UK Student Visa 28-Day Rule: Bank Statement Guide for Nepali Students

What Is the 28-Day Rule?

UKVI must see that you have had enough money for 28 days in a row, counted back from the closing balance on your latest statement, and that the evidence is from no more than 31 days before the date you apply. If the balance drops below the required amount on any single day, the 28 days start again. UKVI, financial evidence guidance

The money must be available for you to use immediately. Fixed deposits that cannot be withdrawn without penalty need careful checking with your bank.

How Much You Must Hold

The amount is your first-year tuition still owed plus living costs for up to nine months. The monthly figure depends on whether you study in London and on the date you submit your application.

Worked example: a one-year master’s outside London with £16,000 tuition and a £4,000 deposit already paid, applying on 1 December 2026: £12,000 + £10,827 = £22,827, about NPR 44.5 lakh at NPR 195 per £1. Keep a margin above this, because UKVI converts at the OANDA rate on your application date.

Whose Account Can Hold the Money?

• Your own account, in your name.
• A parent’s or legal guardian’s account, with their letter agreeing to the money being used for your studies, and proof of the relationship, such as your birth certificate.
• A joint account where you are a named holder.
• An education loan from a government, government-sponsored company or academic loan scheme, with a letter dated no more than six months before you apply.
• An official financial sponsor, such as a government or university, with the sponsorship shown on your CAS or in a sponsor letter.

Money in a relative’s account other than a parent or legal guardian, such as an uncle or sibling, does not count, even with a sponsor letter. Move it into your own or a parent’s account first, and keep a clear record of where it came from. See source of funds.

Which Banks in Nepal Are Accepted?

People often search for “UKVI approved banks in Nepal”. UKVI publishes no named bank list for Nepal; named lists exist for a few other countries only. The rule is that the account must be with an institution regulated by Nepal Rastra Bank that keeps electronic records. All 20 of Nepal’s Class A commercial banks meet UKVI’s financial evidence requirements:

1. Nepal Bank
2. Rastriya Banijya Bank
3. Agriculture Development Bank
4. Nabil Bank
5. Nepal Investment Mega Bank
6. Standard Chartered Bank Nepal
7. Himalayan Bank
8. Nepal SBI Bank
9. Everest Bank
10. NIC ASIA Bank
11. Machhapuchchhre Bank
12. Kumari Bank
13. Laxmi Sunrise Bank
14. Siddhartha Bank
15. Global IME Bank
16. Citizens Bank International
17. Prime Commercial Bank
18. Sanima Bank
19. NMB Bank
20. Prabhu Bank

More detail: banks in Nepal for UK visa funds.

What the Statement or Letter Must Show

• Your name, or your parent’s name where you use their account
• The bank’s name, on official letterhead or a stamped statement
• The account number and the balance
• Dates that cover the full 28 days, with a closing date no more than 31 days before you apply

Overdrafts, cryptocurrency, shares, pensions and accounts at unregulated institutions are not accepted.

Common Mistakes from Nepal

1. Applying too late. The statement’s closing date is more than 31 days old by the time you submit.
2. A dip in the balance. One withdrawal, fee or transfer that takes the balance below the total restarts the 28 days.
3. Large unexplained deposits. A sudden lump sum often leads to questions about where it came from; keep sale deeds, salary or remittance records.
4. Using the wrong relative’s account. Only your own, a joint account in your name, or a parent’s or legal guardian’s.
5. Forgetting the 30 November 2026 rise. Hold the higher amount if you might submit on or after that date.
6. Using the wrong exchange rate. UKVI uses OANDA on the application date; budget a margin.