UK Student Visa Bank Statement Guide for Nepali Students explains the current maintenance amounts, 28-day holding rule, 31-day evidence window, acceptable account holders and documents, and common financial-evidence mistakes. A successful statement must prove the required tuition balance and living funds continuously; showing a large balance on only the final day is not enough.
Information checked on 24 July 2026. Financial amounts and evidence rules can change, so calculate again from the current GOV.UK Student money page and Appendix Finance on the application date.
Student visa funds at a glance
| Item | Current guidance |
|---|---|
| Tuition requirement | Outstanding course fees for the relevant period as shown on the CAS |
| London maintenance | £1,529 per month for up to 9 months, a maximum of £13,761 |
| Outside-London maintenance | £1,171 per month for up to 9 months, a maximum of £10,539 |
| Holding period | The complete required balance for at least 28 consecutive days |
| Evidence age | The closing balance on the newest evidence must be within 31 days before the application date |
| Foreign-currency conversion | UKVI uses the OANDA spot exchange rate on the application date |
| Nepali applicants | Nepal is not on the differential-evidence nationality list, so compliant evidence is normally submitted upfront |
How much money does a Nepali student need?
The financial requirement combines the unpaid tuition shown on the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies with the living-cost amount for the course location. For a course lasting nine months or longer, the current maximum maintenance requirement is £13,761 in London or £10,539 outside London.
For a shorter course, multiply the official monthly amount by the number of months. A part of a month is normally rounded up for the Student route calculation. Use the exact course dates and current rules rather than estimating from the number of teaching weeks.
This evidence threshold is not the same as a complete personal budget. Airfare, visa fees, the Immigration Health Surcharge, deposits and setup costs may sit outside the bank-statement formula. Read the UK study cost guide for the wider budget.
London versus outside London
For Student visa maintenance, London means the City of London and the 32 London boroughs. A university with “London” in its marketing name is not necessarily at an address within this definition, and a campus outside the boundary can use the outside-London figure.
Check the main study location stated on the CAS. If the course is delivered at a partner campus or has several locations, ask the licensed sponsor which financial amount applies before beginning the 28-day period.
How to calculate outstanding tuition
Start with the course fees recorded on the CAS. Subtract only tuition payments that the sponsor has recorded in the CAS or has updated through the accepted sponsor process. Keep the official university receipt, but do not assume a recent transfer automatically appears in the UKVI record.
For example, if the CAS shows £18,000 tuition and £6,000 already paid, the outstanding tuition is £12,000. A student studying outside London on a course of at least nine months would then plan for £12,000 plus £10,539, giving £22,539 before adding a currency buffer.
The UK CAS guide explains how to verify fees, payments and course details before the visa application.
The 28-day rule
The complete required amount must remain available for at least 28 days in a row. UKVI counts backwards from the closing-balance date on the most recent financial evidence. Every day in the evidence period must meet or exceed the required sterling value.
If the balance falls below the threshold even briefly, the qualifying period normally restarts when the full amount is restored. The average balance is not the test. Plan transfers early and avoid withdrawals, card debits, service charges or automatic payments that could break the sequence.
The 31-day evidence window
The newest financial evidence must be dated within 31 days before the Student visa application date. This is different from the 28-day holding period: 28 days describes how long the funds must remain available, while 31 days describes how recent the closing evidence must be.
A statement can prove a long history and still fail if its closing date is too old. Fix the planned online application date first, then work backwards to check both conditions.
A simple timeline example
Suppose the full required amount first becomes available on 1 August. Do not count that day twice or submit after guessing that four calendar weeks are always sufficient. Obtain evidence showing at least 28 consecutive days through the closing date, then make sure that closing date is no more than 31 days before the actual application.
Use extra days as a safety margin. Public holidays, delayed bank documents, exchange movement and university CAS updates can make a last-day application risky.
Whose bank account can be used?
Appendix Finance permits an account in the applicant’s name, including a joint account. A Student can also rely on an account controlled by a parent or legal guardian. A partner’s account can qualify when that partner is applying at the same time or already has the relevant permission.
