How much money must a South African show for a UK Student visa?

First-year tuition plus maintenance of £1,483 a month for study in London or £1,136 a month elsewhere, for up to nine months. The money must be held for 28 consecutive days, ending no more than 31 days before you apply.

What is the Immigration Health Surcharge?

A compulsory upfront payment of £776 per year of your visa (including dependants) that gives you access to the NHS. It is paid at the same time as the visa fee.

Do South Africans need IELTS for a UK student visa?

Degree-level students at a licensed sponsor can often be assessed by the university itself, which may accept English-medium South African qualifications. Where a test is required it must be an approved SELT such as IELTS for UKVI.

Do I need a TB test to study in the UK?

Yes, for stays of more than six months. The test must be done at a UKVI-approved clinic in South Africa, and the certificate is valid for six months.

Can I work on a UK Student visa?

Degree-level students can normally work up to 20 hours a week during term and full time during vacations. Self-employment and work as a professional sportsperson are not allowed.

Can I stay in the UK after graduating?

The Graduate route allows eligible graduates to stay and work for a period after completing the degree, longer for PhD graduates. The rules have been under review and tightened, so confirm the current terms on gov.uk before relying on it.

Immigration & Visas

Studying in the UK as a South African: Student Visa, Costs & UCAS

UK undergraduate applications go through UCAS and postgraduate applications direct to the university. Once you accept an offer the university issues a CAS, which you need for the Student visa.

Who needs this

South Africans applying to UK universities for undergraduate, master's or doctoral study.

Featured guide

Studying in the UK as a South African

The United Kingdom is the most familiar system for South Africans: undergraduate applications go through UCAS, degrees are often shorter (three years for a bachelor's, one year for most master's), and the visa is the Student visa (previously Tier 4), sponsored by a licensed university.

Step-by-step

Choose your course and check entry requirements. UK universities state NSC requirements directly — competitive courses ask for strong passes in specific subjects, and some may require a foundation year.
Apply through UCAS for undergraduate study (up to five choices on one application, one personal statement, one fee). Postgraduate applications go directly to each university.
Meet the deadlines. UCAS equal-consideration deadlines fall in January for most courses, with an earlier October deadline for Oxford, Cambridge, medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine.
Accept an offer (firm and insurance choices) and meet any conditions such as final NSC results or an English test.
Get your CAS. The university issues a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies — a reference number you need for the visa.
Prove English where required with an approved SELT such as IELTS for UKVI, unless your university confirms an exemption based on your English-medium qualification.
Show funds. You must generally hold the required money for 28 consecutive days, ending no more than 31 days before you apply — course fees for the first year plus living costs (£1,483 a month for up to 9 months in London, £1,136 a month outside London at the time of writing).
Take a tuberculosis test at a UKVI-approved clinic in South Africa — required for stays over six months.
Apply online for the Student visa, pay the application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), then give biometrics at a visa application centre.
Travel. Students can usually enter up to one month before the course starts (or one week before for short courses).

Costs to budget

Approximate, and fees rise most years — confirm on gov.uk and the university's site.

Tuition: roughly £12,000–£30,000 a year for international undergraduates; clinical degrees such as medicine cost substantially more. One-year master's degrees commonly fall in the £16,000–£35,000 range.
Student visa application fee: around £524 when applying from outside the UK.
Immigration Health Surcharge: £776 per year for students (and their dependants), payable upfront for the whole visa length — this gives access to the NHS.
Living costs: the UKVI maintenance figures above are minimums; London realistically costs more.
Tuberculosis test: roughly R1,500–R2,500 at an approved clinic.
English test (IELTS for UKVI): about R4,500–R6,500.

Hidden costs: UCAS application fee, certifying and couriering documents, apostilles via DIRCO where required, flights, a rental deposit and often a UK guarantor or several months' rent upfront, bank charges and exchange-rate movement, and travel to Pretoria, Johannesburg or Cape Town for biometrics.

