The leading universities in the United Kingdom are projected to impose annual tuition fees ranging from £23,900 to £67,000 (approximately US$31,000 to US$87,000) for the academic year 2024-2025, depending on the chosen field of study.

According to the latest World University Rankings for 2025, published by Times Higher Education (THE), the University of Oxford has maintained its position as the top university globally for the ninth consecutive year. The University of Cambridge and Imperial College London follow closely, ranking 5th and 9th in the world, respectively.

Other notable U.K. institutions within the global top 100 include University College London, the University of Edinburgh, King’s College London, the London School of Economics and Political Science, the University of Manchester, as well as the Universities of Bristol and Glasgow. For international students enrolling in these prestigious universities, tuition fees will vary significantly by program.

Cambridge’s Medicine program stands out with the highest tuition fees, while courses such as Language, Sociology, and History at the University of Bristol are among the most affordable options available.

Several universities have already disclosed their fee structures for the upcoming academic year. The University of Oxford will charge between £35,000 and £51,000. At the same time, tuition at the University of Cambridge will range from £27,000 to £70,500—reflecting modest increases from previous years.

In addition to tuition fees, international students should budget an estimated £12,000 to £15,600 annually for living expenses, as indicated by Shiksha, a study abroad resource.

No. | Universities | Global ranking | Tuition fees 2024-2025 (£/year)
1 | University of Oxford | 1 | 33,000 - 48,600
2 | University of Cambridge | 5 | 25,700 - 67,000
3 | Imperial College London | 9 | 37,650 - 53,700
4 | University College London (UCL) | 22 | 28,100 - 41,000
5 | University of Edinburgh | 29 | 26,500 - 37,500
6 | King’s College London (KCL) | 36 | 27,100 - 58,000
7 | London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) | 50 | 26,184 - 28,176
8 | University of Manchester | 53 | 26,500 - 38,000
9 | University of Bristol | 78 | 23,900 - 46,500
10 | University of Glasgow | 87 | 25,290 - 56,500

The U.K. remains a popular destination for international students, with over 758,000 enrolled last academic year according to data from the U.K. Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Most of these students hail from India, China, and Nigeria; notably, there were also around 7,140 Vietnamese undergraduates in the U.K. in 2022.

Since mid-2023, visa regulations for international students have become more stringent as part of efforts to control immigration levels. Earlier this year, the government increased the income threshold for skilled work visa applicants to £38,700 annually—up from £26,200—with a validity period of five years. Starting next year, prospective international students must demonstrate proof of funds ranging from £1,130 to £1,480 per month to qualify for a student visa.

THE is one of three prominent organizations responsible for university rankings globally alongside QS and the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU). The rankings for 2025 evaluated over 2,000 higher education institutions across 115 countries and territories using a comprehensive set of criteria across five categories: teaching (29.5%), research environment (29%), research quality (30%), international outlook (7.5%), and industry income and patents (4%).