UK Student Visa from Nepal: The Complete 2026 Guide
UK Student visa from Nepal: the 2026 guide
KEY FACTS: UK Student visa (2026)
- Application fee: £558 from outside the UK
- Health surcharge (IHS): £776 per year of your course
- Funds to show: £13,761 (London) or £10,539 (outside London), held 28 days
- Decision time: about 3 weeks standard, 5 working days with priority (+£500)
- Post-study work: Graduate Route, 2 years (18 months from January 2027)
- Dependants: taught master's and undergraduate students cannot bring family
The UK Student visa, formerly the Tier 4 visa, is the immigration permission a Nepali student needs to study a course of six months or longer at a licensed UK university or college. It is a points-based application: you score points for an unconditional offer, proof of money, and English ability, and the application is decided against fixed rules rather than an officer's discretion.
This guide covers the 2026 numbers verified against gov.uk: the exact fees, the maintenance funds that rose again in November 2025, the CAS, the documents, the TB test in Kathmandu, the credibility interview that refuses many Nepali applicants, and the Graduate Route that lets you work after you finish.
Where the visa sits in your UK plan
Three stages come before the visa: choosing a course, getting an unconditional offer, and receiving a CAS from the university. The visa is the final step, and it is the step where preparation, not luck, decides the result. Start the Study in the UK groundwork early so your offer and funds line up before you apply.
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How much does a UK student visa cost from Nepal?
The visa itself costs £558, and the health surcharge adds £776 for every year of your course, so a one-year master's costs £558 plus £776 before you count tuition or flights. The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is what gives you access to the National Health Service during your stay, and it is charged up front for the full length of your visa.
| Cost | Amount (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Visa application fee | £558 | Paid online, applying from outside the UK |
| Health surcharge (IHS) | £776 / year | £2,328 for a 3-year course, paid in full up front |
| Priority service (optional) | +£500 | Decision in about 5 working days |
| Super-priority (optional) | +£1,000 | Decision by the next working day |
| TB test (required) | USD 60 or NPR 7,800 | IOM Kathmandu or Norvic Hospital |
A one-year taught master's in 2026 therefore carries roughly £1,334 in visa-related costs (£558 fee plus £776 IHS) before the TB test. A three-year bachelor's pays the £558 once but £2,328 in IHS across the three years, paid in a single up-front charge with the application.
How much money do you need to show?
The maintenance requirement rose on 11 November 2025 to £1,529 per month in London and £1,171 per month outside London, both for up to nine months, on top of your first-year tuition. This is the number that refuses more Nepali students than any other, because the money has to sit in an account, untouched, for a fixed window.
| Where you study | Monthly living cost | Months | Total to show |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇬🇧 In London | £1,529 | 9 | £13,761 |
| 🇬🇧 Outside London | £1,171 | 9 | £10,539 |
Add your first-year tuition to the living total, then subtract any tuition or deposit you have already paid, because the CAS records what is left. A student who pays a £5,000 deposit to a university outside London shows £10,539 in living costs plus the remaining tuition, not the full fee.
⚡ The 28-day rule
Your funds must stay at or above the required amount for 28 days in a row, and the closing date of that 28-day statement must be within 31 days of the day you apply. If the balance dips below the figure on even one day, the application can be refused. Paying a tuition deposit early is the most reliable way to shrink the balance you must hold.
Use the NRB forex calculator to plan how the pounds convert to rupees at today's rate, and read our NRB forex guide for students before you move large sums, because the remittance needs a No Objection Certificate first.
What is a CAS and how do you get one?
A CAS, or Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, is a unique reference number your university issues after you accept an unconditional offer, and you cannot apply for the visa without it. The university must be a licensed student sponsor on the UKVI register, and its licence must still be valid when your visa is decided.
The CAS records your course, its fees, how much tuition you have paid, and the English assessment, so the details on it must match your documents exactly. You must apply for the visa within six months of the CAS being issued, and one CAS works for one application only. If your name spelling or course dates differ between the CAS and your passport or offer letter, fix them with the university before you apply.
Documents you need for the application
Eight items cover almost every Nepali Student visa application, and missing or mismatched documents cause most delays. Gather them before you start the online form so the 28-day funds window does not expire while you collect papers.
- Valid passport with a blank page.
- CAS reference number from your licensed university.
- Financial evidence: bank statements showing the required funds held for 28 consecutive days, or an official loan or sponsor letter.
- Tuition payment receipt for any deposit already paid.
- English evidence: an IELTS for UKVI result, or confirmation on your CAS that the university assessed your English.
- TB test certificate from IOM Kathmandu or Norvic Hospital.
- ATAS certificate if your postgraduate course is in a listed science, engineering, or technology subject (your offer letter says if you need one).
- MoEST No Objection Certificate from Nepal.
