UK Student Visa Fees 2026: Complete Cost Breakdown in Indian Rupees (Updated July 2026)

Quick Answer: The UK student visa fee in 2026 is £558 (₹71,700), increased from £524 on 8 April 2026. On top of this, every student pays the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) of £776 per year (₹99,700) of visa granted, upfront and in full. For a typical one-year master's degree, the total visa-related payment at the time of application comes to £1,722 — approximately ₹2.21 lakh — before tuition and the living-cost funds you must show in your bank account.

If any website still shows the visa fee as £524, that information is outdated. This guide reflects the UKVI fee schedule effective 8 April 2026, the maintenance rules effective 11 November 2025, and rupee amounts at today's rate of £1 = ₹128.45. UKVI charges you in rupees using its own exchange rate on the day you pay, so treat these figures as your budgeting baseline and keep a 3–5% buffer.

UK Student Visa Fees 2026 at a Glance

Sources: GOV.UK — Visa fees and GOV.UK — Pay for UK healthcare as part of your immigration application.

Real Student Case Study: Tanvi Jain's Complete UK Visa Budget (London)

Numbers make more sense with a real file, so here is exactly how we planned the visa budget for Tanvi Jain, our student who joined MSc Artificial Intelligence for Business at The University of Law, London — June 2026 intake. Her visa is approved and she is now studying in London.

Tanvi's profile:

• Course: MSc Artificial Intelligence for Business, The University of Law (London campus → higher London maintenance rate applies)
• Course length: 12 months → visa granted for ~16 months
• Annual tuition: £17,000; deposit paid before CAS: £3,000 → outstanding fees on CAS: £14,000

Step 1 — What Tanvi paid at the time of application:

Step 2 — What Tanvi had to show (not pay) in the bank:

Because ULaw's campus is in London, Tanvi's maintenance requirement was ₹4.14 lakh higher than an identical course outside London — the same MSc at a Manchester or Leeds campus would have needed ₹13.54 lakh instead of ₹17.68 lakh. If you're choosing between campuses of the same university, this single factor changes your visa file by lakhs.

Step 3 — How we structured her 28-day fund plan for a June intake:

June intakes are tighter than September — Tanvi's CAS arrived in April, leaving less runway than autumn applicants get. Her family's money was split across two FDs and a savings account, so we liquidated the FDs into her father's account 62 days before the planned application date — not 28. The 28-day clock only starts once the full ₹35.66 lakh sits together, the statement must end within 31 days of applying, and one delayed FD credit can push your timeline past your course start date. She applied with a comfortable cushion, the visa was approved in 16 working days, and she never needed the priority service — saving ₹64,200. These maintenance thresholds rose in November 2025 — see our detailed update on UK PGWP and maintenance requirements for UK student visa (2025–2027).

How Much Does a UK Student Visa Cost in Total? (Both Course Types)

One-Year Master's Degree

A 12-month master's typically receives a visa of around 16 months (course plus wrap-up period). That means IHS for one full year plus a part-year of six months or less, charged at the half rate — exactly Tanvi's case.

• Visa fee £558 (₹71,700) + IHS £1,164 (₹1,49,500) + TB test ₹3,300
• Total at application: £1,722 ≈ ₹2.24 lakh

Three-Year Bachelor's Degree

A 3-year undergraduate course usually receives a visa of about 3 years 4 months.

• Visa fee £558 (₹71,700) + IHS £2,716 (₹3,48,900) + TB test ₹3,300
• Total at application: £3,274 ≈ ₹4.24 lakh

Notice that a bachelor's student pays more than double a master's student purely because of IHS — the visa fee itself is identical. This is why course duration, not the visa fee, is what really drives your upfront cost.

The IHS Fee for a UK Student Visa, Explained Properly

The Immigration Health Surcharge gives you NHS healthcare access on the same basis as a UK resident for your entire stay — GP visits, hospital treatment, emergency care, all without per-visit charges. Students pay a discounted rate of £776/year (₹99,700) versus the standard £1,035 that most other visa routes pay. This student rate was left unchanged in the April 2026 fee schedule.

The calculation formula:

• Each full year of visa: £776
• Extra part-year of 6 months or less: £388 (half rate)
• Extra part-year of more than 6 months: £776 (full rate)

So Tanvi's 16-month visa = £776 + £388 = £1,164. A 30-month visa would be £776 + £776 + £388 = £1,940 (₹2,49,200). The online system calculates this automatically, but verify it — knowing the formula months in advance is the difference between a planned budget and a payment-screen shock.

What IHS does not cover: NHS prescriptions (charged per item), dental treatment, and optical care still cost extra. And it is non-refundable once your visa is granted, even if you never see a doctor in the UK.

Funds You Must Show (Not Pay): Maintenance Requirement 2026

Beyond fees, UKVI requires proof you can support yourself. These thresholds increased on 11 November 2025 and apply to all 2026 applications:

Add any unpaid first-year tuition from your CAS to get your personal total — exactly as we calculated ₹35.66 lakh for Tanvi above.

