Cost of Studying in UK for International Students in 2025

The United Kingdom is the ultimate study destination for many international students because of the academic excellence and student life it offers. While there is no doubt regarding the quality of education, one fact that is the most worrisome is the cost of studying in UK for Indian students.

Let’s be honest, studying in the UK can be an expensive affair which is why it regularly features in the list of top 5 most expensive study abroad destinations. However, if you look at the brighter side, the duration of the majority of courses in the UK is very short, which reduces the overall cost.

In this article, we will provide you with a detailed look into the cost of studying in UK for Indian students and other international students that will help you plan and manage your expenses.

The approximate cost of studying at UK private and public universities vary between £4,180 to £29,259 annually. Besides, as an international student, you will have to incur a number of fees and charges while studying in the UK. Therefore, it becomes crucial to smartly plan your expenditure. Let's discuss the cost of studying in UK for international students in detail. In this article, we have divided the cost of studying in UK into three parts:

• Cost of Education in UK
• Living Expenses in UK
• Other Essential Expenses in UK

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Let us now look at each of these factors one by one!

Tuition fee is the prime expenditure of international student living cost in UK.  It may vary greatly from university to university, location, and the course you choose.

The international students fees UK for medical degrees and MBAs are higher as compared to tuition fees for humanities and social science degrees. Take a look at the following table to understand the average tuition fee in UK for different levels of degrees:

Further, the cost of the UK study programs varies widely from one university to another. Here’s a quick look at the average tuition fees at some of the top universities in UK:

There are various ways to finance your UK universities fee like opting for scholarships, financial aids, student loans etc. This can help you manage your tuition fees much more effectively.

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Living expenses are another important part of your total cost to study in UK from India or other international cities. Living expenses include paying for accommodation, food, transportation, household bills, shopping, other leisure activities etc. The average monthly cost of living in the UK is around £1100 - £1300.

Like UK universities fees, living expenses may also vary depending on international students' lifestyle, where they choose to live etc. For example, rent in cities like London or Brighton is higher as compared to cities in Aberdeen or Manchester.

Take a look at the chart below to get an overview of the amount you will have to spend on living expenses in the UK.

Suggested: Breakdown of the Cost of Living in UK for International Students

Apart from the tuition fees, students wonder how much cost to study in UK? They also have to incur other types of expenditure while studying in UK. Let’s explore them!

1. Student Visa Fees

Your UK student visa fee may vary depending on the type of visa you apply for. Take a look at the different types of visas available for international students, along with the application fees.

2. Immigration Health Surcharge

UK is known to provide one of the best healthcare systems in the world through the National Health Service (NHS). As an international student, you need to pay a health insurance surcharge along with your visa fee. The cost of this is around £470 per year to gain access to the NHS as an international student. Students will be able to avail free medical treatment and reduced dental care prices at NHS  health centres.

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Next, let’s explore the…

The total cost of studying in UK for students can also be categorised into pre-arrival and post-arrival costs. Let us take a look at these costs-

• Pre Arrival Costs in UK

There are various expenses that you will have to make while in India when preparing to go to the UK. The expenses you incur before going to UK include:

• Entrance Exams

International students have to give various entrance examinations like GRE, GMAT or language proficiency tests like IELTS, TOEFL etc, before applying for universities in the UK.

Which exam you take will depend on the kind, of course, you have chosen. GRE & GMAT are mostly required in STEM fields, while courses related to  humanities and arts do not require these tests. The same is the case with language proficiency tests. Some universities do require language proficiency tests, and some don't. Some of the popular standardised tests that international students are required to give in order to study in the UK are:

• University Application Fee

The application process for studying in the UK requires students to pay registration fees for the university they are applying to. Undergraduate students are required to apply via the UCAS application website, whereas masters or PhD students are required to apply directly via the desired university’s website. You can expect to pay around  £20- £90 for applying to various universities in the UK.  Students may also be eligible for application fee waivers. Please visit your respective university’s website for more details.

Please note that your application expenditure may rise depending on the number of courses and universities you apply to.

• Student Visa & Immigration Health Surcharge

As discussed above, the cost of a student visa depends on the type of visa you are applying for. You have to pay an average of £348 for the student visa. For students wanting access to the NHS, an additional £470 is to be paid.

• Other Expenses

Along with the expenses above, students may also have to bear additional expenses in sending in their documents or test scores to the UK university, making multiple copies of the documents etc.

• Flight Tickets

You must book your flight tickets right after you get your visa. The flight tickets may vary depending on your city, destination and airline. For Indian students, single-way airfares in economy class can go up to INR 27,887 to INR 31,794 or even more, and a return ticket may cost you around INR 61,047 to INR 83,141 or more.

• Post Arrival Costs in UK

There is a new set of expenses that you have to make after reaching the UK. These include the tuition fee and cost of living that have been already discussed in detail in the above section of the article.

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So, how much does it cost to study in UK? Well, after combining all the expenses before & after going to the UK we can say that an Indian student will have to pay anywhere between INR 24,47,103 to INR 55,01,188 for studying in the UK. This cost is just a rough estimate and may vary depending on a lot of factors.

Here is a quick look at the total cost of studying in UK for Indian students:

Next, let’s check out this video with the minutest information on the cost of living and studying in UK.

https://youtu.be/1RcEGaQu7VI

To sum it up, we can all agree that studying in the UK can be pretty expensive. However, there are various ways to finance the cost, including scholarships and part-time jobs in UK. Overall, the UK study abroad experience should not be missed because the UK is an excellent destination in terms of academics, student life, and job opportunities. You can rest assured that you will get a high return on your investment after completing your studies in the United Kingdom.

Now you know the various facets of the cost of studying in UK for international students. However, if you need any help in procuring loans to meet this expense or applying for scholarships, choose Yocket premium. Our well-trained and expert counsellors will provide you with end-to-end guidance, making your study abroad dream a success.