English sits at CEFR B2 for degree-level study, which is commonly IELTS for UKVI 5.5 in each of the four skills. Many universities at degree level can assess your English themselves from your prior qualifications and confirm it on the CAS, which removes the need for a separate visa English test. Confirm which route applies with your university, and if you do sit the test, prepare with our IELTS guide.
The credibility interview: why UK applications get refused
Every Student visa application must pass the genuine student requirement, and a caseworker can invite you to a credibility interview by video to test it. The interview probes why you chose this course and university, how you will pay, your study history and any gaps, and your plans after the degree.
Why Nepali applications get refused
- Funds slipped: the balance dropped below the figure during the 28 days, or the statement was older than 31 days.
- Weak interview answers: vague knowledge of the course, the fees, or why this university.
- Unexplained gap or subject switch: a study gap or a sudden change of field with no clear reason.
- Money that appeared suddenly: a large deposit that looks arranged only for the visa.
- Previous refusal: an earlier UK or other visa refusal not addressed honestly.
Answer in your own words, not a memorised script, and know your course content, your fees, and how your degree connects to a plan after graduation. A clear, specific statement of purpose helps here, because the reasoning you wrote for admission is the same reasoning the interviewer wants to hear.
Processing time, eVisa, and the Graduate Route
A standard decision takes about three weeks from your biometrics appointment, and paid services speed this up: priority costs an extra £500 for a result in roughly five working days, and super-priority costs £1,000 for the next working day. You give your fingerprints and photo at the VFS Global UK Visa Application Centre in Kathmandu.
Physical residence cards (BRPs) have been phased out since July 2025, so you now receive an eVisa, an online immigration status linked to a UKVI account, plus a short travel sticker in your passport for first entry. After you finish your degree, the Graduate Route lets you stay and work without a job offer.
| Graduate Route | Apply by 31 Dec 2026 | From 1 Jan 2027 (announced) |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's or master's | 2 years | 18 months |
| PhD or doctorate | 3 years | 3 years |
Dependants are restricted: since January 2024, students on taught master's and undergraduate courses cannot bring a spouse or children. Only students on PhD or research programmes, and government-sponsored students on courses longer than six months, can still bring family. The 18-month Graduate Route change for 2027 was announced in the 2025 Immigration White Paper, so confirm the commencement date on gov.uk before you rely on it.
Nepal-specific steps: NOC and forex
Two Nepal-side steps run alongside the UK application: the No Objection Certificate and the bank remittance. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) issues the No Objection Certificate through its online portal at noc.moest.gov.np, and Nepali banks need it before they can legally remit your tuition and living costs abroad.
Plan the order so the NOC is ready before you pay tuition, because Nepal Rastra Bank rules require a valid NOC for the bank to process the transfer. The NOC checklist lists the documents the Ministry asks for, and once the certificate is in hand your bank can remit the deposit and the year's living costs. Confirm the current NOC fee and any remittance limits with your bank, as these are set by Nepali authorities and change periodically.
UK Student visa FAQ for Nepali students
Can I work on a UK Student visa? Yes, degree-level students can usually work up to 20 hours per week during term and full time in holidays. The exact hours are printed on your visa conditions, so check them before you take a job.
Do I need IELTS for a UK student visa? You need English at CEFR B2 for degree study. Many universities assess this from your past qualifications and confirm it on the CAS, but if your university does not, you take an approved IELTS for UKVI test.
Can I bring my spouse to the UK? Not on a taught master's or undergraduate course. Only PhD, research, and government-sponsored students on long courses can bring dependants since the January 2024 rule.
How long does the Graduate Route last? Two years for bachelor's and master's graduates and three years for PhDs, if you apply on or before 31 December 2026. From January 2027 the bachelor's and taught master's route is set to fall to 18 months.
Sources & last verified
Fees, maintenance figures, IHS, processing times, the eVisa change, the Graduate Route, and dependant rules in this guide follow the UK government Student visa pages on gov.uk. The TB clinic details follow the gov.uk approved-clinics list for Nepal (IOM Kathmandu and Norvic Hospital). English requirements follow gov.uk and the British Council IELTS for UKVI guidance. The No Objection Certificate and remittance steps follow Nepal's MoEST portal and Nepal Rastra Bank foreign-exchange rules.
Last verified June 2026. The maintenance amounts changed on 11 November 2025 and the Graduate Route reform is scheduled for January 2027, so confirm both on gov.uk on the day you apply, along with the current VFS Kathmandu address and the MoEST No Objection Certificate fee.
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About the author
Studination Editorial TeamStudy-abroad counsellors & researchers
Studination's guides are written and fact-checked by counsellors and researchers who work directly with Nepali students applying abroad. Every country and finance page is checked against the primary source (MoEST, Nepal Rastra Bank, official university and government pages) before publishing, and reviewed on a rolling quarterly cycle.
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