Fees & Costs · 9 min read
UK Student Visa Fees from Pakistan: The Full Cost Breakdown
By Abubakar Sarfraz ·
The visa fee itself is only one line in a much longer bill, and families in Gujranwala are often caught out by the costs that sit around it rather than by the application charge.
Why we never quote a fixed rupee figure
UK visa fees are set in pounds and revised periodically, and the rupee amount you actually pay depends on the exchange rate on the day of payment. Anyone quoting you an exact, unchanging rupee total for a UK student visa is guessing. What we can do — and what this guide does — is set out every category of cost so nothing surprises you halfway through the process.
Always confirm the current figures on the official UK government visa pages before you budget, and treat any number you read online, including the ranges people discuss in Gujranwala WhatsApp groups, as out of date until verified.
The charges that make up a UK student visa application
There are four broad cost categories, and they are paid at different points in the process to different parties.
- The Student visa application fee, paid to UKVI when you submit the online application from outside the UK.
- The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), charged per year of your visa length and paid at the same time as the application. For a multi-year course this is usually the single largest visa-stage cost.
- Biometrics and visa application centre services in Pakistan, including any optional priority or courier services you choose.
- Tuberculosis (TB) testing at an approved clinic in Pakistan, which is mandatory for applicants from Pakistan.
Maintenance funds are not a fee — but they are the biggest number
The maintenance requirement is money you must show you hold, not money you hand over. UKVI expects proof that you can cover a set living-cost amount for a defined number of months, plus any unpaid tuition, and that the funds have been held for a required consecutive period before you apply.
This trips up more Gujranwala families than the fees do. A large deposit that appears in the account a week before applying is exactly what a caseworker looks for, and it is the most common self-inflicted reason for a refusal in the files we review. Confirm the current living-cost amount, the number of months, and the holding period on the official UKVI guidance before you move any money.
Costs that come before the visa stage
By the time you reach the visa application, you have usually already paid for several things: an IELTS or PTE test, document attestation, courier charges, and often a tuition deposit to secure the CAS from your university. Some universities also charge an application fee.
Building a realistic budget means listing all of these together rather than treating the visa fee as the headline number. In our experience, families who plan the whole spend upfront rarely have to pause an application mid-cycle; those who budget only for the visa fee often do.
- English test fee (IELTS or PTE), plus any retake
- University application fees, where charged
- Tuition deposit required to release the CAS
- Document attestation, translation and courier costs
- Air ticket and initial accommodation payment after approval
Where students can legitimately reduce the total
There is no way around the statutory fees, but there is room in the wider budget. Choosing a university city with lower rent, applying early enough to avoid priority processing charges, preparing properly for the English test so you pass first time, and picking a course length that matches your goals rather than defaulting to the longest option all shift the total meaningfully.
Scholarships and partial fee waivers exist at many UK universities and reduce tuition rather than the visa cost. They are worth chasing early in the cycle, because most have deadlines well before the visa stage.
Get a written costing for your own case
The right total depends on your course length, university, city and family situation. Send your offer letter or target course to DSA — DownTown Study Abroad Consultant on WhatsApp at +92 306 6100435, and we will walk through the current fee categories with you and help you plan the maintenance funds correctly and in good time. Visit us at Office 252, Block C, Main Market, Royal Palm City, Gujranwala, Monday to Saturday, 10:00 to 19:00.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the UK student visa fee from Pakistan right now?
The fee is set in pounds by UKVI and revised from time to time, so the rupee amount changes with the exchange rate. Check the official UK government visa page for the current figure, or ask us and we will confirm it with you.
Is the Immigration Health Surcharge separate from the visa fee?
Yes. It is charged per year of visa length and paid alongside the application. For a multi-year course it is often larger than the application fee itself.
How long must the maintenance funds sit in the account?
UKVI requires the funds to be held for a set consecutive period ending shortly before you apply. Confirm the current period and amount on official guidance — this is the requirement students most often get wrong.
Do I pay the visa fee before or after receiving my CAS?
You need the CAS before you submit the student visa application, so the tuition deposit that releases the CAS is normally paid first.
Are visa fees refundable if the application is refused?
Application fees are generally not refunded on refusal. The health surcharge is normally refunded if the visa is refused — confirm the current policy at the time you apply.
About the author
Abubakar Sarfraz
Abubakar Sarfraz is the founder of DownTown Study Abroad Consultant in Royal Palm City, Gujranwala. He personally reviews student profiles for the UK, USA, Australia, Canada and Europe and oversees every visa file the office submits.