? re: visa and budget

Hi all,

Not sure if this is better in the visa section or here, but I hope some of you have practical experience I can draw from.   I apologize if the info's on the forum somewhere... I tried to search but am apparently search-term impaired if there's other information around.

I'm going to be applying for my student visa this summer. I know that I have to show in my application that I have enough funds to cover living expenses, etc. How much is "enough"? Tuition for my MBA  programme is eating up my savings as it is... I really don't want to take out a huge loan if it's not necessary.

I'm going to be living in Exeter with some friends who are going to give me a room in their house for free; I'll just be pitching in for groceries. My questions are:

1. Will this be a problem when I apply for my visa because I'm not planning on including rent in my budget.

2. When you all did your budgets (well, when you sent in your application for student visa), how much did you budget for "other than tuition" costs? I'm not looking for a "how much money you have to your name" kinda thing, more like , "I took my tuition and added on about 20%" or something. Sorry if it's a weird question... but since I don't have accommodation issues, I'm sort of at a loss as to how to budget when things just say, "£650/month" or whatever.

Anyone who's in the SW area would be particularly helpful because of cost of living comparisons, but any and all advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!!

I'm going to be living in Exeter with some friends who are going to give me a room in their house for free

If this is the case and the money you have isn't enough to cover rent as well as tuition and other living expenses, it's probably a good idea to explain this and have a letter from your friends (and probably some proof...either proof that your friends own the house or that their landlord is okay with you living there. )  That's what I would do, to cover all the bases.

To answer your other question- I budgeted about $14,000 for living expenses for a year.  I ended up spending about $6,000 on rent + bills, so I had roughly $8,000 left for food and other expenses for the year... so $667 or £333 per month to live on not including accommodation.  If you're living on a simple student budget it's enough- it's not a whole lot though.  I was living in Manchester.

Oh, and also to give you another data point- my British fiance gets UK student loans, and he gets the equivalent of about £540 per month to live on (this *includes* money for rent/bills, btw.)  That's his only income since he doesn't have a job (besides being a student!) and it works out okay.

Thanks a lot, springhaze! I spent 6 months there last summer living with the same friends and I think I spent about $4000 on random stuff, groceries, travel, and a 2 week holiday in Germany and Switzerland. If I actually pay attention to what I'm spending and am not on a 6 month holiday, I can spend less.

So what I *know* I can live on for the year while being frugal may be different from what They think I *should* have to live on, you know? That's the discrepancy I'm trying to cover. I don't want them to say, "Well what if something happens and your friends kick you out? You have to have enough money to allow for that." Not that that's going to happen... I'm pretty sure my friend's husband would go before me!

Your information is really helpful. I can definitely have my friends write a letter. They own the house, so that's not a big deal. So much red tape...

Angela: Did you end up including a letter from your friends in your visa application? How did it go? I'm getting all the stuff together for my visa right now, and trying to determine how much money I will need in my bank account.

When I applied, I had only about $5 000 in my bank account, plus the letter confirming my Stafford Loan amounts and a letter from my dad saying that he'll give $800 a month (and a letter on his work's letterhead stating his annual income).  And this was with a wife.  Since we've been here, we haven't needed the money from my dad, primarily because the drop in the exchange rate has favored us greatly.

Hi Angela,

Did you see the draft guideline on the UKBA site? http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/pbs/Tier_4_migrant_guidance_DRA1.pdf

I could swear that last week the there was different information on this site, indicating proof to maintenance funds consisted of tuition costs + £800/per month if study is London-based (something like £600/per month if outside of London). Anyway, as this is a draft statement, the site also indicates that "the full policy will publish on 9 March 2009." I sure hope something more definite will be published.

Rose

I just read through the document, which includes a template of the Visa Letter from the sponsor (uni). Under Financial, "Course Fees (First year or duration of course), Course Fees (paid to date, if applicable), Accommodation fees (paid to date)(if applicable").

I assume this means that the uni may include an estimate of accommodation fees in their sponsorship letter (maybe?). Or maybe they will end up using something similar to what was previously published on the website (i.e., £800/per month in London)? The rest of the document omits full details of required maintenance fees, stating the details will be published on March 9th.

Typically, your university will send you a sheet stating what the expected cost of living is for a student (as well as how to change it for a couple, family, etc).  The one from Glasgow was a low ball (£9000 for a single student, £11 000 for a couple).

Hi Angela,

Did you see the draft guideline on the UKBA site? http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/pbs/Tier_4_migrant_guidance_DRA1.pdf

Just a quick note to say that this thread was started over a year ago and Angela was approved for her visa under the old student visa guidelines last summer and has been in the UK for several months already... so the Tier 4 draft guideline is not relevant in her case .

Oops! Thanks for the catch.