International student finance
Choosing to study in the UK comes with a lot of financial considerations, including tuition fees and living costs. Here’s everything you need to know about international fees and funding.
How to pay your tuition fees
Your tuition fees will depend on the course you are studying. Get the breakdown of our tuition fees for undergraduates, postgraduates and part-time students.
You are required to pay at least 50% of your tuition fee when you start enrolment. Enrolment is the process you need to complete in order to become an official Kingston University student.
Payment options for international students
You can choose to pay your tuition fee in one of the following ways.
You can find more information and FAQs about paying your fees on the central Fees and Funding hub page.
Single Payment - pay your full fee in advance for the year before enrolment
You can pay your tuition fees via Flywire, our international payment partner. It is a simple, secure, and quick way to make a payment in your local currency without incurring any additional merchant/service charges.
Alternatively, you can pay using a UK-issued card via our Payment Portal.
Instalments - pay a minimum of 50% of your fee in advance and the remainder by instalment
If you choose to pay by instalment you must complete the following two-step process before online enrolment:
- Pay a minimum of 50% of your tuition fee for the year in advance using Flywire or our Payment Portal.
- Set up a recurring card payment instruction (RCP) before online enrolment. This can be done using a UK or international issued card and authorises the University to take a further payment for your remaining fee on the agreed date (see when to pay on the fees and funding page).
If an embassy or your employer are paying for all or part of your tuition fee we refer to them as your sponsor. You will need to notify us of this before online enrolment, so we can invoice them for the appropriate amount. This can be done by completing a Sponsorship Agreement Form (PDF) and uploading a copy to our Online Student Information System (OSIS).
If you are funding your course using a Federal Direct Subsidised/Unsubsidised and/or PLUS loan, please contact the student funding team for information about payment of tuition fees - studentfunding@kingston.ac.uk.
Budgeting for a Student Route Visa
As an international student, you should budget for your Student Route visa, which will allow you to live and study in the UK for the duration of your course. You can find out more about applying for your visa on our visas, CAS and immigration page.
UK Visa and Immigration requires that you must prove you have a minimum budget per month to study in London for one academic year (9 months). This amount excludes tuition fee costs and any dependents (which require you to show additional proof of funds).
We strongly advise you to plan a budget which ensures you have sufficient funds which will cover more than just the first few months when you arrive in the UK. You should also include a budget for additional unexpected costs and expenses.
The costs
- £490 for your UK student visa, which will allow you to live and study in the UK throughout your course (this is a one-off charge)
- £776 for your Immigration Health Surcharge per year, which will give you access to the National Health Service in the UK – this is the cost after the 25% discount for student visa holders
Deposits for postgraduate taught (masters) students
International postgraduate taught (masters) applicants* (excluding Masters by Research MPhil/PhD) who require a Student Visa must pay a £5,000 deposit before we can issue the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). This is treated as part of the first instalment of your tuition fee.
If you do not think you can make payment before the CAS request deadline please contact the team to discuss your situation - cas@kingston.ac.uk.
The deposit must be paid, via Flywire or using a UK-issued card via our Payment Portal, within 21 working days of receiving an unconditional offer.
You are not required to pay the deposit if:
- your studies are being sponsored by your government or a company (evidence of your sponsorship must be provided)
- you are receiving funding/a student loan from Lånekassen, US Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program (CSFA Program) (evidence must be provided)
- you are receiving a student loan from a regulated student loan scheme (evidence of your student loan for the full fee amount must be provided)
- you are applying for an undergraduate course.
Up until the point that you have been issued a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), the deposit is fully refundable. When a CAS has been issued to you, the deposit is non-refundable, except in the following circumstances:
- if you don't receive your Student Visa for reasons the University considers beyond your control and you can provide sufficient documentary evidence
- if your CAS is withdrawn for any reason other than where it is confirmed that fraud has taken place
- a visa refusal is successfully appealed, but it is too late for the applicant to start their studies at Kingston University on time
To request a refund, you must email us at cas@kingston.ac.uk within three months of the start date specified on your CAS.
Deposits are held for a maximum of two years, during which time you are expected to register with the University. After two years, the deposit will be non-transferable and non-refundable and will be retained by the University.
Ways to save money
We know that living in a different country, especially as a student, can be expensive. If you decide to choose the UK, and specifically, London as your study destination, it is important to be prepared for the costs of living here and to plan your student budget accordingly.
If we offer you a place to study with us, you'll be eligible to apply for one of our £5,000 international scholarships for the September or January intake. You may also qualify for one of our bursaries, including our family bursary for students with a direct family connection to a current study at Kingston University, or alumni discounts.
Kingston is a large town, packed with shops and businesses, and many of our international students get a part-time job. This will help you manage some of your living costs and provide valuable work experience.
If you do plan to work while you study, you must check the permissions set out in your visa, as the right to work will depend on the type of visa you have been granted. Find out more on our working in the UK page.
Becoming one of our Student Ambassadors is a great way to 'earn while you learn' and meet other students. You can get involved and support the University, gain employability skills and experience, and enjoy flexible, part-time, paid employment to fit around your studies.
If you haven’t lived in the UK before, we recommend researching average costs for common bills and activities. Planning ahead will help to simplify your finance management when you arrive in Kingston.
A few useful costs to consider include:
- Average monthly living costs for undergraduate students on campus: £1128-2962
- Average monthly living costs for postgraduate students on campus: £1145-3007
- Average monthly living costs in private accommodation: £1310-2290
Learn more about the cost of living and available support.
How we can help
We recognise that the rising cost of living in London can make students feel uncertain about their finances. You can read about useful resources, hear from some of our current students and learn more about the support available to Kingston University students on our cost of living support pages.
Alternatively, we can offer confidential one-to-one advice and information on budgeting and money management. And if you do run into problems and end up owing us any money, we'll make sure we get in touch with you as soon as possible to help you get it sorted.
Finally, if you have any financial difficulties while you're at Kingston University, we'll do everything we can to help and support you.
Any questions?
If you have any questions about our fees and funding, please contact our student life advisers for more information.
Call: +44 (0)20 8417 7312
