Regions · checked 21 October 2026
Studying in London for Nepali Students: Universities, Costs and the Higher Visa Figure
London has the UK’s largest jobs market and some of its most selective universities. It also has the highest rents, which is why UKVI asks you to show more money for a London course.
Is London Worth the Extra Cost?
For a course in London you show £1,570 a month of living costs, up to £14,130 for nine months, for applications from 30 November 2026, plus unpaid tuition. HOA’s guides cover 28 London universities, from Imperial, 2nd in the QS World University Rankings 2027, to modern universities that accept MOI letters for some courses.
It can be, if your course or career needs London: finance, law, media and many policy and tech roles are concentrated there. If not, the same degree subject outside London usually costs less in rent and needs less money in the bank for the visa.
Key facts
Checked against the sources cited on 21 October 2026.
- Living costs to show
- £1,570 a month (£14,130 for 9 months) from 30 November 2026; £1,529 (£13,761) beforeUKVI; HC 584
- What counts as London
- Your CAS shows you will study at an institution wholly within Greater London; with several sites, where most of your study time isImmigration Rules, Introduction
- Universities in HOA’s guides
- 28HOA university profiles
- Russell Group in London
- Imperial (2), UCL (8), King’s College London (37), LSE (63) and Queen Mary (103) in QS 2027The Tab, QS 2027
- Published master’s fees
- £18,000 to £52,950 across the 17 course examples HOA checkedUniversity fees pages
- Graduate visa
- 2 years if you apply by 31 December 2026, 18 months from 1 January 2027, and 3 years after a PhDGOV.UK
Russell Group Universities in London
| University | QS 2027 | City |
|---|---|---|
| Imperial College London | 2 | London (South Kensington) |
| UCL | 8 | London (Bloomsbury) |
| King’s College London | 37 | London (Strand / Denmark Hill) |
| LSE | 63 | |
| Queen Mary University of London | 103 | London (Mile End) |
These universities usually ask for IELTS or an equivalent test and high grades. LSE does not work through agents, so you apply to it directly. Modern London universities such as Westminster, Greenwich, East London, Middlesex and London Metropolitan accept an MOI letter for some courses; check each course.
All 28 London Universities in HOA’s Guides
Show all 28 universities
| University | Location | Published international fee | Visa living-cost rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birkbeck, University of London | London | £22,980 for MSc International Business Management | London |
| Brunel University London | Uxbridge, London | £24,795 for MSc International Business | London |
| City St George's, University of London | London (Northampton Square) | £25,690 for MSc Economics | London |
| Coventry University London | London | £19,500 for MSc Management | London |
| Goldsmiths, University of London | London (New Cross) | from £21,000 | London |
| Imperial College London | London (South Kensington) | from £44,600 | London |
| King's College London | London (Strand / Denmark Hill) | £45,400 for MSc Economics & Finance | London |
| Kingston University | Kingston upon Thames, London | from £18,500 | London |
| London Business School | London (Regent’s Park) | £52,950 for Masters in Management | London |
| London Metropolitan University | London (Holloway) | from £19,500 | London |
| London School of Economics and Political Science | London (Holborn) | from £30,400 | London |
| London South Bank University | London (Southwark) | £18,900 for MSc International Business Management | London |
| Middlesex University | London (Hendon) | £18,750 for MSc International Business Management | London |
| Northumbria University London | London | £21,500 for MSc Computing and Technology | London |
| Queen Mary University of London | London (Mile End) | £36,950 for MSc International Human Resource Management | London |
| Ravensbourne University London | London (Greenwich) | £19,950 for MBA | London |
| Regent's University London | London (Regent's Park) | from £11,000 | London |
| Richmond American University London | London (Richmond) | from £17,500 | London |
| Royal College of Art | London (Kensington) | £39,250 for MA Service Design | London |
| SOAS University of London | London (Bloomsbury) | from £25,320 | London |
| St Mary's University, Twickenham | London (Twickenham) | £18,990 for LLM International Business Law | London |
| University College London | London (Bloomsbury) | £39,200 for MSc International Public Policy | London |
| University of East London | London (Stratford and Docklands) | from £16,020 | London |
| University of Greenwich | London (Greenwich) | £19,450 for MA International Business | London |
| University of Roehampton | London (Roehampton) | £18,980 for MSc Global Human Resource Management | London |
| University of West London | Ealing, London | by course (see page) | London |
| University of Westminster | London (Central) | £18,000 for MSc International Business and Management | London |
| University of the Arts London | London | from £30,890 | London |
“By course” means the university lists fees course by course; open its profile for the source link.
