A UK Study Guide for Nepali Parents — What You Are Actually Agreeing To
Almost every guide to UK study is written for the student. This one is written for the person who funds it, signs the sponsor letter, and carries the risk.
By Rahul Chhetri, Director, House of Admissions · Updated 20 Oct 2026
Your child needs roughly £10,539 in maintenance (rising to £10,827 on 30 November 2026) held in your account for 28 consecutive days, plus tuition, plus £1,722 in visa fee and health surcharge. You will be asked to evidence where that money came from. A legitimate consultancy charges you nothing for any of this.
This page is written for parents. If you are the student trying to open this conversation, see how to talk to your parents about studying in the UK; for the arithmetic see can your family afford it.
- Maintenance your child must evidence
- £10,539 outside London (£10,827 from 30 Nov 2026)
- How long it must be held
- 28 consecutive days, never dipping
- Where it must be held
- A Nepal Rastra Bank Class A commercial bank
- Visa fee and health surcharge
- £558 + £1,164 = £1,722
- Nepal government step
- MoEST No Objection Certificate, NPR 2,000
- Tax on sending tuition
- 3% education tax on the amount sent
- What a consultancy should charge you
- Nothing
What Will This Actually Cost Your Family?
Four separate things, and they arrive at different times.
| Cost | Roughly | When | Refundable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | £14,000–£22,000 (NPR 27–43 lakhs) | Deposit on acceptance, balance before or at enrolment | Deposit usually not |
| Visa fee + health surcharge | £1,722 (NPR ~3.36 lakhs) | At application | No |
| Maintenance shown to UKVI | £10,539 (NPR ~20.5 lakhs) | Held 28 days before applying | Not spent — but must genuinely exist |
| Nepal-side costs | NPR 2,000 NOC + 3% education tax on tuition sent | Before the money leaves Nepal | No |
Why Will You Be Asked Where the Money Came From?
UKVI assesses not only whether the money exists but whether it is genuinely available and credibly explained. A large deposit appearing shortly before the 28-day period, with no explanation, is the most common avoidable problem in Nepali applications.
If your funds come from a land sale, business income, remittance from a relative abroad, or agricultural income, that is entirely acceptable — but keep the paper trail. What to keep for each source →
Is Your Child Safe?
The UK is a well-regulated destination with a functioning healthcare system your child has already paid into through the health surcharge. The real risks are not safety. They are financial — a course that does not lead to work, a consultancy that charges fees it should not, or a rushed application that is refused after the money is spent.
What Should a Consultancy Charge You?
Legitimate UK education consultancies are paid by universities after a student enrols, not by families. If an agency asks you for a service fee, a “processing charge” or a “guarantee deposit”, ask exactly what it buys and get it in writing. The same applies to us — ask, and hold us to the answer. How to judge a consultancy →
What Should You Ask Your Child Before Agreeing?
- Why this course, specifically? If they cannot name modules, they have not researched it. A UKVI officer will ask the same question.
- What work does it lead to, and what does that pay? The UK Skilled Worker salary threshold is £41,700. Some subjects reach it; several do not.
- What happens if the visa is refused? A plan that has no answer to this is not a plan.
- Who is advising you, and what are they charging?
Want to ask us directly, as a parent?Message us and speak to a counsellor yourself rather than through your child. We will give you the same figures we gave them, and we charge you nothing.
Free WhatsApp checkFrequently Asked Questions
Maintenance of £10,539 outside London — rising to £10,827 on 30 November 2026 — held for 28 consecutive days without dipping, plus tuition. It must sit in a Nepal Rastra Bank Class A commercial bank.
Yes. UKVI accepts funds held by a parent or legal guardian with written consent and evidence of the relationship. What the sponsor letter must say.
Yes. A land sale, business income, salary, remittance or education loan are all acceptable — but keep the paper trail. A large unexplained deposit just before the 28-day period is the most common avoidable problem.
No. Legitimate UK education consultancies are paid by universities after enrolment, not by families. If asked for a fee, ask exactly what it buys and get it in writing.
The visa fee and health surcharge are not refunded. Tuition deposits depend on the university’s policy — many refund on visa refusal with evidence, but check before paying. Maintenance funds are not spent, only evidenced.
The UK is well regulated, and your child has already paid into the healthcare system through the health surcharge. The genuine risks are financial rather than physical — a course that does not lead to work, or a rushed application.
Yes — up to 20 hours per week during term time and full-time in holidays. At the 2026 National Minimum Wage of £12.71 an hour, 20 hours is about £1,017 a month. Treat it as help with living costs, not as a way to fund tuition.
Yes, by applying for a UK Standard Visitor visa, with evidence of their finances and ties to Nepal.
Get this checked before you submit — free
Most refusals from Nepal come from paperwork, not from weak profiles. We check every document against the UKVI and MoEST requirements before you pay a fee. House of Admissions is free to students at every stage — we are paid by universities after enrolment, never by you.
Apply free WhatsApp a counsellorRelated Guides
Where Does This Information Come From?
- UKVI — Financial evidence for Student and Child Student route applicants
- GOV.UK — Student visa
- GOV.UK — National Minimum Wage rates
- House of Admissions casework, 2016–2026 (self-reported)
Last updated 20 Oct 2026. Nepali foreign-exchange rules and MoEST procedure change by circular and are not always announced in English — confirm current figures with your bank or at noc.moest.gov.np before you rely on them. Nothing here is immigration or financial advice; for a decision on your own case, consult a regulated adviser.