Only three African countries are included in the United Kingdom’s current differential evidence arrangement for Student visa applications: Botswana, Mauritius and Tunisia.
Under the rule, eligible applicants from these countries generally do not need to submit financial evidence with their initial Student visa application. However, they must still meet the financial requirements, and UK immigration officials can request supporting documents before making a decision.
Botswana
Botswana is one of the three African countries on the UK’s differential evidence list.
A Botswana national applying under the Student route from the country where they live, or from within the UK where eligible, may not have to provide financial documents when submitting the application.
That does not remove the requirement to have enough money for tuition and living expenses. The applicant must still satisfy the financial rules and should be ready to provide evidence if requested by a visa decision maker.
Botswana is also included under the differential evidence rules for the UK’s Child Student route.
Mauritius
Mauritius is the second African country covered by the arrangement.
Mauritian students who meet the conditions of the differential evidence rule can usually submit their Student visa applications without attaching proof that they meet the financial requirement.
The benefit is therefore mainly about documentation. It does not reduce tuition fees, living-cost requirements or the amount of money an applicant is expected to have available.
UK authorities retain the right to ask a Mauritian applicant to provide financial evidence before the application is decided.
Mauritius also appears on the differential evidence list for Child Student applications.
Tunisia
Tunisian nationals covered by the rule generally do not need to provide evidence of their finances with the initial Student visa application.
Like applicants from Botswana and Mauritius, Tunisian students must still meet the underlying financial requirement. The lighter documentation rule should therefore not be confused with an exemption from having sufficient funds.
Tunisia is also included in the corresponding Child Student visa provision.
What the Rule Means for Other African Students
The UK’s current Student visa differential evidence list contains 60 countries, but Botswana, Mauritius and Tunisia are the only African countries included.
Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Egypt and other African countries are not on the list.
That means applicants from those countries do not benefit from the same reduced document requirement and should prepare the financial evidence required for their visa applications.
The important point is that Botswana, Mauritius and Tunisia have not been exempted from the UK’s financial rules.
