How Much Money to Show for UK Student Visa 2026 from India: Maintenance Funds, Sources and the 28-Day Rule Explained

If you’re filing your UK student visa for a 2026–27 intake — or you’re a parent helping with the documentation — there’s one number that decides everything else: how much money you must show, where it sits, and for how long. Get it wrong and the visa is refused. Get it right and the rest of the file is largely procedural.

This is the most comprehensive 2026 reference we’ve produced for Indian families on UK student visa funds, built from filing files for 15,000+ students since 2014 and checked against UKVI’s Appendix Finance and gov.uk. Every time-sensitive figure below was verified in September 2026 — but rules and rates change, so confirm on the official page before you file.

Why this number matters more than any other on your UK visa file

Indian students have a high UK student-visa grant rate — the large majority are approved. But among the refusals that do happen, maintenance-fund problems are one of the most common and most avoidable causes: an insufficient amount, too short a hold period, an unverified source, or a sponsor relationship outside the eligible list. The technical document, motivation letter and CAS can all be perfect — if the funds documentation has a gap, the file is refused under Appendix Finance.

The reverse is also true. A clean funds file with the right hold period, source and sponsor declaration is rarely refused on financial grounds, even if other parts of the application are only average. This is the single most leverage-able part of your visa file.

The exact UK maintenance funds requirement for 2026

UKVI updates the maintenance figures each academic year. For the 2026–27 intake (per gov.uk, Student visa: money), the current figures are:

“Inside London” definition: a course is inside London if your campus is within Greater London (the City + 32 boroughs). UCL, King’s, LSE, Imperial, Queen Mary, City, SOAS, Birkbeck, Brunel, Greenwich and Roehampton are inside London. Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham, Warwick, Bristol, Leeds, Nottingham, Sheffield and Glasgow are outside London — even if you commute from London. It’s a £3,000+ difference, so check your campus.

The 9-month cap: UKVI counts maintenance for a maximum of nine months, even for a 12-month course. So a one-year MSc in Edinburgh needs £10,539, not 12 × £1,171 (£14,052). Many families over-prepare to 12 months — there’s no penalty for showing more, but the nine-month figure is the regulatory floor. We usually advise a £1,500–£2,000 buffer, not 25% over.

Tuition — the other half of the equation

The maintenance figure is in addition to tuition. UKVI requires you to show one of:

• Tuition paid in full — your CAS confirms receipt of the full first-year fee, so you only show maintenance.
• Tuition partially paid — your CAS shows the amount paid, and you show the unpaid balance in your funds, plus maintenance.
• No tuition paid — you show the full first-year tuition in your funds, plus maintenance.

You may also deduct up to £1,529 from the maintenance figure if you’ve prepaid university accommodation. Most Indian master’s applicants pay 30–50% of first-year tuition as a deposit to secure the CAS, then show the balance. For a £16,000 MSc outside London with £4,000 paid:

The 28-day rule — the most important and most-failed rule

It’s not enough to have the money — you must hold it, at or above the required total, for 28 consecutive days, and the closing balance on your statement must be dated within 31 days of the date you apply. Here’s how it works in practice: if you apply on 10 August 2026, your statement must end no earlier than 10 July, cover at least 12 June to 10 July (28 continuous days), and show your balance at or above the minimum on every single day in that window.

Where to keep the money — acceptable financial sources

Who can sponsor your UK student visa

UKVI is strict on sponsor relationships — and much narrower than Ireland. Accepted: you (own funds), your parents, your legal guardian (with documentation), a government scholarship, or an official financial sponsor. Not accepted: siblings, grandparents, aunts/uncles, cousins, friends, or non-relatives offering a gift.

If you’re using parental funds you need: a signed sponsor declaration, the parent’s ID (passport/PAN/Aadhaar), relationship proof (your birth certificate showing the parent’s name), and the parent’s bank statements covering the same 28-day period.

The 7 most common UK visa refusals related to funds

1. Less than 28 days of seasoning — funds transferred in too recently. UKVI checks statement dates automatically.
2. Lowest balance dipped below minimum — a brief mid-window outflow drops a single day under the threshold.
3. FD not yet matured — an FD maturing after the application date is treated as locked, not liquid.
4. Sponsor outside the eligible list — funds from a sibling, uncle or friend, however well documented.
5. Bank-statement format issues — a plain PDF with no bank logo, stamp or verifiable trail.
6. Currency-conversion gap — INR balance converts to just under the minimum at the officer’s exchange rate. Keep a 5–10% buffer.
7. Education-loan timing — loan sanctioned but not yet disbursed at statement closure.

In our experience the “lowest balance dipped below minimum” pattern is the biggest single cause — and almost always preventable. The family had the funds; they just didn’t know a brief 24-hour dip invalidates the whole window. We build the funds plan ~35 days before the application date with a strict no-touch rule. If you’re called for a credibility interview, these same facts get tested verbally — see our UK Student Visa Interview Questions 2026 guide.

NHS Immigration Health Surcharge — the cost most Indian families under-budget

Every UK student visa applicant pays the NHS Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) online during the application. The rate is £776 per year — but here’s the part families get wrong: IHS is charged on your visa length, not your course length. A Student visa is issued for your course plus a wrap-up period (about four months after a 12-month-plus course), so a one-year master’s visa runs ~16 months and is charged for 1.5 years = £1,164, not £776.

The master’s figure (£1,164) is exact; longer courses depend on your precise visa dates, so treat those as approximate and confirm yours on the official IHS calculator. IHS is non-refundable once the visa is granted, but automatically refunded if the visa is refused.

