Dhiraj Kandel
Managing DirectorSchedule a free consultation with our expert counselors to discuss your study
Quick answer
The essentials at a glance
The UK student visa fee from Nepal is £558, about Rs 1.1 lakh. You also pay the immigration health surcharge of £776 for each year of your visa. For a 1-year master's that is £1,164, so the total is about £1,722 or Rs 3.4 lakh. Each family member pays the same again.
Key takeaways
Main points from this page
- The Student visa fee is £558 from outside the UK, the same for each dependant.
- The health surcharge is £776 for each year of the visa, and £388 for a part-year of 6 months or less.
- A 1-year master's costs about £1,722 in fees and IHS, and a 3-year course about £3,274.
- Priority costs £500 extra and super priority £1,000, but a standard decision usually takes 3 weeks.
- If you are refused, the IHS is refunded in full but the £558 fee is not.
How Much Is the UK Student Visa Fee?
The UK student visa fee is £558 when you apply from Nepal, about Rs 1.1 lakh, and each family member pays the same.
This is the Home Office application fee in the official UK visa fees table. On top of it you pay the immigration health surcharge (IHS), which depends on how long your visa lasts. Most Nepali students pay between £1,334 and £3,274 in total, depending on course length.
This page covers fees only. For the bank money, documents and steps, read the UK student visa requirements. For the full plan, see study in UK from Nepal. What you pay the Home Office:
- Student visa application fee: £558 for you and £558 for each dependant
- Immigration health surcharge: £776 for each year of the visa
- Optional priority decision: £500, or £1,000 for super priority
- Nothing for the CAS: the Home Office charges your university £55 for it
What Is the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)?
The IHS is a health fee of £776 a year that lets you use the NHS, paid for the whole visa when you apply.
You pay it even if you have private medical insurance. It covers doctor visits and hospital care, but you still pay for prescriptions, dental treatment and eye tests. The GOV.UK IHS page sets the same £776 rate for students and their dependants. Other visas, such as the Graduate visa, pay £1,035 a year. Nepali students pay it once, with the visa application, so plan it with your fee money. The amount is based on your visa length, not your course length. These are the rules:
- Each full year of the visa costs £776
- A part-year of 6 months or less on top of full years costs £388
- A part-year of more than 6 months costs a full £776
- A visa of more than 6 months but under 1 year costs £776
- You pay the whole amount up front, before you finish the visa form
How Much IHS Do You Pay for Your Course?
For a 1-year master’s you usually pay £1,164 in IHS, and for a 3-year bachelor’s about £2,716.
Your visa is longer than your course. Under Appendix Student, a course of 12 months or more gets 1 month before it starts and 4 months after it ends. A course of 6 to 12 months gets 1 month before and 2 months after. Most Nepali students take a 12-month master’s, which gives a visa of about 17 months, which is charged as 1.5 years. The totals below add the £558 fee, with rupees at about Rs 200 to the pound:
| Course length | Visa length (about) | IHS | Fee + IHS | In Rs (about) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 months | 12 months | £776 | £1,334 | Rs 2.7 lakh |
| 1 year (most master’s) | 17 months | £1,164 | £1,722 | Rs 3.4 lakh |
| 2 years | 2 years 5 months | £1,940 | £2,498 | Rs 5 lakh |
| 3 years (bachelor’s or PhD) | 3 years 5 months | £2,716 | £3,274 | Rs 6.5 lakh |
| 4 years | 4 years 5 months | £3,492 | £4,050 | Rs 8.1 lakh |
If your visa is granted less than a month before your course, the time before the course is shorter, so the IHS can be a little lower. The online form works out the exact amount from your CAS dates. Check today’s rate with our GBP to Rs forex converter.
How to Pay the UK Student Visa Fee from Nepal
You pay the IHS and the visa fee online by card, in pounds.
You cannot pay in cash at the visa centre. Use a card that allows international payments in pounds, and tell your bank before you pay so the payment is not blocked. Keep the payment emails, because the IHS reference number can be used only once. The steps are:
1. Get your CAS
Your university issues the CAS after you pay the deposit. See our CAS letter UK guide.
2. Start the form on GOV.UK
Apply online up to 6 months before your course. Enter your Nepal address in English. The Nepal postal code finder helps.
3. Pay the IHS
Enter your course dates from the CAS, pay by card and get your IHS reference number by email.
4. Pay the £558 visa fee
Finish the form and pay the application fee. Add the priority fee here if your centre offers it and you need it.
5. Book biometrics
Book a slot at the visa centre in Kathmandu. See our biometrics locations guide. Convert any Bikram Sambat dates with the Nepali date converter.
What Is the UK Student Visa Fee with a Dependant?
Each dependant pays the same £558 fee and the same IHS as you, so a couple pays double.
