Destination guide · checked Oct 2026

Study in the UK

Shorter degrees, a one-year taught master’s and the Graduate Route after you finish. What the Student visa involves as of October 2026, including changes on 30 November 2026 and 1 January 2027.

Explore programs in the UK →

Student visa£558 feePlus £776 a year healthcare surcharge
Bachelor’s3 years4 in Scotland
Taught master’sUsually 1 yearFull-time calendar year
Main intakeSeptember / OctoberA few courses start January to July
Work after studyGraduate Route2 years if you apply by 31 Dec 2026, then 18 months

What’s changing in 2026–27

Checked 31 October 2026. Rules are changing quickly: confirm with your university’s international office before you act.

  • Living-cost amounts rise on 30 November 2026 to £1,570 a month in London and £1,203 outside London (from £1,529 and £1,171). Applications made before 30 November use the current amounts; if you apply for September 2027, plan for the new ones.
  • The Graduate Route shortens. If you apply on or after 1 January 2027 you get 18 months instead of 2 years. PhD graduates still get 3 years.
  • Budget, 28 October 2026. The government says it will increase the Graduate visa to two years for graduates from “high compliance universities”. No rules, criteria or dates have been published yet.
  • Higher fees since 8 April 2026. The Student visa costs £558 and the Graduate visa £937.
  • Stricter checks on universities. Since 1 June 2026, universities that sponsor students need a visa refusal rate below 5%, enrolment of at least 95% and course completion of at least 85% to pass the Home Office’s annual compliance assessment.
Why study here

Shorter degrees and time to work after

Shorter degrees

A bachelor’s usually takes three years (four in Scotland) and a taught master’s about one year, which can mean less time and lower total living costs than longer programs elsewhere.

The Graduate Route

Stay and work, or look for work, after your degree without a job offer or sponsor: 2 years if you apply by 31 December 2026, then 18 months.

Work while you study

Up to 20 hours a week in term time at degree level with a university sponsor, and full time in vacations.

One system for undergraduates

Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Postgraduate applications go directly to each university.

Live from official data

Programs in the UK

UK universities that are licensed student sponsors, from official UK data. UK listings are broad subject areas (such as “Computing”), not individual course titles.

Explore all programs →Browse universities
Bachelor’s programsBrowse →Master’s programsBrowse →Doctorate programsBrowse →

Programs by subject

UK data uses broad subject groups, so some subjects, such as data science and economics, appear inside larger groups like Computing and Social sciences.

A few universities to start with

A sample from our directory, not a ranking. See every university in the UK.

Live numbers couldn’t load just now. You can still explore programs in the UK or browse universities.

Student visa

The Student visa, step by step

For degree-level study at a licensed student sponsor. Amounts and fees as of October 2026.

  1. Get your offer and CAS

    Your university must be a licensed student sponsor. Once your offer is unconditional it issues a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). You must apply within 6 months of the CAS being issued.

  2. Show your English

    At least CEFR level B2 for study at bachelor’s level or above. Your university can assess this itself. See our IELTS guide.

  3. Show the money

    Your course fees for the first year (up to 9 months), plus living costs for up to 9 months:

    • London: £1,529 a month (£1,570 for applications from 30 November 2026)
    • Outside London: £1,171 a month (£1,203 from 30 November 2026)

    You must have held the money for at least 28 days in a row, ending within 31 days of your application. India is not on the list of countries that can skip financial evidence, so include it with your application.

  4. Get a TB test

    Applicants from India need a tuberculosis test certificate from a clinic approved by the Home Office.

  5. Apply online and pay

    Apply up to 6 months before your course starts. The fee is £558, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge of £776 for each year of your visa. You’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks. Your visa is issued as an eVisa, which replaces physical documents.

  6. Travel

    You can arrive up to 1 month before a course that lasts more than 6 months, but not before the start date on your visa.

Bringing your familyOnly students on postgraduate research courses, such as a PhD, and government-sponsored students can bring a partner or children. Students on taught master’s programs can’t.
Work

Working during and after your degree

Your work conditions are set by your visa and depend on your course level and sponsor.

During term

20 hours a week

For degree-level study with a university sponsor. Below degree level the limit is 10 hours. You can work full time outside term (your university sets the term dates).

