UK releases list of African Countries not required to show Proof of funds for Student Visa

The UK government has updated its Student visa guidance, confirming that citizens of few African countries, including Botswana, Mauritius, and Tunisia, can apply for a UK Student visa without submitting proof of funds at the time of application under its differential evidence requirement.

The arrangement allows eligible applicants to omit documentary evidence of their finances when submitting their initial visa application. However, applicants must still satisfy the UK’s financial requirements, and UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) reserves the right to request financial documents before making a decision on an application.

According to the UK government, the differential evidence requirement is designed as a documentary exemption rather than a waiver of the financial rules. “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 list of countries covered by the policy includes 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.

Nigerian students, however, are not included in the scheme. This means applicants from Nigeria are generally expected to be ready to provide financial evidence as part of their Student visa application.

Although eligible students are not required to submit financial documents upfront, they must still demonstrate that they have enough money to cover tuition fees for one academic year, as stated on their Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), as well as their living expenses.

Under the current rules, students studying in London must show they have £1,529 per month for living costs for up to nine months, while those studying outside London must demonstrate £1,171 per month over the same period.

This translates to a maximum maintenance requirement of £13,761 for students in London and £10,539 for those studying elsewhere in the UK, excluding tuition fees. The UK government also noted that international students who have lived in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months before applying for a Student visa are not required to provide financial evidence.

The current financial thresholds follow an increase introduced on January 2, 2025, when the UK raised the amount international students must demonstrate they have available for living expenses, the first revision to the maintenance requirement since 2020.