University of Chester January/February 2027 Intake: New £10,827 Financial Requirement
University of Chester January/February 2027 Intake: New £10,827 Financial Requirement
University of Chester has confirmed how it will apply the UK Government's upcoming Student visa financial requirement increase to its January/February 2027 intake - and the university is applying the new, higher figure to every applicant in this intake, not just those who happen to apply after the change takes effect.
What's changing, and when
For Student visa applications submitted on or after 30 November 2026, the maintenance requirement for students studying outside London rises to £10,827. This is confirmed in the Home Office's Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules (HC 584), presented to Parliament on 3 September 2026. The equivalent figure for students studying in London rises to £14,130.
Broken down monthly, the new figures are:
- Outside London: £1,203 per month, up from £1,171 - up to a maximum of 9 months (£10,827 total)
- London: £1,570 per month, up from £1,529 - up to a maximum of 9 months (£14,130 total)
Why Chester is applying this to the entire intake
Here's the detail that makes this update matter even for students who might technically apply before 30 November 2026: Chester has decided that every January/February 2027 applicant must meet the new, higher financial requirement before a CAS is issued - regardless of when their individual CAS happens to be issued.
The university's own reasoning is straightforward: even if a student's CAS is issued before 30 November, the university cannot control exactly when that student then submits their actual visa application. Since the maintenance requirement that applies is based on the date of the visa application, not the date of the CAS, Chester is removing the ambiguity by requiring every January/February 2027 applicant to meet the new figure upfront.
In practice, this means: if you're applying to Chester for January or February 2027, plan your finances around £10,827 (outside London) or £14,130 (London) plus the £200 buffer - not the current, lower figures.
What you need to show
Before Chester will issue a CAS for this intake, you need to demonstrate:
- £10,827 in maintenance funds (for study outside London) plus an additional £200 buffer
- Funds held for the required consecutive-day period ahead of your application, in line with standard UK Student visa financial evidence rules
- Any outstanding course fees shown on your CAS, which is a separate requirement from maintenance funds
What to do now
- Start arranging funds now, not close to your CAS date. The new figure applies to your entire intake regardless of your individual CAS timing.
- Check the source and holding period of your funds against standard UK Student visa financial evidence requirements - where funds come from and how long they've been held both matter, not just the total amount.
- If your funds are in a currency other than GBP, build in a buffer beyond the minimum, since conversion is calculated using the exchange rate on the date of your application and rates can move.
- Check Chester's specific deposit and CAS deadlines for your intake directly with the university's International Centre, since financial-requirement timing and deposit deadlines are handled separately.