UK Student Visa for Indian Students: Fees, Requirements and Process (2026)
UK student visa 2026 for Indians: £558 fee, £776/year health surcharge, £1,529 or £1,171 a month funds, 28-day rule, TB test, dependants and 3-week processing.
Get a UK student visa action plan before you apply.
Share your phone or email and receive a UK student visa shortlist with document risks, budget checks, and counselor follow-up tracked from this SEO page.
UK student visa plan
Free checklist for Indian students
The UK Student visa costs £558 (about ₹71,000) from India, plus the Immigration Health Surcharge of £776 a year (about ₹98,600). You must hold your first-year tuition plus living funds of £1,529 a month in London or £1,171 a month elsewhere for up to 9 months, in your account for 28 consecutive days, and most decisions arrive within 3 weeks.
What is the UK Student visa and who needs it?
The Student visa (the route that replaced Tier 4 in 2020) is the permission every Indian citizen needs to study a course longer than 6 months at a licensed UK sponsor: a university, college or independent school. It is a points-based visa, and the points are simple: an unconditional offer confirmed by a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), enough money for fees and living costs, and English at the required level. You must be 16 or over; students aged 4 to 17 at independent schools use the separate Child Student visa.
For Indian applicants the practical sequence is: accept the offer and pay the deposit, receive the CAS, book a TB test, apply online, pay the fee and health surcharge, give biometrics at a VFS visa application centre, and wait about 3 weeks. Your permission is issued as an eVisa, a digital record held in a UKVI account, and you show it to airlines, employers and landlords through a share code rather than a card.
How long the visa lasts depends on the course: you get the course length plus a short wrap-up period after it ends, which is why a one-year master's typically produces about 16 months of leave and time to move to the Graduate visa. The exact period is set out in the Home Office Student route guidance. Adults can spend up to 5 years in total on Student visas at degree level and up to 2 years below degree level.
How much does a UK student visa cost from India in 2026?
The visa fee is only part of the bill. The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is paid for the whole visa length at the time of application, and India is on the tuberculosis-test list, so budget for the clinic too. Here is the full upfront cost for a typical one-year master's and a three-year bachelor's.
| Item | Amount (GBP) | Approx. INR | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student visa application fee | £558 | ₹71,000 | Same from outside or inside the UK; per person |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | £776 per year | ₹98,600 per year | Full year charged for a part-year over 6 months; no surcharge on a visa of 6 months or less applied for from outside the UK |
| IHS — one-year master's (≈16 months of leave) | £1,164 | ₹1.48 lakh | 1 year + a half-year charge; the online calculator gives the exact figure |
| IHS — three-year bachelor's (≈3 years 4 months) | £2,716 | ₹3.45 lakh | 3 full years + half-year charge |
| TB test at an approved clinic in India | Clinic sets the fee | Check clinic | Certificate valid 6 months from the x-ray date |
| Priority service (optional) | £500 | ₹63,500 | Decision usually within 5 working days |
| Super priority service (optional) | £1,000 | ₹1.27 lakh | Decision usually by the end of the next working day |
| Dependant visa (where allowed) | £558 + IHS £776/year | ₹71,000 + ₹98,600/year | Per partner or child |
Source: GOV.UK Student visa and Immigration Health Surcharge pages, read 26 Sep 2026. £1 = ₹127 (Wise mid-market, 26 Sep 2026). The IHS part-year figures follow the published rule; confirm your exact total in the IHS calculator when you apply.
How much money do you need to show for a UK student visa?
You must prove you can pay the first academic year of tuition (the balance shown on your CAS after any deposit already paid to the university) plus living costs for up to 9 months. The living-cost amount depends only on where your course is taught, not on where you plan to live.
| Requirement | Studying in London | Studying outside London |
|---|---|---|
| Living costs per month | £1,529 (≈ ₹1.94 lakh) | £1,171 (≈ ₹1.49 lakh) |
| Living costs for 9 months (maximum required) | £13,761 (≈ ₹17.5 lakh) | £10,539 (≈ ₹13.4 lakh) |
| Plus first-year tuition outstanding on CAS | Course fee minus deposit paid | Course fee minus deposit paid |
| Example: £22,000 master's, £2,000 deposit paid | £33,761 (≈ ₹42.9 lakh) | £30,539 (≈ ₹38.8 lakh) |
| Example: £16,000 master's, £3,000 deposit paid | £26,761 (≈ ₹34.0 lakh) | £23,539 (≈ ₹29.9 lakh) |
| Each dependant (where allowed), per month | £845 (≈ ₹1.07 lakh) | £680 (≈ ₹86,400) |
| Holding period | 28 consecutive days, ending within 31 days of applying | Same |
Source: GOV.UK Student visa — money you need, and family members pages, read 26 Sep 2026. Tuition figures in the examples are illustrative; use the exact fee on your CAS. £1 = ₹127.
Which bank documents does UKVI accept from Indian applicants?
The 28-day rule is where most Indian refusals happen. The balance must not dip below the required total on any single day of the 28-day window, and the closing date of the statement must be within 31 days of the date you submit the online application.
