International students wanting to study in the UK have one major concern: the cost of tuition fees. Rightly so, you have probably read that British schools are among the most expensive schools for international students. One thing we’ll like to tell you is that the high cost of studying in the UK is not just for the tuition fees but for the living expenses. For instance, London is one of the most expensive cities in the world so students studying in London would have to pay more because of the cost of living in London. If you are interested in learning in the UK but are afraid because of the high cost of study, don’t give up on your dream. In this post, we’ll reveal the top 10 cheapest universities in the UK for international students.
Like in any other country, foreign students pay more for tuition fees in UK universities and colleges. As a prospective international student, one of the important things to look out for is the schools with comparatively lower tuition fees to achieve your dream of studying in the UK. There are several such universities in the UK but for want of space, we’ll only highlight the top 10 cheapest universities in the UK for international students in this post. It is important to know that this list is not given in any particular order. In addition, we’ll also provide you with the link to the schools so you can contact them.
Top 10 Cheapest Universities in the UK for International Students
- Staffordshire University
- Leeds Beckett University
- University of Cumbria
- Teesside University
- London Metropolitan University
- Middlesex University
- Leeds Trinity University
- University of Chester
- The University of Bolton
- York St John University
1. Staffordshire University
Staffordshire University is a public research university in England that was established in 1906 as a School of Mining and gained university status in 1992. It is not only one of the cheapest universities in the UK, but also one of the most popular universities in the UK with a student population of over 15, 000.
The university has many overseas students from China, Vietnam, France, Nigeria, Spain, and Sri Lanka It also offers guaranteed accommodation for all first-year students.
Staffordshire University has consistently ranked in the top 100 universities in the UK and ranks 1000+ in THE 2022 Universities Ranking. The school offers a wide range of scholarships and discounts for international students to help fund their studies.
Staffordshire 2022/2023 Tuition Fees for International Students
| Undergraduate | £14,500* |
| Undergraduate (Nursing, Paramedic Science, Operating Department Practice, and Midwifery) | £19,000* |
| Standard postgraduate taught courses | £15,000 |
| Nursing & Healthcare taught postgraduate courses | £19,000 |
| PGCE | £14,500 |
| Master of Business Administration (MBA) | £15,500 |
| Law LPC and LLM combined | £12,300 |
| Law LPC solely | £10,900 |
| Postgraduate Research | £13,000* |
*per year of study
2. Leeds Beckett University
Leeds Beckett University is a public university that was first established in 1970 as Leeds Polytechnic before it gained university status in 1992. The university has a student population of over 23,000 and a chunk of these are international students.
Leeds Beckett University 2022/2023 Tuition Fees for International Students
The tuition fees for international students are based on a number of factors: level of the course (foundation, undergraduate, or postgraduate), and the course of study.
| Course level | Annual Tuition Fees |
| Pre-sessional 6 weeks | £1,800 |
| Pre-sessional 10 weeks | £2,700 |
| Foundation | £12,500 |
| Undergraduate / Bachelors (most courses) | £14,000 |
| Postgraduate / Masters (most courses) | £15,000 |
| Research | To be confirmed – visit The Graduate School website for more details. |
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3. University of Cumbria
The University of Cumbria gained university status in 2007 having been first established in the 1980s as a teacher training college. It has consistently ranked among the top 100 universities in the UK. It is reputed for strong interdisciplinary research in five specialist departments.
University of Cumbria 2022/2023 Tuition Fees for International Students
| COURSE LEVEL | 2022/23 | |||
| Bachelor’s degree (BA, BSc, LLB) | £13,250 | |||
| BA (Hons) Social Work | £13,250 | |||
| BSc (Hons) Health pre-registration programmes (Nursing, OT, Physiotherapy, etc.) | £16,000 | |||
| DipHE or CertHE | £13,250 | |||
| BA or BSc with Integrated Foundation Year | £8,565 (year 1) Subsequent years at standard international fee. | |||
| Sandwich or Placement Year | £13,250 (Sandwich/placement at £1,650) | |||
| BA, BSc, BEng or LLB – accelerated 2-year degree | £15,835 | |||
| Foundation degree (FdA, FdSc) | £13,250* | |||
| Non-medical Prescribing | £2,875 | |||
| Pre-Sessional English (6 weeks) | TBC | |||
| Pre-Sessional English (12 weeks) | TBC |
4. Teesside University
Teesside University is one of the cheapest public universities in the UK with a student population of over 21,000, including international students. The university also offers scholarships to students to help fund their studies.
