The cost of studying in the UK

By Philippa Tracy

Historically, the UK has been a very popular university destination for students from Cyprus. But in the aftermath of Brexit, from 2020 the number of Cypriot students applying to UK universities dropped by nearly 50 per cent. Last year, the British Council said fewer than 5,000 Cypriot students enrolled in UK universities. And, according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, in the 2024/25 academic year the number of students with a permanent address in Cyprus dropped to just over 3,000. Before the massive hike in tuition fees post-Brexit there were nearly 10,000 students from Cyprus. This is because students from Cyprus now have to pay international fees, unless they are living in the UK and covered by the Withdrawal Agreement, or with a UK passport.

For those students from Cyprus, who still choose to go to the UK, the preferred subjects are Business, Engineering, Law, Computing or Medicine-related courses. Aside from Engineering, these all fall into the top 10 most popular undergraduate courses in the UK for international students. There are, however, about 50,000 courses to choose from at nearly 400 universities and further education colleges in the UK. While home fees for UK students are now nearly £10,000, for international students, the tuition fee costs can vary by thousands even for courses with the same degree title at the end of it. An LLB Law degree is just over £35,000 a year at UCL London but nearly £9,000 cheaper at another Russell Group institution, Leeds University. And another £10,000 cheaper again at the University of Bradford, (£16,100), or Glasgow Caledonian, where it is only £15,200. Taking Medicine as another example, there is a cost difference of almost £10,000 between studying at Imperial College London or Leeds University. Studying English Literature is a lot cheaper!

Students with a Cyprus passport now need a student visa to study in the UK for longer than six months. This costs just over £500. But as part of the process, anyone from outside the UK coming to study for more than six months, will also pay an immigration healthcare surcharge (IHS) of £776 per year. So, for a three-year course, a student will pay £2,328. Then there is the cost of rent and living in the UK. According to the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPi), the average rent for purpose-built student accommodation in London in 2024-25, was £13,595. In cities outside of London, it can be much cheaper, but costs are rising. Then there is the cost of actually living, eating and going out, which can also be significantly cheaper outside London.

What about the university experience? It isn’t just about the course, it is also about the social life and opportunities to connect with other people and make life-long friends. This is essentially also an opportunity to move away from home, learn independence and discover the world. But if, for financial or any other reason, students now choose to stay in Cyprus, some universities here also participate in the Erasmus programme offering opportunities to go abroad. And fees are much cheaper, particularly at the University of Cyprus where fees for undergraduate courses are covered by the government. Fees at the private universities range from about €6,000 to €10,000, unless you want to study medicine which are more like €20,000. There are often fee reductions offered through scholarships. There is also the option of some Transnational Education (TNE) courses in Cyprus which are designed and quality-assured by UK universities.

Wherever you want to go in the UK, or elsewhere, do your research. So many universities offer really interesting courses and combinations of subjects, with languages, and opportunities for study in industry or abroad. And despite the UK leaving the Erasmus programme for research and cultural exchange following Brexit, the UK government announced in December that it will be re-joining next year, in 2027-2028. This means that all students at participating UK universities and colleges will be able to study at a European partner university as part of their degree at no extra cost. Universities in Cyprus also participate in the programme. Check websites and social media for information and events. Contact student ambassadors. Whether Cypriot students choose to stay in Cyprus, or go abroad, they can apply to claim a state scholarship for undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral studies from the Cyprus State Scholarship Foundation.