Scotland appeals to international students because of its rich natural landscape, welcoming people and 19 world-class universities to choose from. 73,000 international students choose to study in Scotland each year, meaning each university has its own global community to study alongside.
Scotland as a whole has a cheaper cost of living than most of the UK, England included. We’ve highlighted the typical cost of living in Scotland for international students so you know what to expect when choosing where to study.
Cost of living in Scotland: the headlines
The monthly cost of living in Scotland per person is considered to be between £1,200 and £2,000, depending on your lifestyle and where you’re based. The University of Glasgow advises its students to budget for a maximum of £1,700 a month, including rent, and the University of Dundee suggests £1,025 a month, based on a 39 week year.
Monthly average | |
Accommodation (incl. bills) | £775 |
Transport | £60-90 |
Entertainment | £50-125 (lifestyle dependent!) |
Food | £150-200 |
Tuition fees
International student fees in Scotland vary between course and institute, and, if you’re an EU resident, if you are ‘settled’ in the UK. Check the government website for full details on how your EU status could influence what rate you pay. For the 2026/27 admissions year, the majority of EU students will be subject to the full international student rate.
The table below shows the range of tuition fees at Scotland’s top five universities according to Studyportals Meta Ranking.
Undergraduate* | Postgraduate | |
University of Edinburgh | £29,600 - £38,900 | £8,650 - £45,410 |
University of Glasgow | £24,000 - £58,500 | £35,000 avg. |
University of St Andrews | £33,250 avg. | £5,845 - £29,990 |
University of Aberdeen | £20,800 - £24,800 | £21,700 - £27,300 |
University of Dundee | £23,150 - £28,200 | £23,700 avg. |
*Excludes (clinical) Medicine and Veterinary Medicine tuition fees
All universities in Scotland offer scholarships for international students, which range from subsidising tuition fee costs to living allowances.
Remember that courses in Scotland are often four years long. Some universities offer the option to complete undergraduate courses in three years, to align with the rest of the UK.
Student accommodation
First-year university students usually live in university-provided accommodation (known as ‘student halls’) as a great way to meet people and get to know the local university area. Then it is typical to find private accommodation (a ‘sharehouse') with course mates and friends.
Edinburgh and Glasgow have the highest accommodation prices as they are desirable cities to live in, but there are still affordable student rooms available. Meanwhile, Stirling and Aberdeen are ranked the most affordable cities in the country. The average monthly rent across the whole country is £663 (£200 cheaper than London rates).
As costs vary from place to place, and institute to institute, it’s key to check your destination’s specific prices when thinking about accommodation. We’ve highlighted some expected accommodation costs across halls and share houses in Scotland’s cities. Remember prices will also change depending on if catering is provided. Most university accommodation includes utilities/bills in the weekly price.
Universities | Student halls (uni owned accommodation) /week | Sharehouses (private rentals) | |
Edinburgh | University of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Napier University, Queen Margaret University | £120 - £200 | £215 (pp, 4 bed) |
Glasgow | University of Glasgow, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow Caledonian University, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland | £125 - £200 | £173 (pp, 3 bed) |
Aberdeen | University of Aberdeen, Robert Gordon University | £99 - £189 | £162 (pp, 3 bed) |
Dundee | University of Dundee, Abertay University | £153 - £230 | £102 (pp, 2 bed) |
Stirling | University of Stirling | £100 - £221 | £187 (pp, 4 bed) |
There are, of course, universities based outside of the cities which have lower accommodation rates as they are in rural areas. On its Paisley campus, the University of West Scotland’s self-catered accommodation rates are £120 per week.
Transport
If you’re in one of Scotland’s major cities, it’s easy to get around with public transport or by walking. The universities are centrally situated to offer easy access to key tourist sites and essentials like supermarkets. If you’re based somewhere more rural, you might want to have a car to make the most of exploring Scotland’s countryside but public transport is more affordable for students on a budget.
- Students under 22 can qualify for an under 22s bus pass, giving you free public transport on every bus in Scotland. You can also buy a 16-25 year old railcard to qualify for 1/3 of national rail ticket prices, giving you broader access to the whole of the UK while studying
- Edinburgh students can buy a student Ridacard for a month, giving you unlimited travel on all forms of public transport in the city (bus, tram, train). It costs £62.50 for four weeks or £610 for the annual pass (which works out at £50 a month)
- Unlimited travel in Glasgow on the bus network costs £85 for four weeks
- If you do have a car, the current average monthly cost in the UK is £212 (The Car Expert) for fuel. Obviously if you’re sharing the car for house trips though you could ask mates to split the cost
Don’t forget - student budget templates often don’t include flights to and from your destination for the start and end of term! Remember to factor that in when budgeting for the year as you might want to fly home for the holidays or even visit somewhere local in Europe.
Edinburgh and Glasgow are both well connected airports and flights to Bristol can cost as little as £18. It’s worth keeping an eye throughout the year on sales to see how cheaply you could hop across to the continent for.
Food
In the UK, the average household spend per person on food is £192 a month, with Scotland coming in at the cheaper end. It’s definitely possible to save pennies by choosing where you shop, as some supermarkets in the UK are more student budget friendly than others.
Eating out will range depending on location and restaurant type, but you can expect, at a mid-range food spot, to spend at least £15 per person for 1 course and drink.
- ASDA, Lidl and ALDI are the most budget friendly options in the UK for grocery shopping. Experts estimate shopping here can save you minimum £25 compared to other favourites Sainsbury’s and Tesco’s
- Tesco’s has a (free) Tesco Clubcard which offers the best value discounts of any British supermarket
- 2Good2Go (app) offers discounted food going from restaurants and supermarkets which is a great way to save on your weekly spend
- Waitrose and Marks & Spencer are premium food supermarkets, known for great quality and higher price tags
- Student tip: meal prep and split weekly shops and share dinners with your flatmates to spread your shopping expenses out! Often it’s cheaper cooking for 2 than 1 and meal prepping is also a great way to make sure you’re organised for the week ahead
- Some universities have opened up on-campus free food kitchens in response to the UK’s recent cost of living crisis and cold breakfasts might be available on campus
Mandatory fees
Everyone moving to the UK from abroad has to apply for a visa and contribute to the UK’s national healthcare system. These costs will need to be paid before your course starts.
- Student visa from outside the UK - £524
- To extend or switch to a student visa from inside the UK - £524
- UK Health Surcharge* - £776 per each full year in the UK
*European students may be able to apply for a refund for the health surcharge if you have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
These mandatory fees are subject to change so stay up to date through the official gov.uk website.
Other things to think about
Every student budget is going to be individual because you will have your own lifestyle you want to lead, which might include eating out once a week, a gym membership, going to the cinema with friends, investing in a bike to get around, or popping to the pub once a week.
There are also great student deals available across the UK, and students at university in Scotland are eligible for discounts provided by UNiDAYS and Student Beans.
The best way to approach the year is to plan ahead and work out what your monthly income is, what your outgoings are and what you want to save. Then you’ll know how much left over you have to make the most of living as an international student in Scotland!
