UK visa: Higher fund requirement starting Jan 2025 to make it more expensive to study in Britain

If you are planning to go to the United Kingdom on a student visa next year, then gear up for spending more money. The maintenance money for studying in a university in London is set to be raised to £13,347 (11.17 per cent higher than the current requirement of £12,006) from Jan, 2025 onwards.

This is the minimum money which the visa applicant (or his/her sponsor) must show in their bank account for 28 days apart from the money towards tuition. The change has been rolled out in view of the rising cost of living in the UK.

At the same time, the students who are planning to study outside London will have to show £10,224 for one year instead of £9,207 now, reflecting an increase of 11.05 per cent from the next year onwards.

The change will come into force from Jan 2, 2025 onwards, mentions British government’s official website.

“The upcoming hike in maintenance expenses for UK student visas will require Indian students to plan their finances more meticulously. While this may add to the cost of pursuing education abroad, it underscores the importance of budgeting effectively and exploring scholarships. Students should focus on aligning their academic goals with long-term career prospects to make the investment worthwhile,” says Manisha Zaveri, Joint Managing Director, Career Mosaic.

Tuition fee

Meanwhile, it is vital to note that the fund requirement is towards maintenance expenses in the UK. The students, besides this money, also need to show sufficient money in their bank account towards the tuition fee, of course.

Suppose someone called ‘A’ has applied for a college in London that charges a total fee of £20,000.

Let us suppose, ‘A’ has already paid £5,000 prior to applying for the visa. At the time of applying for the visa, ‘A’ will have to show £15,000 (£20,000 – £5,000) towards the tuition apart from £13,347. And if the college is located outside London, he will have to show £10,224 instead.

Meanwhile, in another news, UK has replaced physical copies of residency cards known as Biometric Residency Permits (BRPs) with eVisas with effect from Dec 31, 2024.

Yvette Cooper, Home Secretary, told a home affairs committee on Dec 17, that nearly one million immigrants are yet to receive their eVisas.