There’s a moment when studying in the UK stops feeling like a dream and starts becoming a plan, and for every student, that moment begins with understanding the visa requirements.

In 2027, you’ll need a CAS, proof of funds, English language evidence, and the right documents before applying through the Student Route, formerly Tier 4.

In this guide, we’ll discuss the key financial requirements, visa fees, IHS costs, 28-day bank statement rule, dependant restrictions, and documents you should prepare.

Let’s prepare for your UK Student visa with confidence.

Navigating the 2027 UK Student Visa Landscape

The UK Student visa is the main route for international students aged 16 or over who want to study with a licensed UK education provider, including those exploring Russell Group universities in the UK. It replaced the former Tier 4 route, so older guides may still use that name. 

In 2027, preparation is also becoming more digital. Most successful applicants for many UK visa types will receive an eVisa, accessed through a UKVI account, instead of relying only on a physical document.

That means you should keep passport details, contact information, CAS records, and online account information consistent. For students, this shift can make the process feel more technical, but it also gives you clearer ways to check and prove your status before travelling. 

What are the Requirements for a UK Student Visa?

Before you apply, you need to show that your study plans are genuine, your course is eligible, and that the information in your application matches your supporting documents, including your CAS and chosen UK university offer.

Here are the requirements you’ll usually need to meet for a UK Student visa in 2027.

Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

for a UK student visa, you normally apply to the university first, receive an offer, and only then apply for the visa. Your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, or CAS, is the electronic reference your UK education provider issues when it is ready to sponsor your Student visa application. It confirms your course title, qualification level, start and end dates, tuition fees, payments already made, sponsor licence details, and whether ATAS clearance is required.

Your CAS is valid for six months because it is linked to a specific course intake, current offer, and live sponsor record. If it expires, you need a new CAS before applying. Check your name, passport number, course dates, fee payments, and ATAS note before submission.

English Language Proficiency

Your English evidence should match the level of course you are taking, not just the university’s general admission page. For the UK Student visa, you usually need to prove English in reading, writing, speaking, and listening at B1 for a course below degree level, or B2 for degree level and above.

Common minimum scores include:

  • IELTS for UKVI, B1: 4.0 in each component
  • IELTS for UKVI, B2: 5.5 in each component
  • PTE Academic UKVI, B1: 43 in each communicative skill
  • PTE Academic UKVI, B2: 59 in each communicative skill
  • Trinity ISE I: CEFR B1
  • Trinity ISE II: CEFR B2

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

ATAS is a security clearance check for some international students studying sensitive subjects in the UK, usually at postgraduate level in areas such as science, engineering, technology, medicine, or research.

You do not need ATAS for every UK Student visa. Your offer letter or CAS should say whether it applies to your course. To check, you’ll usually need your course’s CAH3 code, which your university should provide.

The official ATAS checker asks for your course code, nationality, and whether your study is taught or research-based. If ATAS is required, apply before your visa application is decided, and make sure your certificate lines up with your CAS and visa timing. The certificate is valid for six months from the date it is issued.

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Deep Dive: UK Student Visa Financial Requirements 2027

Now that your academic requirements are taking shape, it’s time to focus on the financial evidence that shows you can study and live in the UK without unnecessary visa delays.

Here’s where the numbers really start to matter.

The Monthly Maintenance Requirement (New 2026 Rates)

The monthly maintenance requirement is the living cost amount you show separately from any unpaid UK Student visa tuition fees.

For 2026 onwards, the required amount depends on where you’ll study:

  • Studying in London: £1,529 per month, up to nine months, for a maximum of £13,761
  • Studying Outside London: £1,171 per month, up to nine months, for a maximum of £10,539

“London” means your main study site is in one of the 32 London boroughs or the City of London, so it helps to understand what studying in London as an international student can involve before you calculate your costs. If your provider has campuses in different places, use the location shown on your CAS. 

The “up to nine months” rule means you do not need to show living costs for a full three-year degree. If your course lasts nine months or more, you normally show the maximum nine-month amount. If it lasts less than nine months, you calculate the amount by the actual course length.

Calculating Your Total Fund Requirement

Your total fund requirement is not just the monthly living cost amount. You need to add your unpaid first-year tuition fees to your required maintenance funds.

  • Use this formula: Unpaid first-year tuition fees + required living costs = total funds you need to show

For example, if your first-year tuition fee is £24,000, and you have already paid a £5,000 deposit, your unpaid tuition fee is £19,000. If you’ll study in London for nine months or more, your living cost requirement is £13,761.

  • That means your total fund requirement would be: £19,000 + £13,761 = £32,761
  • If you’ll study outside London for nine months or more, the same calculation would be: £19,000 + £10,539 = £29,539

The 28-Day Rule: Timing Your Bank Statements

Now that you know how much money you need to show, the next step is proving you have held it correctly. 

Your required funds must stay in the account for 28 consecutive days before you submit your UK Student visa application. The balance cannot drop below the required amount on any day, so check transactions, transfers, and bank charges. 

The statement closing date must be no more than 31 days before you apply. Use your account, a parent or guardian’s account with consent, an official sponsor, or an approved loan provider. If the balance drops below the required amount at any point, even briefly, you must restart the 28-day holding period.

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Essential Fees: Visa Charges and the Healthcare Surcharge

Beyond tuition and living cost evidence, you must budget for official charges linked to submitting and using your Student visa.

