Since the UK government opened up the BNO visa scheme for Hong Kong citizens, many have chosen to immigrate to the UK with their families or consider the "astronaut plan" by sending their children to study in the UK while they work in Hong Kong to support their education. If parents want to send their children to study in the UK, they need to consider factors such as budget, tuition fees, and the cost of living for one year. Cyclopes Education will analyze how much it costs to study in the UK, how much money is needed for transportation and food, in order to give parents a preliminary idea of the budget for their children's education in the UK.
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The first aspect of the cost of studying in the UK. How much are the tuition fees approximately?
When considering sending children to study abroad, it is essential to understand the cost of tuition fees. In the UK, most undergraduate courses at universities are three years long, which is shorter than the usual four years in other popular study destinations such as Canada and United States, meaning that one year of tuition fees can be saved.
The tuition fees for undergraduate courses range from approximately £11,000 to £40,000 per year (approximately HKD 111,000 to 400,000), while the tuition fees for master's degree courses range from approximately £11,000 to £50,000 per year (approximately HKD 110,000 to 500,000). If a student wants to pursue a self-funded doctoral degree, the tuition fees are approximately £3,000 to £18,000 per year (approximately HKD 30,000 to 180,000).
If parents want to arrange for their children to take a one-year foundation or international Year 1 course before entering Year 1, the tuition fees for these courses are approximately £12,000 to £19,000 per year.
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How much does transportation cost in the UK?
If studying in the UK and living in school dormitories or nearby student accommodation, students usually walk to school on weekdays. Many students also use shared bicycles or scooters for transportation. The most common form of public transportation in the UK is buses, with a fare of approximately £1 to £2 per trip, which is not particularly cheap. For the London Underground, a single journey within Zone 1 costs around £2.8 for adults. Students or those who have a student category National Railcard can enjoy discounted fares during non-peak hours, with a single journey costing as low as £1.75, which is similar to the cost of riding the MTR in Hong Kong.
As a student, there are many semesters and vacations throughout the year. If you want to travel to different areas, trains are the most convenient and cost-effective means of transportation. Students or those under 30 can apply for a National Railcard to purchase train tickets at a discounted price, saving about one-third to one-half of the fare and a significant amount of transportation expenses. Taking a train from popular study destinations such as Birmingham, Nottingham, and Leicester to London costs around £26 to £35, and sometimes there are promotional fares available.
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Are living and dining expenses high in the UK?
Although transportation expenses in the UK may be high, living and dining expenses are not necessarily too high. If you know how to cook, you can control your food costs to around £50 per week. Vegetables and fruits in large supermarkets such as Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, and Waitrose start at only £1, and sometimes there are promotional prices of £2 for three portions of fruit before the store closes. As for meat, a box of ten slices of bacon costs around £2, and you can buy 1 kg of chicken breast for £4. Surprisingly, even beef steaks are not expensive, with ribeye or sirloin steaks sometimes costing only £8 for four pieces. If you are homesick, Asian supermarkets also offer many noodle options, most of which cost only £1 per package. 2 kg of white rice costs around £3, and you can still eat well even if you control your expenses.
If dining out, the cost is generally around £7 to £15. If you eat takeout or dine out every day, the cost of living in the UK as a student for one year can be quite substantial.
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As long as you know how to control your education budget, the cost of studying in the UK can be kept to approximately £15,000 to £19,000 per year. When calculating the cost of studying in the UK, remember to take into account the cost of living in the UK as a student for one year, in order to make a better plan.
