The United Kingdom has confirmed that nationals of three African countries are exempted from submitting financial evidence upfront when applying for UK Student and Child Student visas.
The countries are Botswana, Mauritius and Tunisia, according to the UK Government’s current guidance on financial evidence for Student and Child Student visa applicants.
Under the UK’s differential evidence requirement, applicants from the listed countries are not normally required to submit proof that they have sufficient funds to cover their tuition and living expenses at the point of application.
However, the exemption does not mean applicants are completely free from the financial requirement.
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) can still request financial evidence during the visa application process.
The development is particularly significant for African students seeking admission to UK universities and other educational institutions, as applicants from many other African countries must continue to meet the financial evidence requirements.
Countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Egypt remain outside the current African exemption list and applicants from these countries may be required to demonstrate that they have sufficient funds for their studies and living expenses.
For students applying under the standard financial requirement, the UK currently requires evidence of £1,529 per month for up to nine months for studies in London, or £1,171 per month for up to nine months for studies outside London, in addition to the required course fees.
The UK Government also states that applicants generally need to have held the required funds for 28 consecutive days, with the evidence normally dated within 31 days of the visa application.
The clarification is expected to draw renewed attention from prospective African students and education consultants, particularly those preparing applications for the next UK academic intake.
The UK Government advises applicants to check the latest Student visa financial requirements before submitting their applications, as immigration rules and financial thresholds can change.
Source: UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), UK Government guidance on financial evidence for Student and Child Student visa applicants.
