UK Student Visa 2026: Fee Hike, New Financial Requirements & Graduate Route Changes Explained

If you looked up the UK Student visa a year ago and are only now getting back to your application, several of the numbers you remember have changed. The visa fee went up in April 2026, the maintenance funds you need to show have increased for the second time in two years, and the Graduate Route — the post-study work visa most Indian students plan around — is set to shrink from 2027. None of this is minor print. Below is what actually changed, what it costs today, and what it means for anyone applying from India this year.

What Changed in 2026

Three things moved this year, and all three affect your budget or your timeline:

• Visa fee increase (8 April 2026): The Student visa application fee rose from £524 to £558.
• Maintenance funds increase: The monthly living-cost figure you must show rose to £1,529 for London and £1,171 for outside London, up from the £1,483/£1,136 rates that applied through most of 2025.
• Graduate Route shortened from 2027: The post-study work visa remains 2 years (3 years for PhD graduates) for anyone who applies on or before 31 December 2026, but drops to 18 months for applications made from 1 January 2027 onward.

None of these change who is eligible for a Student visa. They change how much you need in the bank and, for anyone weighing when to apply, whether you fall on the current or the shortened Graduate Route timeline.

Current Visa Fees and Immigration Health Surcharge

The IHS is charged upfront for the full length of your visa, not per year you actually stay, so a 3-year undergraduate course means roughly £2,328 in IHS alone, on top of the £558 application fee. Budget for both before you plan your final bank balance for the maintenance requirement below.

Financial Requirement: How Much You Need to Show

Beyond your tuition fees, you must show enough for living costs ("maintenance") for up to 9 months, even if your course runs longer. The current monthly figures are:

• Studying in London: £1,529 per month, up to £13,761 for 9 months
• Studying outside London: £1,171 per month, up to £10,539 for 9 months

Any tuition fees already paid (as reflected on your CAS) can be deducted from what you need to show. If your university-managed accommodation is prepaid, up to £1,529 of that can also be deducted — but only if it was paid to the university itself, not a private landlord.

A worked example: a student with a £20,000 tuition fee, a £2,000 deposit already paid, studying outside London, would need to show £18,000 (remaining tuition) + £10,539 (9 months' maintenance) = £28,539, plus a buffer for exchange-rate movement before the funds are converted to GBP.

The 28-Day Rule, Explained Properly

This is where most refusals happen — not because students lack the money, but because the timing is wrong.

• The required balance must sit in your account for 28 consecutive days, without dropping below the threshold on any single day.
• Your bank statement must be dated no more than 31 days before you submit your visa application.
• Foreign-currency balances are converted to GBP using the OANDA exchange rate on the day UKVI assesses your application — not the day you checked it, so leave a cushion.
• Acceptable sources: personal savings, a regulated student loan, or an official financial sponsor's letter. Shares, bonds, pension funds, cryptocurrency, and credit facilities are not accepted.

If you're relying on a parent's account, you'll typically need a signed declaration letter from the parent, your birth certificate showing the relationship, and the parent's own account statements meeting the same 28-day rule.

Bringing Dependants: What's Still Allowed

Under current rules, the right to bring a partner or children on a Student visa is largely restricted to PhD and other postgraduate research students. Most undergraduate and taught Master's students are not permitted to bring dependants. Where dependants are eligible, the additional maintenance required is:

• £845 per month per dependant if studying in London (up to £7,605 for 9 months)
• £680 per month per dependant if studying outside London (up to £6,120 for 9 months)

These amounts apply on top of your own maintenance requirement, not instead of it.

Graduate Route Changes From 2027

The Graduate Route lets you stay and work in the UK after finishing your degree without needing a job offer or sponsor first. As things stand:

• Apply on or before 31 December 2026 → 2 years on the Graduate Route (3 years for PhD/doctoral graduates)
• Apply on or after 1 January 2027 → 18 months on the Graduate Route

If your course finishes in late 2026 or you're deciding between a January or September intake, this timeline is worth factoring in alongside academic and financial considerations — six months of post-study work time is a meaningful difference for anyone planning to convert to a Skilled Worker visa afterward.

Documents You'll Need

• Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) reference number from your sponsoring institution
• Valid passport
• Proof of finances meeting the 28-day rule (bank statements, loan letter, or sponsorship letter)
• English language proficiency evidence (or CAS confirmation your course itself meets this)
• Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate, if your subject requires one
• TB test results, if applying from a country where this is mandatory
• Parental consent/relationship documents, if using a parent's funds or if you're under 18

Application Process, Step by Step

1. Receive your unconditional offer and CAS from your UK institution.
2. Complete the online Student visa application on gov.uk and pay the £558 fee plus IHS.
3. Book and attend a biometric appointment (many low-risk nationalities can now complete parts of this via smartphone).
4. Upload your supporting documents, including financial evidence.
5. Wait for a decision — standard processing is typically around 3 weeks from outside the UK; priority services are available at extra cost.
6. Once approved, set up your UKVI account to access your eVisa (physical vignettes/BRPs have been phased out for most applicants).
7. Arrive in the UK — up to 1 month before your course starts for courses longer than 6 months, or up to 1 week before for shorter courses.

Common Reasons Applications Get Refused

• 28-day rule violations — the single largest cause of refusal, usually from checking the balance on the wrong date or a dip below the threshold mid-period.
• Bank statement dated too early — more than 31 days before the application date.
• Mismatched CAS and application details — course dates, tuition figures, or sponsor details that don't line up.
• Unclear ties between past study and the new course — caseworkers look for a coherent academic and career progression.
• Non-standard proof of funds — crypto holdings, shares, or funds in an account type not recognised by UKVI.

Frequently Asked Questions

Rules like the 28-day fund window, the fee timeline, and Graduate Route eligibility change without much notice, so it's worth cross-checking your specific numbers against the official gov.uk Student visa page before you apply. If you'd rather have someone map out your exact fund calculation, CAS timeline, and document checklist for your situation, Volumaax's student visa service can walk through it with you, and our UK study pathway page covers the broader picture of studying in Britain end to end.

Related reading: education loan services if you're financing tuition through a loan, and foreign exchange services for converting your maintenance funds ahead of the 28-day window.

This article is for general informational purposes and reflects UK immigration rules understood to be in effect as of July 2026. It is not immigration advice for any individual case, and rules can change without notice — always verify current figures and eligibility on gov.uk or with a qualified adviser before making decisions based on this information.