Understanding your budget as a student will not only help you save money – it’ll help you have the best experience during your time in the UK. Follow this guide to discover the different types of costs you’ll experience as an international student, as well as top tips for making your money go further.
Any applicant for student immigration permission in the UK will need to pay an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) before they arrive in the UK. This allows you to receive hospital treatment while you’re here, should you need it.
You’ll need to pay £776 per year (rounded to the nearest 6 months) of the ‘student immigration permission’ you’ve been granted. This’ll normally be longer than the duration of your university course. For example, a three-year undergraduate degree will have an IHS cost of £2,716 (3.5 years).
As part of your student visa, you may need to show that you have enough money to cover the cost of your university course and support yourself while living in the UK.
If you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for 12 months or more before applying for your student visa, or are applying to a recognised postgraduate medical or dental foundation programme, you don’t need to provide evidence of your finances.
If you’re from a country listed under the differential evidence requirement list, you also aren’t required to provide evidence of your finances. However, it’s recommended that you prepare financial records anyway, as you may be asked for them during your university application.
The amount of money you need to show will differ depending on your personal circumstances, the course you’re applying for, and where you’ll be living. The minimum amounts set by government may also change from year to year. You’ll need to show evidence of enough money to pay for the course you’ve been accepted for, as well as funds to support yourself while studying. Funds to support yourself are calculated based on how many months you’ll be studying. You’ll need 9 months’ worth of money to support yourself per academic year.
This amount of money must be in your bank account for at least 28 days, with that period of 28 consecutive days ending no earlier than 31 days before your visa application date. Make sure to maintain the balance above the minimum amount during this time. You may also be asked for evidence of where the funds came from, particularly if they arrive in your account in a lump sum.
If you’re receiving sponsorship or a student loan, you must provide evidence of this from the funding body or organisation.
The cost of moving to the UK will depend on how many of your belongings you want to bring with you. Some international students bring nothing but their plane luggage and will purchase anything they need when they arrive. Other students may decide to bring additional items with them via a courier.
International removals companies and freight couriers can help you safely transport any belongings you can’t carry. They usually charge per box of a certain weight.
International students share their experience of living in the UK on a student budget.
Find out how they coped, and their advice to help you manage your student budget effectively. Including top tips on food shopping and travel.
You’ll have access to a huge diversity of food and cuisines while living in the UK, and the price range is just as wide.
Food shopping
Supermarkets are where people do most of their food shopping. They include everything from staple goods to international items, fresh produce, meat and fish. Aldi and Lidl are popular budget supermarkets. Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons are mid-range, while Waitrose and Marks & Spencer are higher end supermarkets. Most of these will also offer delivery services, so you don't need to worry about carrying heavy bags on public transport.
There are also international markets and stores (sometimes called ‘cash and carry’), which offer a fuller range of items from certain countries. You’ll be able to find many of the items you enjoy from home here.
Smaller shops – whether it’s a ‘local’ version of a supermarket or an ‘off licence’ (sometimes called a ‘corner shop’) – are conveniently located but will usually have higher prices. Many cities and towns will have weekly markets, so you can find fresh produce a lot cheaper.
Eating out
There are plenty of options for getting food while out and about. They range from fast, budget food to world-leading gourmet dining. Student areas usually have plenty of options and often include international restaurants so students can enjoy a taste of home.
Eating out is almost always more expensive than making your own food at home and can cost you significantly more.
Where you live will probably be one of your largest expenses as a student.
Most international students choose to live in dedicated student accommodation, offered directly through the university or a private company. This option combines all the additional costs, like bills, into a single monthly fee so it’s easy to manage.
You might decide to rent a room independently, or an entire property with friends. Students often do this if they want to live in a certain area or manage everything themselves. In addition to rent, you’ll need to pay for power and heating, water, internet, and council tax.
The amount you pay for your accommodation will depend on which UK city you’re living in and the quality of the option you choose.
Most universities have dedicated accommodation teams who can help you find your ideal place to live and help you with the process.
When you first arrive in the UK and settle into your accommodation, you’ll usually need to purchase some everyday items. This includes everything from kitchen equipment to cleaning products, bedding or even furniture, so it’s important to account for these costs in your budget.
There’s a range of supermarkets, chain stores and independent shops where you can buy all these items, and prices will be roughly the same anywhere in the UK.
If you're in university accommodation you might be offered a ‘starter pack’ with some basic items so you don’t need to rush to grab these when you’re fresh off the plane. It'll be left in your room for when you arrive.
The cost of travel can be very different depending on where you are in the country.
Travelling around your student city each day can be possible on foot or by bike, but most students will use public transport at some point. You can pay for each journey as you make it, or get daily, weekly, monthly or seasonal passes.
Almost every travel option offers discounts and offers for students, if you have the correct type of pass or a valid student ID with you. So, make sure to check, and always carry the relevant passes and cards!
Travel can be expensive, especially if you’re going long distances. Planning ahead and looking out for deals can help you keep these costs to a minimum.
Check out our guide to travelling in the UK for more detail.
While it’s not an essential cost, spending money on going out, socialising, and experiencing the UK is an important part of your student experience.
While it’s a worthwhile use of your money, you should monitor how much you spend on these activities – it can add up quickly, particularly in larger cities.
There’s no end to the number of cultural, entertainment, dining, socialising and tourist experiences to discover. However, there are also plenty of ways to save money with vouchers, deals and student offers, helping you do it for less.
You can check with your students’ union for student discounts and deals, as well as with venues or tourism offices in each city.
We highly recommend opening a UK bank account as an international student. It’ll help you manage your money easily, while avoiding unnecessary international transfers, payments, or currency conversion fees.
Here’s a few tips for choosing the right bank account:
Reducing your costs as a student in the UK allows you to save more of your money or use it to get even more out of your time here.
Many of the costs we’ve covered above can be shared between multiple people. The largest example of this is living with other people compared to living alone. By living together, you can split the cost of rent and bills.
You could go a step further and share the costs of food, household goods and equipment, and furniture, saving you even more each week.
Whatever you’re spending money on, there’s almost always a mix of cheaper and more expensive options. It pays to check out the different options before committing to spending your money.
You can compare the prices of things online, visit different shops, or ask other people for recommendations. In some cases, buying in bulk or subscribing to something could save you money or spread the costs.
Students in the UK enjoy a huge range of discounted prices and special offers, on everything from food to activities, clothes and travel.
One of the best ways to discover and access all these offers is through the International Student Identity Card (ISIC). This is the only student identity card that’s accepted internationally, connecting you to thousands of discounts around the world.
There are also UK-specific student discount hubs – these might offer their own card as well as online accounts. You can find further offers through your students’ union, including deals that are only for students in your city or university.
You can also read about five ways to save money at university, or discover what financial support you can get.