35% hike in UK student visa fee from October 2023

Studying in the UK is set to become costlier than before. The student visa fee for international students will see an increase starting next month effective October 4. For students including child students and dependants, the visa fee will increase from the current amount of £363 to £490, an increase of 35%. However, for short-term courses where students study the English language for more than 6 months but not more than 11 months there will be no increase in visa fee.

For Skilled Worker – Shortage Occupation where a certificate of sponsorship has been issued for three years or less, the visa fee will be hiked from £479 to £551, an increase of 15%. If the certificate of sponsorship has been issued for over three years, the visa fee will be hiked from £943 to £1,084, a rise of 15%.

Following the introduction of legislation in Parliament on September 15, higher immigration and nationality fees are scheduled to take effect on October 4 in order to fund essential services and give public sector pay raises more budgetary priority.

The cost of a visit visa for less than six months has increased by £15 to £115, while the fee for applying for a student visa from outside the UK has increased by £127 to £490.

In July, the government announced a 15% rise in the cost of most work and visit visas, as well as a 20% increase in the cost of priority visas, study visas, and sponsorship certificates.

The changes include:

Fees for up to 6 months, 2, 5 and 10 year visit visas.

The majority of fees for entry clearance and certain applications for leave to remain in the UK including those for work and study.

Fees for indefinite leave to enter and indefinite leave to remain.

Convention travel document and stateless person’s travel document.

Health and Care visa.

Fees in relation to certificates of sponsorship and confirmation of acceptance for studies.

The in and out-of-country fee for the super-priority service and the out-of-country fee for the priority service. The settlement priority service will be reduced so it is aligned with the cost of using the priority service.

Applications to Register and Naturalise as a British Citizen.

The fee for the User Pays Visa Application service.

Subject to Parliamentary approval, the immigration and nationality fees will increase from October 4, 2023.