bank statement + consent letter + birth certificate, official sponsorship letter, or student loan letter</li> <li>The most common refusal reasons: statement older than 31 days, funds not held for full 28 days, balance dipping below threshold mid-period, and incorrect document format</li> </ul> <h2 id="step-1-calculate-your-required-amount">Step 1: Calculate Your Required Amount</h2> <h3 id="tuition-component">Tuition Component</h3> <p>The tuition amount is the first-year fee as stated on your CAS, minus any payments already made (which must be recorded on the CAS).</p> <p>If your CAS states:</p> <ul> <li>Tuition fee: GBP 25,000</li> <li>Deposit paid: GBP 5,000 (recorded on CAS)</li> </ul> <p>Then the tuition component you need to demonstrate is: <strong>GBP 20,000</strong>.</p> <p>If you haven’t paid any deposit, you must demonstrate the full GBP 25,000. If you’ve paid more than the first-year fee (e.g., full course tuition upfront), your CAS should reflect this, and the tuition component may be zero.</p> <h3 id="living-costs-component">Living Costs Component</h3> <table><thead><tr><th>Location</th><th>Monthly Rate</th><th>Months Required</th><th>Total</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Outside London</td><td>GBP 1,023</td><td>9</td><td>GBP 9,207</td></tr><tr><td>Inside London (City of London + 32 boroughs)</td><td>GBP 1,334</td><td>9</td><td>GBP 12,006</td></tr></tbody></table> <p>The London definition is specific: it’s the City of London and the 32 London boroughs. A university in Greater London (e.g., Royal Holloway in Egham, Surrey) may or may not qualify as “London” for maintenance purposes. Check your CAS—the study location determines the applicable rate.</p> <h3 id="total-required">Total Required</h3> <p>Add the tuition and living components. For example:</p> <ul> <li>Manchester (outside London): GBP 20,000 (tuition) + GBP 9,207 (living) = <strong>GBP 29,207</strong></li> <li>UCL (inside London): GBP 28,000 (tuition) + GBP 12,006 (living) = <strong>GBP 40,006</strong></li> </ul> <p>If your course is less than 9 months, the living costs are pro-rated: GBP 1,023 or 1,334 per month for the course duration. If your course is 9–12 months, you need 9 months of living costs.</p> <h3 id="deductions-for-accommodation-payments">Deductions for Accommodation Payments</h3> <p>If you’ve paid university accommodation fees in advance and this payment is recorded on your CAS, you can deduct up to GBP 1,334 from the living costs requirement. The maximum deduction is GBP 1,334 (one month’s London rate). This means even if you’ve paid GBP 5,000 in accommodation fees, you can only deduct GBP 1,334.</p> <h2 id="step-2-the-28-day-rule">Step 2: The 28-Day Rule</h2> <p>Your required funds must be held in an acceptable account for 28 consecutive days. This is the rule that causes the most refusals because it’s applied with no flexibility.</p> <h3 id="how-it-works">How It Works</h3> <ol> <li>Identify the 28-day period ending on (or before) the closing date of your bank statement</li> <li>On every single day of this period, the account balance must not fall below the required amount (tuition + living costs)</li> <li>If the balance drops below the requirement on any day—even for a few hours—the 28-day period resets from that point</li> </ol> <h3 id="the-31-day-rule-related">The 31-Day Rule (Related)</h3> <p>The closing balance date on your bank statement must be within 31 days of the date you submit your visa application. This means:</p> <ul> <li>You can’t use a statement that’s more than 31 days old</li> <li>You must time your application so that your financial evidence is “fresh”</li> </ul> <p><strong>Example</strong>:</p> <ul> <li>Bank statement closes on 1 August</li> <li>You have until 1 September (31 days later) to submit your visa application using this statement</li> <li>If you submit on 2 September, the statement is 32 days old and cannot be used</li> </ul> <h3 id="timing-strategy">Timing Strategy</h3> <p>The most efficient strategy:</p> <ol> <li>Deposit the required funds (tuition + living costs) at least 28 days before you plan to submit your visa application</li> <li>On day 29, obtain a bank statement showing the funds held for 28+ days</li> <li>Submit your visa application within 31 days of the statement date</li> </ol> <p>If you submit your visa application before the 28-day period has elapsed (even if by the time UKVI processes your application the funds have been held for 28+ days), your application will be refused. The 28-day period must be complete at the time of application.