UK Student visa maintenance funds for Indian students: amount and 28-day rule
I am applying for a UK Student visa from India. How much money must be in the bank, for how long, whose account can it be in, and what does the bank statement need to show?
On top of the first year's course fees shown on your CAS, a UK Student visa applicant from India must show living-cost money: £1,529 a month for a course in London or £1,171 a month elsewhere, for up to 9 months. For a course of 9 months or more that is £13,761 in London or £10,539 outside. The money must sit in your account, or a parent's or partner's, for 28 days in a row, and the last day of those 28 days must be no more than 31 days before you apply. India is not on the list of countries excused from showing this evidence.
This page may be out of date. It was due for a re-check on 30 November 2026. Confirm every rule with the official source before acting on it.
As of 31 October 2026: GOV.UK lists £1,529 a month in London and £1,171 a month elsewhere, for up to 9 months. The Home Office last changed these figures on 31 December 2025 and usually revises them once a year, so check GOV.UK again before your 28-day window starts.
At a glance
- London
- £1,529 a month, up to 9 months (£13,761 for 9 months)[1]
- Outside London
- £1,171 a month, up to 9 months (£10,539 for 9 months)[1]
- Course fees
- The first year's fees shown on your CAS (up to 9 months), on top of living costs[1]
- How long held
- 28 days in a row; the 28-day period must end within 31 days of the date you apply[1]
- Each dependant
- £845 a month in London, £680 outside, up to 9 months[2]
Living-cost money for a course of 9 months or more
The 28-day rule, using GOV.UK's own example
| Who | London, a month | Outside London, a month | Months counted |
|---|---|---|---|
| You | £1,529 | £1,171 | Up to 9 |
| Each dependant you bring | £845 | £680 | Up to 9 |
Course fees from your CAS come on top. If you have been in the UK on a visa for at least 12 months when you apply, you do not need to show this money.[2]
| Accepted | Not accepted |
|---|---|
| Bank statements, paper or downloaded | Overdrafts |
| Building society passbooks | Cryptocurrency |
| Certificates of deposit | Stocks and shares |
| A letter from your bank | Pensions |
| Official sponsorship (reference on your CAS) | Accounts at banks not regulated in their own country, or without electronic records |
UKVI may check your evidence with the bank, and says an application can be refused if it cannot.[2]
Your own account, an account your parent controls, or your partner's if they are in the UK or applying with you. A parent must give a letter agreeing that you can use the money. Any personal current or savings account works, as long as you can reach the money immediately and it was acquired legally.
Each statement or letter must show your name (or the account holder's), the bank's name and the balance, and must be dated no more than 31 days before you apply.[2]
An official financial sponsor, such as a national government or a university, counts as proof. You need the reference number your university puts on the CAS. If the sponsorship is not on the CAS, add a dated letter from the sponsor with its contact details, how long the sponsorship lasts and the amount (or a line saying it pays all your fees and living costs).[2]
The maintenance money is separate from what you pay to apply. The UK page lists the £558 visa fee, the £776-a-year immigration health surcharge, the TB test and the CAS, and funds by country converts the London and non-London totals to rupees.[1]
Tips and tricks
- Pick your apply date first, then count back: the 28-day run must end no more than 31 days before it.[1]
- If the money is your parent's, get the consent letter signed before the 28 days start so it is not the item you are chasing at the end.[2]
- Use the London figure if your CAS shows a campus in the City of London or any of the 32 boroughs, even if you plan to live outside.[1]
- Keep the money in an ordinary account. Shares, pensions, crypto and overdraft limits do not count.[2]
Questions people ask
How much bank balance do I need for a UK Student visa from India?
Your unpaid first-year course fees from the CAS, plus £1,529 a month in London or £1,171 a month outside London, for up to 9 months. For 9 months that is £13,761 or £10,539.[1]
What is the 28-day rule?
The money must be in the account for 28 days in a row, and the end of that period must fall within 31 days of the date you apply. GOV.UK's example: apply on 1 January, and the 28 days must run up to 1 December or later.[1]
Can I use my parents' bank account?
Yes, if they control the account and give a letter agreeing that you can use the money for this.[2]
Do Indian students have to show financial evidence?
Yes. India is not on the list of nationalities that may skip the upfront evidence.[2]
How much extra do I need for a dependant?
£845 a month in London or £680 a month outside, for up to 9 months, for each dependant.[2]
Connected pages
- Related · Study abroadStudy in the UK from India: UCAS dates, CAS and maintenance fundsUK Student visa money (£1,529 a month in London, £1,171 outside), the 28-day rule, fees, CAS, TB test and UCAS 2027 deadlines, with sources.
- Uses data from · Study abroadStudent visa funds by country: official figures with a rupee converterThe money each government asks students to show, from UK to France, with source and date, and a converter to rupees at RBI's published rate.
- Related · Study abroadStudy abroad intake and deadline calendar: a month-by-month back-planPick a country and intake to get a printable month-by-month plan built back from official university and government dates, each with its source.
Official and partner links
Sources
- Student visa: money you need, UK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK). Accessed 31 October 2026.
- Financial evidence for Student and Child Student route applicants (last updated 31 December 2025), UK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK). Accessed 31 October 2026.
Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us through the corrections page. Updated 31 October 2026.