How Much Money Is Required for a UK Student Visa?
UK student visa funds explained for Nepali students: exact maintenance amounts, the 28-day bank rule, tuition on top, and visa fees.
How much money do you need for a UK student visa?
For a UK Student visa, you must show £1,483 per month if your course is in London, or £1,136 per month if it is outside London, for up to 9 months of the course — so £13,347 (London) or £10,224 (outside London). This is maintenance money only. It sits on top of the tuition fee shown on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), not instead of it.
The maintenance requirement, and where it bites
The Home Office caps maintenance at 9 months no matter how long your course actually is. The two published figures are:
- London: £1,483/month, maximum £13,347
- Outside London: £1,136/month, maximum £10,224
Whether you count as "London" or "outside London" depends on where your institution is based, not on how the town feels. This line is worth £347 a month, so confirm it against the specific campus named on your offer before you start saving — not after.
Here is how that official minimum compares with what students in this list actually spend, by region:
| Region | Visa minimum | Realistic monthly spend | Typical rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | £1,483/month | £1,300 - £1,900/month | £800 - £1,300/month |
| Manchester | £1,136/month | £950 - £1,350/month | £550 - £850/month |
| Birmingham | £1,136/month | £900 - £1,300/month | £500 - £800/month |
| Belfast / Coleraine / Derry | £1,136/month | £800 - £1,150/month | £400 - £700/month |
| Bradford / Huddersfield | £1,136/month | £800 - £1,150/month | £400 - £650/month |
| Liverpool | £1,136/month | £850 - £1,200/month | £450 - £700/month |
London is the one place where the official floor and real spending are close. Everywhere else, the visa minimum is noticeably below what students report actually spending, so budget to the "realistic" column, not the visa column, when you plan the year.
Tuition is separate — and it varies a lot
The maintenance figures above do not include tuition. Tuition is shown on your CAS and has to be funded (or already partly paid) in addition to the maintenance amount. A worked example from this group: a student going to London on an £18,700 masters needs to evidence roughly £18,700 plus £13,347 — £32,047 in total, less any fees already paid to the institution.
Tuition fees vary sharply by institution and level:
| Institution | Course | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Ulster | Bachelor's, per year | £17,490 |
| Ulster | Master's | £18,310 |
| Bradford | Bachelor's, classroom-based, per year | £16,100 |
| Bradford | Master's, classroom-based | £15,700 |
| Huddersfield | Bachelor's, per year | £17,600 |
| Huddersfield | Master's | £18,700 |
| Huddersfield London | MSc (London campus) | £18,700 |
| Keele | Master's, Band 1 | £18,200 |
| UCB | Master's, Band 1 | £17,500 |
| Gloucestershire | Master's, Band A | £20,190 |
| London Met | Master's (from) | £20,000 |
| UCA | Bachelor's, per year (2026/27) | £18,000 |
| Exeter | Bachelor's, science/engineering, per year | £31,200 |
| UCB | International Foundation Diploma | £11,000 |
| UoLIC | Foundation Certificate | £22,640 |
| UoLIC | Pre-Master's | £25,210 |
Bradford is the cheapest classroom-based option in this list on both the undergraduate and postgraduate fee, and it sits in a lower-cost region for living costs too. Exeter, the only Russell Group institution here, is at the other end. Check the UK hub and run your own shortlist through the Master Reckoner before committing to a figure.
Other costs the visa application actually charges
Beyond maintenance and tuition, the application itself carries fixed costs:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Student visa application, from outside the UK | £558 |
| Student visa extend/switch, from inside the UK | £558 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | £1,035 per year of stay |
| TB test certificate (required for Nepal, courses over 6 months) | £65 |
| Graduate visa, if applied for later | £937 + IHS £1,035/yr |
The TB test must come from a UKVI-approved clinic and should be booked before you apply, not after — it is a document the visa office expects to see at the point of application.
The 28-day rule — the actual reason applications get refused
Having the right amount of money is not enough on its own. The maintenance figure must be held for 28 consecutive days, and the end of that 28-day period must fall within 31 days of the visa application date. This single rule is the most common point of refusal. Two further checks are applied strictly: the account must be in the student's own name, or a permitted sponsor's name with the right supporting consent letter; and the bank statements need to be prepared around the application date itself, not months in advance. If funds are in a parent's or relative's name, gather the relationship evidence and the sponsor's bank statements early — do not leave this for the week before applying.
Dependants: check this before you count their money too
The dependant maintenance figures exist — £845/month per dependant in London, £680/month outside London, up to 9 months — but for most Nepali students they are not actually usable. For any postgraduate course starting on or after 1 January 2024, a dependant is only permitted if the course is a PhD, other doctorate, or a research-based higher degree, or if the student is government-sponsored on a course longer than 6 months. A standard taught MSc, MA or MBA does not qualify, however the family budgets it. Settle this question before building any financial plan that includes a spouse or child.
Common questions
How much money does a Nepali student need to show for a UK student visa?
You need to show the maintenance amount — £1,483/month for London or £1,136/month outside London, up to 9 months, giving £13,347 or £10,224 — plus the tuition fee on your CAS, less anything already paid. The maintenance money has to sit in the account for 28 consecutive days, ending within 31 days of your application date.
Can I count a tuition deposit I've already paid towards the maintenance figure?
No. Maintenance and tuition are assessed separately. A deposit reduces the tuition balance still owed, but it does not count toward the £1,483 or £1,136 monthly maintenance figure — that money has to be shown separately, held for the full 28 days.
Can I bring my spouse or children on a UK student visa?
Only if your course is a PhD, another doctorate, or a research-based higher degree, or you are government-sponsored on a course over 6 months. A standard one-year taught masters does not carry dependant rights, no matter how the funds are arranged. This changed for courses starting on or after 1 January 2024.
How much can I earn to help cover living costs?
Permitted work hours depend on your course level and are set out on your CAS, so check the document rather than assuming a fixed number. At the National Living Wage of £12.71 an hour, 20 hours a week works out to roughly £254 gross a week — useful for living costs, but it will not cover UK tuition, and budgeting on that assumption is a mistake.
Official sources: Exeter, Ulster, Huddersfield, Huddersfield London, Keele, Gloucestershire, UCA. For more guides on costs, visas and course choice, see the blog.