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Resources to help you calculate the cost of coming to UCL
When calculating the cost of study there are two elements to consider - tuition fees and living costs.
Tuition Fees
Tuition fees will vary from programme to programme, and depend on your fee classification. Check the Undergraduate Prospectus, Graduate Taught Prospectus, Graduate Research Prospectus or the Fees Schedules for information on what your fees may be for any particular programme.
Additional Course Costs
Some degree programmes may involve additional costs that are not covered by the tuition fee. This could include specialist equipment, artists' materials, books or costs related to carrying out fieldwork.
Contact the department in which you are interested to find out more about potential additional costs.
Living Costs
'Average living costs' can be difficult to predict, as every student will have different priorities and lifestyle choices. However, for a rough idea, there are some estimations below for an undergraduate in UCL halls, postgraduate in UCL halls and any student renting privately in London.
All costs other than rent and travel are guided by Save the Student's annual National Student Money Survey for 2020.
Undergraduate student in UCL halls
| Costs | Per week | Per 39 week academic year |
|---|---|---|
| Average rent | £211 | £8,229 |
| Student bus pass | £15 | £585 |
| Food | £31 | £1,209 |
| Course materials | £4 | £156 |
| Mobile phone | £4 | £156 |
| Going out | £12 | £468 |
| Clothes, health, other | £14 | £546 |
| Total | £291 | £11,349 |
Postgraduate student in UCL halls
| Costs | Per week | Per 52 week academic year |
|---|---|---|
| Average rent | £236 | £12,272 |
| Student bus pass | £15 | £780 |
| Food | £31 | £1,612 |
| Course materials | £4 | £208 |
| Mobile phone | £4 | £208 |
| Going out | £12 | £624 |
| Clothes, health, other | £14 | £728 |
| Total | £316 | £16,432 |
Undergraduate or Postgraduate student in privately rented accommodation
| Costs | Per week | Per 52 week contract |
|---|---|---|
| Average rent | £166 | £8,632 |
| Household bills | £8 | £416 |
| Student bus pass | £15 | £780 |
| Food | £31 | £1,612 |
| Course materials | £4 | £208 |
| Mobile phone | £4 | £208 |
| Going out | £12 | £624 |
| Clothes, health, other | £14 | £728 |
| Total | £254 | £13,208 |
International Students
As an international student there are some additional costs you will need to consider when coming to study in the UK.
If you need to arrange a Student Visa, there are costs associated with this. These include the fee for the visa, the healthcare surcharge, and the financial evidence needed as part of your visa application.
More information on arranging a student visa is available on the Student Visas page and the Applying from outside the UK page.
You should also consider your travel costs, and if you will need to purchase items you are unable to bring with you, for example bedding. Further advice is available on the International Students page.
Student Parents
Students with dependents will have additional costs to consider, depending on their circumstances. For more information on UCL support available please read the Student Support and Wellbeing team’s pages for Student Parents.
Budgeting
The above estimations will give you a rough idea of how much coming to UCL may cost. However, it it also important to look at the funding you will have available to you and adapt your lifestyle to fit within that budget.
Whether it's from student loans, scholarships, support from family or income from a part time job, you will only have a finite amount of income to support yourself. It is important to choose accommodation and adapt your lifestyle to match the money that you have available to you.
Ideas on how to maximise your income and minimise your costs as a student can be found on this page.
In order to manage your money well at university, you will need to make a budget. This is a simple process of looking at how much money you have coming in and tracking how much money you are spending. If you're not sure where to start, there are some useful online resources that can help you:
- Money Saving Expert Student Budgeting Planner
- Save the Student's 'How to budget at university' including student budgeting spreadsheet
If you are struggling to make a budget or to keep you costs within your budget, the Student Funding Adviser can help.
To find out more about how to cover the cost of tuition fees and living costs, see our Fund your studies pages.