- The UK Home Office waived upfront financial evidence for students from Botswana, Mauritius, and Tunisia starting July twenty-seventh, 2026.
- Applicants must still meet all financial requirements and may be asked to provide bank statements during the processing phase.
- Students in London must hold fifteen hundred twenty-nine pounds per month, while those outside London require eleven hundred seventy-one pounds.
The UK Home Office updated its Differential Evidence Requirement on July 27, 2026, and students from Botswana, Mauritius and Tunisia no longer have to show proof of funds upfront when they apply for Student or Child Student visas. The list is short.
The department did not drop the financial test. It only changed when some applicants have to document it.
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The guidance on GOV.UK says the money still has to exist. It may just not have to travel with the first application. Decision makers can still ask for it later.
"You must meet the financial requirements for this route when you apply; however, you may not need to submit evidence upfront as part of your application. In these circumstances, the decision maker may still request the evidence from you during the application process to prove you meet the financial requirements."
That leaves the rule intact. The file changes shape.
For the 2026/2027 academic year, students studying in London must show £1,529 per month for up to 9 months. Students studying outside London must show £1,171 per month for up to 9 months. The amounts stay the same.
Where proof is required, the money must sit in an eligible bank account for 28 consecutive days. That run has to end no more than 31 days before the application date. The clock is part of the test.
Only Botswana, Mauritius and Tunisia are exempt
The exemption list covers just three African states.
- Botswana
- Mauritius
- Tunisia
Applicants from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Egypt are not on that list. They still need to submit bank statements or other financial evidence upfront. The regular rule still applies.
That split creates two tracks inside the same visa route. One track starts with less paperwork. The other still begins with the bank file.
The official guidance sits here: Financial evidence for Student and Child Student route applicants. It is the live reference on the department’s current rule.
