TL;DR
UK Student visa: £558 application fee (the same from outside or inside the UK) plus the discounted IHS of £776 per year of study. For a 3-year undergraduate, total is roughly £2,890 in fees and IHS, before tuition and living costs. The biggest expense is tuition itself (£15,000-£45,000+/year for international students) plus living costs.
Application fee
| Where applying | Fee |
|---|---|
| Outside the UK | £558 |
| Inside the UK (extension or switch) | £558 |
| Child Student (under 18) | Same as adult |
Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)
Student rate is £776 per year of leave granted, discounted from the standard £1,035 adult rate.
For a typical course:
- 1-year Master's: £776 IHS
- 3-year undergraduate: £2,328 IHS
- 4-year integrated Master's: £3,104 IHS
- 4-year PhD: £3,104 IHS
IHS is paid upfront for the entire visa period, not annually.
Other costs
- Biometrics: enrolment appointments are usually free; some visa application centres charge £76.50
- Priority Service: £500, 5 working days (vs 3 weeks standard)
- Super-Priority Service: £1,000, 24 hours after biometrics
- English language test (if needed): £150-£200 for IELTS for UKVI
- TB test (if from listed country): £75-£150
- UK ENIC statement (if needed): £210
- CAS issue fee: Varies by university, typically free
- University deposit (paid to university, not UKVI): £1,000-£10,000
Worked examples
Example 1, 3-year undergraduate from outside UK
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Visa fee | £558 |
| IHS (£776 × 3) | £2,328 |
| TB test (if from India / Nigeria etc.) | £100 |
| Total visa-related | ~£3,000 |
| Tuition fees (3 × £25,000) | £75,000 |
| Living costs (3 × £15,000) | £45,000 |
| Total cost of UK degree | ~£123,000 |
Example 2, 1-year taught Master's from outside UK
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Visa fee | £558 |
| IHS (£776 × 1) | £776 |
| Total visa-related | ~£1,350 |
| Tuition fees (1 year) | £30,000 |
| Living costs (1 year) | £15,000 |
| Total cost of UK Master's | ~£46,300 |
Example 3, 4-year PhD from outside UK
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Visa fee | £558 |
| IHS (£776 × 4) | £3,104 |
| ATAS certificate (if required) | Free |
| Total visa-related | ~£3,700 |
| Tuition / bench fees (4 years) | £80,000 |
| Living costs (4 years) | £55,000 |
| Total cost of UK PhD | ~£140,000 |
(Many PhD students have funded scholarships covering tuition + stipend; cost to applicant can be much lower.)
Living costs requirement
The Student visa requires evidence of living costs you can show:
| Location | Per month | For 9 months total |
|---|---|---|
| London (within M25) | £1,529 | £13,761 |
| Outside London | £1,171 | £10,539 |
Maintenance funds must be held for 28 consecutive days, ending no more than 31 days before applying. See our maintenance funds page for the format requirements.
Hidden costs
Multiple SELT exam attempts
If your English needs to be evidenced via IELTS for UKVI (rather than degree exemption), you may not pass first time. Plan for £400-£600 in test fees if you need 2-3 attempts.
Translations
Non-English qualifications need certified translations (£20-£60 per document) plus UK ENIC equivalence statement (£210).
NHS surcharge for dependants
If you bring dependants (allowed only for postgraduate research and government-sponsored students), each dependant pays the standard adult IHS of £1,035/year, not the discounted £776 student rate.
Course material and equipment
Textbooks, laptops, lab equipment, software licences, typically £500-£3,000 per year of study.
Funding sources
- Self-funded, most international students
- Scholarships, Chevening, Commonwealth, Marshall, university-specific (cover tuition + sometimes living)
- Student loans, limited UK loans for international students; home country loans common
- Employer sponsorship, some career-development arrangements
- Family support, common in many cultures
UKVI accepts most funding sources for the maintenance and tuition evidence, check the specific evidence rules for your funding type.
Total Student visa journey cost
For an undergraduate planning Student → Graduate → Skilled Worker → ILR:
| Stage | Visa-related cost |
|---|---|
| Student visa (3-year undergraduate) | ~£3,000 |
| Graduate visa (2 years, applied before 2027) | ~£3,000 |
| Skilled Worker visa (3 years initial) | ~£4,000 |
| Skilled Worker extension (2 years) | ~£3,000 |
| ILR application | £3,226 |
| Total | ~£16,200 |
Plus tuition (£75,000+ for the undergraduate) and 10 years of living costs.
Tools that pair with this
For preparing the Student visa document bundle:
- Checklist generator, personalised list including ATAS gating
- Bundler, merge passport, CAS reference (in form), maintenance bank statement, qualifications
- Compressor, fit the 2 MB VFS Global limit if applying from outside the UK
Sources
Common questions
- 01
How much is the UK Student visa fee?
£558, whether you apply from outside or inside the UK, plus the discounted Immigration Health Surcharge of £776 per year of study. For a 3-year undergraduate, total is roughly £2,890 in fees and IHS, before tuition and living costs.
- 02
Why is the Student IHS lower than other routes?
The Home Office offers a reduced IHS rate for Student visa holders and under-18s, £776/year instead of £1,035/year. This recognises that students typically generate less NHS demand and have lower earning capacity.
- 03
Do I need to pay tuition fees with the visa application?
Tuition fees are paid to the university, not UKVI, and are typically paid in instalments (deposit + termly or annual). The visa application requires evidence you can pay tuition (CAS shows what you owe), but the actual payment goes to your university.
Free tools that pair with this guide