Looking for the cheapest universities in the UK for international students? Below are official 2026/27 international fees and deposits for ten universities we have checked, from about £15,500 a year, plus the full first-year cost you need to plan for.
Low tuition fee universities in the UK (2026/27)
Fees are for international students, full-time, per year, taken from each university’s official fee page on 28 September 2026. Medicine and dentistry are excluded. Many universities set fees course by course, so always check your exact course.
| University | City | Bachelor’s fee / year | Master’s fee | Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glasgow Caledonian University † | Glasgow | £15,500–£21,900 (standard £15,700) | £16,700–£20,400 | £6,000 |
| University of East London † | London | £16,020 | from £17,220 | £1,500 to start CAS checks |
| University of Bradford | Bradford | £16,100–£16,890 | £15,700–£19,500 | In offer letter |
| Teesside University | Middlesbrough | £17,000 | £17,000 | £4,000 before CAS |
| University of Sunderland † | Sunderland | £17,500–£24,000 (standard £17,500) | £18,000–£19,000 | £3,500; Pakistan: 50% of the year’s fees |
| University of Greenwich | London | £17,975–£19,400 | check course page | £3,000 within 28 days |
| Sheffield Hallam University | Sheffield | £18,000 | £18,600–£21,375 | In offer letter |
| Manchester Metropolitan University | Manchester | £20,000–£21,500 | £21,000–£22,500 | £5,000 |
| Queen Mary University of London | London | £26,950–£32,950 | £27,250–£37,950 | £2,000 for CAS |
| University of Edinburgh | Edinburgh | £29,600–£38,900 | £25,940–£45,410 | PG £1,500 (Business £2,500) |
† Reported in December 2025 to have paused or limited recruitment from Pakistan. When we checked their official Pakistan pages on 3 October 2026, none showed a restriction notice – but policies can change by intake, so we confirm the current position with the university before you apply.
Check the university is recruiting from Pakistan
Some lower-fee universities have restricted applications from Pakistan since late 2025, because the Home Office now expects them to keep student visa refusals below 5%. A university that looks cheapest on paper is no use if it is not taking Pakistani applicants this intake, or asks for a much larger deposit. We check both before we add a university to your shortlist.
Cheapest master’s in the UK
On our checked list, the lowest master’s fees start at about £15,700 (Bradford), £16,700 (Glasgow Caledonian) and £17,000 (Teesside). Remember that a master’s usually lasts one year, so the total cost can be lower than a three-year bachelor’s even when the yearly fee is higher.
UK universities with a low deposit
Most universities ask for a deposit before they issue your CAS. On our list, the University of East London asks £1,500 to start CAS checks, and Edinburgh asks £1,500 for most postgraduate courses. Some universities ask Pakistani students for more – Sunderland, for example, asks for 50% of the year’s fees. Check the deposit before you accept an offer.
Cheap universities in London for international students
The University of East London (£16,020 for bachelor’s degrees) and the University of Greenwich (from £17,975) are among the lower-fee options in London. But London living costs are higher: you must show £1,529 a month for your visa, against £1,171 elsewhere – about £3,200 more over 9 months.
The real first-year cost
Tuition is only part of the bill. Example for a bachelor’s at Teesside (outside London):
- Tuition: £17,000
- Living costs to show: £1,171 × 9 = £10,539
- Visa fee: £558
- Health surcharge: £776
- Total first year: about £28,873
Try your own numbers with our free UK cost estimator, which also names the lowest and highest-fee university in your budget range.
Affordable UK universities for Pakistani students: how to choose
- Course first, fee second: a cheaper university is only good value if the course fits your career.
- Scholarships: many universities offer international merit awards that cut the fee further – see UK scholarships for Pakistani students.
- Location: cities in the north of England and Scotland usually have lower rent.
- Part-time work: up to 20 hours a week in term time helps with living costs, but you cannot count future earnings for your visa.
Cheapest universities in the UK: fees change every year
Universities update fees each year, and the 2027/28 fees are already appearing. We re-check our list before every intake and confirm your exact course fee at your consultation.
Cheapest universities in Scotland
Scotland has some of the lowest international fees on our list – Glasgow Caledonian University starts from £15,500 a year – and Scottish bachelor’s degrees usually last four years instead of three. Living costs in Glasgow are lower than in Edinburgh or London, and you show the same £1,171 a month as anywhere outside London.
Why fees differ by subject
Universities usually charge more for laboratory, studio and clinical subjects than for classroom subjects. A business or law degree is often in the lowest fee band, while engineering, science and computing courses are usually higher. When you compare universities, compare the fee for your exact course, not the cheapest fee the university advertises.
Average cost to study in the UK
For most Pakistani students the first year at the lower and mid-fee universities on our list costs between about £27,000 and £35,000 outside London once tuition, the living costs you must show, the visa fee and the health surcharge are added up – more at higher-fee universities and in London. A one-year master’s keeps the total to a single year; a bachelor’s repeats tuition and living costs for three or four years.
Cheaper alternatives to the UK
If the UK is above your budget, several countries offer low or no tuition for international students: see study in Germany, study in Italy (with the DSU scholarship), study in Hungary (Stipendium Hungaricum) and study in Malaysia. Compare all options on our study destinations page.
Ways to cut the total cost
- Choose a one-year master’s: one year of fees and living costs instead of two.
- Pay early: some universities give a discount for paying the full fee by a set date.
- Share accommodation: after the first year, sharing a house is usually cheaper than halls.
- Apply for merit scholarships: many are automatic with your offer.
- Budget for the real total: visa, health surcharge, flights and the first month’s rent all come before you earn anything.
Fees checked on 28 September 2026 on each university’s official fee page (links in our UK cost estimator). Government figures: GOV.UK money you need.
Reviewed by Yasir Khan, British Council registered consultant, LAMTANS Consultants. Last updated 3 October 2026.