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-
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
Suggested: Guide to Education System in UK