How much does it cost to study in the UK?

There are two levels of tuition fees at publicly funded UK universities: home student fees (including EU students) and international student fees. For home students, institutions in England can charge up to a maximum of £9,250 (~US$13,050) per year for undergraduate degree programmes. In Wales, the maximum fee is £9,000 (~US$12,700), while in Northern Ireland the limit is £4,160 (~US$5,900) for EU and Northern Irish students, and up to £9,250 for students from the rest of the UK.

In Scotland, an undergraduate degree is effectively free for students from Scotland and the EU. This is thanks to a subsidy from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS). The SAAS also offers a tuition fee loan of up to £5,500 (~US$7,770) for home postgraduate students.

It should be noted that the Scottish definition of “home” student differs slightly, in that it doesn’t include students from the rest of the UK – i.e. England, Wales or Northern Ireland. Students from the rest of the UK who want to undertake an undergraduate degree in Scotland will pay up to £9,250 a year.

Postgraduate tuition fees vary significantly, depending on the university and the subject. Home students may be able to receive some funding from one of the UK’s research councils, the university itself, or via a career sponsorship scheme.

For international students, undergraduate fees for 2021/22 started at around £11,400 (US$12,995) for lecture-based courses, going up to £67,892 (~US$77,390) or more for a top undergraduate medical degree. You can view the 10 most affordable universities for international undergraduates here.

At postgraduate level, international fees for classroom-based programmes in 2021/22 started at around £6,500 (~US$7,408) and went up to 51,360 (~US$58,547). For laboratory-based programmes, average annual fees vary from £7,500 (~US$8,550) to £54,500,200 (~US$62,126). You can view the most affordable UK universities for international postgraduates here.

Home (UK/EU) students are eligible for loans, grants and other forms of funding to cover their UK tuition fees, with differing amounts of funding depending on location. While student loans for home students tend to cover all tuition fees, the additional loan to cover the cost of living in the UK often falls short of the amount actually needed. In the 2022/23 academic year, the maximum living loan was UK£9,706 (~$11,058) for students outside London and up to £12,667 (~US$14,430) for those who study in London. In both cases, this is likely to be a few thousand pounds short of your annual living expenses.

Undergraduate home students at private UK universities (of which there are only three) can still apply for tuition fee loans for most courses, as well as maintenance loans and maintenance grants. However, the tuition fee loan might not cover the full amount.

A large range of scholarships to study in the UK are also offered by the government, individual universities, independent organisations and various charities. The Education UK website provides an overview of scholarships available from the British Council and other organisations. It is also worth checking to see what scholarships and support schemes are available from the government and other organisations in your own country.

Prominent UK scholarships for international students include:

• Chevening Scholarships – Government-funded UK scholarships open to outstanding students with leadership potential from around the world, to study at postgraduate level at accredited UK universities.
• Marshall Scholarships – Scholarships for high-achieving US students to study in the UK.
• Commonwealth Scholarships and fellowships – UK scholarships offered by member governments to citizens of other Commonwealth countries.

UK scholarships are more widely available at postgraduate level, with relatively few offered for undergraduate students. However, always check with your chosen university, as support is often available for exceptional undergraduate students.

For a longer list of prominent international scholarships to study in the UK, see this article. For advice on scholarship applications, download our guide on how to find scholarships to study abroad. 

The UK left the EU on 31 January 2020 on the basis of an agreement made between the UK and the EU known as the Withdrawal Agreement. 

Students from the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland pay the same fees as international students in the UK.

However, there are some exceptions to this, including:

• EU nationals who have settled status may still be eligible for ‘home fee status’ and pay the same as UK nationals.
• Irish nationals living in the UK or the Republic of Ireland are treated the same as UK students for fee and funding purposes, due to the UK-Ireland Common Travel Area agreement.
• UK nationals living in the EU, EEA and Switzerland may continue to be eligible for ‘home fee status’, subject to eligibility criteria.

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