How Much Money You Show for the Visa
You show the tuition you still owe for the first year plus living costs for up to nine months. For London: £1,570 a month (£14,130, about NPR 27.6 lakhs) for applications from 30 November 2026, or £1,529 a month (£13,761) before then. The money must stay in the account for 28 days in a row, ending no more than 31 days before you apply.
Worked example. A one-year master’s with £20,000 tuition and a £3,000 deposit paid: £17,000 still owed + £14,130 living costs = £31,130 (about NPR 60.7 lakhs) held for 28 days. Add the £558 visa fee and about £1,164 health surcharge, paid when you apply.
All 20 of Nepal’s Class A commercial banks meet UKVI’s rules for the account. See bank balance for the UK visa and banks in Nepal.
Rent, Transport and Work in London
Rent. Rent is the largest cost, and London rents are the highest in the UK. First-year university halls are the most predictable option and do not need a UK guarantor.
Transport. Live near your campus or on a direct Underground, Overground or bus route; students can get discounted travel cards.
Work. The work rules are the same as elsewhere: up to 20 hours a week in term time at degree level. The National Minimum Wage is £12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over, and many London employers pay more, though higher rent absorbs much of the difference.
How to Plan a London Application from Nepal
Decide if you need London
Check whether your course or career benefits from a London location.
Shortlist and apply
Apply directly for a master’s, or through UCAS for a bachelor’s.
Budget for the London figure
Plan for £14,130 of living costs plus unpaid tuition, held for 28 days.
Book housing early
Apply for halls as soon as you accept your offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
From 30 November 2026, £1,570 a month, up to £14,130 for nine months, plus any first-year tuition you still owe, held for 28 days. Before that date the figure is £1,529 a month (£13,761).
It depends on your course and career. Finance, law and media jobs are concentrated in London; for many other subjects, a university outside London costs less for the same degree.
HOA’s London guides cover Russell Group universities such as UCL, King’s College London, Imperial and Queen Mary, and modern universities such as Westminster, Greenwich, East London, Middlesex, London Metropolitan, Kingston and Brunel.
At some universities and for some courses. Several modern London universities accept an MOI letter; the Russell Group universities in London generally ask for a test.
Yes, if it is within Greater London, which includes the outer London boroughs. A campus outside Greater London uses the outside-London figure.
Yes: up to 20 hours a week in term time at degree level and full-time in official vacations, as anywhere in the UK.
It is the UK’s most expensive rental market. First-year halls are usually the most predictable option and do not need a UK guarantor.
Apply for the Graduate visa, which needs no job offer or sponsor: 2 years if you apply by 31 December 2026, 18 months from 1 January 2027, and 3 years after a PhD.
No. HOA’s admissions guidance is free to students. Partner universities pay HOA when a student enrols; you pay only official costs such as the visa fee, health surcharge, TB test and NOC.
Key Terms
- 28-day rule
- Visa money must stay in the account for 28 days in a row, ending no more than 31 days before you apply.
- Studying in London
- Studying at an institution wholly within Greater London, as shown on the CAS; the higher living-cost figure applies.
- CAS
- Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies: the reference a licensed university issues so you can apply for a Student visa.
Sources
Every figure on this page was checked against these sources on 21 October 2026. If an official page and this page disagree, the official page is right.
- Home Office, Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules: HC 584
- UK Visas and Immigration, Financial evidence for Student and Child Student route applicants
- GOV.UK, Immigration Rules: Introduction (definition of studying in London)
- The Tab, All 24 Russell Group universities in the QS World University Rankings 2027
- Russell Group, Our universities
- GOV.UK, Graduate visa
- GOV.UK, National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates
About This Guide
Written by House of Admissions (HOA), a UK-only education consultancy founded in 2016 with offices in Kathmandu and Pokhara. All 20+ HOA counsellors hold the British Council’s UK counsellor certification. HOA’s guidance is free to students. Reviewed by Rahul Chhetri, Director. This is admissions guidance, not immigration advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Related Guides
Considering a London University?
A counsellor can compare London and non-London options for your course. HOA’s guidance is free.