The UK Student visa runs on a points-based system, but don't let the word "points" suggest any flexibility — you need exactly 70, and there's no menu of options to mix and match. You need a valid Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, enough money sitting in your account for 28 straight days, and a passing English test score. Miss any one of the three and the application fails regardless of how strong the other two are.
What's changed since most generic guides were written is significant. The application fee and health surcharge both rose again on 8 April 2026. The rules on bringing a partner or children tightened so sharply in January 2024 that dependant visas issued to student families fell by 85% in a single year. And the post-study Graduate Route that many students factor into their decision is shrinking from 2 years to 18 months for anyone applying from 1 January 2027 onward. This guide reflects all of it.
The 70-point system: how it actually breaks down
| Requirement | Points | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Valid CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) | 50 | Issued by your licensed Student sponsor once you've accepted your offer and met any conditions |
| Financial requirement | 10 | Proof of funds for tuition and living costs, held for 28 consecutive days |
| English language requirement | 10 | CEFR B2 for degree-level courses, B1 for below-degree-level, via an approved test or exemption |
There's no way to compensate for a shortfall in one category with strength in another — a perfect financial position doesn't offset a borderline English score, and a glowing CAS doesn't offset insufficient funds. All three have to clear independently.
Step one: getting your CAS
A CAS is a unique reference number, not a physical document, issued by your university or college once it's a licensed Student sponsor and you've met every condition of your offer — including, in most cases, paying a deposit. Your CAS records your course details, fees, and the institution's confirmation that you're a genuine applicant, and it must be issued no more than 6 months before your course start date. You cannot apply for the visa without it, and a CAS is generally valid for use in a visa application for a limited window, so timing your application soon after receiving it matters.
Step two: the financial requirement
You need to show you can cover both your remaining tuition fees (as stated on your CAS) and your living costs for the relevant period, with the funds held in your own account, your parent's, or legal guardian's account, continuously for at least 28 days before you apply.
| Where you'll study | Monthly maintenance requirement | Maximum months counted | Maximum total |
|---|---|---|---|
| London (City of London + all 32 London boroughs) | £1,529 | 9 months | £13,761 |
| Outside London | £1,171 | 9 months | £10,539 |
"London" is defined by where your course is taught, not where you choose to live — a common and costly misunderstanding. A student enrolled at a London-based institution who plans to live more cheaply in a neighboring county still has to meet the London threshold, because the rule is tied to your sponsor's location.
One significant exemption: if you've already been living in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months by the time you apply, you typically don't need to show the financial requirement again. This mainly helps students extending or switching visas while already in the UK, not new applicants.
Step three: the English language requirement
| Course level | Required CEFR level |
|---|---|
| Degree level (Bachelor's and above) | B2 |
| Below degree level / pre-sessional courses | B1 |
You can meet this requirement through an approved Secure English Language Test (SELT), your institution's own internal English assessment, evidence of a previous degree taught and assessed in English, or — for some applicants — nationality-based exemption if you're from a majority English-speaking country. The specific requirement and acceptable evidence type is stated directly on your CAS, so check it rather than assuming a generic B2 score from any provider will automatically qualify.
A practical warning that catches out a meaningful number of applicants: many competitive courses require scores above the bare regulatory minimum — B2+ or C1 — as an academic entry condition even though the immigration rule only demands B2. Submitting a borderline score because it technically clears the visa threshold doesn't help if your university rejects the application academically.
ATAS: the certificate that's easy to forget
If you're studying or researching certain sensitive subjects — physics, chemistry, several engineering disciplines, and some related fields — at postgraduate level (RQF level 7 or above), you may need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate before your university can issue your CAS. There's no fee, but processing can take up to 30 working days, and because it sits upstream of your CAS in the process, an overlooked ATAS requirement can quietly delay everything that follows it. If your course falls into an ATAS-relevant subject area, treat it as a day-one task, not something to circle back to later.
Bringing your family: the rules tightened sharply in 2024
This is the area where the practical reality has shifted the most. Since 1 January 2024, most international students can no longer bring a partner or children to the UK on their Student visa. The scale of the change is stark: dependant visas issued to student family members dropped from roughly 143,000 in 2023 to around 22,000 in 2024 — an 85% fall in a single year.
The narrow remaining exceptions, which continue to apply in 2026, are:
- Full-time postgraduate research students (PhD, or other doctoral-level qualifications)
- Students on research-based higher degrees such as MRes or MSc by Research
- Students who hold an official scholarship or sponsorship from a government or approved international scholarship agency, on a course lasting more than 6 months
If your course doesn't fall into one of these categories — which rules out the great majority of standard one-year taught Master's programs and undergraduate degrees — you should plan on studying without bringing a partner or children, regardless of what older guides or forum posts suggest. For students who do qualify, each dependant must separately show £845/month (London) or £680/month (outside London) for up to 9 months, and pay their own IHS and application fee.
Fees: what you'll actually pay, from 8 April 2026
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Student visa application fee | £558 (per applicant, including dependants where eligible) |
| Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) | £776 per full year of visa validity |
| IHS for a partial period of 6–12 months | £776 |
| IHS for a partial period of 1–6 months | £388 |
The IHS is calculated on your full granted visa length — typically your course duration plus a buffer of about 1 month before and 2–4 months after, depending on course length — not just the course itself, and it must be paid in full upfront. For a one-year Master's, the visa is often issued for around 16 months once the buffer is included, meaning you pay IHS for two full years (£1,552) rather than one. For a standard 3-year undergraduate degree, total fees land around £558 (application) + £2,716 (3 years of IHS) ≈ £3,274 per applicant, before tuition or living costs.
