UK Increases International Student Maintenance Requirements

The UK Home Office has raised the financial requirements for international students, marking the first update since 2020.

According to the latest government guidelines, international students must provide proof of sufficient savings to cover living costs “for each month of their course, up to a maximum of nine months,” according to Home Office .

This adjustment aligns with increases in maintenance loans for domestic students, though no updates had been made in four years.

Under the new regulations, students studying in London will need to show proof of £1,483 per month, while those studying outside London must demonstrate £1,136 per month in savings.

Previously, the requirement was £1,334 per month for London students and £1,023 for those outside of London.

Syed Nooh, Head of Global Insights and Market Development at UEA University of East Anglia, noted that the increase is reasonable given rising inflation and living costs in the UK. However, he also warned, “this could make the UK a less attractive destination for international students, especially those from lower-income countries, as more affordable study options are becoming available elsewhere”.

These updated requirements, effective from January 2, 2025, were published on September 10, 2024. The government has committed to regularly adjusting the financial requirement in line with inflation and increases in domestic maintenance loans. Students studying in London for nine months or more will now need to show a total of £13,348 in savings when applying for their visas.

Nick Skeavington, head of international student recruitment at the University of Exeter, commented that while the increase alone may not have a significant impact, it adds to a series of recent policy changes that are making international student recruitment more difficult.

He pointed out, “these adjustments must be considered alongside other challenges, such as changes to visa policies for dependents, currency fluctuations, affordability issues in key markets like West Africa and South Asia, and a significant increase in the NHS surcharge”.

The Home Office clarified that students may still “offset” their proof of funds by paying a deposit for accommodation in the UK. Additionally, those who have already spent at least 12 months in the UK on another visa route do not need to provide evidence of maintenance funds when applying.

While stakeholders agree on the necessity of aligning international student financial requirements with increased maintenance loans for domestic students, concerns remain about the impact on students from developing countries. Nooh highlighted the potential difficulty for students from these regions to meet the new financial demands, which could reduce campus diversity.

In addition to these changes, the NHS surcharge for international students was increased by 66%, bringing the annual cost to £776 as of February 6, 2024.

 Alongside high tuition fees and taxes for working students, these surcharges continue to add to the financial burden of studying in the UK.