One more cost to plan for later: after you graduate, the post-study Graduate Route adds a £937 application fee plus £1,035/year IHS — and the route shortens from two years to 18 months for applications from 1 January 2027 (PhDs keep three years). See our UK Graduate Route Visa 2026 guide.

Currency conversion — showing funds in INR

You don’t have to hold the funds in GBP. INR balances are accepted, and UKVI converts to GBP using the exchange rate on the OANDA spot-conversion website on the date you apply. Practical implications: your statement shows the INR balance; build a 5–10% buffer above the minimum to absorb rate movement during the 28-day window; for a £22,539 requirement at ₹126/£ you need roughly ₹28.4 lakh with buffer. Once your visa is granted and you’re moving money to the UK, compare the cheapest option in our guide on forex card vs debit card for Indian students.

Special cases — if your situation isn’t standard

Education loans from regulated lenders (SBI, HDFC Credila, ICICI, Axis, Bank of Baroda, Prodigy Finance, MPOWER) are accepted with a sanction letter on letterhead and disbursement confirmation. Loans against property, gold or LIC are conditionally accepted at the disbursed-cash level — ensure that cash sits in the eligible account for 28 days. For loan vs family savings, see our education loan vs family funds guide.

Joint accounts where you’re a named holder are accepted; a parent-only joint account is treated as a sponsor account. Newly opened accounts are fine — the account’s age isn’t tested, but the 28-day balance hold still applies. Multiple sources (personal + parental + loan) can be combined, provided each component meets the rules and is documented separately.

Documents you will need — the funds checklist

1. Bank statement covering the 28-day window — issued and stamped by the bank
2. Bank letter confirming account holder, account type and balance
3. Education loan sanction letter (if applicable)
4. Education loan disbursement confirmation (if applicable)
5. Sponsor declaration signed by parent / legal guardian (if applicable)
6. Sponsor’s ID — passport bio-data page or PAN card
7. Relationship proof — your birth certificate showing the parent’s name
8. Sponsor’s bank statements covering the same 28-day window
9. Tuition payment receipt (if any tuition paid)
10. CAS letter confirming tuition status
11. Currency conversion note if funds are in INR

For the parallel Irish process (structurally similar), see our Ireland student visa checklist.

The 90-day plan to build a bulletproof funds file

Why TMC’s UK visa work is recognised

The Mentors Circle has filed UK student visa files since 2014 — a 97% success rate maintained across a decade of policy change, including the Tier 4 → Student Visa rebrand and the Graduate Route launch. We were selected as an Enterprise Ireland Endorsed Agent in 2018 on the basis of visa-file quality and approval rates, and our founder, Jawahar Tomar, is himself a Brunel University London MBA. Our senior counsellors visit our UK and Irish partner universities every year, so the figures and refusal patterns in this guide are kept current against first-hand briefings.

Frequently asked questions

How much money do I need for a UK student visa from India in 2026?

For a London course: £13,761 maintenance + outstanding tuition. Outside London: £10,539 + outstanding tuition. The money must be held in an eligible account for 28 consecutive days, with the lowest daily balance at or above the minimum.

Is education loan accepted for a UK student visa?

Yes — from a regulated lender, with a sanction letter on letterhead and disbursement confirmation. Loans secured by property, gold or LIC are accepted at the disbursed-cash level.

Can my parents’ bank account be used?

Yes. You need a signed sponsor declaration, the parent’s ID, your birth certificate showing the relationship, and their statements covering the same 28-day window.

What is the 28-day rule?

Funds must be held for 28 continuous days, with the lowest daily balance at or above the minimum, and the statement ending no more than 31 days before you apply.

Can I show a fixed deposit?

Yes — if it has been held 28 days, the bank certifies it as available (not collateral), and it isn’t maturing after your application date.

Are property, gold, mutual funds or shares accepted?

No. They must be liquidated and the cash held for 28 days.

How much is the UK student visa fee and IHS from India in 2026?

The visa fee is £558 (applying from outside the UK). IHS is £776 per year of your visa — and because a Student visa covers your course plus a wrap-up period, a one-year master’s is charged for ~1.5 years = £1,164, not £776. Confirm your exact amount on the official IHS calculator.

Can my sibling sponsor my UK student visa?

No. UKVI accepts only parents and legal guardians — stricter than Ireland, which allows siblings, grandparents and in-laws.

What if my balance dips below the minimum for one day?

The 28-day window is invalidated. Restore the balance and start a fresh 28-day count — so plan 35–40 days ahead with a no-touch rule.

What if my visa is refused on funds?

You can re-apply with corrected documentation; limited Administrative Review may also apply. Most funds-related refusals are correctable — get the file reviewed before you re-file.

The bottom line

The UK funds requirement is the highest-leverage variable in your visa file. Get the amount, the hold period and the sponsor right, and the rest is procedural. Cut a corner on any of the three and the file is refused. For a 2026–27 intake your window typically opens May–June — the 28-day rule alone eats a month of prep, so start your 90-day funds cycle early.

Sources & further reading

• GOV.UK — Student visa: money
• GOV.UK — Student visa (fees & overview)
• GOV.UK — Immigration Health Surcharge
• UKCISA — changes to the Student and Graduate rules

Figures verified September 2026 against gov.uk and UKCISA (maintenance £1,171/£1,529, visa fee £558, IHS £776/yr with a 16-month master’s visa = £1,164, 28-day rule). UK immigration rules, fees and exchange rates change — cross-check every time-sensitive figure on the official gov.uk pages before filing. Last updated: September 2026.