The rules that decide approvals:

• Funds sit in your account or a parent's account (with birth certificate/relationship proof + a signed consent letter)
• 28 consecutive days at or above the total, statement ending within 31 days of application
• Education loan sanction letters from approved lenders count fully — the money doesn't need to be disbursed
• Fixed deposits must be liquidated; a live FD receipt is not acceptable evidence
• "London vs outside London" depends on your campus location, not the university brand — many universities (including The University of Law) have both London and non-London campuses with a ₹4+ lakh difference in required funds

Avoiding documentation errors is half the battle — our counsellors have compiled 10 expert tips from a trusted visa consultant that cover the mistakes that trigger most refusals.

Bringing a Spouse or Child? Dependant Costs 2026

Only postgraduate research students (PhD and some research master's) can bring dependants on the student route. Each dependant pays their own £558 visa fee and IHS at £776/year, plus you must show additional maintenance per dependant: £845/month (₹1,08,500) in London or £680/month (₹87,300) outside London, capped at 9 months. For one dependant in London, that's £7,605 (₹9.77 lakh) extra in the bank.

Why Your Rupee Amount May Differ on Payment Day

UKVI converts fees to rupees using its own exchange rate, refreshed periodically — not the live interbank rate you see on Google. Two students applying three weeks apart can pay slightly different rupee amounts for identical visas. Today's calculations use ₹128.45/£; when the rupee weakens, your cost rises with it. Budget with a 3–5% buffer, and note that international debit/credit cards may add their own foreign-transaction markup of 1.5–3.5%.

4 Legitimate Ways to Reduce Your Total

1. Skip priority service unless genuinely late. Standard processing from India runs around 3 weeks; Tanvi's June-intake file was approved in 16 working days without it. The ₹64,200 priority fee only makes sense when your course start date is at real risk.
2. Get your CAS dates right. IHS is calculated on visa length. Incorrect course dates on your CAS can add months of surcharge you didn't need to pay.
3. Deduct what you've already paid. Tuition deposits and university accommodation payments reduce the funds you must show — students who miss this over-block family money for months.
4. Know the refund rules. If your visa is refused, the IHS refunds automatically and in full; the £558 visa fee does not. Factor this asymmetry into any reapplication budget.

Timeline: What Happens After You Pay

1. Day 0: Complete online application; pay visa fee + full IHS in one transaction
2. Within ~2 weeks: Biometrics appointment at your nearest VFS Global centre
3. ~3 weeks from biometrics: Standard decision (Tanvi's: 16 working days; priority: ~5 working days)
4. Decision: Passport returned with entry vignette; collect BRP/eVisa after arriving in the UK

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the UK student visa fee in 2026?

The UK student visa application fee is £558 — approximately ₹71,700 at ₹128.45 per pound — for all applications made on or after 8 April 2026, whether from India or inside the UK. The previous fee was £524.

What is the total UK student visa cost including IHS in rupees?

For a one-year master's, the total upfront payment is £1,722 (≈ ₹2.24 lakh): the £558 visa fee plus £1,164 IHS. For a three-year bachelor's, it's £3,274 (≈ ₹4.24 lakh) because the IHS covers more years.

What is the IHS fee for a UK student visa?

The Immigration Health Surcharge for students is £776 (₹99,700) per year of visa granted; a part-year of six months or less is charged at £388. It is paid upfront in full with the visa fee and covers NHS access for your entire stay.

How much bank balance is required for a UK student visa from India?

You must show £13,761 (₹17.68 lakh) for London courses or £10,539 (₹13.54 lakh) for courses outside London, plus unpaid first-year tuition per your CAS. In practice, most Indian students demonstrate ₹25–36 lakh in total — our student Tanvi's London file showed ₹35.66 lakh, as broken down above.

Is the visa fee refunded if my UK student visa is refused?

No — the £558 application fee is non-refundable on refusal. The IHS, however, refunds automatically and in full when an application is unsuccessful.

Can I pay UK student visa fees in instalments?

No. The visa fee and the entire IHS amount are charged together in a single upfront payment when you submit your online application.

Do UK student visa fees change every year?

They change often, though not on a fixed schedule. The visa fee rose in April 2026 and maintenance thresholds rose in November 2025. Verify current amounts on GOV.UK or with a counsellor before locking your budget.

Get Your Personalised, Rupee-Accurate Cost Sheet — Free

Tanvi's numbers won't be your numbers. Your total depends on your course length, campus city, CAS deductions, exchange rate on payment day, and whether dependants join you. Our UK counsellors build a personalised cost sheet and audit your 28-day fund plan free of charge — so your file is refusal-proof before it ever reaches UKVI, exactly as we did for Tanvi's June 2026 intake. Wondering if the UK is even your best-fit destination? Read our guide on how to choose the right country to study abroad.

Book Your Free UK Visa Consultation →