UK Updates Student Visa Requirements, Excludes Nigeria From Financial Evidence Waiver

• The UK has updated its Student and Child Student visa financial requirements, exempting nationals of only Botswana, Mauritius and Tunisia from submitting proof of funds upfront.

The United Kingdom has updated its financial requirements for Student and Child Student visa applicants, retaining strict financial evidence rules while exempting nationals of only three African countries from submitting proof of funds at the point of application.

According to the updated guidance published by the UK government, Botswana, Mauritius and Tunisia are the only African nations whose citizens will not be required to provide financial evidence upfront unless requested during the visa assessment process.

Other countries benefiting from the exemption include Australia, Canada, China, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, among others.

Despite the exemption, the UK clarified that applicants from the listed countries must still meet all financial requirements and may be asked to provide supporting documents before a final decision is made.

“You must meet the financial requirements for this route when you apply; however, you may not need to submit evidence upfront as part of your application. In these circumstances, the decision maker may still request the evidence from you during the application process to prove you meet the financial requirements,” the guidance stated.

The latest update means applicants from major African countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Egypt will continue to submit financial documents as part of their student visa applications.

Under the revised rules, Student visa applicants must prove they have enough money to pay their tuition fees and living expenses.

Students studying outside London must show they have £1,171 for each month of their course, up to a maximum of nine months, while those studying in London must demonstrate they have £1,529 per month for the same period.

Applicants travelling with dependants must also provide additional financial evidence. Those studying outside London must show £680 per month for each dependant, while applicants in London must provide £845 monthly for each dependant, also for up to nine months.

The UK government said acceptable sources of funds include government-backed student loans, official sponsorship, personal savings, and money belonging to parents or eligible partners.

However, applicants cannot rely on overdrafts, cryptocurrency holdings, stocks and shares, pensions, or funds held in unregulated financial institutions as proof of financial capability.

It also maintained that applicants using personal or family funds must show the required amount has been held for at least 28 consecutive days, with bank statements dated no more than 31 days before the visa application is submitted.

The updated guidance forms part of the UK’s continued efforts to strengthen oversight of its international student visa system while maintaining strict financial eligibility requirements for prospective students.