Since April, the UK has increased fees for many types of student and tourist visas.

Studying in the UK is getting more expensive as the government increases visa fees and requires proof of financial resources.

PHOTO: IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON

UK study fees continue to rise

The UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) updated its official website on March 19 that it would increase fees for most types of student, tourist and work visas, as well as some other related services. In particular, the student visa application fee will increase by 7%, from £490 (VND 16.2 million) to £524 (VND 17.3 million). However, if the applicant only studies English for a short period of no more than 11 months, the fee will be £214 (VND 7 million) - also an increase of 7%.

In a statement released earlier this year, the Home Office said the fee increase was “aimed at reducing the reliance of the immigration and border system on public funds”. The increase is expected to raise an additional £269 million a year for the government. The Home Office also said it would provide a modern, faster and safer electronic immigration system for the millions of people who come to the UK each year.

Earlier this year, the UK also increased its financial requirements after five years of keeping them unchanged, to £1,136 a month for courses outside London and £1,483 a month for courses in London, both up 10% from the previous level. According to the UK Home Office, international students must prove they have enough money for up to nine months.

In addition, if they bring relatives with them, international students need to prove that they have an additional 680 pounds/month (21 million VND) per person for courses outside London and this figure is 845 pounds/month (26 million VND) for courses in London. And if they study at private boarding schools, international students must prove that they have enough money to pay tuition and boarding fees for one academic year, the UK Home Office added.

Many countries increase student visa fees

Previously, some popular English-speaking study abroad countries also increased visa application fees, including student visas. In particular, the New Zealand Immigration Department (INZ) began to increase student visa fees nearly 2 times from October 2024, to 750 NZD (11 million VND). The post-study work visa increased 2.4 times, from 700 NZD to 1,670 NZD (25.2 million VND). All of this does not include the international tourism and conservation fee (IVL) of 100 NZD (1.4 million VND).

In July 2024, Australia increased the student visa fee by about 2.25 times, from 710 AUD (11.4 million VND) to 1,600 AUD (25.8 million VND). In case of traveling with relatives, the applicant for an Australian student visa must pay an additional fee of 1,190 AUD (19.2 million VND) if the relative is 18 years old or older; 390 AUD (6.2 million VND) if under 18 years old. This level makes Australia one of the most expensive English-speaking countries for student visas.

Previously, throughout the first months of the year, the UK continuously adjusted its visa policy with the goal of cutting 300,000 net immigrants each year. The measures include: Raising salary requirements to sponsor workers to stay and work, restricting international students from bringing their relatives to the UK (except those studying postgraduate research courses or courses funded by the government), shortening the list of sponsored occupations...

According to the latest data from the UK Higher Education Statistics Agency, the 2022-2023 academic year recorded 3,240 Vietnamese studying in the UK at the undergraduate level, down more than half compared to the previous academic year (7,140 people) and lower than when the pandemic occurred (3,725 in 2020-2021). Meanwhile, many recent reports from IDP and AECC show that Australia, the UK and Canada are no longer the top choices for international students after a series of recent policy changes.