Teesside University 2022/2023 Tuition Fees for International Students
| Standard fees | Fee |
| Undergraduate, full-time | £ |
| Undergraduate degree – placement year | £1,350 |
| International Foundation Programme – four months | £4,875 |
| International Foundation Programme – one year (including Health) | £9,750 |
| Undergraduate degree | £14,000 |
| Integrated Master’s Final Year | £14,000 |
| Integrated Master’s (standard four years) (MSc, MComp, MEng, Msci) | £56,000 total |
| Postgraduate, full-time | £ |
| Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) | £13,350 |
| Postgraduate taught degree (MSc/MA) one-year | £14,000 |
| Postgraduate taught degree (MSc/MA) two-years (Advanced practice/Applied courses) | £17,000 (£8,500 per year) |
| Full-time Research Degree Standard tier *** | £11,750 |
| Full-time Research Degree Enhanced tier *** | £14,500 |
| Part-time Research Degree distance learning International *** | £5,875 |
| Research Degree Writing up fee | £650 |
Read Also: Challenges International Students Face in the UK
5. London Metropolitan University
London Metropolitan University is a London-based public research university with a student population of over 10,000. The school is reputed for good quality teaching in the UK
London Metropolitan University 2022/2023 Tuition Fees for International Students
| Full-time honours degree (BA or BSc) | £13, 200 |
| Master’s degree (Data Analytics- MSc | £13, 750 |
| MBA | £13, 250 |
6. Middlesex University
Middlesex University is a public research university in Henton, England with a student population of over 20,000, including international students. It is one of the top-ranking universities in the UK, and ranks 401-500 in the world, according to THE global university ranking 2022. In addition, Middlesex University is one of the top universities in the UK and in the UK for degrees in psychology.
Middlesex University 2022/2023 Tuition Fees for International Students
The fees structure is not yet available
7. Leeds Trinity University
Leeds Trinity University is one of the cheapest universities in the UK for international students. In addition, it prides itself on being the safest university in Leeds and has a strong focus on employability. Leeds University runs a year-round programme of workshops and employer events for students.
Leeds Trinity University 2022/2023 Tuition Fees for International Students
| COURSE | TUITION FEES |
| Three-year undergraduate degree course | £12,000 (per year) |
| Two-year undergraduate degree course | £12,000 (per year) |
| MA Childhood and Education | £11,500 |
| MA Creative Writing | £11,500 |
| MA Criminology and Criminal Justice | £12,500 |
| MA Family Support | £11,500 |
| MA International Business | £12,500 |
| MA Journalism | £12,500 |
| MBA | £12,500 |
| MA Mental Health in Children and Young People | £11,500 |
| PhD, MPhil or MbR (cost per year) | £12,500 |
| MSc Project Management | £12,500 |
| MSc Psychology (conversion) | £12,500 |
| MA Victorian Studies | £11,500 |
| PGCE | £12,500 |
8. University of Chester
Like the University of Cumbria, the University of Chester was first established as a teacher training college before it gained university status in 2005. It is one of the fastest growing universities in the UK and has risen to the top 4 universities in the North West. The University of Chester offers a range of foundation, undergraduate, and postgraduate courses, as well as undertaking academic research.
University of Chester 2022/2023 Tuition Fees for International Students
| Programme | Tuition Fee (per year) |
| International Foundation Programme | £9,250 |
| Bachelor’s degree including Foundation Year | £9,250 Year 1 – £12,950 Years 2-4 |
| Undergraduate | £12,950 |
| Postgraduate | £13,450 |
| MBA | £13,750 |
| MA Art Therapy | £16,000 (split over 2 years) |
| MA Social Work | £16,000 (split over 2 years) |
| MSc Marine and Coastal Resource Management | £16,450 |
| MSc Psychiatry | £23,000 (full course) |
| MSc Physicians Associate | £18,000 |
| MSc Wildlife Conservation | £13,450 + £3,000 field trip |
| MRes/MPhil/PhD (Classroom) | £13,308 |
| MRes/MPhil/PhD (Laboratory) | £17,142 |
9. The University of Bolton
The University of Bolton offers one of the lowest tuition and living costs in the UK. In addition, the university offers international excellence scholarships up to £5, 000 for September 2022 for all. international students.
The university is situated in a friendly town close to Greater Manchester and Liverpool, with a student population of over 14, 000. It is also one of the high-ranking universities in the UK.
University of Bolton 2022/2023 Tuition Fees for International Students
| Undergraduate Courses | £12,950 |
| MBA | £14,450 |
| Postgraduate (excluding MBA) | £12,950 |
10. York St. John University
Completing our list of the top 10 cheapest universities in the UK for international students is York St John University. This university is one of the several higher education institutions in the UK with religious foundations and is part of the Cathedrals of Groups of Universities.
With over 7,000 students, the university has five schools: School of Arts, School of Education, Language and Psychology, School of Humanities, School of Science, School of Technology and Health, and York Business School.
York St John University 2022/2023 Tuition Fees for International Students
| MA (Hons) | £13, 000 |
| MBA | £13, 000 |
| Postgraduate (including MBA) | £10,800 |
