UK raises student visa maintenance funds for Nigerian applicants from November 30, 2026

The UK Home Office has raised the minimum financial requirements international students must meet for a student visa. The new thresholds take effect on November 30, 2026 and apply to Nigerian students and other applicants seeking admission to British universities.

Applicants must prove they can cover living costs before a visa is granted. The maintenance funds are separate from tuition fees, the student visa application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge, which gives access to the NHS during their stay under applicable rules.

London students face higher threshold

For students based in London, the monthly maintenance requirement will rise from £1,529 to £1,570. Over a nine-month period, the total required will increase from £13,761 to £14,130. That is an increase of £369.

Students at institutions outside London will need to show £1,203 per month, up from £1,171. The nine-month cap for those outside London will move from £10,539 to £10,827, a difference of £288.

Nigerian applicants will need to confirm which threshold applies based on their institution's location. They must also gather acceptable evidence that the required funds are available before submitting their applications.

International students remain major UK funding source

Around 685,565 international students were enrolled in UK institutions during the 2024/2025 academic year. They made up about 24% of the total student population. Of that number, roughly 622,000 came from outside the European Union, while approximately 63,600 were EU nationals.

Professor Padam Simkhada, Dean of Global Impact and Research at the University of Chester, noted that international students contributed about £41.9 billion to the UK economy in the 2021/2022 academic year alone.

Many international students still face financial strain. The burden includes high accommodation costs, limited work opportunities and restrictions on working hours during term time.

Separate rule change for Skilled Worker visa holders

The Home Office also changed immigration rules to allow foreign nationals formally identified as victims of modern slavery to leave exploitative employers and take up new jobs without losing their right to remain. The announcement was made on Thursday, September 3 and affects workers on Skilled Worker visas whose immigration status is tied to a specific employer. Under the previous arrangement, such workers risked losing their visa if they left their sponsoring employer, a situation critics said left many vulnerable to abuse.

What it means for Nigerian students

For Nigerian families, the higher maintenance figures add to the dollar and pound budgeting pressure already created by tuition, visa fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge. Applicants should match their bank evidence to the correct London or outside-London threshold before they apply.