Work you can’t do

Self-employment or running a business, working as a professional sportsperson or sports coach, working as an entertainer, or filling a permanent full-time vacancy.

Graduate Route

2 years or 18 months

2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026; 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027; 3 years after a PhD. It is the application date that counts.

How the Graduate Route works

Apply from inside the UK before your Student visa expires, after your university tells the Home Office you’ve completed your course. You don’t need a job offer or sponsor. The fee is £937, and the healthcare surcharge is usually £1,035 a year.

Money

Proof of funds, fees and living costs

In pounds sterling, as of October 2026. The living-cost amounts are the visa minimums, not a full budget.

Living costs to show for the visa

£1,529 a month in London£1,171 a month elsewhere

For up to 9 months. Rising to £1,570 and £1,203 for applications from 30 November 2026. London means the City of London and the 32 London boroughs.

Tuition fees

Universities set their own fees for international students, and there is no official national average. Check the fee on each course page, and whether it changes in later years. Our UK master’s cost guide works through real examples.

Visa and healthcare

£558 + £776 a year

The Student visa fee plus the Immigration Health Surcharge, which gives you access to the NHS.

Intakes and timing

When to start, and key dates for 2027 entry

Most courses start in September or October. A few start between January and July: see our January intake guide.

13 Jan 2027, 18:00 UK

UCAS equal-consideration date for most undergraduate courses starting in 2027.

30 Jun 2027

Last date to apply through UCAS before applications go into Clearing. Many universities accept international applications later.

Postgraduate

Apply directly to each university. Deadlines vary, and popular courses can fill early, so apply as soon as you’re ready.

From your CAS

Apply for your visa up to 6 months before the course starts; arrive up to 1 month before.

The 15 October 2026 UCAS deadline for Oxford, Cambridge and most medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses for 2027 entry has passed.

Where to study

Cities with large universities

London has the highest living-cost requirement for the visa, so the city you choose changes how much money you must show. Many cities outside London have large universities.

LondonManchesterBirminghamLeedsGlasgowEdinburghNottinghamCoventrySheffieldBristol

Regions with the most program listings in our data

Find UK universities that fit you

The finder ranks UK universities by how well they match your grades, budget and subject. A counsellor can help with your CAS, funds and visa application.

Sources

Every rule, fee, amount and date on this page was checked against these official sources on 31 October 2026. Live program counts come from our database of official data; see credits and data sources. Rules change: confirm with official sources and your university before you apply.

  1. GOV.UK, Student visa (checked Oct 2026)
  2. GOV.UK, Student visa: apply (timings, fee, decision time) (checked Oct 2026)
  3. GOV.UK, Student visa: money you need (checked Oct 2026)
  4. GOV.UK, Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules HC 584 (3 September 2026): maintenance amounts from 30 November 2026 (checked Oct 2026)
  5. GOV.UK, Student visa: knowledge of English (checked Oct 2026)
  6. GOV.UK, Student visa: your partner and children (checked Oct 2026)
  7. GOV.UK, Pay for UK healthcare as part of your immigration application: how much you have to pay (checked Oct 2026)
  8. GOV.UK, eVisas (checked Oct 2026)
  9. GOV.UK, Countries where you need a TB test to enter the UK (checked Oct 2026)
  10. GOV.UK, Immigration Rules Appendix Student (work conditions, pre-sessional CAS, differential evidence list) (checked Oct 2026)
  11. GOV.UK, Graduate visa (checked Oct 2026)
  12. GOV.UK, Immigration Rules Appendix Graduate (checked Oct 2026)
  13. HM Treasury, Budget 2026 (28 October 2026), Access to talent (checked Oct 2026)
  14. GOV.UK, Home Office immigration and nationality fees (8 October 2026) (checked Oct 2026)
  15. GOV.UK, Student sponsor guidance Document 3: Student sponsor compliance (Basic Compliance Assessment) (checked Oct 2026)
  16. UKCISA, Graduate route (secondary source; no sponsorship needed) (checked Oct 2026)
  17. QAA, The Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding Bodies (2024) (checked Oct 2026)
  18. QAA, Master’s Degree Characteristics Statement (checked Oct 2026)
  19. UCAS, Choosing a course (sandwich years) (checked Oct 2026)
  20. UCAS, Dates and deadlines for 2027 entry (checked Oct 2026)