The UK government has updated its Student visa guidance, confirming that applicants from several African countries, including Botswana, Mauritius and Tunisia, can apply without submitting proof of funds at the time of application under its differential evidence requirement. The revised Student visa guidance allows eligible applicants to leave out financial documents when applying, although they must still meet all financial requirements. The Student visa rules also give UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) the authority to request financial evidence before making a final decision.
According to the guidance, the differential evidence requirement is a documentary exemption and does not remove the obligation for applicants to prove they have sufficient funds.
“Applicants covered by the differential evidence requirement may still be asked by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to provide evidence of their finances before a decision is made on their application,” the guidance states.
Countries included in the policy are Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Mauritius, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and the United States, among others.
However, Nigeria is not on the list. This means Nigerian applicants should be prepared to provide financial documents if requested during their Student visa application process.
The UK government also clarified that all applicants must still show they can pay tuition fees for one academic year, as stated in their Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), alongside their living expenses.
Students studying in London must demonstrate they have £1,529 per month for living costs for up to nine months, while those studying outside London must show £1,171 per month over the same period. This means the maximum maintenance requirement is £13,761 for students in London and £10,539 for those studying elsewhere in the UK, excluding tuition fees.
The guidance further states that international students who have lived in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months before applying for a Student visa do not need to provide financial evidence.
The current financial thresholds were introduced on January 2, 2025, marking the first increase in maintenance requirements for international students since 2020.
Do you think Nigeria should be included in the UK’s differential evidence requirement for Student visa applicants?
