The UK government and the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) have introduced several updates to the financial requirements, university compliance checks and post-study work rules.

What Has Changed?

1.   Increased Living Cost Requirements

• The Rule: The home office has raised the official minimum monthly living allowance applicants must prove in their accounts.
• New Figures: Increased to £1,203 per month (outside London) and increased to £1,570 per month (inside London).

2.   Shorter Graduate Work Visa

• The Rule: Post Study Work (PSW) visa will be shortened from 2 years to 18 months for those who apply for it from 1 January 2027 onwards as a Bachelor’s or Master’s graduate.
• Exceptions: Postgraduate/PhD graduates will continue to have 3-year work visas. Plus, the UK government announced that it will maintain the 2-year window for graduates from the “high-compliance universities” that have good graduate employment outcomes.

3.   Tighter University Thresholds

• The Rule: The Home Office cut the cap for visa refusal rates for UK University sponsors from 10% to below 5%.
• Why it Matters: Universities will run much stricter internal screening, credibility interviews, and background checks before issuing Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) letters to protect their sponsor licenses.

4.   Fully Digital eVisas

• The Rule: Physical Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) cards have been replaced. Newly arrived international students now hold and share their immigration status via the online UKVI digital account (eVisa).

5.   Increased Application Fees

• The Rule: The price of the Student Visa application outside the UK increased to £558 from £524. The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) for international students has been kept at £776 per year.

Direct Impact on Nepali Students

• Financial Proof and Currency Buffer: Nepali students will be required to keep larger amounts in their bank accounts, either personal or family, for the 28 consecutive days needed to secure a financial proof. NPR fluctuations in exchange rates to GBP may occur and students should be prepared to have an additional buffer so that does not result in the cost of the balance falling below the minimum acceptable level prior to submission.
• Extra scrutiny by UK universities: The Home Office has set a limit on the number of students who can be refused university visas under 5%, meaning UK universities are taking extra care. Nepali applicants will be subject to much harder pre-CAS credibility interviews, are required to provide a detailed account of family income sources and have their gaps in study scrutinized closely.
• Proactive Career Planning: Path to 18-months Graduate Route has been reduced from 2026 to 2027, which means the post-graduation time for securing a sponsored role has been reduced. The high-compliance universities strategy can help keep the 2-year PSW period, but students should start looking for work early during their studies regardless.
• Seamless transition to Digital Status: Replace paper BRP cards with correct digital ones for Nepali students. The use of online share codes is now mandatory when enrolling at the university, when renting private accommodation and when performing employment background checks.