The UK's 28-day maintenance rule, explained properly
One of the most common UK student refusals is entirely mechanical — and entirely avoidable if you understand how the window is counted.
The UK requires student applicants to hold a specified amount of money for 28 consecutive days before applying. It sounds simple, and it produces a remarkable number of refusals.
What 'consecutive' actually means
The required balance must be present on every one of the 28 days. Not an average, not the opening and closing figures — every day. A single transfer that dips the balance below the threshold on day nineteen resets the clock entirely.
The 31-day rule that runs alongside it
The closing balance on your statement must be dated no more than 31 days before you submit the application. Applicants often satisfy the 28 days perfectly, then take six weeks to gather other documents, and submit a statement that has gone stale.
Whose account it sits in matters
The money must be held by you or by a parent or legal guardian who provides written consent and proof of relationship. Funds in a sibling's, uncle's or employer's account do not qualify, however genuine the arrangement is.
We track this window for every UK student client on a calendar and confirm the submission date against it. It costs nothing to get right, and a refusal on these grounds is difficult to explain away in a later application.
Written by
The Go Destination consulting team
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