There are a number of world-class universities in the UK such as Oxford University, Cambridge University, and the London School of Economics and Political Science. Students from all across the world fly to cities like London, Dublin, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. While these places have the world’s best universities, the costs of studying and living there might prove to be very expensive. You must, first of all, learn about all the facilities and fees of the university that you are applying to. This article will give you all the details regarding the same. Is it really affordable to study in the UK? This article will help you to answer this question.
Cost of Living
The cost of living in the UK can be estimated according to the city where you reside in.
| Kind of Expense | Cost in GBP and INR |
| Fees for Visa Application | 348 (INR 34,528) |
| Housing | 500 (INR 49,622) |
| Transportation | 40 (INR 3,970) |
| Housing | 500 (INR 49,638) |
| Food | 150-200 (INR 14,883 to INR 19,844) |
| Clothing and Leisure | 50 (INR 4,961) |
| Telephone and Mobile | 50 (inr 4,961) |
Important factors for Indian Students
There are some important factors that you should consider before applying to any university. These factors are tuition fees, accommodation, and travel costs. Let us have a deeper look at the same.
Tuition fees
This is the main contribution to the overall expense of studying in the UK. The fees for undergraduate courses can range from £8000 to £9000 (₹7,10,000 – ₹8,00,000) to as high as £30000 (₹27,00,000) . This depends on the university that you are choosing. Other factors such as course demand, reputation, and university location also count. Tuition fees for the postgraduate courses are costlier like MBA, engineering, and clinical degrees.
Tier 4 Visa Costs
The costs of Tier 4 Visa also adds up to the amount for the Indian students. The visa requires that the tuition fee for the first academic year must be paid in full or you must submit some evidence that you have enough funds to pay the fees for the first year. Also, you have to submit documents that prove that you have funds for the next nine months. If you are living in London you have to show that you can pay £1265 (₹1,20,000) and if you are living outside London the amount is £1015 (₹90,000) per month.
Cost of Studying in the UK
There are several things that a student needs apart from living in a hostel and expenditure on food which increases your costs. Here is a list of things that you will need to live in UK –
Accommodation
There are two types of accommodations –
- University Accommodation – Most of the universities provide on-campus accommodation for international students. This could be free or provided with additional fees. In general, they are cheap and apparently the best option.
- Private Accommodation – Sometimes, the students may wish to live in private residences. You will find decent places to live in £350 to £550 (₹31000 – ₹49000) per month. These charges depend from city to city, London being the most expensive city in the UK.
Travel
The cheapest way to travel in the UK is through subways. They have very affordable charges and student discounts are also available to make the costs even cheaper. Railways, intercity buses, and air services are available for traveling over long distances. The short distances can be easily covered by tubes, regional trains as well as buses. One can also hire a taxi for the same.
Utilities
Students need services like electricity, water, a gas which are the basic necessities for everyone. These would cost around £50 to £120 (₹4,500 – ₹11,000) .
Food
The cost of food depends on the individual. If you cook at home you will spend about £80 to £100 (₹7100 – ₹8900) per month and if you eat from outside or order food, you will spend about £250 (₹20,000) per month.
Social Activities
This again depends on the individual totally. Activities like recreation and fun may cost you between £50-£250 (₹4,500 – ₹23,000) per month.
Taxes and Insurances
While the academic sessions are going on, the students can work up to 20 hours a day , during vacations, they can work full time.
If the students get a job while pursuing the degree, they will have to pay the national insurance and income tax.
- National Insurance: You have to pay the National Insurance if you earn more than 166 pounds per week. (INR 16,458)
- Income Tax: You will have to pay income tax if you earn more than 1,042 pounds a week. (INR 1,03,300)
Scholarships for Indian Students
Here are some scholarships that you should keep in mind –
- Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan for one-year master’s courses as well as a doctoral degree of three to four years in the UK.
- Charles Wallace Scholarships by the British Council
- Euraxess UK by the British Council
- Chevening Scholarships offered by the UK government to international students planning to pursue master’s degree programs at the leading universities in the country.
- Castlesmart Scholarships for undergraduate students from all nationalities
- Saltire Scholarships
- Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme at UK Universities
- UK University Scholarships offered by the University of Cambridge, University College London, King’s College London, Imperial College London, University of Oxford, etc.
- Erasmus Mundus by the European Union for those selected for the European master’s degree by EU.
Tips to manage the cost of Studying in the UK
Given below are some tips that may prove to be useful
- Prefer using public transport.
- You may rent vehicles like two-wheelers rather than buying them.
- Take up a part-time job.
- Plan your weekly expenses.
