Quick Answer to Bank Balance Required for Student Visa
There is no single bank balance required for student visa applications. At the time of writing, the UK asks for £1,171 to £1,529 a month for up to 9 months plus unpaid tuition, held 28 days; Canada C$23,448 a year plus tuition; Germany €11,904 in a blocked account; Australia AUD 29,710 plus fees and travel; New Zealand NZD 20,000 a year; Ireland €10,000; and the USA whatever your I-20 shows. Figures change, so confirm each one officially before 2027.
"How much money should be in the account?" It is usually the first question a parent asks us, often before the student has even chosen a country. The honest answer is that there is no single bank balance required for student visa files. Each country sets its own figure, counts it in its own currency, and checks it in its own way.
This guide puts the bank balance required for student visa applications side by side for seven countries Indian students choose for 2027. Every amount below is the official figure in force at the time of writing, in September 2026. Governments revise these numbers, sometimes every year, so treat them as your planning baseline and confirm each one on the official site before you move money.
If you are still deciding between countries, an experienced education visa consultant can compare the funds rules against your family's actual savings, loan options and timelines.
Bank Balance Required for Student Visa: The 2027 Comparison Table
Here is the short version. The living cost figure is only one part of the bank balance required for student visa purposes. Most countries also expect your unpaid tuition on top, and some add travel.
| Country | Living cost figure (at the time of writing) | What else you usually show | How the money is checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | £1,529 a month in London or £1,171 a month elsewhere, up to 9 months | Unpaid first-year tuition from your CAS | Held for 28 consecutive days, closing date within 31 days of applying |
| Canada (outside Quebec) | C$23,448 a year for one person, for applications from 1 September 2026 | First-year tuition and travel | Documents such as bank statements for the past 6 months, with the source of funds |
| Germany | €11,904 a year, released at €992 a month | Tuition where the university charges it | Deposited in a blocked account (Sperrkonto) before you apply |
| Australia | AUD 29,710 for 12 months | First 12 months of fees and about AUD 2,000 travel from India | Genuine access to the funds, if Home Affairs asks for evidence |
| New Zealand | NZD 20,000 a year for tertiary study, or NZD 1,667 a month if shorter than a year | Tuition and an outward ticket or money for one | Funds from a source INZ can confirm |
| USA | No fixed government figure | The estimated costs on your university's Form I-20 | Evidence collected by the university before it issues the I-20, then checked at interview |
| Ireland | €10,000 for a one-year course | Course fees, and the same again for each later year | Up-to-date statement showing six months of transactions |
Do not convert this table into rupees once and stop there. Exchange rates move, so keep a buffer above the bank balance required for student visa checks.
Photo: John McArthur on Unsplash
UK: Fees Plus Living Costs, Held for 28 Days
According to GOV.UK, at the time of writing you must show £1,529 a month for up to nine months if you study in London, or £1,171 a month for up to nine months elsewhere. On top of that, you hold whatever first-year tuition is still unpaid on your CAS.
The key rule is time. The money must stay in the account for at least 28 consecutive days, and the last day of that period must fall within 31 days of the date you apply. A single day below the required figure breaks the run. We have covered the full method, including parents' accounts and loan letters, in our guide to the UK student visa 28 day rule.
Our view: for the UK, the bank balance required for student visa purposes is manageable for most families. Moving money in the final month is what catches them out.
Bank Balance Required for Student Visa Applications in Canada
IRCC asks you to prove you can pay tuition, living expenses and travel for the first year without working in Canada. For applications made on or after 1 September 2026, the living expense figure for a single student outside Quebec is C$23,448 a year, at the time of writing. Each accompanying family member adds C$6,318. These amounts exclude tuition and transportation, so the bank balance required for student visa purposes in Canada is always higher than the living cost figure alone.
IRCC says these amounts are updated each year, so a student applying in 2027 should check the table again in the month they apply. Quebec is different: students there must meet the amounts set by the Quebec immigration ministry.
Canada also cares where the money came from. IRCC lists bank statements for the past 6 months, including the month you apply or the month before, as one acceptable document, along with proof of the source of that income. Loans, scholarships, paid tuition receipts and a Guaranteed Investment Certificate also count. For a longer programme, you must also explain how you will pay for the years after the first.
If your file shows a large fixed deposit opened last month with no clear source, fix the paper trail first. Unexplained lump sums worry officers more than a modest, steady balance.
Germany: A Blocked Account, Not a Savings Balance
In Germany, the bank balance required for student visa purposes lives outside India: you usually deposit the money into a blocked account (Sperrkonto) in Germany before you apply. German missions state that, at the time of writing, students need €11,904 for a year, and the account may release only €992 a month once you arrive.
The confirmation from the provider must show the amount deposited and the monthly amount available. The figure follows the German student support (BAföG) rate, so it can change. Some missions also accept alternatives, such as a formal obligation letter from someone living in Germany or a recognised scholarship, so ask the mission handling your case. Our guide to the Germany blocked account explains providers and the opening steps.
The mistake we see most often: families pay tuition deposits and flight costs first, then find they cannot fund the full blocked amount in one go.
Not sure which country your savings fit best? We can look at your statements and loan sanction together and tell you where the gaps are. Book a free counselling session or call 75740 33366.
