UK Student Visa Cost Calculator

UK Student Visa Cost Calculator 2024 | Total Cost From Nigeria
DeyWithMe Cost breakdown guide ↓

UK Student Visa Cost Calculator

See every cost involved in getting a UK Student visa from Nigeria. Mandatory Home Office fees plus optional costs. Total in GBP and Naira.

Based on 2024 published UK Home Office fees. Exchange rate is illustrative at ₦2,100/£1. Always verify current fees at gov.uk before paying.

All-in total estimate

~₦0

£0.00

This determines your IHS amount. 1 year = Masters/Graduate Diploma. 3 years = typical undergraduate. Use 0.5 for short courses under 6 months.

1 yr
0.5 yr 5 yrs
0

Spouse / partner

0

Under 18

Optional and additional costs

Toggle the costs that apply to your situation. The total updates instantly.

Total exceeds £10,000. This is a significant upfront payment before you arrive in the UK. Confirm exact fees at gov.uk and verify your funding is in place before paying.
Total is between £5,000 and £10,000. This is the typical range for a family or multi-year application including optional costs.

Home Office mandatory fees

Student visa application fee
Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)
Home Office total

Additional costs selected

Cost composition

All-in total estimate

£0.00

~₦0 at ₦2,100/£1

Per person average

£0.00

Correct payment sequence

1

Receive your CAS number from your university. Do not pay anything until you have a valid CAS.

2

Pay IHS at immigration-health-surcharge.service.gov.uk. Save your IHS reference number.

3

Complete the online visa application at gov.uk/student-visa and pay the £490 application fee.

4

Book and attend biometric appointment at VFS Global Nigeria. Pay the biometric fee at the centre.

5

Await decision. Standard processing: 3 to 8 weeks from biometric appointment. Priority: 5 to 10 working days.

Payment Mistakes That Delay or Block Applications

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Paying the IHS or visa fee before receiving the CAS

You need your CAS number to complete the online visa application. If the CAS changes after you have started the process (for example, if a detail is corrected), you may have to restart. Wait until the CAS is in hand and verified before beginning payments.

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Using a Nigerian bank card that blocks international online payments

Some Nigerian bank debit cards have international online transactions disabled by default. Check with your bank before attempting to pay. Calling the bank the day before payment and enabling international transactions prevents a failed payment on the gov.uk portal.

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Not accounting for the IHS when budgeting for the visa

Many applicants budget only for the £490 visa fee and are surprised by the IHS. For a 3-year degree, the IHS alone is £3,105. For a family of three on a 3-year course, the IHS is £9,315. The IHS is typically the largest single cost in the application and must be paid before the visa fee.

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Assuming the IHS is refundable if the visa is refused

Both the visa fee and the IHS are non-refundable on refusal. The only partial exception is if your course is shorter than the IHS period you paid for: there is a process to claim back unused IHS months in some cases. But if the visa is refused outright, no refund is issued. This is why having all documents correct before applying is critical.

How the UK Student Visa Cost Calculator Works

The calculator adds up every cost component of a UK Student visa application. Some costs are mandatory for everyone; others depend on your specific situation. The formula below shows the core mandatory calculation:

Visa Fee = £490 x (1 + adults + children) IHS = £1,035 x course years x (1 + adults + children) Biometric Fee = £19.20 x (1 + adults + children) Home Office Total = Visa Fee + IHS + Biometric Fee All-in Total = Home Office Total + IELTS (if applicable) + Legal adviser (if applicable) + Priority processing (if applicable) + UK arrival setup (if applicable)
IHS is the biggest surprise cost. Most applicants know about the £490 visa fee. Many do not plan for the IHS. For a 3-year undergraduate degree, the IHS alone is £3,105 per person. For a family of three on a 3-year degree, the combined IHS is £9,315, paid entirely upfront before the visa fee. This is the number that catches the most people off-guard.

Full Cost Table: Common Scenarios

ScenarioCoursePeopleHO fees onlyWith IELTS + biometrics
Single student, Masters1 year1£1,525~£1,760
Single student, 3yr UG3 years1£3,595~£3,830
Student + spouse, Masters1 year2£3,050~£3,520 (2x IELTS)
Student + spouse, 3yr UG3 years2£7,190~£7,660
Student + spouse + 1 child, Masters1 year3£4,575~£5,260
Student + spouse + 1 child, 3yr UG3 years3£10,785~£11,470

Home Office fees only = visa fee + IHS. “With IELTS + biometrics” adds IELTS at £195 per adult and biometrics at £19.20 per person. Does not include legal fees or setup costs.

