28 Day Rule Uk Visa Calculator

Use this calculator to estimate whether your UK student visa maintenance evidence meets the 28 consecutive day rule, the 31 day statement freshness rule, and the minimum funds requirement based on study location, tuition outstanding, and dependants.

Expert guide: how the 28-day rule works for a UK visa application

The phrase 28-day rule UK visa calculator is most commonly used by students and sponsors trying to check whether bank statements meet the financial evidence rules for a UK Student visa. In practical terms, the rule means you must usually show that the required level of money was held for at least 28 consecutive days. The final day of that 28 day period must normally be no more than 31 days before the date of application. Those two timing rules are often where applicants make mistakes. A statement may show enough money on the closing date, but if the balance dropped below the required amount at any point during the 28 day run, the evidence can fail.

This calculator is designed to simplify that check. It estimates your required funds using common Student route maintenance rates, then compares that requirement with the lowest balance you maintained during the evidence period. It also checks the duration between your start date and statement closing date, and whether your bank evidence is still fresh enough on the date you plan to submit the online application. It is not legal advice, but it is a practical screening tool to reduce avoidable errors before you rely on your financial documents.

Core principle: for Student visa financial evidence, the safest approach is to ensure your balance never falls below the required threshold for a full 28 consecutive days and to submit your application promptly while your statement is still within the 31 day freshness window.

What exactly does the 28-day rule mean?

When UK Visas and Immigration asks for proof of funds, it is not enough to move money into the account the day before applying. The purpose of the rule is to confirm that the applicant genuinely has access to the money and has maintained it consistently. In most Student route scenarios, the acceptable evidence can include bank statements, a building society passbook, a letter from a financial institution, or certain official loan and sponsorship evidence. Where you are relying on cash funds in a personal or parent account, the balance normally needs to remain at or above the required amount for each day in a continuous 28 day period.

The final date on the statement is critical. UKVI generally works from the closing balance date or the date on the letter. From there, the evidence normally must be no more than 31 days old when you submit the application. This is why many students obtain fresh statements shortly before applying. If you wait too long, even a statement that once met the rule can become stale and unusable.

Three questions every applicant should ask

1. How much money do I need to show? This depends on tuition fees still unpaid, living costs, study location, and sometimes dependant costs.
2. Did I keep at least that amount for 28 consecutive days? The lowest balance during the period matters.
3. Is my evidence recent enough? The closing date usually must be within 31 days of the online application date.

Official Student visa maintenance figures commonly used in calculations

For many Student visa applications, UKVI maintenance is based on monthly living costs capped at up to 9 months. The rates below are widely used for current planning calculations. However, immigration policy can change, so always verify your exact requirement against the latest government guidance before relying on any estimate.

Category	Study location	Monthly amount	Maximum months normally counted	Maximum living cost total
Student main applicant	Inner London	£1,483	9 months	£13,347
Student main applicant	Outside London	£1,136	9 months	£10,224
Each dependant	Inner London	£845	9 months	£7,605 per dependant
Each dependant	Outside London	£680	9 months	£6,120 per dependant

These figures matter because your total required amount may include several components added together:

• Outstanding tuition fees for the first academic year or entire course if shorter than one year.
• Student living costs based on official monthly rates and capped months.
• Dependant living costs if eligible dependants are applying with you.

That means an applicant studying in Inner London with 9 months to fund and £5,000 tuition outstanding could need £13,347 for living costs plus £5,000 tuition, giving a total of £18,347, before adding any dependant requirement.

How this 28-day rule UK visa calculator estimates your requirement

The calculator above follows a straightforward logic for Student route planning. First, it applies the relevant monthly living cost rate based on where you will study. Then it multiplies that amount by the number of months you enter, with a cap of 9 months. If you have dependants, it adds the appropriate per dependant monthly amount, again usually capped at 9 months. Finally, it adds your tuition amount still unpaid to produce a total required funds figure.

After calculating the financial requirement, the tool checks the timing rules:

• It counts the days between your stated 28 day start date and statement closing date.
• It checks whether the period covers at least 28 consecutive days.
• It compares the statement closing date to your application date to assess whether the evidence is within the 31 day freshness limit.
• It compares your lowest balance held with the required amount to estimate surplus or shortfall.

This mirrors the practical review many advisers carry out when screening a student’s financial evidence. It is especially useful for spotting obvious issues early, such as a statement period that is only 26 or 27 days long, or a closing statement date that has already gone out of date by the time the applicant intends to submit the form.