- Savings or current account statements in your own name, or a parent's or legal guardian's name with a birth certificate and a signed letter of consent to use the funds. Joint accounts with a parent are accepted.
- Fixed deposits are accepted if the money can be withdrawn on demand; UKVI wants to see funds that are available immediately, so a bank letter confirming the FD is liquid helps.
- An education loan letter counts as funds if it is dated no more than 6 months before your application, shows the loan amount, is in your name, and the loan comes from a government, a government-sponsored loan company or an academic or educational loans scheme, with no release conditions other than a successful visa application. Loan letters do not need the 28-day history.
- Not accepted: shares, mutual funds, bonds, property valuations, cryptocurrency, overdrafts and cash-in-hand. Money in PPF, NPS or other locked-in schemes is also not counted.
- Nationals of the countries on the "differential evidence" list do not have to submit financial documents with the application; India is not on that list, so Indian applicants must upload proof. UKVI can still ask any applicant for evidence.
- If you have been in the UK on a visa for 12 months or more when you apply (for example a bachelor's student switching to a master's), you are exempt from showing money.
- Remittance: parents send fees under the RBI Liberalised Remittance Scheme; TCS may apply above a threshold and differs for loan-funded transfers, so check the current rules with your bank before wiring the deposit.
How to apply for a UK student visa from India: step by step
You can apply up to 6 months before your course starts. Most Indian students for the September intake apply in June or July; January-intake students apply in October or November.
Accept the unconditional offer and pay the deposit
Universities issue a CAS only after the offer is unconditional, the deposit is paid and, for many Indian applicants, a pre-CAS credibility interview or financial check is passed. Meet any condition (final marksheets, IELTS or MOI approval) early.
Receive your CAS number
The CAS is a 14-character reference, not a document. The CAS statement lists your course, fee, deposit paid and the English evidence the university relied on. Check every field; an error here is your problem at the visa stage. A CAS has a limited validity period, so apply before it expires and ask the university to reissue it if your plans slip.
Get an ATAS certificate if your course needs one
Indian nationals need ATAS for postgraduate courses in listed science, engineering and technology subjects (identified by CAH3 codes on your offer). It is free, takes at least 30 working days and longer from April to August, and is valid for 6 months for the visa application. Apply the day you receive your offer letter.
Book and take the TB test
India is on the TB-test list for stays of 6 months or more. Use only a Home Office-approved clinic (listed on GOV.UK by city). The certificate is valid for 6 months from the x-ray date, so do not test more than 5 months before you intend to fly.
Assemble the money evidence
Hold tuition balance plus 9 months of living costs for 28 consecutive days, then download statements dated within 31 days of applying. If funds are in a parent's account, add the birth certificate and a consent letter.
Complete the online application on GOV.UK
Fill in the form, upload documents, pay the £558 fee and the IHS for the whole visa length. You will create a UKVI account at this stage; your eVisa will appear there once granted.
Give biometrics at a visa application centre
Book a VFS Global appointment in an Indian city (there are centres in most metros). Bring your passport and appointment confirmation. Your passport is usually kept until the decision unless you buy the passport-passback service.
Wait for the decision
The published standard is 3 weeks from biometrics. Priority (£500) targets 5 working days and super priority (£1,000) the next working day, when available. You may be called for a credibility interview by video; answer honestly about course choice, funding and post-study plans.
Check your eVisa and travel
Once granted, sign in to your UKVI account, confirm the dates and conditions, and link your passport. You can enter the UK up to 1 month before the course start date for courses over 6 months. Carry your CAS statement and financial evidence in hand luggage.
UK student visa requirements for Indian students: the document checklist
- Valid passport or other valid travel documentation; keep old passports if they show travel or refusals.
- CAS reference number from a licensed Student sponsor, still within its validity period on the day you apply.
- Proof of funds meeting the 28-day rule, in your or a parent's name, with consent letter and relationship proof if applicable.
- English evidence: either a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as IELTS for UKVI at CEFR B2 for degree level, or the university's own assessment recorded on the CAS. Below degree level the requirement is B1, proved with a SELT unless you hold other accepted proof such as a UK school qualification, a UK degree or a degree taught in English.
- TB test certificate from an approved clinic in India, dated within 6 months.
- ATAS certificate where the course requires it.
- Academic documents listed on the CAS (marksheets, degree certificate, provisional certificate). If the CAS lists them, they are mandatory.
- Written consent from a financial sponsor if a government or international scholarship has paid your fees or living costs in the last 12 months.
- Certified English translations of any document not in English.
- For applicants aged 16 or 17: written parental consent and a birth certificate showing the parents' names.
Can you bring dependants on a UK student visa?
For courses starting on or after 1 January 2024, only two groups of Student visa holders can sponsor a partner or child: full-time students on a PhD, other doctorate or research-based higher degree lasting 9 months or more, and government-sponsored students on courses longer than 6 months. A taught master's (MSc, MA, MBA) no longer qualifies, whatever its length or university. This is the single most common misunderstanding among Indian couples planning to move together.
