UK Visa Cost for Nepali Students: Full 2026 Breakdown
What a UK student visa actually costs for Nepali students: visa fee, healthcare surcharge, TB test and proof-of-funds explained with exact figures.
The direct answer
A UK student visa application costs £558. On top of that, you pay the Immigration Health Surcharge at £1,035 per year of the visa, and £65 for the TB test if your course is longer than 6 months. None of this includes tuition or the maintenance funds you must show in your bank account — those are separate requirements, not optional extras, and they are usually the larger number by far.
What the visa itself costs
| Cost item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Visa application fee | £558 | One-off, paid when you apply |
| Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) | £1,035 per year | Charged for each year the visa covers, paid upfront in one instalment, not monthly |
| TB test | £65 | Required for Nepali applicants on courses longer than 6 months, from a UKVI-approved clinic |
These three lines are the actual "visa cost." They are fixed and apply regardless of which university you choose. What changes a lot by university and city is the money you must separately prove you have — the maintenance requirement — and that is where most families underbudget.
Proof of funds: the number that actually gets checked
The Home Office sets a monthly maintenance figure, for a maximum of 9 months regardless of how long your course runs:
- £1,483 per month if your institution is in London
- £1,136 per month if it is outside London
Quoted together for the full 9 months, that is £13,347 for London and £10,224 outside London. This is in addition to the tuition fee shown on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) — it is not a total cost of study, it is the living-cost portion the Home Office wants to see sitting in an account.
The catch that causes refusals isn't the amount. It's the 28-day rule: the money must sit in the account for 28 consecutive days, and the end of that 28-day window must fall within 31 days of your visa application date. Students who top up the account the week before applying, or who apply too long after the 28-day window closes, get refused on a technicality that has nothing to do with whether they actually have the money. Check the dates on your bank statement against your planned application date before you submit anything.
One more catch: London and non-London is a Home Office definition tied to where your specific institution is registered, not how the city feels. Some campuses that sit in London's commuter belt are still classed as outside London for this purpose — confirm which side of the line your named campus falls on, because it's worth £347 a month either way.
Dependants: the cost most families ask about too late
If funds allow, families sometimes plan to bring a spouse or child. The published dependant maintenance figures are £845/month in London and £680/month outside London — but for a taught masters, MA or MBA starting on or after 1 January 2024, dependants are not permitted at all. The only postgraduate route that keeps dependant rights is a PhD, another doctorate, or a research-based higher degree — or government sponsorship on a course over 6 months. If your plan involves a one-year MSc and a spouse, have this conversation before you pay any deposit, not after.
Tuition sits alongside the visa cost — here's the range
The visa cost is the same whichever university you pick. Tuition is not. A sample of classroom-based fees from this list shows the spread:
| Institution | Fee shown | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Bradford | £15,700 | Master's, classroom-based |
| Ulster | £18,310 | Master's, standard taught |
| Huddersfield | £18,700 | Master's MA/MSc |
| Keele | £18,200 | Master's, Band 1 (business/MBA) |
| Gloucestershire | £20,190 | Master's, Band A |
| London Met | £20,000 | Master's, from |
| Bradford | £16,100/year | Bachelor's, classroom-based |
| Ulster | £17,490/year | Bachelor's |
| Huddersfield | £17,600/year | Bachelor's |
Source: University of Bradford, Ulster University, University of Huddersfield, Keele University, University of Gloucestershire, London Metropolitan University.
Quote the tuition and the maintenance figure side by side when you budget — do not add them into one number yourself, because the exchange rate, the course length, and whether a scholarship applies will all change the real total. Use the Master Reckoner to match a course, its published fee and the entry requirement in one place before you commit to an application.
Documents your visa application actually needs
- CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) — issued after the deposit, carries the fee and amount already paid
- Bank statements — covering the 28 consecutive days described above
- Academic transcripts and certificates — NEB/+2 or bachelor's records, officially translated if required
- English language evidence — IELTS/PTE/TOEFL, or an approved national qualification where the institution accepts one
- TB test certificate — from a UKVI-approved clinic, for courses over 6 months
- Valid passport — with enough remaining validity for the full course
- Sponsor documents, if the funds are not in the student's own name — relationship proof, consent letter, and the sponsor's bank statements
- ATAS certificate, if the course is a sensitive science or engineering subject at postgraduate level
Missing or mismatched sponsor paperwork is a common, avoidable refusal reason — check whose name is actually on the bank account before you submit.
Common questions
How much does a UK student visa cost in total?
The visa application itself is £558, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge at £1,035 per year of the visa, plus £65 for the TB test where it applies. Separately, you must also hold maintenance funds — £1,483/month in London or £1,136/month outside London, for up to 9 months — which is not a visa fee but a proof-of-funds requirement checked at the same stage.
What does the student actually need in the bank?
£1,483 per month for a London course or £1,136 per month outside London, for each month of the course up to 9 months — so £13,347 or £10,224. That is on top of the tuition fee shown on the CAS. The money must be held for 28 consecutive days, ending within 31 days of the application date.
Can a Nepali student bring their spouse on a one-year UK masters?
No. For postgraduate courses starting on or after 1 January 2024, dependants are permitted only on a PhD or other doctorate, or a research-based higher degree, or for a government-sponsored student on a course longer than 6 months. A taught MSc, MA or MBA does not qualify, so raise this before any deposit is paid.
Which university on this list keeps the total cost lowest?
Bradford, on both tuition and location — £16,100 for a classroom-based bachelor's and £15,700 for a classroom-based master's, in one of the lower-cost regions in this list. Ulster in Northern Ireland is the next strongest option on total cost. Compare courses and locations side by side on the UK hub before deciding, and check other guides for the fee and funds detail on each institution.