How and when to apply
| Step | Detail |
|---|---|
| Earliest application (from outside the UK) | Up to 6 months before your course start date |
| Earliest application (from inside the UK) | Up to 3 months before your course start date |
| Typical decision time | Around 3 weeks for applications made outside the UK |
| Arrival window | Up to 1 month before your course start date |
If you're switching from another UK visa into the Student route, your new course must start within 28 days of your current visa's expiry, and — since a 17 July 2023 rule change — current Student visa holders generally need to complete their original course before switching into the Graduate Route; you can no longer abandon a course partway through to pivot into post-study work status.
Work rights while studying
| Student type | Work allowance |
|---|---|
| Full-time, degree level or above | Up to 20 hours/week in term time; full-time during vacations |
| Full-time, below degree level | Up to 10 hours/week in term time; full-time during vacations |
| Part-time students, or those at non-compliant institutions | Generally not permitted to work |
Exceeding these limits is treated as a serious breach of your visa conditions, not a minor administrative issue, and can affect future immigration applications — including the Graduate Route and any later Skilled Worker sponsorship.
Common reasons applications get refused
- Funds not held for the full 28 consecutive days, or held in an account type or institution the Home Office doesn't accept
- Genuine student doubts — for example, applying for a course unrelated to your previous study history, or a level that looks like a downgrade without a clear explanation
- Expired or non-approved English test evidence, including using a test centre or test type not on the Home Office's accepted list
- Previous immigration breaches, such as overstaying a prior visa or working beyond permitted hours on an earlier UK visa
What happens after: Graduate Route and beyond
Once you complete your course, most students move to the Graduate Route for post-study work rights — but the rules here are also changing. For visa applications made before 1 January 2027, the Graduate Route grants 2 years (3 years for PhD graduates). For applications made on or after 1 January 2027, that drops to 18 months for Bachelor's and Master's graduates, while PhD graduates keep 3 years. What matters is your application date, not your graduation date — a student starting a one-year Master's in autumn 2026 and finishing in summer 2027 will be applying after the cutoff and should plan around 18 months, not 2 years.
To remain in the UK beyond the Graduate Route, most graduates look toward the Skilled Worker visa, which from 8 April 2026 carries a general salary threshold of £41,700, with a reduced threshold of £33,400 for roles on the Immigration Salary List or for STEM PhD holders in eligible occupations. Skilled Worker entry clearance fees from the same date run £819 for visas up to 3 years and £1,618 for longer grants. For the fuller picture of the Graduate Route and how it fits into a longer-term UK plan, see our Study in the UK 2026 guide and our UK vs Ireland comparison, which covers the broader settlement-pathway picture in more depth.
Frequently asked questions
How much money do I actually need to show for a UK Student visa? For a course in London, £1,529 per month for up to 9 months (£13,761 total). Outside London, £1,171 per month for up to 9 months (£10,539 total). This is in addition to any tuition fees still outstanding on your CAS, and the funds must be held continuously for 28 days before you apply.
Can I bring my spouse or children to the UK while I study? For most students starting a course from 2024 onward, no. The main exceptions are full-time PhD or other doctoral students, students on research-based higher degrees like MRes or MSc by Research, and students on a government or approved scholarship lasting more than 6 months.
What's the difference between the Student visa application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge? The £558 application fee is what you pay to have your visa processed. The £776-per-year IHS is a separate, mandatory charge that gives you access to NHS healthcare during your stay, calculated on your full granted visa length (course plus buffer) and paid upfront in one lump sum.
Do I need an ATAS certificate? Only if you're studying certain sensitive subjects — primarily physics, chemistry, and some engineering disciplines — at postgraduate level (RQF 7+). It's free but can take up to 30 working days, so check this before you assume your CAS can be issued quickly.
How many hours can I legally work on a Student visa? Up to 20 hours per week during term time if you're a full-time degree-level student (10 hours for below-degree-level), and full-time during official vacation periods. Exceeding this is a visa breach, not a minor issue.
Will the Graduate Route still give me 2 years after I graduate? Only if you apply for it before 1 January 2027. Applications made on or after that date receive 18 months for Bachelor's and Master's graduates; PhD graduates keep the full 3 years regardless of application date.
🇬🇧 See the full UK study picture
Tuition, universities, the Graduate Route, and the path to settlement — the complete guide beyond just the visa mechanics.
🇮🇪 Comparing the UK to other destinations?
See how the UK's visa rules, costs, and settlement pathway stack up against Ireland before you commit.
This guide reflects UK Student visa fees, maintenance fund thresholds, and dependant rules current as of June 2026, including the Home Office fee changes effective 8 April 2026 and the dependant restrictions in force since 1 January 2024. Immigration Rules are reviewed and changed regularly by the Home Office, including a Migration Advisory Committee review of the Graduate Route expected in 2026 — verify current fees, thresholds, and eligibility at gov.uk before applying, or consult an OISC-registered or SRA-regulated immigration adviser for guidance specific to your situation.