The Cost of Studying in the UK and Canada from Bangladesh — Honestly

BayRen Education · 2026-08-26

Numbers on agents' posters and numbers on university invoices are rarely the same numbers. Here is the honest shape of the cost — in ranges, because that is the only truthful way to give them — and the parts people forget to count.

Before the numbers: two warnings

• These are indicative ranges gathered from what universities commonly publish. Fees change every year and vary hugely by university, city and subject. The only real number is on the official page of the course you apply to.
• Anyone who quotes you one exact "total cost" without naming a university and course is estimating at best. Treat confident single numbers with suspicion.

United Kingdom — typical shape

• Tuition: international undergraduate fees commonly fall somewhere between £12,000 and £30,000+ a year, with medicine and some London programmes above that. Master's degrees are often £14,000–£28,000 for the year.
• Living costs: the UK visa system itself assumes a fixed monthly maintenance amount, higher in London than outside it — check the current figure on the official UKVI page, because it rises most years. In practice students commonly spend £900–£1,400 a month depending on the city.
• Also count: the visa fee, the NHS health surcharge (charged per year of the visa — it is a significant four-figure total for a full degree), flights, and the deposit most universities ask for before they issue your CAS.

Canada — typical shape

• Tuition: international undergraduate fees commonly run CAD 20,000–40,000 a year; many college diplomas and some Master's programmes are lower, around CAD 15,000–25,000.
• Proof of funds: Canada requires you to show living money on top of tuition for the study permit — the required amount is set officially and has risen sharply in recent years, so check the current IRCC figure before you plan.
• Also count: the study permit fee and biometrics, health insurance where the province requires it, flights, and a first-month cushion for housing deposits.

Where the money is saved (and lost)

• Scholarships are real but partial. Most international scholarships cut tuition by 10–50%; full rides are rare and competitive. Apply early — many close with the admission deadline.
• City choice moves thousands. The same degree costs dramatically less to live through in Sheffield than London, in Winnipeg than Toronto.
• Retaking IELTS is the silent cost. Every retake is a test fee plus months of delay — sometimes a missed intake, which can mean a whole year. Preparing properly once is the cheapest option there is: see the 2-month plan or the IELTS Master Course (৳10,500, everything included).