By Amy Jones
With university students back in full force, it comes as no surprise that the cost of studying at university continues to skyrocket across the UK.
Particularly when attending one of the top, prestigious universities in the world, such as Cambridge University.
When searching for a university experts suggest that looking at the tuition fees is a good indicator to help establish which university provides the best course.
The university league tables also provide university rankings that factor in the university’s research, facilities as well as academic spending.
Those with the more expensive tuition fees typically invest heavily into their facilities and services to help provide students with the best overall experience on their campus.
We take a closer look at the top five most expensive universities in the UK and how much they charge for their tuition fees per year for both home and international students using research collected from the Britannia study. We have also looked at the cost of living at these prestigious universities.
University of Oxford
One of the most well known and top-ranked universities in the world, as well as being ranked as the best in the UK, the University of Oxford welcomes students from across the globe.
The university offers a unique approach to teaching as well as providing students with the utmost support possible, including the personalised tutorial system they have in place to ensure students gain enough access from their tutors.
Tuition fees for the prestigious university are £9,250 for home students, those wanting to attend internationally are looking at fees from £26,770 – £37,510.
Their medical course for international students costs around £35,380, with the university, also offering the most expensive Business course in the UK, costing £31,230 for international students.
In addition to tuition fees, the living costs of being in Oxford can add up to a staggering £14,100 to £20,520 per year. These figures include food, accommodation, personal items, social activities, study costs and other expenses.
University of Cambridge
Being named as one of the top universities in the world and ranked second in the UK, Cambridge University does not hold back on facilities for their students and that includes the price too.
The university has one of the most expensive tuition fees compared to the other top UK universities, the same as Oxford at £9,250 per year.
As a result of this their tuition fees are also invested into improving the student’s academic services, as well as extra facilities such as career counselling, health and sports services.
Accommodation costs and food that can be offered in terms of self-catering or dining halls can add up to an estimated £8,375 per year, plus additional costs for course resources, travel costs and social activities.
One of the most expensive courses Cambridge offers is the Bachelor of Medicine programme, costing a staggering £58,038 in annual tuition fees for international students, making it the most expensive program in the UK’s top medical courses.
University of Warwick
It may be ranked as the 61st position in the world but it’s within the top ten universities in the UK.
The university is well known for its quality of research and offers students excellent graduate employment.
Tuition fees are £9,250 per year for home students and from £21,220 to £43,170 for international students with their top subjects offered including Economics, Business and Management Studies, and Philosophy.
The cost of living in Warwick appears lower than Oxford and Cambridge but is still an estimated £5,490 to £7,600 per year for accommodation food, books and materials and other general expenditures.
Imperial College London
It’s no surprise that the London based university has been named as one of the most expensive to attend and the top university in London.
It may come with an average tuition fee of £32,000 to £45,300 for international students but with this also comes heavy investment for the students in the facilities and support they offer.
The university was also ranked seventh in the world for being the best university, offering students a first-class education and at £9,250 per year, for home students.
Not forgetting the extra cost of actually living in London, combined with high rent costs and travel expenses in the big city, which totals up to a staggering average of £16,209 per year for students studying in London.
UCL (University of College London)
The second top university in London also comes up top for being one of the most expensive universities in the UK.
The University of College London has been ranked as one of the top in the UK as well as the world and is also one of the largest universities in the UK.
As well as this, it is one of the most diverse universities welcoming over 18,000 international students.
Those wanting to attend this university in London from across the globe would be looking at between £19,970 to £34,660.
UK residents would be looking at the same cost as the other universities at £9,250 per year.