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What Each Cost Item Is and Who Pays It

Visa Application Fee (£490 per person)

This is the fee paid to the UK Home Office for processing the Student visa application. It is paid online at gov.uk during the application process. It is non-refundable on refusal. Each person on the application (main applicant and any dependants) pays their own £490. This fee has increased significantly in recent years and may continue to rise.

Immigration Health Surcharge (£1,035 per person per year)

The IHS is a surcharge that gives the applicant (and each dependant) access to NHS services during the visa period. It is paid upfront for the full course duration, not in annual instalments. A 3-year course means 3 years of IHS paid in one lump sum. It is paid before the visa application fee through a separate portal. The rate is £1,035 per person per year. This rate applies to students; dependants pay the same rate as the main applicant.

January 2024 dependants restriction. New rules from January 2024 ban most Student visa holders from bringing overseas dependants to the UK. Exceptions apply to students on government-sponsored scholarships (such as Chevening or Commonwealth), students on courses at postgraduate research level, and a small number of other categories. If you were planning to bring a spouse or children, confirm whether your course and situation falls within the exception before including them in your application.

IELTS or English Language Test (£195 to £220 per adult)

IELTS is not a visa fee; it is paid to the test provider (typically British Council Nigeria or IDP) separately from the visa application. Most Nigerian students are required to sit IELTS Academic to meet university English language requirements. The test is also needed to confirm English language for the visa itself (unless an exemption applies). IELTS results are valid for 2 years. Some universities accept alternatives such as PTE Academic or Cambridge C1 Advanced.

Use the IHS calculator separately to verify your IHS amount. The DeyWithMe IHS Calculator gives the exact IHS figure for your specific visa length and family size, with the current rate built in. Cross-check the IHS amount before paying, as paying an incorrect amount can cause delays.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a UK Student visa fee in 2024?
The UK Student visa application fee is £490 per person for applications submitted from outside the UK. This is the fee for the main applicant. Each dependant (spouse and children) also pays £490 each. The fee was increased in 2023 and has remained at this level for 2024. Always check the current fee at gov.uk/student-visa before planning, as fees can change with government budget announcements.
Is the IHS paid before or after the visa fee?
The IHS is paid before the visa application fee. During the online application at gov.uk, you are directed to the IHS payment portal first. You pay the IHS and receive an IHS reference number, which you then enter into the visa application form. After this, you pay the visa application fee to complete the submission. The IHS must be paid in full for the entire course duration before the application can proceed.
Can I get a refund if my visa is refused?
No. Both the visa application fee (£490) and the IHS are non-refundable if the application is refused. The only partial exception for IHS is if you were granted a shorter visa than you paid IHS for: in that case, you may be able to claim a refund for the unused portion. If you withdraw an application before it is decided, different rules may apply, but generally neither fee is recoverable. This makes having all documents correct before applying critically important.
Do I need to pay for IELTS to get a UK Student visa?
In most cases, yes. Nigerian applicants typically need IELTS Academic to satisfy their UK university’s English language requirement, which must be met before the CAS is issued. The visa itself also has an English language requirement (B1 level). If your Nigerian university degree was taught entirely in English and is accepted by the Home Office as evidence, you may be exempt from sitting the test. Check the specific English requirements with both your university and the Home Office guidance before booking the test.
Why is the IHS so much higher than the visa fee?
The IHS is a separate government levy introduced to fund NHS services for visa holders. It is calculated at £1,035 per person per year and must be paid upfront for the full duration of the visa. Because it is paid for all years at once, it quickly exceeds the one-time visa fee for courses longer than 6 months. For a 3-year degree, the IHS (£3,105) is more than six times the visa fee (£490).
Disclaimer: This calculator uses 2024 published UK Home Office fee rates. Fees change periodically with government budget decisions. The IHS rate, visa fee, and all other costs shown here should be verified at gov.uk before paying. The Nigerian Naira conversion is illustrative at ₦2,100/£1 and does not reflect live exchange rates. DeyWithMe provides planning tools only and is not affiliated with the UK Home Office or UKVI.
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