Working and staying after study

Student visa holders studying a degree can normally work up to 20 hours a week during term and full time in vacations. Employment as a sportsperson or self-employment is not permitted.
The Graduate route lets eligible graduates stay and work for a period after completing the degree (longer for PhD graduates). The UK has been reviewing and tightening this route, so confirm the current length and conditions before relying on it.
Most students can no longer bring dependants unless they are on a postgraduate research programme or a government-sponsored course.

Funding

Look at university international scholarships, Chevening (UK government scholarships for master's study, with a strong track record for South Africans), Commonwealth Scholarships, and the Mandela Rhodes and Rhodes Scholarships for exceptional candidates. Apply for funding months before the course deadline — scholarship rounds usually close first.

Sources

UK Home Office — Student visa (gov.uk/student-visa)
UKVI — financial evidence and maintenance requirements (gov.uk)
Immigration Health Surcharge (gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application)
UCAS — undergraduate applications and deadlines (ucas.com)
British Council South Africa — study UK information (britishcouncil.org.za)
Chevening Scholarships (chevening.org)

General information only, not immigration advice. UK fees, maintenance amounts and the Graduate route change regularly — verify on gov.uk before applying or paying.

Download a printable checklist

A one-page PDF of everything you need to bring with you. Tick items off before you go.

What you need before you start

An unconditional or met-condition offer from a licensed student sponsor
Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) reference
Approved English test (SELT such as IELTS for UKVI) unless exempt
Funds held for 28 consecutive days — first-year fees plus maintenance
Tuberculosis test certificate from a UKVI-approved clinic
Valid passport and biometrics appointment
Paid visa fee and Immigration Health Surcharge

Step-by-step process

1
Check the course entry requirements
UK universities state NSC requirements directly; competitive courses need specific subject passes and some applicants take a foundation year.
2
Apply through UCAS or direct
UCAS handles undergraduate applications (five choices, one personal statement); postgraduate applications go straight to the university.
3
Meet the deadlines
Most UCAS courses close in January, with an October deadline for Oxford, Cambridge, medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine.
4
Accept an offer and meet conditions
Confirm your firm and insurance choices and supply final NSC results or English test scores.
5
Get your CAS
The university issues the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies reference needed for the visa application.
6
Hold the required funds for 28 days
First-year fees plus maintenance (£1,483 a month in London, £1,136 outside, for up to nine months) must sit in the account for 28 consecutive days ending no more than 31 days before you apply.
7
Take the TB test and apply online
Use a UKVI-approved clinic in South Africa, then apply on gov.uk, pay the visa fee and Immigration Health Surcharge, and give biometrics.
8
Travel
You can usually enter the UK up to one month before the course starts, or one week before for short courses.

Where, how much, how long

Where to submit

Undergraduate applications go through UCAS; postgraduate applications go direct to the university. The Student visa is applied for on gov.uk, with biometrics at a visa application centre in South Africa.

Fees

Approximate: tuition about £12,000–£30,000 a year for international undergraduates (clinical degrees much more) and £16,000–£35,000 for a one-year master's; Student visa fee around £524 from outside the UK; Immigration Health Surcharge £776 per year, payable upfront for the whole visa; TB test roughly R1,500–R2,500; IELTS for UKVI about R4,500–R6,500. Add UCAS fees, flights, deposits and exchange-rate costs.

Processing time

Student visa decisions from outside the UK commonly take about three weeks once biometrics are done, though busy periods take longer. UCAS decisions arrive from late in the year through to spring.

Common rejection reasons

Funds not held for the full 28 consecutive days, or statements older than 31 days
Bank statements missing the account holder's name, date or currency
Unpaid Immigration Health Surcharge
Missing TB certificate for a course longer than six months
CAS withdrawn or expired before the application
English requirement not met in an approved SELT where one was required

Official sources

Always confirm the latest requirements and fees on the official website before submitting.

How this guide was checked

Our editorial team compared this guide with 6 official sources linked above and rewrote the process in plain English. We are independent and are not part of any government department.

Reviewed: 14 Sept 2026Updated: 14 Sept 2026

Fees, forms and processing times can change. Please confirm them with the responsible authority before applying. If you spot a change, tell us on the corrections page.