What goes into the budget?
| Cost | Use this figure |
|---|---|
| Tuition | The fee for your exact course, year and fee status, plus any compulsory course charges. |
| Living costs | Your accommodation quote plus food, transport, utilities and personal costs for the full stay. |
| Visa and healthcare | The current application fee and healthcare surcharge for your visa duration. |
| Travel and arrival | Flights, transfers and setup costs. Avoid counting accommodation payments twice. |
| Other costs and reserve | Equipment, application costs or tests that apply to you, plus a contingency you can afford. |
Record deposits as part payments of the relevant total. If a £3,000 deposit is credited against a £20,000 tuition bill, the tuition cost is still £20,000. Track the early payment date separately so you know when cash is needed.
Current visa and healthcare figures
Checked on 12 September 2026. The standard Student visa application fee from outside the UK is £558. Optional services can cost extra. GOV.UK Student visa fees
The student healthcare surcharge is £776 per year. The total depends on visa length, which can extend beyond the course. Enter the amount calculated for your application instead of multiplying only by course years. GOV.UK healthcare surcharge guidance
For the maintenance evidence requirement, GOV.UK lists £1,529 per month in London or £1,171 outside London, for up to nine months. Nine months gives £13,761 or £10,539 respectively. Tuition evidence is separate and individual circumstances affect the rules. Check the required financial evidence, including the rules for loans or sponsorship, before applying. GOV.UK Student visa money requirements
Build your own study budget
Use pounds throughout. Enter zero for a cost or funding source that does not apply. The optional rupee conversion uses the rate you enter. It is not a live exchange quote. Nothing entered in this planner is sent to Nexthara.
The contingency applies to the total of the costs entered. The funding gap is a planning estimate; it is not a loan eligibility result or proof that the visa financial requirement is met.
A worked example, not a university quote
| Illustrative item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | £20,000 |
| Living costs at £1,200 for 12 months | £14,400 |
| Visa fee | £558 |
| Healthcare entered for this example | £1,164 |
| Travel and arrival | £1,000 |
| Other costs | £500 |
| Costs before contingency | £37,622 |
| 5% contingency | £1,881.10 |
| Total planned cost | £39,503.10 |
| Confirmed scholarship and other funds | £2,000 + £10,000 |
| Estimated remaining funding | £27,503.10 |
At an illustrative ₹100 per pound, the remaining funding would be ₹27,50,310. The exchange rate and all example assumptions are chosen to demonstrate the calculation. Replace them with your actual figures. A twelve month living budget is deliberately longer than the maximum nine month maintenance evidence calculation.
Plan when the money is needed
Put the course deposit, visa application, travel and tuition due dates on one timeline. Then match each payment to an available funding source. If you expect a loan to cover an expense, confirm that expense and release timing with the lender. Our loan offer guide explains what to check.
Questions students ask
Is there one fixed cost for a UK master’s degree?
No. Tuition, city, course length, accommodation and personal needs vary. Start with the exact course fee and an accommodation quote, then build the rest of the budget.
Should I count a scholarship I have applied for?
Keep it in a separate possible funding scenario until the award and its conditions are confirmed. Otherwise your main budget may show funding that is not available.
Can I budget around future work income?
A job and its hours or earnings are uncertain, and visa conditions apply. Keep unconfirmed earnings outside your secured funding calculation. Check the current work conditions on GOV.UK.
A clear next step
Make it personal.
Talk through your course, budget and questions with Nexthara in Kozhikode, Kerala.
Talk to NextharaThis guide provides general preparation information. Lenders, universities and authorities set their own requirements. Follow the linked official sources for your application. Suggest a correction.