Bank Balance Required for Student Visa Files in Australia and New Zealand
Australia. Home Affairs sets 12-month living costs at AUD 29,710 for a student, AUD 10,394 for a partner and AUD 4,449 for a child, at the time of writing. You add the first 12 months of course fees (less anything already paid, with proof) and travel, which Home Affairs guides at AUD 2,000 for applicants outside Australia, including India. There is also an income route: your parents or partner can show personal annual income of at least AUD 87,856 in the 12 months before you apply, or AUD 102,500 if family members come with you, using official government documents such as tax assessments.
If Home Affairs asks for evidence, you must also prove genuine access to the money. Our page on Australia student visa financial requirements works through the full calculation.
New Zealand. Immigration New Zealand asks for NZD 20,000 a year for tertiary or English language study of a year or more, or NZD 1,667 a month for shorter study, at the time of writing. You also need tuition and either a paid ticket out of New Zealand or enough money to buy one. Prepaid accommodation can be deducted. The money must come from a source INZ can confirm, and large recent deposits need an explanation with evidence. Indian students may use the Funds Transfer Scheme to move living costs into a New Zealand account. For India-specific evidence rules, read our guide to New Zealand student visa funds.
Bank Balance Required for Student Visa Plans in the USA and Ireland
USA. There is no fixed government figure. The US Department of Homeland Security says you must have evidence that you or a sponsor can cover tuition and living expenses for your intended study, and that your university's designated school official collects that evidence before issuing your Form I-20. The estimated cost on your I-20 is therefore the number that matters, and it varies from one university to another. Schools may also set their own rules on acceptable documents. In the USA, the bank balance required for student visa purposes is set by your university. We explain how to present it in our guide to proof of funds for USA student visa applications.
Ireland. Irish Immigration Service Delivery asks visa-required students to show immediate access to at least €10,000 for a one-year course, and ready access to the same amount for each later year, in addition to course fees, at the time of writing. For stays of 6 to 8 months the figure is €833 a month. Your statement must be up to date and show the money paid in and out over the last six months. Degree students can instead use an education bond of at least €10,000 under a pilot scheme.
How Long the Bank Balance Required for Student Visa Must Sit in Your Account
Can you deposit the money a week before the appointment? For most countries, no. Here is how the official rules treat time and history, at the time of writing:
- UK: held for 28 consecutive days, with the closing balance dated within 31 days of your application.
- Canada: IRCC lists bank statements for the past 6 months and wants the source of the money documented.
- Ireland: the statement must show six months of transactions.
- New Zealand: large deposits must be explained with evidence of their source.
- Australia: genuine access to the funds, if asked.
- Germany: the blocked account must be opened and funded before you apply.
- USA: your university decides what it accepts before issuing the I-20, and the consular officer may ask about it at interview.
Even where no holding period is written down, a long, steady history reads better than a sudden jump. That is true of the bank balance required for student visa checks everywhere.
Planning Your Funds for 2027 Without Last Minute Deposits
Here is the checklist we use with families planning the bank balance required for student visa files for 2027:
- Pick the country first, then the figure. The bank balance required for student visa rules differs so much that one plan cannot cover all seven countries.
- Add tuition to living costs. Almost every country expects unpaid fees on top.
- Decide whose account holds the money. Each country has its own view of parents, relatives and sponsors. Do not assume an uncle's account will count.
- Sort the loan early. A sanction letter with open conditions can fail, so ask the bank for wording that fits the country.
- Recheck the figure the month you apply. Canada has changed its amount every year recently, and Germany follows its student support rate. The bank balance required for student visa rules for 2027 may not match what you read today.
If your savings are tight, be honest with yourself about the country. Germany's blocked account or Canada's six month history can be harder for some families than a larger UK figure held for a short, clean 28 days. If your case is simple, you can apply directly using the official pages.
Talk to Us Before You Move Any Money
Global Colliance has almost 20 years of experience preparing student visa files, with counsellors in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot and Delhi. We check the bank balance required for student visa rules against your offer letter and review statements and loan letters before you apply. Speak to a visa counsellor or call 75740 33366 to plan your funds for 2027.
Bank Balance Required for Student Visa FAQs
Which country has the lowest bank balance required for student visa applications?
On living costs alone at the time of writing, Ireland's €10,000 and Germany's €11,904 are among the lower figures, but tuition, travel and exchange rates change the real total. Compare the full first-year amount, not just the living cost line.
Is the bank balance required for student visa rules the same for the 2027 intake?
Not necessarily. The figures in this guide are those in force at the time of writing, and countries such as Canada update theirs every year. Check the official page in the month you apply.
Can my parents' account show the bank balance required for student visa purposes?
In most of these countries, yes, with proof of relationship and, where required, a consent letter or sponsor declaration. The exact rules differ, so check who counts as an acceptable sponsor for your chosen country.
Does an education loan count towards the bank balance required for student visa checks?
Usually, yes. The UK, Canada, Australia and the USA all accept suitable loan evidence, but the sanction letter must meet each country's conditions, such as the amount, your name and when the money will be released.
Do I need to show funds for the whole course or only the first year?
Most countries ask for the first year, or the full course if it is shorter. Canada and Ireland also want to know how you will pay for later years, so have a plan ready.
