United Kingdom 2027: UCAS dates, fees and the Graduate visa cut to 18 months

Application calendar and program lengths

Bachelor's applications are made through UCAS, and you can choose up to five programs in one application. For 2027 entry, the deadline for Oxford, Cambridge and most medicine programs was 15 October 2026. For most other programs, the equal consideration deadline is 13 January 2027 at 18:00 (UK time).

A full-time bachelor's normally takes three years. In Scotland, an Honours degree takes four years. Many master's programs finish in one year. You apply for a master's not through UCAS but through the university's own system, and there is no limit on the number of applications. According to UCAS, some master's programs have more than one start date a year.

School fees and living costs

The fee an international student pays changes by field. For example, at the University of Sheffield for 2027/28 entry, bachelor's programs other than medicine and dentistry cost between £27,650 and £34,670 a year. At the same university, medicine is £51,380 a year and dentistry is £55,000. In master's programs, the fee also depends on the program. At the University of Bath for 2027/28, MSc Management is £30,100 and MSc Finance is £35,650.

Living costs change by city. The University of Oxford estimates a bachelor's student's monthly costs for 2026/27 at £1,405 to £2,105. We suggest building your budget on the estimate of the university in your target city.

The money to show for the visa goes up on 30 November 2026

A student visa application needs the CAS number that the school gives you. In addition to the first year's school fee, you also show monthly living money. This money is calculated for up to 9 months and must stay in the account without a break for 28 days.

You can apply for the visa at the earliest 6 months before the course starts. So a student who will start in September 2027 shows the new amounts under today's rules. As of October 2026, the visa application fee is £558, and the immigration health surcharge (IHS) is £776 for each year of the visa.

According to GOV.UK, for applications made from outside the UK, a decision usually comes within 3 weeks. For programs longer than 6 months, you can enter the country at most 1 month before the course starts. We suggest not traveling until you have your visa.

Working during and after your studies

A student at bachelor's level or above can work up to 20 hours a week during term. Full-time work is allowed during holidays.

There is a Graduate visa for working after graduation. For applications made on or after 1 January 2027, the length of this visa falls from 2 years to 18 months for bachelor's and master's graduates. For PhD graduates, it stays at 3 years. Under today's rules, a student who starts a bachelor's in 2027 will also get the 18-month period when they graduate.

For short programs like summer school, you do not need a student visa. Citizens of Türkiye get a Standard Visitor visa in advance for these programs. With this status, you can take a course of up to 6 months at an accredited institution. For details, see our United Kingdom page.