United Kingdom
Studying in the UK offers world-class education, globally recognized degrees, and strong career prospects. With a diverse culture, shorter degree durations, and work opportunities, students gain valuable experience while saving time and costs.
Student visa requirements for the UK
Here’s an overview of the types of study visas and their application requirements
Tier 4 (General) student visa
Who it's for
Students aged 16 or over who have been offered a place in a course at a UK educational institution with a valid Tier 4 sponsor
When to apply
Three months before the start of your course
Arrival in the UK
Up to one week before if your course lasts six months or fewer.
Up to one month before if your course lasts more than six months
Short-term study visa
Who it's for
Students who have offered a place in a short-term course in the UK, such as an English language course or training course
When to apply
Three months before your date of travel to the UK
Arrival in the UK
Depends on your nominated travel dates
Cost to study in the UK
Your expenditure on tuition fees depends on the type of qualification and university or school you opt for. There are many high-ranking universities and colleges in the UK with their own fee structures. Here’s the basic cost of studying.
GBP 10,000 to GBP 20,000 per year
GBP 10,000 to GBP 20,000 per year
GBP 15,000 to GBP 24,000 per year
*Please note that: all figures are indicative and PhD costs might differ as fully funded options are also available in the UK
If you want to bring down your educational expenses, it is best to apply to various scholarships available for Srilankan students.
Scholarships to study in the United Kingdom
The amount of money available and the type of award varies between institutions. Certain research programs may provide up to 100% of the tuition fee besides covering a part of your living expenditures.
Here are some popular government scholarship programs you can apply to study in the UK as a Sri Lankan student.
Supports talented professionals who have shown prior leadership skills and exceptional performance in their respective fields. With Chevening, you can apply for a scholarship or fellowship, the selection of which is done by the high commission and British embassies. |
The commonwealth scholarship aims to give international students from commonwealth
countries a chance to pursue postgraduate degrees in the UK. Basically, the scholarship
scheme caters to students from commonwealth nations to study in the UK.
This scholarship is jointly funded by the UK Government’s GREAT Britain Campaign and the
British Council under the Study UK campaign. This program includes 99 postgraduate
scholarships from 36 UK universities in a variety of subjects. However, for Sri Lankan
students, 12 of the UK higher education institutions are offering 13 postgraduate scholarships.
Scotland’s Saltire Scholarships is a scholarship program of the Scottish Government in
collaboration with Scottish universities offered in the areas of creative industries, technology,
science, medical sciences, healthcare, and renewable and clean energy.
*This is an indicative list, speak with your IDP counsellor for details and the best available options suited to your profile