London has always been the ideal location for overseas students to pursue their ideal careers and flourish in life. Since there are many options in this place for international students who intend to move in the future to pursue their ambitions and who want to work for global corporations and brands, it’s better to understand the complete cost of building a future here.
The expenses of studying and living in London will vary based on multiple factors. Thus to help you look more closely, this blog covers everything you need to know about the costs and living expenses in London for international students.
Factors Influencing the Cost of Studying in London
London is a suitable location for international students to pursue their dream careers for several good reasons, but individuals are apprehensive about the cost of education in London when they plan to study there. International students may incur a variety of costs, including:
Here is the overview of popular costs or expenses in London:
- Cost of studying in London for Indian students
- Living expenses in London for international students
- Pre-arrival and post-arrival cost of study in London for international students.
- Money-saving hacks to reduce the cost of living in London for students
Let's examine each point in more detail.
Cost of studying in London for Indian Students
There is no doubt that London is the ideal study destination for any international student. However, compared to other British cities, the cost of living in London for students has far higher. But, choosing to attend university in this city means you will have access to top-notch teaching and research facilities as well as excellent career opportunities.
Thus based on your study level, the cost of studying in London is as follows:
Degree Type |
Average Annual Tuition Fee |
Bachelors in London |
£10,000 - £20,000 |
Masters degree in London |
£10,000 - £20,000 |
Doctoral Degree in London |
£15,000 - £24,000 |
Suggested: Guide on Study in London
For your better understanding here is a precise overview of how much is it to study abroad in London for international students:
- Private Universities
- Public Universities
Private Universities:
If a candidate chooses to study in London at a private university, then their cost of study in London may be slightly higher than those who choose to study in public universities. Here are some of the famous universities and their tuition fee per year:
University Name |
Tuition Fees (annually) |
GSM London |
£10,000 |
BPP University |
£9,500 |
£18,500 |
|
St. Mary's University London |
£12,900 |
Suggested: Private universities in UK
Public University:
Here are some of the famous public universities with the London study cost:
University Name |
Tuition Fees (average annual fees for 2023-2024) |
£23,088 |
|
£10,000 |
|
£ 10,000 |
|
£4,500 - 9,000 |
|
£ 21,000 |
Suggested: Public universities in UK
Living expenses in London for International Students
The living expenses in London for students are the important factor if one wishes to pursue their dream career in this city. The average living expenses in London for Indian students is around £1,015 every month if they are living outside London, and the average expense is around £1,265 per month or roughly £15,180 per year for living expenses in inner London for international students.
Here are some of the overviews of the cost of living in London for the Indian students:
Expenses Type |
Amount (in EUR) |
Accommodation |
£8,100 per year |
Food |
£3,000 per year |
Travel |
£1,220 per year |
Leisure and Miscellaneous costs |
£2,220 per year |
Suggested: Living cost in UK
Scholarships for London Studying cost
Scholarships |
Average Amount (in £) |
Gates Cambridge Scholarship |
£17,500 stipend per annum
|
Imperial College London Ph.D. Scholarship |
£16,500 |
GEMS International Undergraduate Scholarship |
£2,000 fee reduction each year |
GEMS International Undergraduate Scholarship |
£2,000 fee reduction each year |
Cambridge University MBA Scholarship |
£30,000 |
Suggested: Explore UK Scholarships
Pre-arrival and Post-arrival Cost of Studying in London for international students
The living expenses in London for students can be divided into pre-arrival and post-arrival costs. Let's examine the cost:
1. Pre-arrival costs in the UK:
Before moving to London, there may have various expenses that a candidate should take into their account. The expenses include:
1. Entrance Exams:
Students who wish to move to London for their dream career must pass several tests like GRE, GMAT, or language proficiency exams like IELTS, TOEFL, etc, before applying to any university in London.
Furthermore, the type of exams a student needs to apply for depends on the course they desire to pursue. Exams like GRE and GMAT are mostly demanded in STEM fields, whereas courses like humanities and arts do not ask for these tests. The same applies to language proficiency tests. Some of the famous tests that an overseas student is required to pass to study in London are:
Examination Fees that include London study cost for international students:
Test Name |
Amount (in INR) |
GRE |
INR 15,800 |
GMAT |
INR 18,500 |
IELTS or UKVI |
INR 15,100 |
TOEFL |
INR 13,770 |
2. Fees For Applying To Universities
One of the steps in the process of receiving admission to the selected institution in London is paying the application costs. The application fee varies by university and might be anywhere between £50 and £150.
3. Student Visa And Immigration Health Surcharge
For overseas students to relocate to London and pursue their dream careers, they must pay the fee for a Tire 4 visa. For the first academic year, tuition fees must be paid in full, or students must provide proof that they have enough money to pay for all of the fees for their first year of study, to meet the conditions for applying for a student visa.
In addition to this, students must provide documentation showing their ability to pay £ 1050 per month outside of London or £1265 per month if they want to stay in London for more than nine months.
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4. Additional Fees:
Students must also pay extra fees for mailing their documentation or test results to the university in addition to the expenditures already mentioned.
5. Flight Tickets
Students must book their flight tickets right after they get their student visas. The ticket price may vary on different factors like place, airlines, destination, etc. For international students, the cost can be around INR 27,887 to INR 31,794 or more.
2. Post Arrival Costs in London
After arriving in London, students must incur the additional cost of studying in London for international students. These include:
1. Tuition Fees
The tuition fees ranges from £10,000- £24,000/year based on the study program chosen.
2. Cost of Living
The cost of living in London is £1,265 per month based on the lifestyle choices made.
Money-saving hacks to reduce the cost of living in London for International students
In the UK, London is one of the most expensive cities which makes the cost of living in London for international students bear more expenses while pursuing their graduation or post-graduation from London, this also makes students adopt a few money-saving hacks which may include:
1. Linking railcard to the Oyster Card:
Oyster card is an electronic card used to pay for all types of public transport in London, which includes buses, trains, tubes, London Overground, etc. With the help of this card, students can save much more money rather than paying in cash for transport fares.
2. Hiring a bicycle:
It is affordable for students in London to hire a bicycle in London. Santander Cycles is one of the widely known hiring public bike-sharing schemes that is available 24/7 and has around 800 docking stations and 12,000 bicycles across the city.
3. Eating out at parks:
Rather than eating at expensive restaurants and cafes, students can go for eating alfresco with their friends at the parks throughout the city. For instance, Alexandra Palace Park in north London has an area of local street foods, and a farmers' market place is also situated nearby.
4. Shop at second-hand stores:
As London's fashion is most attractive, the place is filled with thrift shops where students can buy clothes or outfits at low prices. Some popular second-hand shops are, Shoreditch, Bricklane, and Camden.
5. Looks for cheap groceries:
Some supermarkets in London are not that expensive, they might offer a lot of groceries. For example, fruits and pre-cooked meals at Marks & Spencer are affordable as compared to other places' food.
6. A part-time job:
The majority of overseas students choose to work a part-time job to supplement their income while completing their degree at any university in London. Depending on their abilities and knowledge, the average pay for such individuals can range from £150 to £250 per week.
Suggested: Part time jobs in UK
You now have a comprehensive understanding of the living and educational costs experienced by international students in London. However, students can get in touch with Yocket counsellors if they need any assistance or loans to cover the aforementioned costs or apply for scholarships. Our highly qualified professionals can assist each student in giving complete advice and achieving their dreams.