The UK Home Office has announced an increase in the fee for applying for a study visa from outside the UK. Starting next month, the fee for a student visa will rise by 127 pounds to a total of 490 pounds. The increase is aimed at funding vital services and prioritizing public sector pay rises. The move may impact the large community of Indian students studying in the UK, with over 120,000 Indian students enrolled in the country. Other visa fees, such as work and visit visas, have also seen recent increases.
It comes after British PM Rishi Sunak had announced in July that the fees and health surcharge paid towards the UKs state-funded NHS by visa applicants are set to rise significantly to meet the country s public sector wage increase.
Over a third of the total, 121,290, were “health and care” visas – a 157% increase in the previous year – as the UK struggled to meet the staffing needs of the National Health Service and care providers. Indian and Nigerian nationals accounted for the largest share.