'Studying in the UK is fantastic value for money, offering you world-class teaching and the chance to learn English, develop career-relevant skills, live in a culturally diverse society, and make new friends and contacts.'
UK qualifications are highly regarded by employers and academics world-wide - they show that you have received a top-class education, you can adapt to a new culture and that you have been trained in the skills that employers are looking for. As a result, a UK education can help open the doors to the career you want.
The cost of studying in the UK compares well with the cost of studying in many other countries. You can see some evidence for this in this report: International Pricing Study: A snapshot of UK and key competitor country international student fees (UK HE International Unit, 2011).
International student course fees vary depending on what you are going to study in the UK and for how long. We’ve put together some information on the average cost for each type of UK course. Please note these are indicative costs only - you should check with institutions directly for their exact fees.
You may also be able to apply for a scholarship. You can find over 3000 UK scholarships in the 'Search' tool on the top right hand side of this website. You can also find out about other scholarship schemes here.
UK undergraduate course fees
It normally takes three years to complete an honours degree in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. In Scotland, an honours degree usually lasts four years.
For courses starting from September 2012, universities in England can charge up to £9,000 a year for 'home' students or students who are nationals of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland. To get the latest information on fees for EEA students studying in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, please click here. If you are from an EEA country or Switzerland and plan to study in Scotland, please click here.
If you come from a country outside the EEA, you will pay international fees. Exactly what you are charged depends on what and where you study. Typical course fees for international undergraduate students in the UK in 2011-12 range between £9,500 and £30,000 a year. Courses in particularly high demand tend to be slightly more expensive.
Your UK course fees don’t just cover lectures, seminars and practicals. You’ll also have access to:
- college libraries and data archives
- extensive research resources
- modern computer facilities
- science and practical laboratories
- workshops equipped with state-of-the-art equipment
- fantastic sports facilities
- personal tutors and experienced, professional support services
- leading thinkers, practitioners, academics and researchers
- music rooms, film and drama studios, animation suites and other creative facilities.
UK postgraduate course fees
Postgraduate fees for students who are eligable to pay 'home' fees start at about £3,500 a year. For other students fees start at about £10,000 and may reach more than £50,000 for programmes that are in high demand, such as MBAs or science courses involving extensive laboratory work.
It is a good idea to check in advance whether your courses has costs on top of tuition fees - for specialist equipment or research materials, for example. This may be the case for subjects such as medicine, law, finance and science.
English language course fees for international students
The fees you pay for an accredited English language course vary considerably. It depends on the type of course you study and the English language school you study at.
For a week’s English language course you could pay anything from under £200 to over £1,000. It depends on where the course is, what additional benefits it includes, and whether it is for general English or something more tailored. You can find fees for most English language courses in our course finder.
Independent boarding schools
Almost a third of pupils at UK independent schools receive some kind of financial assistance or scholarship. You can find out more on the Scholarships page.
Independent school fees in the UK cover your course fees and - if you are boarding - accommodation and food costs. You may also be asked to pay extra for English language tuition.
You should check exactly what is included with the school. Independent schools and the fees they charge can be found by using the Search tool, to the top-right of this website.
Further education
As with any UK course, the fees you pay for career-based and pre-university courses vary considerably. The figures below show the average course fees per year:
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AS and A-levels: £4,000 to £17,000
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BTECs and other vocational: £4,000 to £6,000
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HNC/HNDs: £5,000 to £10,000
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Foundation Degrees: £7,000 to £12,000
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International Foundation courses: £4,000 to £17,000.
