UK vs USA
For Indian students — costs, work rights, visas and what we actually list, side by side.
| UK | USA | |
|---|---|---|
| Postgrad tuition / year | £12,000–£38,000/yr (higher for MBA/medicine) | $20,000–$60,000/yr (STEM/business at private universities higher) |
| Undergrad tuition / year | £11,000–£33,000/yr | $25,000–$55,000/yr |
| Living cost / month | £1,171/month outside London, £1,529/month in London (UKVI maintenance rates) | $1,000–$2,500/month (higher in New York, Boston, California) |
| Work while studying | Up to 20 hrs/week in term time (degree level), full-time during official holidays | On-campus up to 20 hrs/week during term, full-time in holidays; off-campus work only via CPT/OPT authorisation (not in first year) |
| Post-study work | Graduate Route: 2 years for bachelor's/master's (if applying on/before 31 Dec 2026; 18 months from 1 Jan 2027), 3 years for PhD; no job offer needed | Optional Practical Training (OPT): 12 months after graduation, plus a 24-month STEM OPT extension for eligible STEM degrees (up to 36 months total) |
| Main intakes | September/October (main); January/February (secondary) | Fall (August/September) – main; Spring (January); limited Summer (May) |
| English (typical) | IELTS 6.0–7.0 overall (course-dependent) | IELTS 6.5–7.5 (TOEFL iBT ~80–100); top universities often expect 7.0–7.5 |
| Student visa | Student visa (the UK's points-based Student route, set out in Immigration Rules Appendix Student; it replaced the old Tier 4 (General) student visa) | F-1 student visa (academic student). The M-1 visa covers vocational / non-academic study. Almost all Indian students going for a degree at a US college or university apply for the F-1. |
| Visa fee | £558 application fee, as published at gov.uk/student-visa — the same £558 applies whether you apply from outside the UK or extend/switch inside the UK, and £558 is also charged for each depe... | Two mandatory government fees, both non-refundable: (1) Nonimmigrant visa application fee, also called the MRV fee — US$185 for F and M student visas (official India fee list; payable in Ind... |
| Visa processing | As published at gov.uk: "You'll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks" when applying from outside the UK (i.e. from India). If you are already in the UK and extending or switchi... | As published by the official U.S. Visa Information Service for India: "Nonimmigrant visa applicants are encouraged to apply at least three months in advance of the intended date of travel,"... |
| Funds to show | Two parts, as published at gov.uk/student-visa/money. (1) Course fees: enough to cover your course for 1 academic year (up to 9 months) — the exact amount is the figure stated on your CAS, m... | There is no single government-fixed rupee or dollar amount (unlike Canada's GIC). The benchmark is the estimated cost of attendance printed on your Form I-20 — tuition plus living expenses f... |
| Universities we list | 103 | 186 |
| Programmes we list | 81 | 36 |
| Scholarships we list | 57 | 50 |
Costs and visa figures are the published ranges from official sources — your exact fee depends on the university and programme, and we confirm it free. Universities, programmes and scholarships are live counts of what we currently list, not the size of the country's whole sector.
Where UK comes out ahead
- More programmes with a fee we have checked against the university (45 vs 28).
- More scholarships we can point you at (57 vs 50).
- Post-study work: Graduate Route: 2 years for bachelor's/master's (if applying on/before 31 Dec 2026; 18 months from 1 Jan 2027)...
UK vs USA — FAQs
5 questions
Compare the tuition and living rows above: UK postgrad tuition is £12,000–£38,000/yr (higher for MBA/medicine). USA is $20,000–$60,000/yr (STEM/business at private universities higher). Living costs and the funds you must show for the visa matter as much as tuition — we work out the all-in number for your city and course, free.
UK: Graduate Route: 2 years for bachelor's/master's (if applying on/before 31 Dec 2026; 18 months from 1 Jan 2027), 3 years for PhD; no job offer needed USA: Optional Practical Training (OPT): 12 months after graduation, plus a 24-month STEM OPT extension for eligible STEM degrees (up to 36 months total)
UK: Up to 20 hrs/week in term time (degree level), full-time during official holidays USA: On-campus up to 20 hrs/week during term, full-time in holidays; off-campus work only via CPT/OPT authorisation (not in first year)
Neither is automatic. What actually decides it is documentation: funds held for the required period, a genuine study plan and a clean application. See our UK and USA visa guides for each official process, fee and document list.
No. Shortlisting, applications, SOP/LOR/Resume and visa guidance are free — we are paid by partner universities, not by you.
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