Here are the additional visa fees and healthcare costs you need to prepare for.

How Much Is the UK Student Visa Fee?

The UK Student visa application fee is £558 for applications submitted on or after 8th April 2026, whether you apply from outside the UK or apply to extend or switch from inside the UK.

This fee is separate from your tuition fees, maintenance funds, Immigration Health Surcharge, English language test, TB test, biometric appointment costs, and any optional priority service fees.

If you started planning with older guidance, check the date carefully. The Student visa fee was previously £524, so an outdated budget can leave you short at the payment stage.

The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)

Aside from the UK Student visa application fee, you also need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge, or IHS, during your online application. 

For students and dependants, the rate is £776 per year, but your final payment can be higher because it follows the visa permission length, not only your course length.

For example, a one-year master’s programme may include extra time before or after your course, creating an additional part-year charge. Paying the IHS gives you access to the NHS while you study, but some standard costs can still apply, including prescriptions, dental treatment, and eye care in parts of the UK.

New Rules for UK Student Visas in 2026

The post-2026 visa landscape is not only about money; rules also affect dependents and switching from study to work.

These are the new rules you need to understand before applying.

1. Restrictions on Dependants

In 2026, most international students cannot bring dependents to the UK unless they fall into specific eligible groups.

You can usually bring a partner or children only if you are studying a PhD, another doctoral qualification, or a research-based higher degree, or if you are a government-sponsored student on a course lasting more than six months. Taught master’s students are generally not eligible under the current rules.

Your dependents can include your husband, wife, civil partner, unmarried partner, or child under 18, but they must apply separately and prove their relationship to you.

Dependants also need their own financial evidence. This is separate from your Student visa funds, so include their living costs when planning your total budget.

2. Switching to Work Visas

If you want to stay in the UK after studying, you cannot treat the Student visa as a shortcut into full-time work before your course is complete.

To switch from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa inside the UK, you usually need to have completed the course linked to your CAS, or your Skilled Worker job must start after your course completion date. PhD students may have more flexibility if they have completed at least 24 months of their course.

You also need a job offer from a UK employer with a valid sponsor licence, a Certificate of Sponsorship, and a role that meets the Skilled Worker salary and occupation rules.

This is separate from the Graduate visa route, which lets eligible students stay after successfully completing a UK degree.

Documents You’ll Need to Apply: A Checklist

Your documents should prove who you are, where you’ll study, how you’ll pay, and any course or country conditions.

Before applying, prepare these requirements:

  • Valid passport or travel document: This must be current and should match the personal details on your CAS.
  • Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS): You’ll need the reference number from your licensed UK education provider.
  • Financial evidence: Use bank statements, an official sponsorship letter, or an approved education loan letter showing the correct funds for tuition and living costs.
  • Tuberculosis (TB) test results: Required if you’re applying from a country where TB testing is part of the visa process.
  • ATAS certificate: Needed if your course is in a sensitive subject area and your CAS or offer letter says ATAS applies.
  • English language evidence: Provide a SELT result or other accepted evidence if your provider has not assessed this directly.
  • Parental or legal guardian consent: Required if you’re under 18, including consent for your visa application, living arrangements, and travel to the UK.
  • Relationship documents for dependants: Needed if eligible family members are applying with you, such as marriage certificates, birth certificates, or evidence of an unmarried partnership.

Common Pitfalls: Why UK Student Visas Are Refused

Even with required documents, your UK Student visa can be refused if evidence is incomplete, inconsistent, outdated, or unclear.

Watch out for these common issues:

  • Insufficient funds: Your account must show enough money for unpaid first-year tuition fees and the correct living cost amount for London or outside London.
  • Incorrect 28-day period: Your balance must not drop below the required amount at any point during the full 28 consecutive days.
  • Old bank statements: Your financial evidence must be recent enough when you submit your application.
  • Low-quality financial evidence: Blurry screenshots, missing account holder names, incomplete transaction history, or statements without bank details can weaken your application.
  • Wrong account type: Do not rely on overdrafts, cryptocurrency, shares, pensions, or accounts that cannot be properly verified.
  • CAS mismatches: Your name, passport details, course dates, tuition fees, and payments should match your CAS and supporting documents.
  • Weak credibility interview answers: You should be ready to explain why you chose your course, why you chose that provider, how you’ll fund your studies, and how the course supports your future plans.

FAQs

How Much Money Do I Need for a UK Student Visa?

You need unpaid first-year tuition fees plus living costs: up to £13,761 in London or £10,539 outside London for 2026.

Can I Work on a Student Visa in the UK? (The 20-Hour Rule)

Yes, many full-time students can work up to 20 hours per week during term time and full-time during official holidays.

What Is the “12-Month Rule” for Financial Evidence?

If you’ve lived in the UK with valid permission for 12 months before applying, you usually do not need to show financial evidence.

Advance Your Academic Profile With Immerse Education

Preparing for your next step becomes easier when each requirement has a clear place in your study plan and timeline.

Once you understand your CAS, English evidence, financial rules, visa fees, IHS, dependent rules, and documents, the process feels far more manageable.

For every student planning a future in the UK, clear visa requirements can turn a complex process into a confident, organised journey.

If you’re curious about having a taste of university life before you apply, explore our London, Cambridge, and Oxford Summer School programmes for an inspiring first look at academic life in the UK.