Where dependants are allowed, each one pays the £558 visa fee and the £776-a-year IHS, and you must show extra maintenance of £845 a month in London or £680 a month outside London for up to 9 months, on top of your own funds. A dependant partner can work in most jobs in the UK. If your partner does not qualify as a dependant, the realistic alternatives are a separate Student visa of their own or, later, a dependant application once you switch to the Graduate visa or a Skilled Worker visa.
What can you do on a UK student visa, and what is not allowed?
Degree-level students can work up to 20 hours a week during term time and full time in official vacations, before the course starts and after it ends while the visa is valid. A week runs Monday to Sunday and the 20 hours cannot be averaged across weeks. Below degree level the limit is 10 hours. You cannot be self-employed, run a business, take a permanent full-time job, or work as a professional sportsperson, coach or entertainer, and you cannot claim public funds. Breaking the hours limit is a criminal matter and grounds for cancelling the visa; universities report attendance and the Home Office cross-checks tax records.
You can switch to the Graduate visa after completing your course, or to a Skilled Worker visa if an employer sponsors you, without leaving the UK. You can also extend your Student visa for a further course, as long as it shows academic progression. National Insurance, a UK bank account and NHS registration all follow from the eVisa and your CAS details.
Why UK student visas from India get refused
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK student visa fee for Indian students in 2026?
The Student visa application fee is £558 (about ₹71,000) whether you apply from India or from inside the UK. On top you pay the Immigration Health Surcharge of £776 per year of visa, so a one-year master's typically costs about £1,164 in IHS and a three-year bachelor's about £2,716.
How much bank balance is required for a UK student visa?
Your first-year tuition balance plus £1,529 a month for London or £1,171 a month outside London, for up to 9 months. That is £13,761 or £10,539 in living costs alone, about ₹17.5 lakh or ₹13.4 lakh, held for 28 consecutive days in your or a parent's account.
Is IELTS mandatory for a UK student visa?
No. For degree-level courses the university can assess your English itself, for example through a medium-of-instruction waiver or its own test, and record that on your CAS. UKVI accepts that assessment as long as it is equivalent to CEFR B2. Below degree level you need B1, proved with a Secure English Language Test unless you hold other accepted proof such as a UK school qualification, a UK degree or a degree taught in English.
How long does a UK student visa take from India?
The published standard is a decision within 3 weeks of your biometrics appointment. Priority service costs £500 extra for a decision in about 5 working days, and super priority costs £1,000 for a decision by the next working day, where the service is offered at your visa application centre.
Can I take my spouse on a UK student visa?
Only if you are a full-time student on a postgraduate course lasting 9 months or more that is a PhD or other doctorate or a research-based higher degree, or a government-sponsored student on a course over 6 months. Taught master's students have not been able to bring partners or children for courses starting since 1 January 2024. Where allowed, each dependant pays £558 plus £776 a year IHS.
Is a TB test required for a UK student visa from India?
Yes. India is on the GOV.UK list of countries whose residents need a tuberculosis test for a UK stay of 6 months or more. You must use a Home Office-approved clinic in India, and the certificate is valid for 6 months from the date of the chest x-ray, so time it against your travel date.
How many hours can I work on a UK student visa?
Up to 20 hours a week during term time on a degree-level course, and full time during official vacations and after the course ends while the visa is valid. The week runs Monday to Sunday and cannot be averaged. Self-employment, permanent full-time jobs and professional sports or entertainment work are not allowed.
When should I apply for my UK student visa for the September intake?
You can apply up to 6 months before the course start date, so from March for a late-September start. Most Indian students apply in June or July, after final-year results and the CAS arrive. Allow 3 weeks for the decision and at least 30 working days (6 weeks), and longer from April to August, before that for ATAS if your course needs it.
Do I get a BRP card or an eVisa for the UK?
You get an eVisa. Biometric residence permit cards are no longer issued; your immigration status is an online record in the UKVI account you create during the application. You prove your status to employers, landlords and airlines with a share code generated from that account, so keep the login details safe.
Official sources used on this page
- GOV.UK — Student visa: overview, fees and timelines — UK Home Office · checked 26 September 2026
- GOV.UK — Student visa: money you need — UK Home Office · checked 26 September 2026
- GOV.UK — Student visa: documents you must provide — UK Home Office · checked 26 September 2026
- GOV.UK — Student visa: knowledge of English — UK Home Office · checked 26 September 2026
- GOV.UK — Student visa: your partner and children — UK Home Office · checked 26 September 2026
- GOV.UK — Immigration Health Surcharge: how much you pay — UK Home Office · checked 26 September 2026
- GOV.UK — Countries where you need a TB test — UK Home Office · checked 26 September 2026
- GOV.UK — Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) — Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · checked 26 September 2026
- GOV.UK — Get a faster decision on your visa — UK Home Office · checked 26 September 2026
- UKCISA — Student work — UK Council for International Student Affairs · checked 26 September 2026
- Wise — GBP to INR mid-market rate — Wise · checked 26 September 2026
Ready to study in UK?
Get a free profile evaluation, personalized university shortlist, and expert visa guidance from our counselors.