UK Study Guide

How much does it cost to study in the UK from Nepal? (2026)

The cost of studying in the UK has two separate parts: what your university charges (tuition) and what it costs to live (accommodation, food, transport). These are not the same as the amount the Home Office asks you to show for your Student visa. This guide keeps the three clearly apart.

Official 2026 figures at a glance

Item	Official figure	Source
Student route application fee (from outside the UK)	£558	GOV.UK — Student visa ↗
Immigration Health Surcharge	£776 per year of permission	GOV.UK — Health surcharge ↗
Living-cost funds to show — course in London	£1,529 per month, up to 9 months (maximum £13,761)	GOV.UK — Money you need ↗
Living-cost funds to show — course outside London	£1,171 per month, up to 9 months (maximum £10,539)	GOV.UK — Money you need ↗
How long the funds must be held	At least 28 days in a row, ending within 31 days of the date you apply	GOV.UK — Money you need ↗
Course fees	Set by each university; first-year fees (or the unpaid balance) are shown in addition to living costs	GOV.UK — Money you need ↗
English level (degree courses)	CEFR B2 or above	GOV.UK — English requirement ↗
Work during term (degree level at a university)	Up to 20 hours per week; full-time outside term	Immigration Rules, Appendix Student ST 26.1 ↗
When you can apply	Up to 6 months before your course starts; decision usually within 3 weeks from outside the UK	GOV.UK — Student visa ↗
Graduate Route after a bachelor's or master's	2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026; 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027 (PhD: 3 years)	GOV.UK — Graduate visa ↗
Bringing a spouse or children	For postgraduate courses starting on or after 1 January 2024, only PhD/doctoral or research-based degrees qualify	GOV.UK — Family members ↗

Checked on GOV.UK on 5 October 2026. The Home Office can change these figures at any time — always confirm on the linked page before you pay or apply. Tuition and university deposits are set by each university.

What makes up the total cost?

Your first-year budget is normally built from: (1) tuition for one year, (2) living costs for the time you are in the UK, and (3) one-off costs such as the visa fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge. Tuition varies widely by university, subject and level, so there is no single figure — confirm the current fee on the university’s own course page.

Tuition and living costs are a practical budget. They are different from the official Student visa financial requirement, which is a fixed amount the Home Office sets — see the Financial requirements guide.

Master’s vs Bachelor’s — how does cost differ?

A UK master’s is usually one year of tuition, while a bachelor’s is typically three years, so the tuition total over the whole course is generally higher for a bachelor’s even though the per-year fee can be similar. Living costs scale with how long you study. Always price the full course, not just year one.

London vs outside London — how big is the difference?

Living in London costs materially more than most other UK cities, mainly through rent and transport. Many Nepali students choose universities outside London specifically to lower living costs. The Home Office also sets a higher monthly living-cost figure for courses in London than outside it — currently £1,529 a month in London and £1,171 a month outside London, for up to 9 months (GOV.UK) — see the Financial requirements guide.

Accommodation, food and transport

Accommodation is usually the largest living cost — university halls, private student housing or shared flats. Food is cheaper if you cook rather than eat out. Transport is lower in compact cities where you can walk or cycle; in London a travel card is a recurring cost. Look for student discounts on transport, software and retail.

How should I plan my first-year budget?

Work out the full first-year tuition from the university’s course page, add a realistic monthly living cost for your city multiplied by your months in the UK, then add the one-off visa and health surcharge costs. Keep a contingency. Intandem builds this budget with you against your actual course and city rather than a generic figure.