Cost Of Studying In The UK: An In-Depth Guide For International Students

A number of students from across the globe enroll at UK universities with the hopes of pursuing the career of their dreams. The UK is home to the world’s leading institutions offering extensive specializations and vibrant cities like London, Birmingham, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. However, the cost of studying and living for international students in the UK is expensive, but the courses are of shorter duration, and that mitigates the expenses when compared with the other countries. The UK’s cost of studying depends on the university and degree. Tuition costs of institutions have been growing gradually over the years. While humanities and social sciences degrees are less expensive in the UK, clinical degrees and laboratory studies are more expensive.

Let’s dive deeper into the expenses of education in the UK.

Cost of Studying in the UK: An Overview

An ultimate study destination, the UK attracts many international students due to its academic excellence, student life, quality of education, and exceptional job opportunities. Compared to the US and other countries, UK institutions offer shorter programs. A typical undergraduate degree program spans over three years, and a Master’s program duration is one year. The UK’s cost of studying at private and public universities varies between INR 3,89,112 to INR 27,23,693 annually. A number of fees and charges are incurred while studying in the UK. It is, therefore, crucial to plan the expenditure smartly. The cost of studying can be categorized into three parts:

• Cost of Education
• Living Expenses 
• Other Expenses

Cost of Education in the UK: Tuition Fees

One of the most significant and primary expenditures for an international student in the UK is tuition fees. The fees will likely vary from university to university, location, and the selected course. For an international student, the tuition fees for medical degrees and MBAs in the UK are higher when compared with the tuition fees for other programs such as humanities and social science.

The average tuition fee in the UK for different levels of degrees are as follows:

The cost of a program in the UK varies from one university to another. Let’s quickly overview the average tuition fees at some of the top UK universities.

Pre-application Expenditure 

The first important step is to appear for the qualifying examinations to study master’s in the UK. STEM courses require GMAT or GRE exam scores. All courses also require an English language proficiency score.

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Best Cities in the UK for Students

Multiple cities in the UK are home to top educational institutions. The top 5 best-preferred student destinations in the UK are as follows.

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Pre-Arrival Cost

University Application Fee

Students applying for their application in the UK are required to pay registration fees for the selected university. The applicant is expected to apply via the UCAS application website for their undergraduate program, whereas for the master’s or Ph.D. programs, they are required to apply directly via the university’s website. The student is required to pay INR 1861 – INR 8378 to apply to various UK universities. Students are often eligible for application fee waivers. The application expenditure depends on the number of courses and universities that the student is applying to.

Student Visa & Health Surcharge

The cost of a student’s visa depends on the type of visa they are applying for. The student has to pay an average of INR 32395 for the student visa. For students opting for NHS, an additional INR 43751 will be paid.

Other Expenses

Along with the above-mentioned expenses, students have to bear additional expenses with their multiple copies of documents or test scores.

Flight Tickets

It is advisable to book the flight tickets right after the visa is approved. Flight tickets may vary depending on the city, destination, or airline. For Indian students, a single-way airline fare for an economy class can go up from INR 27,887 to INR 31,794 or even more. A return ticket costs somewhere around INR 61,047 to INR 83,141 or more.

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Post-Arrival Costs

The post-arrival cost in the UK involves your tuition fees, cost of living, rent, housing, and other miscellaneous expenses.

Cost of Attendance

The cost of living in the UK depends solely on lifestyle choices. Many factors are considered to determine the cost of living, including accommodation, transport, food, and other miscellaneous expenses.

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Total Cost

How much does it precisely cost to study in the UK? Every student has faced this question at every step of their study abroad journey. After considering all the expenses – per and post-arrival – the total cost an Indian student will have to bear ranges between INR 24,47,103 to INR 55,01,188 for studying in the UK. While this is just a rough estimate, the coat is likely to vary depending on a number of factors.

Let’s have a quick view at the total cost of studying in the UK:

In Conclusion

To sum it all up, pursuing a master’s program in the UK can be pretty expensive. There are multiple costs that must be considered, along with scholarships and part-time jobs in the UK. The overall study abroad experience is one that should not be missed, as it is an excellent destination in terms of academics and job opportunities. Rest assured, the study experience is likely to offer a high return on your investment after the completion of your program in the United Kingdom.

Now that you are aware of the multiple facets of the cost of studying in the UK, it is time to get started on procuring your loans to meet all the expenses. Get ready to make your study abroad dream a success!