UK Tuition Fees for International Students 2027
International students pay 2–4 times what home students pay. There is no legal cap, and fees rise 3–5% every year. Here's what a UK master's actually costs.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
2 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
No Cap on International Fees
Home undergraduates in England pay at most £9,790 a year in 2026/27 — a limit set by law, rising to a planned £10,050 in 2027/28. International students? Universities can charge whatever they want. There is literally no upper limit, and fees go up every year.
Typical Annual Tuition by Subject and University Type
| Subject area | Post-1992 universities | Mid-ranking | Russell Group | Oxbridge / Imperial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arts & Humanities | £13,000–15,000 | £16,000–20,000 | £22,000–28,000 | £30,000–38,000 |
| Business / MBA | £14,000–18,000 | £18,000–25,000 | £28,000–38,000 | £40,000–60,000+ |
| Engineering / Science | £15,000–18,000 | £19,000–25,000 | £26,000–35,000 | £35,000–45,000 |
| Medicine | N/A | £30,000–40,000 | £40,000–50,000 | £55,000–65,000 |
| Law | £13,000–16,000 | £17,000–22,000 | £24,000–32,000 | £35,000–42,000 |
Fees per academic year for 2026/27 entry. Expect 3–5% increases for 2027/28 — Imperial's MSc Computing, for example, is £48,300 for 2027 entry, above the top of this range.
International Fees Have Doubled in a Decade
Average international master's fee at Russell Group universities:
UK vs the World: Why the UK Is the Most Expensive
Public universities charge no tuition for most students; Baden-Württemberg charges non-EU students €1,500 per semester. You only pay a €150–350 semester fee.
Public universities, 2026/27: €178 (bachelor's) and €254 (master's) for EU students; €2,895 and €3,941 for non-EU students. Grandes écoles can cost more.
EU students pay the €2,694 statutory fee in 2026/27. Non-EU students pay €8,000–20,000+ depending on the programme.
No cap for international students, rising every year. The most expensive study destination in Europe by a wide margin.
Real Examples: What Top Universities Charge
| University | Programme | International fee |
|---|---|---|
| UCL | MSc Economics | £39,200 (2026/27) |
| Imperial College | MSc Computing | £48,300 (2027 entry) |
| Oxford | MBA | £88,800 (2026/27); £94,120 (2027/28) |
| Manchester | MSc Data Science | £30,000* |
| Edinburgh | MSc Education | £24,600* |
| Coventry | MSc Cyber Security | £16,800* |
* Earlier published figures; current fees are likely higher. Check each course page.
Related Guides
How much you'll spend on rent, food, transport
Calculate your real out-of-pocket cost
When studying elsewhere is smarter