A claim circulating online right now says the UK cut how long applicants must hold funds in their bank account for a student visa, from 28 days down to 14. We checked the primary source — the official gov.uk page still states the same 28 consecutive days, unchanged. What actually did change, and is confirmed by an official UK government document, is the amount you need to show and the length of the Graduate Route visa after graduation. Here's what's fact and what's an unverified rumor circulating on education blogs.
Quick answer: what you need to know in 60 seconds
The funds-holding period has NOT changed — it's still 28 consecutive days, with the end date of that period falling within 31 days of the visa application. The "reduced to 14 days" claim isn't supported by the official source (gov.uk) and appears to be an error or unverified rumor.
The required funds amount increased as of November 11, 2025: £1,529/month for courses in London and £1,171/month for courses outside London — both capped at a maximum of 9 months.
The Graduate Route (the post-study work visa) is being cut from 2 years to 18 months for bachelor's and taught master's graduates — but only for applications submitted on or after January 1, 2027.
Anyone who applies on or before December 31, 2026 still gets the full 2-year grant under the current rules.
PhD graduates are unaffected — they keep the existing 3-year Graduate Route entitlement.
The changes are formally set out in the Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules (HC 1333), laid before Parliament on October 14, 2025.
What actually changed with the funds requirement — and what turned out to be a rumor
Per the official gov.uk page, the rule still reads: "You must have this money for at least 28 days in a row. The end date of the 28-day period must be within 31 days of the date you apply for your visa." There's no mention anywhere on the official site of a reduction to 14 days — yet that figure has already been repeated across several education blogs. If you're planning your application, work off the current 28-day rule, not an unverified secondhand claim.
What did change is the amount you need to show. As of November 11, 2025, according to UKCISA (the UK's national advisory body for international student affairs), the new thresholds are £1,529/month for courses in London and £1,171/month for courses outside London — both capped at a maximum of 9 months. The cap on how much pre-paid accommodation can be offset against that requirement also rose, to £1,529.
The Graduate Route is shrinking — but some graduates still have time
Per the official explanatory memorandum to Statement of Changes HC 1333 (sections 5.25–5.26), the Graduate Route currently lets graduates of a UK bachelor's degree, master's degree, or equivalent qualification stay in the UK for 2 years, and PhD graduates for 3 years. For applications submitted on or after January 1, 2027, that period for bachelor's and taught-master's graduates drops to 18 months. The Home Office's stated rationale, per Minister of State Lord David Hanson, is that "too many graduates are not progressing into graduate-level employment which the Graduate route was created to facilitate access to" — in other words, the route was meant as a bridge to skilled employment, not an open-ended extension of stay.
The deadline to still qualify for the full 2 years is December 31, 2026. An application submitted on or before that date is assessed under the current rules; anything submitted from January 1, 2027 onward falls under the shortened period. The government's own impact assessment projects this will reduce Graduate Route applications by roughly 12,000 per year and cut visa fee revenue from the route by around £23 million.
Who this doesn't affect
PhD graduates keep their existing 3-year Graduate Route entitlement — that part of HC 1333 is unchanged. It's also worth being precise about timing: the change is tied to the date the Graduate Route visa itself is applied for (after graduation), not the date of admission or the start of studies. Someone starting a bachelor's degree in 2027 but not applying for the Graduate Route until after graduating in 2030–2031 will be assessed under whatever rules are in force at that later application date, not the current ones.
What this means in practice for anyone choosing a UK program
For students already in the UK expecting to graduate by the end of 2026 or in early 2027, the 6-month difference in Graduate Route length could be a real factor in job-search planning — it's worth checking whether a realistic post-graduation job search fits into 18 months rather than the familiar two years. For applicants still choosing a university and program for 2027 entry, it makes sense to plan around the shortened Graduate Route as the new baseline rather than a temporary state, since there's no official signal right now that this will be revisited.
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that UK student visa funds now only need to be held for 14 days? No, that's not supported by the official source. The current rule on gov.uk is 28 consecutive days, with the end date of that period falling within 31 days of the visa application. Plan around that figure, not unverified claims circulating online.
What exactly changed with the required funds amount? As of November 11, 2025, the thresholds rose to £1,529/month for courses in London and £1,171/month outside London, both capped at a maximum of 9 months. The cap on offsetting pre-paid accommodation against that requirement also rose, to £1,529.
What is the Graduate Route, and how is it changing? It's the visa that lets UK university graduates stay in the country to work after their studies. For applications submitted on or after January 1, 2027, the duration for bachelor's and taught-master's graduates drops from 2 years to 18 months.
If I'm a current student, by when do I need to apply for the Graduate Route to still get the full 2 years? By December 31, 2026. Applications submitted from January 1, 2027 onward fall under the shortened 18-month period.
Does this affect PhD students? No. PhD graduates keep their existing 3-year Graduate Route entitlement — this change doesn't apply to them.
When were these changes officially confirmed? In the Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules HC 1333, laid before the UK Parliament on October 14, 2025; the Graduate Route change takes effect for applications submitted on or after January 1, 2027.
What should I do if I'm just planning to apply to the UK for 2027 entry? Build the shortened 18-month Graduate Route into your planning as the current baseline — a post-graduation job search will most likely need to fit that window rather than the previous two years.
Sources
UKCISA — Student update: changes to the Student and Graduate rules
GOV.UK — explanatory memorandum to the Statement of Changes HC 1333, 14 October 2025
The PIE News — Shorter Graduate Route from January 2027, UK govt confirms
This article is for informational purposes only. Student and Graduate visa rules are set and updated by the UK Home Office — confirm current requirements directly on gov.uk before applying.
Planning a UK student or Graduate Route visa application: how ED-EX.com can help
A six-month difference in Graduate Route length and a higher funds threshold are concrete numbers worth planning around in advance, not discovering after the fact. A consultation with the ED-EX.com team ($49, one online session):
We'll check which funds threshold applies to your specific city and program — London and the rest of the UK are calculated differently.
We'll map whether your realistic Graduate Route application timeline falls under the current 2 years or the new 18 months — and how that affects your post-graduation job search plan.
We'll double-check that your 28-day funds-holding period is calculated correctly relative to your intended application date.
We'll compare university and program options with the new Graduate Route timeline in mind, if your career plan depends on working in the UK after graduation.
We'll answer questions specific to your situation — including PhD cases, which this change doesn't affect.
Book a consultation with ED-EX.com →
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