Cost of Studying in the UK

We have compiled a list of expenses to help you with estimating the cost of studying in the UK

The UK can be an expensive proposition if not planned properly and hence it is imperative to understand the various types of costs that you will likely incur along with rough estimates. It is important to do this calculation before you depart from India, as this will help you plan your expenses properly. Read along the major head cost as we present you all the expenses under various heads below.

1. University Tuition fee 

When we speak about expenses to study abroad, let alone the UK the first thing to consider is the tuition fee, which will form the major part of your expense sheet. The amount of tuition fee varies greatly depending on the level of qualification, the university or the school that you are applying to and finally the major factor is the course itself.

To generalize it can be said that courses, which involve humanities, education or arts, will be comparatively less expensive than courses that involve commerce, finance or management. While it is not surprising that, the most expensive of the lot will be technical courses like medicine and engineering.

It should also be noted that a bachelor’s courses or undergraduate courses are less expensive than the master’s courses when you take into account yearly tuition fees in the UK.

Study Program
Average fee (in Euros*)
1
Undergraduate bachelor degree
£6,000 to £9,000 per year
2
Postgraduate master’s degree
£10,000 to £16,000 per year
3
Doctoral degree
£13,000 to £29,000 per year
One option to bring down this major expense significantly is to apply for scholarships for studying in the UK.

2. Accommodation

One option that most universities in the UK will offer is On-campus accommodation. These can be self-serviced or fully serviced as well. Living on the on-campus accommodation is a great idea to reduce the cost of studying in the UK but you will need to apply in advance, as these are in short supply and high demand.

If you do miss out or prefer to stay off-campus then you will have to look for a room on rent. Generally, the university’s accommodation office may be able to help search and scout for nearby available options.

Few things to keep in mind when looking for off-campus accommodation or room on rent in the UK

• The costs will vary a lot from one city to another and depending on the nature of the agreement, you will have to pay extra for services like electricity, internet, water, television connection. Bear in mind there are options, which are all-inclusive too. Typically house rent for a one-bedroom apartment ranges from 450-600 pounds per month.
• Depending on your age, most students will also need to pay additional charges for garbage collection, leisure services, and local tax depending on the area.

3. Student Visa

A nominal but crucial expense for studying in the UK is the cost of the student visa, which is currently 348 pounds.

For detailed information on application and documentation procedure for UK visa please click here

4. Food and living expenses

One of the recurring expenses that you will need to bear not just while studying but also while living in the UK will be food and living costs which will be the second biggest cost of studying in UK. An international student to budget for various items must avoid overspending. Generally, an average lifestyle will need about 6000 – 9000 pounds per year living expenses.

Communication expenses are also recurring since all international students will need this service to communicate with family members back home and local usage. It should be noted that unlike India, the communication industry is very different in the UK and hence one needs to plan for these expenses in the budget. We advise students to look for student-specific plans and offers to start since these plans offer many benefits targeted to the student population.

Study material would also need to be purchased separately for many of the courses and this will also be considered in the expense during the budgeting. Opting to buy second-hand books is a good alternative to save on costs here too.

Personal expenses can greatly vary between different people. Grocery, laundry, toiletries, etc. will need to be purchased.

5. Health Insurance

It is mandatory for all international students coming to the UK for studies to have a medical insurance plan before the start of the program. The average cost of a medical insurance plan purchased from outside the university would be approximately 150 pounds a year. A high standard of healthcare is available for all international students across the UK.

6. Getting around

In a developed and advanced country like the UK, there are many options available for transportation. We advise students to make use of student discount coupons and monthly passes while traveling in public transport. In case you plan to have a personal vehicle, do plan the expenses for the same including rental, fuel, and maintenance.