UK raises student visa proof of funds to £14,130 from November 30

Nigerian students planning to study in the United Kingdom will need to show more money in their accounts before applying for a visa, after the UK Home Office raised its maintenance requirements. The new rules take effect on November 30, 2026.

Students whose university is in London must show access to £14,130 for a nine-month course, up from £13,761 — an increase of £369. That works out to £1,570 a month, against £1,529 before.

For students outside London, the monthly figure rises from £1,171 to £1,203, bringing the nine-month total to £10,827 from £10,539, an increase of £288.

The money is proof of living expenses only. Tuition fees, the student visa application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge are all paid separately, so families must budget for those on top.

Why it matters for Nigerian families

Most Nigerian applicants fund UK study from savings or family support, and every extra pound is bought at the prevailing exchange rate. The higher threshold means more naira must be set aside — and the funds usually have to sit in an account for a set period before the application.

The UK said the adjustment reflects rising living costs there. Accommodation is a big part of that, and students also face limits on how many hours they can work while studying, which makes it harder to top up funds after arriving.

This is not the first increase. In January 2025, the UK raised the monthly requirement to £1,483 for London and £1,136 outside London. The latest change adds to a run of rising costs for Nigerian applicants.

Visa outcomes have also been a worry. Reports have highlighted UK universities withdrawing admission offers to Nigerian students amid rising refusal rates. On the other side, the UK issued 30,204 study visas to Nigerians in 2025, a 59% rise on 2024, according to figures cited in the reports.

International students remain central to UK university finances. About 685,565 overseas students were enrolled in UK higher education in 2024/2025, roughly 24% of the total, with about 622,000 from outside the EU. Professor Padam Simkhada of the University of Chester said international students contributed around £41.9 billion to the UK economy in 2021/2022.

The UK government is also proposing an annual levy of £925 per international student on universities by 2028, to help fund grants for domestic students. British universities have warned that falling international enrolment could make that levy hard to sustain.

What happens next

The new thresholds apply to visa applications submitted from November 30, 2026. Anyone with an offer for a January or later intake should check the exact figure for their city and course length, and confirm with their bank how long the funds must be held before applying.