Common reasons applicants fail the 28-day funds test

Money dipped below the threshold

The most common problem is that the account briefly fell below the required amount, even by a small amount or for a single day. UKVI normally looks at whether the threshold was maintained throughout the full period, not just on the final date.

The applicant counted the wrong balance

Some people enter the closing balance only. A safer method is to identify the lowest balance during the whole 28 day period. That is why this calculator asks for the lowest balance held.

The statement period was too short

If your evidence covers only 27 days, it may fail. It is good practice to keep the funds for a little longer than 28 days to create a margin of safety.

The statement became too old

Applicants sometimes wait after receiving their bank letter or statement. If the closing date ends up more than 31 days before the online application date, the evidence may be invalid.

Tuition deductions were misunderstood

Only amounts officially paid to the institution and properly evidenced should normally be deducted from tuition still to pay. Guessing the remainder can create underfunding.

Incorrect dependant assumptions

Dependant maintenance can significantly increase the required funds. Missing just one dependant from the calculation can create a substantial shortfall.

Comparison table: sample totals under common study scenarios

The table below uses the published style of Student route maintenance calculations to show how quickly required funds can increase. These examples are illustrative planning scenarios using 9 months of maintenance and common official rates.

Scenario	Student living costs	Dependant costs	Tuition outstanding	Total funds needed
Student outside London, no dependants, £0 tuition outstanding	£10,224	£0	£0	£10,224
Student in Inner London, no dependants, £4,500 tuition outstanding	£13,347	£0	£4,500	£17,847
Student outside London, 1 dependant, £6,000 tuition outstanding	£10,224	£6,120	£6,000	£22,344
Student in Inner London, 2 dependants, £8,000 tuition outstanding	£13,347	£15,210	£8,000	£36,557

These examples show why precision matters. A student with dependants may need more than three times the amount required by a single applicant outside London. If your lowest balance is even slightly below the final total, the application could be at risk.

How to use the calculator properly

1. Select your study location. Choose Inner London or Outside London based on your institution’s qualifying location for maintenance purposes.
2. Enter months to fund. If you are calculating standard Student maintenance, use the relevant number of months, but remember the calculation is usually capped at 9 months.
3. Add tuition still unpaid. Use the amount you genuinely still need to show, after any properly evidenced payments or deposits.
4. Add dependants. Include every dependant who requires maintenance under your application setup.
5. Enter the lowest balance held. This should reflect the lowest point across the whole 28 day evidence period.
6. Enter your dates carefully. Add the date the 28 day period started, the statement closing date, and your planned application date.
7. Review the result. The calculator will indicate the total funds required, your surplus or shortfall, whether the evidence period is long enough, and whether the statement appears fresh enough.

A prudent applicant will not aim to pass by only a few pounds. Exchange rate changes, fees, banking errors, and document formatting issues can all complicate a borderline case. Maintaining a comfortable surplus for slightly longer than 28 days is often a safer strategy.

Important evidence and document tips

• Make sure names on the bank evidence match the applicant or sponsor details exactly.
• If using a parent’s account, confirm whether additional relationship and consent documents are required.
• Check that the financial institution and evidence format meet UKVI standards.
• Ensure official letters or statements show dates clearly and include enough information to verify balances.
• If you receive a tuition deposit credit from your university, keep official evidence of it.
• Where funds are held in a foreign currency, allow for exchange rate movements and do not run the balance too close to the minimum.

Another practical issue is sequencing. Many applicants wait until they have their CAS, then rush the financial evidence. In reality, the maintenance period usually needs planning in advance. If you know your estimated funding requirement early, you can begin maintaining the balance with less stress and lower risk of falling under the threshold.

Authoritative sources for checking the latest rules

Because immigration requirements can change, you should always confirm the current position using official guidance. These sources are a strong starting point:

• UK Government: Student visa money and financial evidence guidance
• UK Government: Student route caseworker and policy guidance
• UK Government: Immigration Rules collection

These sources help verify maintenance rates, document formats, exemptions, and route specific nuances that may not be captured by a generic calculator.

Final takeaway

A good 28-day rule UK visa calculator should do more than total your money. It should test whether your evidence is old enough, new enough, and consistently funded enough. That is exactly where many applications succeed or fail. If your result shows a shortfall, a too-short holding period, or a statement older than 31 days at the planned date of submission, do not ignore it. Wait, refresh the evidence, and build a compliant record before applying.

If your result looks strong, that is a helpful sign, but it should still be checked against the latest official guidance and your exact visa route documents. For UK Student visa financial evidence, careful timing is just as important as the amount of money in the account. In short: know the required total, hold it safely for the full period, and apply while the evidence is still valid.