How much does studying in the United Kingdom cost?

Have you wondered how much does it cost to study overseas? Find out more in the guest post by sgeducate below.

How much does studying in the United Kingdom cost?

An undergraduate degree from a foreign university has longed been seen as unattainable for the average Singaporean. Mind-boggling school fees, coupled with astronomical living expenses have made many cringe at the mere thought of sending their child overseas.  Indeed, such an experience does not come cheap. The United States, United Kingdom and Australia are popular study destinations, where the exchange rate rarely works in our favour.  Yet, speaking to several of my counterparts has made me realize that some overestimate the cost of an overseas education. So, how much does studying abroad really cost? In this article, we will look at the cost of studying in the UK.

Credits: http://pixabay.com/en/stamp-commitment-approval-study-451285/

United Kingdom

The cost of studying in the UK is dependent on location (London vs Non-London) and the course chosen. We will select two schools as a basis of comparison.


University of College London (Based in London):

Fees (2015 entry): £15,660 for most Arts/Humanities/Social-Sciences courses. £20,700 for most Science and Engineering programmes. £30,800 for Medicine.

Living Expenses (30-week academic year + Easter & Christmas vacation) 
1) Accommodation: £5850
2) Food: £2145
3) Travel: £888
4) Books/Equipment: £390
5) Leisure: £1950

Total Living Expenses: £11223

Based on the calculations above, a student studying in UCLwill have to fork out roughly (per year):

Arts/Humanities/Social-Sciences: £15,660 + £11223 = £26883 ≈ 56,240 SGD
Science/ Engineering: £20,700 + £11223 = £31923 ≈ 66,784 SGD
Medicine: £30,800 + £11223 = £42023 ≈ 87,905 SGD

For a three-year arts course in UCL, it will cost roughly 169K SGD.



University of Bristol:

Fees (2015/2016 entry): £15,200 for most Arts courses, £18300 for science courses and £18,300(first two years) + £33,900 (subsequent 3 years) for medicine.

Living Expenses (30-week academic year + Easter & Christmas vacation) 
1) Accommodation: £5460
2) Food: £1100
3) Travel: £750
4) Books/Equipment: £300
5) Leisure: £1500

Total Living Expenses: £9110

Based on the calculations above, a student studying in Bristol will have to fork out roughly (per year):

Arts: £15,200 + £9110 = £24310 ≈ 50,852 SGD
Science/ Engineering: £18,300 + £9110 = £27,410 ≈ 57,335 SGD
Medicine: £27,410 ≈ 57,335 (years 1 and 2) , £43010 ≈ 89,978 SGD ( each subsequent year)

For a three-year arts course in Bristol, it will cost roughly 153K SGD.


Evidently, based on the estimates above, studying in London is more expensive than studying in other cities. Having broken down the figures, I hope that you would have a better understanding of how much it costs to study in the UK.


*Do note that the above figures are based on estimations and information available on the websites of various Universities. Airfares have not been included in the calculations. Costs will vary depending on the school chosen, how one controls personal expenditure and changes in the exchange rate.

*This is a guest post by sgeducate. Republished with permission
Look out for more related posts at http://sgeducate.blogspot.sg