Financial documents

Financial documents - Which documents will be accepted?

Please note: from our experience incorrect financial documents is the most common reason for Tier 4 visa refusals, therefore please check your financial documents very carefully against all of the requirements outlined below before you submit your application.

There are very strict rules regarding which financial documents the UKBA will accept in support of your Tier 4 application.  Even if you have the required level of funds if you do not provide the correct documents to demonstrate this your application will be refused.  Full details of which documents are acceptable are contained within the Tier 4 Policy Guidance, it is therefore essential that once you have understood how much money you will need to have, (see the Financial requirements section), you read this document carefully.  In particular please  refer to paragraphs 141-191 of the Tier 4 Policy Guidance.

Tier 4 Policy Guidance (PDF)

You should also check whether you will qualify for the UKBA’s differentiation arrangements.

If you do qualify for these arrangements then you do not have to submit any financial documents with your Tier 4 application.  However the UKBA reserve the right to request these documents at any point during the application process so it is important that you understand the requirements outlined below and you are confident that you could obtain financial documents that meet them even if you qualify for the differentiation arrangements.  

How long must I have the money for before I can apply for my visa?

You are required to show that you have held the desired level of funds for at least 28 consecutive days  The end of this 28 day period must be no more than 31 days before the date of your application, (as per paragraph 182 of the Tier 4 Policy Guidance).

Date of application

The date of your application depends upon where and how you submit your application:

• If you make your application in the UK, by post, then the date of application is the date on which you send it to the UKBA, (we recommend that you send your documents by Special or Recorded delivery and you keep the receipt as proof of posting).
• If you make you application in the UK and you send it by courier then the date of application is the date on which it is delivered to the UKBA.
• If you make your application outside of the UK then the date of application is the date that the application fee is paid, this is the date on your payment receipt.  This will vary depending upon the application process in your home country.

Maintaining funds

You will have to sign a declaration on your application form confirming that the required level of funds will continue to be available to you.  You must therefore continue to hold the required level of funds while you wait for your Tier 4 application to be decided in case the UKBA request further evidence from you. The only exception to this is that you are allowed to use these funds to pay for your tuition fees and/or living costs as appropriate. Please see paragraph 164 of the Tier 4 Policy Guidance for more information.

Types of funds

The funds shown in support of your application must be in the form of cash funds in the bank, (savings accounts and current accounts are both okay), or as a loan letter, unless you are receiving official financial sponsorship (see below). 

Please refer to paragraph 163 of the Tier 4 Policy Guidance for more information.

Correct format

As well as ensuring that you have held the correct level of funds for the right amount of time, you must also ensure that your evidence is in the correct format and contains all of the required information.  Please pay particular attention to this requirement, from our experience this is one of the most common reasons for Tier 4 refusals.

Please refer to paragraph 188 of the Tier 4 Policy Guidance for more information.

Verification checks

You need to be aware that the UKBA will not award any points for evidence of funds held in a financial institution with which they are unable to make satisfactory verification checks.  The UKBA are due to release a list of these financial institutions shortly; please refer to paragraph 167 of the Tier 4 Policy Guidance for more information.

Using funds held in your parents’ name(s)

You are allowed to use funds held in one or both of your parents’ name(s), (or in your legal guardian’s name if applicable), but if you do so you must submit two additional documents with your application:

• your birth certificate/certificate of adoption/court document naming your legal guardian

and

• a letter from your parent(s)/legal guardian confirming your relationship to them and giving their consent for you to use their funds to study in the UK.

Please refer to paragraphs 162 and 189-191 of the Tier 4 Policy Guidance for more information.

Official financial sponsorship

Some students receive funding from an ‘official sponsor’ to cover all or some of their tuition fees and/or living costs.  Only the following bodies are considered to be official financial sponsors:

• the UK government
• your home government
• the British Council
• an international organisation
• an international company
• a university
• an independent school

If you are receiving funding from one of these bodies then please refer to paragraphs 171-173 and 178-180 of the Tier 4 Policy Guidance for information about the documents that you must submit with your Tier 4 application. 

Please note that if your financial sponsorship only covers part of your tuition fees and/or living costs then you will have to show that you (or your parents) have the rest of the money needed, as outlined above.

Overseas currency

You are allowed to use money held in an overseas bank account in support of your Tier 4 application but if you are submitting evidence of funds in a foreign currency (that is not in British pounds sterling), then you will need to convert the closing balance of your financial documents to British pounds sterling using the OANDA currency converter and write this amount on your application form.

Please refer to paragraphs 165-166 of the new Tier 4 Policy Guidance for more information.

Please note that you must have the required level funds for each of the 28 consecutive days; currency fluctuations will not be accepted as a reason for your funds falling below the required level.  Therefore if you are submitting bank statements which list your account balance on a variety of dates then we recommend that you use the OANDA currency converter to check that you had sufficient funds on each of interim balance date listed on your statement.

Documents that are not in English or Welsh

If you submit any documents with your Tier 4 application that are not in English (or Welsh), then they must be accompanied by an official translation that meets the UKBA requirements. Please refer to paragraphs 14-15 of the Tier 4 Policy Guidance for further details of these requirements.

Please note that it is essential that you allow enough time to obtain the necessary financial documents before you submit your Tier 4 application as you are not allowed to submit additional documents in support of your application at a later date.  If you do not submit the correct documents at the first opportunity then your application will be refused.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Tier 4 financial requirements having read both the above information and the Tier 4 Policy Guidance then please contact us.

email: visaadvice@sgul.ac.uk

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Please note that the above information is subject to change; please check the UK Border Agency’s website for updates.  The information herein provided is given in good faith for information only purposes. The information herewith provided is not intended to nor does it constitute legal advice. St George’s, University of London does not warrant the accuracy of the information provided and accepts no liability whatsoever as any claims arising from reliance thereon.