UK Home Office raises amount of living expense requirements for foreign students

NIGERIAN students studying in the UK as foreign pupils will have to demonstrate access to at least £14,130 in living expenses as from November 30 under new laws just introduced by the British Home Office.

Historically, education has been a big foreign exchange earner for the UK, with thousands of overseas students paying tuition fees to attend its universities. Of late, however, the sector has suffered from programmes aimed at stemming immigration, which have ultimately affected students as the anti-migrant clamour intensifies.

Under the latest changes, international students applying for study visas, must shows that they have at least £14,000 a year to live on each year. These revised maintenance requirements will affect prospective international students, including Nigerians, seeking admission to British universities.

Basically, it means that students must demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to cover their living expenses during their studies, in addition to tuition fees and other visa-related costs. Under the revised requirements, international students studying in London will need to demonstrate access to £1,570 per month, up from the existing £1,529.

For courses lasting nine months or longer, the maximum maintenance requirement will rise from £13,761 to £14,130, representing an increase of £369. Students studying outside London will also face higher financial requirements, with the minimum monthly amount increasing to £1,203 from £1,171.

Also, the maximum nine-month maintenance requirement for students outside London will consequently rise from £10,539 to £10,827, an increase of £288. These amounts represent the minimum living expenses applicants must demonstrate when applying for a student visa and do not include tuition fees.

Applicants must also budget separately for the student visa application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge, which provides access to the UK’s National Health Service under applicable rules. Applicants will also need to ensure they meet the applicable maintenance threshold for their university’s location and provide acceptable evidence that the required funds are available.

Students preparing their applications will also need to consider the relevant visa charges and healthcare surcharge when calculating their overall study budgets. According to figures cited in the report, approximately 685,565 international students were enrolled in UK higher education institutions during the 2024/2025 academic year, representing about 24% of the total student population.

Of this number, approximately 622,000 students came from countries outside the European Union (EU), while around 63,600 were from EU countries. Professor Padam Simkhada, the dean of Global Impact and Research at the University of Chester, noted that international students contributed approximately £41.9bn to the UK economy during the 2021/22 academic year.

Despite their economic contribution, international students continue to face financial challenges associated with accommodation costs, limited employment opportunities and restrictions on working hours. These revised maintenance thresholds will require prospective students to review their budgets and ensure they meet the applicable financial requirements before applying for a UK student visa.