Studying in the UK is good value for money. UK graduates are amongst the most employable in the world. This means study investment is likely to result in a successful career.
Still, investing a considerable sum in getting education can be a difficult decision. Our fees and finance pages explain everything from paying fees, living cost and financial support through to the scholarships, grants and allowances being offered while studying in the UK.
We provide here some details on the kind of finances you’ll need to check while studying in the UK. It provides necessary details on the type of budget students need to study in the UK.
UK universities and colleges usually charge for course tuition. Fees vary between academic institutions and between course types. Fee covers mostly the cost of the teaching, supervision, student support and facilities provided by the institution.
Undergraduate tuition charges per year for international students can begin from round £11,000, as much as £40,000 for medical degrees. Usually speaking, humanities and social science study programs value the least, whereas laboratory and clinical degrees are more expensive.
Postgraduate degrees vary from £11,000 per year for taught degrees, as much as £30,000 for laboratory and clinical degrees, as well as MBA programmes. Some universities could cost as much as £50,000 for their MBA programmes, although that is rare. Take into account that most postgraduate degrees within the UK might be obtained in only one year, making them excellent value for money.
Exact tuition fees per course can be found on individual courses pages. Learn about an indicative of Tuition Fees charged by universities and colleges for all type of courses.
In addition to tuition fees for your course, students will also need to consider how they are going to pay towards living costs while studying in the UK. ‘Living costs’ cover whatever you need to pay for, excluding tuition fees, while you’re at university, college or language school, for example accommodation, food, course costs/study materials, personal expenses and transport.
The cost of living can vary greatly depending on your lifestyle, budget and spending habits. As a guide, most students spend in the region of £9,000 to £14,500 a year on living expenses, including accommodation, although you may spend more depending on your housing choices and lifestyle. If you have expensive hobbies, you will need to factor these into your budget – or be prepared to adjust your lifestyle.
Get more information on an indication of typical ‘Living costs’.
Students can receive financial support to cover the cost of tuition fees and maintenance (living expenses) towards their studies in the UK.
There is a range of help sources available to fund studies in the UK, for home (UK), EU and non EU students, including government student loans for tuition fees and living costs, scholarships and grants and allowances.
Learn about an indicative of financial support available towards their studies in the UK.
Budgeting is a part of student life! Before you come to the UK, ensure you have budgeted for the cost of daily life, which may include –
If you have a scholarship or financial support, make sure you know what is and isn’t covered. Use the Which? University student budget calculator to help you plan your budget.
The UNiDAYS, National Union of Students card and the International Student Identity Card offer great student discounts in many shops, restaurants and businesses. Have a look to see if you could save money with one of these cards. Check out VisitBritain for lots more UK student discounts.
If you are wondering how much it will cost you to study in the UK and how to apply for student finance, our fees and finance guide has all the relevant information. Fees and funding can vary between academic institutions and between types of courses. If you are an international student, a different scale of fees is chargeable.
Read our fees and finance guide for students.