Money held by another relative, friend, agent or unrecognised third party is not accepted merely because they write a support letter. Transfer funds into an eligible arrangement early enough to complete a new 28-day period where necessary.
Using a parent’s account
When relying on parental funds, provide evidence of the relationship and written consent from the parent or legal guardian confirming that the student may use the money for UK study. The name across the bank evidence, relationship document, translation and consent should be clear and consistent.
A birth certificate is commonly relevant, but the personalised checklist and individual family situation control what is needed. Resolve spelling differences or a legal name change with appropriate evidence instead of altering documents.
What types of account are acceptable?
Funds can be held in a personal current, savings, deposit or another qualifying account when the money is immediately accessible. The financial institution must be regulated by the appropriate authority in the country where it operates and must use electronic record keeping.
A fixed or deposit product needs evidence that covers the whole holding period and confirms access consistent with Appendix Finance. Do not rely only on the original deposit slip if it does not show the recent balance and continuous availability.
Accepted financial documents
Current GOV.UK guidance lists the following possible evidence:
- Paper bank statements
- Electronic bank-statement downloads
- Building-society passbooks
- Certificates of deposit
- Letters from a bank or building society
The evidence must show the account holder’s name, the bank or building society and the amount available. It must also allow UKVI to establish the dates and verify the evidence. Follow the exact upload instructions rather than submitting cropped screenshots from a mobile-banking screen.
What a bank letter should show
A useful bank letter identifies the financial institution and account holder, gives the account details necessary for verification, confirms the relevant balance and dates, and is issued through a verifiable channel. It should not state only an average balance.
Ask the bank to use accurate wording based on its records. A consultant-created template cannot turn an ineligible account or interrupted balance into acceptable evidence. UKVI may contact the bank, and inability to verify can lead to refusal.
Electronic statements
Official downloadable statements can be accepted. Use the complete document showing the bank identity, account holder, account reference, transaction period and running or closing balances. Do not edit the PDF, combine altered pages or remove transactions.
If the bank offers only an app screen, request a formal statement or letter that satisfies the published information requirements. Keep the original electronic file as well as the uploaded copy.
Currency conversion and exchange-rate buffer
Money held in Nepalese rupees is converted into pounds using the OANDA spot rate on the date of application. The value can therefore move even when the NPR balance does not change.
Hold a sensible buffer above the calculated minimum throughout the 28 days and until the decision. Do not treat a conversion made when the money was deposited as fixed for the visa application. Recheck the current rate shortly before submitting without allowing the balance to fall.
Unacceptable sources and instruments
Overdraft limits do not count. Cryptocurrency, stocks and shares are not acceptable Student financial evidence because their value or accessibility does not meet the published account rules. A promise that someone will provide money in future is not proof of funds.
Cash at home, land valuation, gold valuation, an unregulated cooperative account or a business asset does not become acceptable because it has a high value. If an asset is sold, the cash must be placed in an eligible account and normally complete the required holding period.
Student loans
A qualifying student loan must come from a government, government-sponsored loan company or regulated academic or educational loan scheme. The letter must be dated no more than six months before the application and confirm the loan amount, borrower, nature of the loan and permitted release conditions.
The evidence must confirm that the funds will be available to the student, or paid appropriately to the sponsor, within the required timing. A general personal loan or approval that still depends on selling security or satisfying unrelated conditions may not meet the Student loan rule.
Official financial sponsorship
An official financial sponsor can include the UK Government, the applicant’s national government, the British Council, an international organisation, international company, university or independent school. Family support is not “official financial sponsorship” under this definition.
If the university sponsorship is recorded on the CAS, that record may provide the evidence. Otherwise, the sponsor letter must show the date, sponsor name and contact details, sponsorship duration and amount, or confirm that all fees and living costs are covered.
Can several accounts be combined?
Appendix Finance allows qualifying evidence in a combination of permitted forms. In practice, every account used must independently satisfy the ownership, access, dates and verification requirements, and their combined balance must remain above the total for the complete 28-day period.
