Cost of Studying in the UK for International Students 2026

Studying in the UK costs your tuition, which varies widely by course, plus a £558 visa fee, the Immigration Health Surcharge at £776 a year, and living costs. For the visa you must show £1,171 a month outside London or £1,529 in London for up to nine months, rising from 30 November 2026. Most taught master's last one year.

How much is tuition in the UK?

Tuition varies widely by university, subject and level, and each university sets its own international fees. A business master's in one city and an engineering master's in another can be far apart, so there's no honest single figure. Check each course page for the current international fee, and note whether it covers the whole course or one year. If you're comparing offers, line up the same thing each time: the full course fee in pounds, after any scholarship or discount the university confirms in writing.

Look for two more things on the fee page: whether a deposit is due before your CAS, and whether the fee is fixed for the length of the course or can rise each year. Both change how much you need, and when you need it.

Scholarships can cut the bill. Search each university's own funding page as well as national schemes such as Chevening, which fully funds a one-year master's for eligible applicants.

What are the visa costs?

The Student visa application fee is £558. On top of that you pay the Immigration Health Surcharge: £776 for each year of your visa and £388 for any period of six months or less. The surcharge is based on the length of your visa rather than your course, so check your exact figure on gov.uk.

Then add the smaller costs: the TB test at an approved clinic if you've lived in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal or Sri Lanka, an English test if you need one, document translations and travel to your visa appointment. Check the current fee for each with the clinic or provider. Keep these payments out of the account that holds your visa funds while the 28-day period is running.

How much do you need for living costs?

The Home Office's visa figures are the best official baseline. You must show £1,529 a month in London or £1,171 a month elsewhere, for up to nine months, which comes to £13,761 or £10,539. From 30 November 2026 those rise to £1,570 and £1,203 a month, or £14,130 and £10,827 for nine months.

Treat those as a floor, not a budget. The visa only asks for nine months, but a one-year master's runs for about twelve, and your rent depends heavily on the city and the room. Using the Home Office monthly figure for twelve months gives £14,052 outside London or £18,348 in London at current rates, and £14,436 or £18,840 on the new figures. Other regular costs to plan for include local transport, a phone plan, course materials and warm clothing if you're arriving from a hotter climate.

What does a one-year master's cost in total?

Here's the arithmetic for a one-year taught master's before tuition, using the Home Office figures:

• Visa application fee: £558.
• Health surcharge: £776 for the first year, plus £388 if your visa runs up to six months beyond that. A one-year course usually means a visa slightly longer than a year, so budget £1,164 and confirm your figure on gov.uk.
• Living costs for twelve months at the Home Office rate: £14,052 outside London or £18,348 in London on current figures.

That adds up to £15,774 outside London or £20,070 in London before tuition and flights. On the figures that apply from 30 November 2026, it's £16,158 or £20,562. The visa fee and the full health surcharge are paid when you apply, so that part of the money leaves your account before you travel.

Then add tuition for your course, flights, an accommodation deposit and a buffer for exchange-rate swings. Convert the total at the current rate to see it in rupees or taka, and keep your visa funds intact until you arrive, because they're your first months of living costs.

Can you work part-time to cover costs?

Term-time limits apply, usually 20 hours a week for degree-level study, so check your visa conditions. Hours outside term can differ and some types of work aren't allowed at all, so read the conditions on your visa before you accept a job.

Don't build your budget around part-time pay. You still have to show the full funds for the visa before you travel, and a job in your first term isn't guaranteed. Treat any earnings as a way to protect your savings later in the year, not as money you can count on from day one.

How can you keep costs down?

A few choices make a real difference:

• Compare cities as well as universities. The Home Office's London figure is higher for a reason.
• Pay any required tuition deposit early. It lowers the tuition you must show for the visa.
• Compare university halls with shared housing, including which bills are covered.
• Apply for scholarships at the same time as admission, because some deadlines come early.
• Budget in pounds, convert at the current rate and add a buffer for currency movement.

Small savings add up over a year, but the biggest levers are the ones you set before you leave: the city, the course fee, the type of housing and any scholarship.

Next steps

Put your own numbers into the study-abroad cost calculator to see your total in one place, search for funding with our scholarships finder, and use the UK study guide to compare cities and courses. If you're weighing a cheaper option, read about the cost of studying in Germany, where most public universities charge no tuition.

FAQ

How much does it cost to study in the UK for a year?

Before tuition, about £15,774 outside London or £20,070 in London for a one-year master's, using the Home Office living-cost rate for twelve months, the £558 visa fee and a £1,164 health surcharge. Add your course fee on top.

Is the visa funds figure the same as my living costs?

No. It's the minimum the Home Office asks you to hold for up to nine months. Your real costs run for the full length of your course and depend on your city and housing, so plan a one-year master's on twelve months.

Can I work while studying in the UK?

Usually yes, within limits. Term-time limits apply, usually 20 hours a week for degree-level study, so check your visa conditions.

Is London much more expensive?

The Home Office's figures say so: £1,529 a month in London against £1,171 elsewhere, rising to £1,570 and £1,203 from 30 November 2026.