Proof of funds for a UK student visa from Nigeria
This is the requirement that catches the most people, and almost never because they lacked the money. It is because of when the money arrived, which account it sat in, or whose name was on it.
Figures assessed against official UK government sources on 20 September 2026.
The short answer
You must show enough to cover your course fees for the first year (the figure printed on your CAS, minus anything you have already paid) plus living costs for up to 9 months.
That money must sit in an acceptable account for 28 days in a row, and your closing balance must be dated within 31 days of the day you apply.
£1,171 / month
Living costs for a course outside London, for up to 9 months. That is £10,539 in total.
£1,529 / month
Living costs for a course in London, for up to 9 months. That is £13,761 in total.
Working out your own number
There is no single figure, because the course fee half of it is personal to you. The calculation is always the same two parts added together:
- Course fees for your first year, exactly as stated on your CAS. If you have already paid a deposit, and your CAS shows it, you subtract that.
- Living costs, at £1,171 or £1,529 a month depending on where you will study, capped at 9 months even if your course is longer.
A one-year master's outside London with £16,000 of fees, for example, means £16,000 + £10,539, so you would need to show £26,539.
The 28-day rule, properly explained
The rule sounds simple: hold the money for 28 consecutive days. What trips people up is how those 28 days are counted and what counts as holding it.
The 28 days are counted backwards from the closing balance on your statement, and that closing balance must be no more than 31 days old on the day you apply. So the window is fixed to your application date, not to whenever the money happened to arrive.
The balance must be at or above your required figure on every one of those days. It is not an average and it is not a starting balance.
The mistake that costs people the most
Money transferred in from a relative a week before applying does not qualify, no matter how much of it there is. Neither does a balance that dropped below the threshold for a single day in the middle of the 28, which happens easily when a transfer clears and is moved on.
Work backwards from your intended application date, find the lowest balance in that 28-day window, and treat that lowest figure as the one UKVI will judge you on.
Which accounts are accepted
The account must allow immediate access to the money. A personal current or savings account is fine.
These do not count:
- Overdrafts
- Stocks, shares and investment accounts
- Pensions
- Cryptocurrency
- Accounts at banks not regulated by the financial regulator in the country where they operate
- Accounts where the bank does not keep electronic records
Your evidence has to show your name, the name of the bank, and the balance. A statement that does not carry all three is not evidence, however genuine it is.
Whose money it can be
The funds can be yours, your parents', or your partner's if they are in the UK or applying alongside you.
If you are using your parents' money, they must give a letter confirming they agree to you using it for this purpose. Be ready to evidence your relationship to them too.
Money belonging to an uncle, an aunt, a family friend or a sponsor who is not one of the people above does not qualify, which is worth knowing before anyone moves anything.
What this means if you are applying from Nigeria
Some nationalities fall under what UKVI calls the differential evidence arrangements, which means they are not routinely asked to submit financial documents at all. Nigeria is not on that list.
So you should plan on providing complete financial evidence with your application, and on it being read carefully. The practical consequence is that the 28-day window needs planning months ahead, not in the week you finally get your CAS.
If your funds are held in naira, the amount is assessed against the exchange rate on the day you apply, so a balance that clears the threshold comfortably today can fall short later. Leave real headroom rather than the exact figure.
Common questions
- Can I use my parents' money for proof of funds?
- Yes. You can use your own money, your parents' money, or your partner's money if they are in the UK or applying at the same time as you. If the money is your parents', they must provide a letter confirming they agree to you using it. Be ready to evidence your relationship to them as well.
- Does the 28 days have to be right before I apply?
- Close to it. The closing balance on your statement must be dated no more than 31 days before the date you apply, and the 28 days are counted backwards from that closing balance. So the money needs to be sitting there in the month running up to your application, not months earlier.
- Can I show money in a fixed deposit or investment account?
- No. The account must allow immediate access to the money. Stocks and shares, pensions, cryptocurrency and overdrafts are all explicitly excluded, as are accounts at banks that are not regulated in the country where they operate or that do not keep electronic records.
- Do Nigerian applicants have to submit financial evidence at all?
- Yes. Some nationalities fall under the differential evidence arrangements and are not routinely asked to submit financial documents. Nigeria is not one of them, so you should expect to provide full evidence of your funds with your application.
- What if my balance dips below the required amount for one day?
- Treat that as a failed application. The rule is that you must hold the money for 28 days in a row, so the balance needs to stay at or above the required figure on every one of those days. A single dip, including a transfer that briefly clears, is one of the most common reasons applications are refused on funds.
Does your own plan actually hold up?
Pathminder checks your dates, your budget and your documents against the rules on this page, and tells you what is missing before it costs you an application fee.
Check your planFree. No card required.
Where these figures come from
Every number on this page is taken from official UK government guidance, not from agents or forums. Rules change, so check the source before you apply.