</p> <h2 id="step-3-acceptable-financial-evidence">Step 3: Acceptable Financial Evidence</h2> <h3 id="personal-bank-statement">Personal Bank Statement</h3> <table><thead><tr><th>Requirement</th><th>Details</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Account</td><td>In your name (or joint account with your name on it)</td></tr><tr><td>Institution</td><td>Regulated bank, building society, or credit union (not an investment account, pension, or cryptocurrency platform)</td></tr><tr><td>Format</td><td>Official statement on bank letterhead or stamped/signed by the bank; electronic statements are acceptable if they show the bank logo and account details</td></tr><tr><td>Content</td><td>Account holder name, account number, bank name, date, balance, and transaction history covering 28 consecutive days</td></tr><tr><td>Currency</td><td>Any currency; UKVI converts using OANDA exchange rates on the date of application</td></tr></tbody></table> <h3 id="parents-bank-statement">Parent’s Bank Statement</h3> <p>If using a parent’s (or legal guardian’s) account, you must provide:</p> <ol> <li>The bank statement meeting all the requirements above</li> <li>A letter from your parent confirming: <ul> <li>Their relationship to you</li> <li>That the funds are available for your study in the UK</li> <li>Their signature and date</li> </ul> </li> <li>Your birth certificate (or legal adoption documentation) showing the parent-child relationship</li> </ol> <p>The consent letter must be in English (or accompanied by a certified translation). There is no prescribed format, but it must clearly state the three elements above.</p> <h3 id="official-financial-sponsorship">Official Financial Sponsorship</h3> <p>If you’re sponsored by a government, university, or recognised international organisation, you need an official letter from the sponsor:</p> <ul> <li>On official letterhead</li> <li>Confirming the sponsorship amount and duration</li> <li>Confirming that the sponsorship covers your study in the UK</li> <li>Dated and signed by an authorised official</li> </ul> <h3 id="student-loan">Student Loan</h3> <p>If you’re funding your studies through a government or government-sponsored student loan, you need a letter from the loan provider:</p> <ul> <li>Confirming the loan amount</li> <li>Confirming the loan is available for study in the UK</li> <li>Dated and signed</li> </ul> <p>Private loans (from commercial banks) may not be accepted as financial evidence unless they function like a standard bank account in your name. Check with UKVI guidance or your university’s visa adviser before relying on a private loan.</p> <h2 id="common-refusal-reasons">Common Refusal Reasons</h2> <table><thead><tr><th>Refusal Reason</th><th>How to Avoid</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Statement older than 31 days</strong></td><td>Obtain a fresh statement close to your application date; check the calendar</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Funds not held for 28 consecutive days</strong></td><td>Deposit early; check the balance every day of the 28-day period</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Balance dipped below requirement</strong></td><td>Keep a buffer above the required amount during the 28-day period (e.g., GBP 500 extra to absorb fluctuations)</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Wrong account type</strong></td><td>Use a current, savings, or deposit account from a regulated bank. Investment accounts, pensions, shares, cryptocurrency, and informal savings clubs are not acceptable</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Electronic statement not in the required format</strong></td><td>Ensure the statement shows: bank name, your name, account number, date, and balance. Download from internet banking rather than screenshotting, or ask the bank to stamp each page</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Missing parent consent letter</strong></td><td>If using a parent’s account, include the consent letter and birth certificate (or notarised copy)</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Foreign language documents</strong></td><td>Provide a certified translation alongside the original</td></tr><tr><td><strong>CAS doesn’t record payments made</strong></td><td>Ensure your CAS correctly records any tuition or accommodation payments you’ve made before applying for your visa</td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="faq">FAQ</h2> <p><strong>Q: Can I use multiple bank accounts to meet the requirement?</strong> A: Yes, but the funds must be spread across accounts on the same date. You can’t combine an account with GBP 15,000 and another with GBP 15,000 if the balances are from different dates. Both statements must show the balances on the same closing date, and both must independently meet the statement age requirements (within 31 days).</p> <p><strong>Q: Can I use a joint account?</strong> A: Yes, if your name is on the account. If the joint account holder is your parent, you also need the consent letter and birth certificate. If it’s a joint account with a spouse, you’d typically need to show you have access to the funds.</p> <p><strong>Q: What currency should my bank statement be in?</strong> A: Any currency is acceptable. UKVI converts using the OANDA spot exchange rate on the date of your application. To be safe, maintain a buffer of 5–10% above the required GBP amount to account for exchange rate fluctuations between the date of your statement and the date of your application.</p> <p><strong>Q: Do I need to show financial evidence if I’m from a differential evidence country?</strong> A: You’re not required to submit financial evidence with your application, but UKVI may request it during processing. Prepare the evidence as if you’ll need it—if UKVI requests it and you can’t provide it, your application will be refused. “Differential evidence” means the evidence isn’t required upfront, not that the financial requirement doesn’t apply.</p>