Documents and financial requirements

If you are a non-EU/non-EEA citizen planning to undertake research based postgraduate study in the UK in certain science, engineering, or technology disciplines you may need to acquire an ATAS certificate before you can apply for a visa to come into the UK, or renew an existing visa for the UK. Holders of other types of visas such as Skilled Worker visa will now also be required to obtain an ATAS certificate.

The Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) has been introduced by the UK government in order to "ensure that people who are studying in the UK in sensitive subjects do not have links to weapons of mass destruction programmes".

If you require an ATAS certificate, this would normally have been requested during the application stage. It will also be stated on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). For full details on the ATAS certificate and requirements check the Home Office website.

You’ll need to have a tuberculosis (TB) test if you are coming to the UK for more than 6 months and are resident in any of these listed countries.

You will not need a TB test if any of the following apply:

• you are a diplomat accredited to the UK
• you are a returning UK resident and haven’t been away for more than 2 years
• you lived for at least 6 months in a country where TB screening is not required by the UK, and you have been away from that country for no more than 6 months

The Student visa application requirements are very strict and it's easy to make a mistake that can lead to a visa refusal. Please read all the sections below and remember that we may ask you to provide correct and accurate evidence of your finances before we issue your final Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). The most common cause of visa refusals comes from presenting financial documents in the incorrect format so please read the information carefully.

UKVI requires that you show evidence of the following:

• Course fee: You must have enough money to pay your course fees for the first year of your course or the entire course if it is less than one year long. Your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) will state the fees that you will be required to pay.
• Maintenance fee: Your accommodation and living costs are called maintenance. You must have a fixed amount of money to cover your maintenance. London Met is located in inner London, which means that you are required to hold £1,334 for each month of your course for the first nine months for a total of £12,006 (or £1,334 for each month if your course lasts less than nine months).

Calculating your financial requirements for your Student visa application (example only)

If your course fee is, for example, £14,000 and you have paid or intend to pay £7,000 (50% of your tuition fees) to obtain your CAS and you intend to pay the remaining fees at your enrolment or thereafter (£7,000) your bank statement must demonstrate that you have a total of £19,006. This includes £12,006 (standard maintenance requirement for a course lasting nine months or longer) and £7,000 (remaining tuition fees).

Preparing your documents

When preparing your finances it is important you observe the following advice:

• it is often a good idea to hold more money than you need, because exchange rates may change slightly during the 28 day period
• the balance in your account must not drop below the required amount, even by £1, for a single day
• do not use any of the money in the account until after your visa has been issued to you, in case you are asked to present new documents
• the bank statements that you provide must be no more than 31 days old
• use the official exchange rate website Oanda to convert your currency to pound sterling 
• the bank must be regulated by the appropriate regulatory body for the country in which that institution is operating and should have electronic record keeping
• don't wait until the last minute to put the funds together, you should aim to have satisfactory documents before requesting a CAS 

If you are applying for your Student visa in the UK and you have been living in the UK with valid immigration permission for at least 12 months on the date of your Student visa application, you will automatically meet the financial requirement and will not need to show evidence of funds as part of your visa application.

If you have not been in the UK for 12 months with a valid immigration permission or do not qualify for differential evidence requirement that applies to Nationals from the countries listed in paragraph 22 of Appendix ST of the Immigration Rules, then you will need to demonstrate that you meet the financial requirements in the formats listed below with your visa application. We will also request to see these documents before we issue a CAS to you, so that you have peace of mind that your documents are correct.

You can demonstrate that you have enough money by providing one of the following:

Personal bank statements: original paper statement or a download of electronic bank statements as long as they include the correct information, covering a consecutive 28-day period ending no more than 31 days before the date of your application, must include all of the following:

• your name or the name of your parent, partner, or legal guardian
• the date of the statement
• your account number
• your bank's name and logo

A letter from an authorised bank or building society: You can provide a bank letter confirming funds have been held for a consecutive 28-day period the letter must not be more than 31 days old. It must include all of the following:

• your name or the name of your parent, partner, or legal guardian
• the date of the letter
• the account number
• the financial institution's name and logo
• the amount of funds in your account – this must be sufficient to cover the cost of any unpaid tuition fees and the required maintenance funds

Official letter from an authorised financial institution confirming educational loan funds: A letter confirming educational loan funds must include the following:

• your full name
• the date of the letter
• the loan provider/financial institution's name and logo
• the funds available as a loan and that there are no conditions on release of the loan funds other than a successful application to study in the UK
• evidence that the loan is provided by your national government, their state or regional government, a government-sponsored student loan company or is part of an academic or educational loans scheme
• The letter confirming your loan funding must also be dated no more than six months before the date of your visa application

Certificate of deposit: certificates of deposits can be used to evidence funds if the document is issued by a bank which confirms that you have deposited or invested a sum of money. The amount must have been held for the required 28 day period, and confirms that the funds that are available at any time and must have been issued no more than 31 days before your date of application.

A letter from an official financial sponsor: if a sponsor is paying for some or all the tuition fee and living cost, if the sponsor is not covering the full amount you would need to demonstrate the difference

Who is an official sponsor?

• The British Government or the Government of your country
• British Council
• International Organisation
• A multinational company that trades in more than 1 country
• A university
• Independent college

Money held in your parent’s name or partner's name

You can show the funds for your outstanding tuition fees and living expenes in your own personal bank account, your partner's account, or your parent(s) personal bank account.

You can show the money in your partner's bank account if they are applying for permission at the same time as you or have already been granted permission.

If you are using your parents or legal guardian account, you must include the following documents to support your application:

• Birth certificate
• Parent’s consent letter
• Court document confirming their appointment as legal guardian

If you are from a country listed under the ‘differential evidence requirement’

Nationals from the countries listed in paragraph 22 of Appendix ST of the Immigration Rules, that qualify for different documentary requirements, will not need to provide financial documents to support your visa application and we will not ask to see them. However, please remember you will be asked to declare on your visa application that you have the funds and documents as required. If UKVI ask to see your documents and you do not have them or the funds as declared, then your visa will be refused and your immigration history with UKVI may be negatively impacted. If you would like us to review your documents so that you are comfortable you have everything in place, please contact adviceinternational@londonmet.ac.uk.