Student update: Changes to the Student and Graduate Rules

Increase to maintenance requirements for Students from 11 November 2025 

We want to highlight an important change in this Statement for Students applying for immigration permission under the ‘Student’ route on or after 11 November 2025. 

The amounts of money Students will be required to have available as evidence of meeting the maintenance requirements are increasing, for those applying under the Student route on or after 11 November 2025. The new amounts are as follows: 

The maximum amount of money that can be offset for accommodation will also be increased in line with the changes to the maintenance requirement. This will be £1529 for those applying under the Student route on or after 11 November 2025. 

For an explanation of ‘financial requirements’ for those applying under the ‘Student’ immigration route, please see UKCISA - international student advice and guidance - Student route: eligibility and requirements. 

Changes to the Graduate route from January 2027 

The length of a grant of permission under the Graduate route will be changing for some applicants at the start of 2027. 

For those with Student permission in the UK that have successfully completed an eligible UK bachelor’s degree or master’s degree, successful Graduate route applications will be granted 18 months of permission if the application is made on or after 1 January 2027. This is a reduction from the current grant of two years. This was forecast by the Immigration White Paper that was released in May 2025. Changes do not apply to anyone making an application under the Graduate route before 1 January 2027. 

Those that successfully complete a PhD or other doctoral qualification will be also unaffected by the changes and will continue to receive three years of permission if successful.  

For further information on the Graduate route, please see UKCISA’s page on Graduate route.