Only students on a PhD, a research-based master’s or a government-sponsored course can bring family, as our UK dependent visa guide explains. Dependants aged 18 or over usually pay the same IHS as the student, and children pay the same student rate. For a 1-year research master’s, these are the Home Office costs for the family:
- Student alone: £1,722, about Rs 3.4 lakh
- Student and partner: £3,444, about Rs 6.9 lakh
- Student, partner and one child: £5,166, about Rs 10.3 lakh
- Each person also shows their own living money, which is not a fee
Is There a Priority Fee for a Faster Decision?
Yes, priority costs £500 more and usually gives a decision in 5 working days, and super priority costs £1,000.
A standard decision from outside the UK usually takes 3 weeks, so most students do not need to pay extra if they apply on time. The GOV.UK faster decision page says super priority usually means a decision by the end of the next working day. Not every visa centre offers these services, so check what the Kathmandu centre offers when you book, and places are limited. If your visa is refused, the priority fee is not refunded. Apply early instead; our UK intakes guide shows when to start.
What Other Costs Come With a UK Student Visa?
Apart from the Home Office fees, Nepali students pay for a TB test, an English test and some paperwork.
These are paid to clinics, test centres and service providers, not to UKVI, and prices change. The living money you show in the bank is also not a fee; it stays yours. See the UK living cost guide for that amount, and the total cost to study in the UK for tuition. Other costs to plan for:
- TB test at an approved clinic in Nepal; see our medical exams and TB tests guide
- An English test, if your university asks for one; see IELTS vs IELTS for UKVI
- Certified translations of documents not in English
- Optional extra services at the visa centre
- Your flight to the UK
Do You Get the Visa Fee Back If You Are Refused?
You get the IHS back in full if you are refused, but not the £558 visa fee.
The IHS refund is paid automatically to the card you used, including a Nepali bank card. The visa fee comes back only if you cancel your application before you give your fingerprints and photo, as the GOV.UK cancel page explains. You also get a partial IHS refund if a dependant is refused or you get a shorter visa than you asked for. After a refusal, you pay the full fee and IHS again when you reapply.
How Much Is the Graduate Visa Fee Later?
The Graduate visa costs £937 plus £1,035 a year in IHS, paid from the UK after you finish your degree.
If you apply on or before 31 December 2026, the visa lasts 2 years, so the IHS is £2,070 and the total is £3,007. From 1 January 2027 it lasts 18 months, so the IHS is £1,552.50. You pay it from the UK by card, so many Nepali families plan to send this money in the final term. Plan it before you leave Nepal, together with your living money for those months. Read our UK Graduate route visa guide for the rules.
How Can You Keep Your UK Visa Costs Down?
Apply once, correctly, and early, because a refusal costs you the whole £558 fee again.
Most extra spending comes from refusals and rushed applications. Our UK visa success rate from Nepal page shows how often Nepali files are refused. The IHS is fixed by your course dates, so you cannot reduce it, but you can avoid paying twice. Our counselors in Nepal see the same small mistakes again and again. These steps help:
- Check your CAS dates before you pay the IHS
- Make sure your bank money is held for 28 days before you apply
- Apply 2 to 3 months before your course, so you do not need priority
- Use one card with enough limit for the IHS and the fee together
- Keep every payment email and the IHS reference number
Not Sure What Your Visa Will Cost?
Send us your offer letter or CAS, and a Goreto counselor will work out your visa fee, IHS and the money you need to show. You can also talk to a counselor at our branches in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Itahari and Pokhara.
FAQs on the UK Student Visa Fee
It is £558, about Rs 1.1 lakh, when you apply from Nepal. You also pay the immigration health surcharge of £776 for each year of your visa.
For a 3-year course the visa lasts about 3 years and 5 months. You pay £558 plus £2,716 in IHS, so £3,274 in total, about Rs 6.5 lakh.
A 12-month master’s gives a visa of about 17 months. You pay £558 plus £1,164 in IHS, which is £1,722 or about Rs 3.4 lakh.
No. The IHS is a separate payment made in the same online application, before you pay the £558 visa fee. You get an IHS reference number for it.
The fee is £558 in the current Home Office fees table. Fees change from time to time, so always check the fee shown in your online form before you pay.
No. You pay in pounds by debit or credit card when you apply online. Your bank converts the amount from rupees.
Yes. Each dependant pays the same £558 fee and the same IHS as you, usually £776 for each year of their visa.
Not for you. The Home Office charges your university £55 for each CAS. The university may ask you for a tuition deposit, which counts towards your fees.
You get the IHS back in full, but not the £558 visa fee or any priority fee. You pay both again if you reapply.
Sources
Reference links
Disclaimer
Important guidance note
This page provides general guidance about studying abroad. Requirements, fees and policies can change. For advice about your situation, speak with a Goreto counselor before applying.
