UK Student Visa Maintenance Funds Increase: What January Intake Applicants Must Show

TL;DR: The UK student visa maintenance funds increase takes effect on 30 November 2026. Outside London the requirement rises from £1,171 to £1,203 a month, and in London from £1,529 to £1,570, for up to nine months. What counts is the date you submit your visa application, not your course start date. Most January intake applicants from Sri Lanka will apply after 30 November, so plan for the new figure.

If you are heading to the UK for the January intake, the amount you must show in your bank account is about to go up. The rise is small in pounds. The bigger risk is timing. Families in Colombo often prepare the bank statement weeks before the visa is lodged, and a statement built on the old figure can fall short on the day you apply.

What is changing and when

The Home Office published the change in the Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules HC 584 on 3 September 2026. The new monthly living-cost figures apply from 30 November 2026.

Where you study	Before 30 November	From 30 November	Nine-month total from 30 November
Outside London	£1,171 a month	£1,203 a month	£10,827
London	£1,529 a month	£1,570 a month	£14,130

The Home Office says the rise keeps the Student route in line with the maintenance support available to home students. The maximum is still nine months of living costs, even if your course is longer.

The date that decides your figure

HC 584 is clear on this point. If your visa application is made before 30 November 2026, it is decided under the rules in force on 29 November 2026. If it is made on or after 30 November, the new figure applies.

So the question is not when your course starts. It is when you press submit on the visa application.

Your situation	Figure to plan for
CAS in hand, visa application submitted by 29 November	Old figure
Visa application submitted on or after 30 November	New figure
January intake, CAS expected in late November or December	New figure
Not sure when your CAS will arrive	New figure, to be safe

For most January intake students, the CAS arrives only after the tuition deposit is paid and the university completes its checks. In practice that pushes the visa application into December. Plan on the new amount.

The 28-day rule still applies

The amount changes. The way you prove it does not. According to GOV.UK:

• You must have held the money for at least 28 days in a row.
• The end date of that 28-day period must be within 31 days of the date you apply.

A simple way to think about it: the full amount has to sit in the account, untouched, for four weeks, and those four weeks must finish no more than a month before you apply. If the balance dips below the required amount on any single day, the 28 days start again.

What this means for funds held in Sri Lanka

If your funds are held in Sri Lankan rupee accounts, in your own name or a parent's, three points matter.

The exchange rate is taken on the day you apply. The Home Office converts foreign currency to pounds using the OANDA spot rate for the date of the application, according to its financial evidence guidance. If the rupee weakens between your statement date and your application date, a balance that looked enough can fall short. Hold a margin above the minimum.

The bank must be regulated and keep electronic records. The guidance excludes accounts that are not regulated by the financial regulator in the country where the bank operates, and accounts that do not use electronic record keeping. Licensed commercial banks in Sri Lanka are regulated by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

A parent's account is allowed. If the money is in a parent's name, they must give a letter confirming they agree to you using it. Check the full list of supporting documents your university asks for before you order the statement.

A checklist for January applicants

1. Confirm whether your university is in London or outside London. The figure depends on where you study.
2. Work out your total: living costs at the new rate for up to nine months, plus any first-year tuition still unpaid.
3. Move the full amount into the account at least 28 days before you plan to apply, and leave it there.
4. Add a margin for exchange-rate movement.
5. Order the statement so the 28-day period ends within 31 days of your application date.
6. Apply as soon as your CAS arrives. The standard decision time for applications made outside the UK is three weeks, according to GOV.UK.

For the wider January timeline, see our guide to UK universities and our UK visa TB screening guide.

Frequently asked questions

How much money do I need for a UK student visa from 30 November? £1,203 a month outside London or £1,570 a month in London, for up to nine months. That is £10,827 or £14,130, plus any unpaid first-year tuition.

Does the new figure apply if my course starts in January but I apply in November? Only if you apply on or after 30 November. An application made on or before 29 November is decided on the old figure.

Can I show the money in Sri Lankan rupees? Yes. The Home Office converts it to pounds at the OANDA rate for the date you apply.

Can I use my parents' bank account? Yes, with a letter from your parent confirming you can use the money. Your university may ask for more documents.

What happens if my balance drops for one day? The 28-day period is broken. You need a fresh 28 consecutive days at or above the required amount.

PS: The funds rule is one piece of a January application that has to line up with the CAS, the deposit and the visa date. If you want a clear plan for your own dates, check your eligibility with Prosper.

References

1. Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules: HC 584, 3 September 2026, GOV.UK, Home Office. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statement-of-changes-to-the-immigration-rules-hc-584-3-september-2026 (accessed 23 September 2026)
2. Explanatory memorandum to HC 584, GOV.UK, Home Office. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statement-of-changes-to-the-immigration-rules-hc-584-3-september-2026/explanatory-memorandum-to-the-statement-of-changes-in-immigration-rules-hc-584-3-september-2026-accessible (accessed 23 September 2026)
3. Student visa: Money you need, GOV.UK, UK Visas and Immigration. https://www.gov.uk/student-visa/money (accessed 23 September 2026)
4. Financial evidence for Student and Child Student route applicants, GOV.UK, UK Visas and Immigration. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/financial-evidence-for-student-and-child-student-route-applicants (accessed 23 September 2026)
5. Visa decision waiting times: applications outside the UK, GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visa-decision-waiting-times-applications-outside-the-uk (accessed 23 September 2026)

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