Using several accounts creates more opportunities for date gaps and exchange-rate confusion. Build a daily worksheet across all evidence, then have the final documents reviewed against the current rules.
Does Nepal receive differential evidence treatment?
Nepal is not listed among the nationalities that can normally omit financial documents at the point of application. A Nepali passport holder should therefore prepare and submit compliant evidence unless an individual exception applies.
Even applicants from a listed country must meet the financial requirement and can be asked for proof before a decision. Evidence flexibility is not permission to create the funds after applying.
The 12-month UK exception
A person applying for permission to stay who has been living in the UK with valid permission for at least 12 months on the application date normally meets the Student financial requirement without showing funds. This does not apply to a first Student application from Nepal.
Do not confuse time since first arrival, physical residence and the specific permission requirement. Applicants with gaps, visitor status or unusual histories should use the current rules and qualified advice.
Dependants require additional funds
An eligible partner or child normally needs separate maintenance in addition to the Student’s tuition and living amount. Current figures differ between London and outside London and are calculated for up to nine months.
First confirm that the course allows new dependants under the post-2024 rules. The UK dependant visa guide explains eligibility and the additional amounts.
Translations and name consistency
Documents not in English or Welsh may require a certified translation. The translation should meet the current visa-document rules and make the relationship between the original and translated document clear.
Check transliteration of Nepali names across the passport, bank statement, birth evidence, loan letter and CAS. Do not modify genuine records; provide legitimate explanation and supporting evidence for a difference.
Financial evidence and the credibility interview
Meeting the numeric bank requirement does not remove genuine-student assessment. Caseworkers can consider how the funds were acquired, whether the source is credible and whether the applicant understands tuition and living costs.
Prepare a truthful explanation of income, savings, loan or sponsorship. The UK Student visa interview guide covers how financial answers should remain consistent with the submitted evidence.
Final bank-statement checklist
- Read the CAS. Confirm fees and payments with the university.
- Identify the location. Use the correct London or outside-London amount.
- Add eligible dependants. Include every separate requirement where applicable.
- Select a permitted account. Verify holder, regulation, records and immediate access.
- Build a buffer. Allow for exchange movement and small charges.
- Complete 28 days. Keep the full amount continuously without a dip.
- Obtain recent evidence. Keep the closing date inside the 31-day window.
- Add relationship or consent evidence. Do this for parental funds.
- Check translations and names. Resolve inconsistencies before submission.
- Preserve originals. Be ready for bank verification or further evidence.
Common bank-statement mistakes
- Holding the amount for fewer than 28 consecutive days
- Letting the balance dip below the requirement for one day
- Using evidence with a closing date more than 31 days old
- Calculating outside-London funds for a London campus
- Subtracting tuition not recorded through the sponsor process
- Using a relative’s account without an eligible relationship
- Forgetting parental consent or relationship evidence
- Holding no currency buffer
- Uploading altered screenshots that cannot be verified
- Relying on overdraft, cryptocurrency or shares
Frequently asked questions
How many days must Student visa funds stay in the bank?
The complete required amount must be held for at least 28 consecutive days. The newest evidence closing date must also be within 31 days before the application.
Can I use my parents’ bank account?
Yes, when the account and funds meet the rules. Provide proof of the parent or legal-guardian relationship and written consent allowing you to use the money.
Can I use an electronic bank statement?
Yes. Current guidance accepts electronic downloads when they contain the required account, institution, amount and date information and can be verified.
How much maintenance is required in London?
The current Student amount is £1,529 per month for up to nine months, a maximum of £13,761, in addition to outstanding tuition.
Is Nepal exempt from submitting financial evidence?
No. Nepal is not on the current differential-evidence nationality list, so Nepali applicants normally provide compliant financial evidence upfront.
Related guidance in Nepal
For a visible second review of CAS fees, financial evidence and visa sequencing, use the MKS Education UK finance guidance. Students preparing for IELTS, PTE, GRE, GMAT or SAT can compare courses at MKS Prep. The current Immigration Rules, UKVI and the licensed sponsor remain the final authorities.