⇑Universities

Since Brexit, the United Kingdom is part of neither the EU nor the European Economic Area and has no profile on the Study in Europe portal. For students this means one thing: unless you are an Irish citizen or have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you are an international student – and that now includes EU citizens.

Degrees are offered by universities and colleges. The country is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and each of them partly has its own rules on student funding – which is why fees for local students differ from region to region.

The best-known institutions are the research universities of the Russell Group – it has 24 members, including Oxford and Cambridge. For almost all universities you apply for undergraduate programmes through one system – UCAS (see: Admission).

Universities in the United Kingdom – profiles
British universities
Colleges in the United Kingdom

⇑Study system

Programmes fall into these main levels:

• undergraduate – first-cycle programmes, usually ending with a Bachelor's degree (BA, BSc); you apply through UCAS,
• postgraduate taught – master's programmes (e.g. MA, MSc); many take only one year – the Chevening scholarship, for example, funds these one-year programmes,
• postgraduate research – research degrees, above all the doctorate (PhD).

The academic year usually starts in September. For master's and doctoral programmes you apply directly to the university, not through UCAS.

United Kingdom – bachelor's programmes
United Kingdom – integrated (single-cycle) programmes
United Kingdom – master's programmes
United Kingdom – doctoral programmes

⇑Admission

For undergraduate programmes you apply through UCAS (ucas.com). In one application you choose up to five courses – at the same university or at different ones. For medicine, dentistry and veterinary science you can choose no more than four. An application in the 2027 cycle costs £34.50.

Deadlines for the academic year 2027/28:

• 15 October 2026, 18:00 (UK time) – Oxford, Cambridge and most courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science,
• 13 January 2027, 18:00 – the "equal consideration" deadline for most other courses; universities consider all applications received by this date on equal terms,
• 30 June 2027 – the last day on which UCAS passes applications on to universities; after that you go into Clearing, which starts on 2 July.

With your application you send a personal statement – since the 2026 cycle it consists of answers to three questions (why this course, how your education has prepared you, what you have done outside school), up to 4,000 characters in total including spaces, with at least 350 for each question. You also need a reference from someone outside your family, such as a teacher. Enter the subjects and results of your school leaving exams precisely – without them the university may not be able to make a decision.

Apply early if you need a visa – and almost every international student does. Once you have accepted an offer and met its conditions, the university issues a CAS, which you need to apply for your Student visa (see: Residence and formalities).

⇑Entrance exams

There is no single entrance exam – the university assesses your school results, personal statement and reference. For some courses, however, there are extra tests:

• UCAT – a test used by a consortium of universities for admission to medicine and dentistry; registration for UCAT 2026 closed on 16 September 2026, check the deadline for the next cycle on ucat.ac.uk,
• LNAT – an aptitude test for law required by some universities (lnat.ac.uk),
• universities' own tests and interviews – especially at Oxford and Cambridge.

For art and design courses you usually send a portfolio or attend an audition.

⇑Language

Programmes are taught in English. For a Student visa at degree level or above you need English at least at level B2. You prove it with a test from the government's list of Secure English Language Tests (SELT), or the university can assess it itself – with its own test, still at B2. Nationals of majority English-speaking countries, such as Ireland, Malta, the USA, Canada or Australia, don't have to prove their English for the visa.

For admission, universities often set higher requirements than the immigration authorities and give a minimum score for each course – e.g. in IELTS. Before you book a test, check that this version of the exam can also be used for your visa application.

⇑Residence and formalities

Since Brexit, EU/EEA and Swiss citizens need a visa to study in the UK, just like everyone else. The exceptions are Irish citizens, who can live and study in the UK freely under the Common Travel Area, and people with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme. You enter the UK with a passport. An EU ID card is only enough for people with EU Settlement Scheme status – a biometric card indefinitely, an older one until changes are announced.

Everyone else – whether from the EU or from any other country – needs a Student visa:

• first you get a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from your university,
• from outside the UK you can apply 6 months before your course starts at the earliest,
• application fee: £558 (since 8 April 2026),
• Immigration Health Surcharge: £776 for each year – it gives you access to the National Health Service (NHS),
• money to support yourself: £1,529 a month in London or £1,171 a month outside London, for up to 9 months, plus any unpaid part of your tuition fee; the money must be in your account for at least 28 days in a row, ending no more than 31 days before you apply,
• English at level B2 (see: Language).

If you have settled or pre-settled status, or are an Irish citizen, you don't need a visa.

⇑Tuition fees

Tuition fees for international students are set by each university and depend on the course. An example: at UCL in London, Economics and Statistics BSc costs an international student £44,400 a year (for students starting in 2027/28). UCL guarantees international students that the fee will not rise during their programme. Other universities, such as Manchester, reserve the right to raise it by up to 7% a year.

Students with home fee status pay no more than £9,790 a year in England (2026/27) at universities with a TEF rating and an Access and Participation plan; for 2027/28 the limit is £10,050. You may qualify, for example, if you have settled status, live in England and have lived in the UK for 3 years before your course starts – then you can also get a Tuition Fee Loan. Irish citizens who have lived in the UK or Ireland for 3 years can also qualify. Check your status with the calculator on gov.uk or with the university's admissions team.

Universities set fees for master's programmes themselves, separately for home and international students.

⇑Accommodation and living costs

The UK is expensive, and London is the most expensive of all. The amounts you have to show for your visa are a good guide: £1,529 a month in London and £1,171 outside London. This is the minimum required by the authorities, not a guarantee that it will be enough.

According to UCL, travelling in London in zones 1–2 alone costs £119.90 a month on average. On top of that there is the Immigration Health Surcharge – £776 a year, paid upfront with your visa application.

Most universities have their own halls of residence and help students find a room, especially in the first year. Check the rules and prices on your chosen university's website – bookings usually open once you have accepted an offer.

⇑Scholarships

There are few scholarships for a full undergraduate degree for international students. You have several options:

• university scholarships – you will find an overview in the UCAS scholarship search and on universities' websites,
• Chevening – the UK government's scholarship for one-year master's programmes, open to citizens of Chevening-eligible countries; applications for 2027/28 close on 6 October 2026 at 11:00 (UTC),
• Student Finance loans – for tuition and living costs, but only for students with home fee status (e.g. settled status and 3 years' residence in the UK).

⇑Working while studying

With a Student visa at degree level or above, you can work up to 20 hours a week during term time and full-time during vacations. You cannot be self-employed or work, for example, as a professional sportsperson or sports coach. People with settled or pre-settled status and Irish citizens can work without restrictions.

After your studies you can switch to a Graduate visa – it lasts 2 years if you apply by 31 December 2026 and 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027 (3 years after a doctorate). The application fee is £937, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge (usually £1,035 a year).

United Kingdom – why work there?
How to find a job abroad?

⇑Useful links

• Student visa – GOV.UK – official information on the Student visa: requirements, costs, application,
• Immigration Health Surcharge – the healthcare surcharge paid with your visa,
• Graduate visa – GOV.UK – staying in the UK to work after your studies,
• UCAS – undergraduate admissions, course and scholarship search,
• UKCISA – advice for international students, including on fee status,
• EU Settlement Scheme – information on settled and pre-settled status,
• Chevening – UK government scholarships for master's programmes,
• ENIC-NARIC – recognition of qualifications in Europe,
• Eurodesk – free information on studying, traineeships and volunteering in Europe.