Maintenance (Funds)

New and existing students applying for a Tier 4 visa need to show that they have enough funds available to them to pay for their course fees and support themselves. The amount of money needed depends on the length of your course and if you have previously studied in the UK.

Course fees

Students studying a new course must pay at least 50% of their first year of the course to be issued with a CAS. Your CAS will state the cost of your course and the fees you have paid towards the first year. The outstanding amount of course fees must be added to the living costs.

If you are extending your visa to continue studying the same course, fees outstanding for the current year or for the next year (if you are in-between academic years) will need to be shown.

Living costs

To study at the University of Derby, you need to show that you have £800 for each month of your course up to a total of two months (if you have established presence) or nine months (if not) for living costs.

If you have an established presence studying in the UK, you can show less money for living costs. You are deemed to have established presence if you are in the UK with a Tier 4 or Student visa and you:

• Have finished a single course that was at least six months long with your current visa or,
• Are applying to continue studying a single course that you have been studying for at least six months.

Examples:

• If you have completed two years of a degree programme and need to extend your visa to study the third year, you will need to show £1,600 (£800 x two months) plus whatever course fees you owe for the third year.
• If you are a new student applying to study a three year degree course in the UK, you will need to show £7,200 (£800 x nine months) plus outstanding course fees for the first year of the course.

Documents required

You will need to provide bank statements covering a consecutive 28 day period, the date of which ends no more than 31 days before the date of your application. The bank statements must show:

• Your name,
• The account number,
• The date of the statement,
• The name and logo of the bank,
• The amount of money available.

Online bank statements must have the above information, as well as a letter from the bank on company headed paper, confirming that the statements are genuine. Alternatively, the bank could stamp each statement with their official stamp.

You could provide a letter from your bank confirming that the funds have been held for a consecutive 28 day period. The letter must also show:

• Your name,
• The account number,
• The date of the letter,
• The name and logo of the bank,
• The money in your account,
• That there is enough money in the account to cover your course fees and living costs.

You could also use the bank statements of a parent or legal guardian. If doing so, you must show that you are related to your parent(s)/legal guardian(s). You will need to provide one of the following:

• Your birth certificate, showing the names of your parent(s) or legal guardian(s); or
• Your certificate of adoption, showing the names of your parent(s) or legal guardian(s); or
• A court document, naming your legal guardian(s).

You must also provide a letter from your parent(s) or legal guardian(s) that confirms their relationship to you and that they consent to you using their funds for your study in the UK.

Sponsored students

If you are receiving official financial sponsorship from your home government or an international organisation, you must provide a letter from them to confirm that they are covering your course fees and living costs. This letter must show:

• Your name,
• The name and contact details of your sponsor,
• The date of the letter,
• The length of the sponsorship,
• The amount of money your sponsor is giving to you, or a statement that they are covering all course fees and living costs.

You will not need to provide your own bank statements unless your sponsor is only covering some of your course fees or living costs. In which case your statements would need to show any outstanding amount that is not provided by your sponsor.

If you have any queries, contact the Immigration Advisor by emailing visa@derby.ac.uk