A UK Student visa costs £558 when you apply from outside the UK, and you also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge of £776 for each year of the visa (gov.uk/student-visa and gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application, both checked 24 September 2026). Three UK scholarships we have verified fund entry in autumn 2027: Chevening, Gates Cambridge and Clarendon. Chevening is not open to citizens of the six GCC states in this cycle.
This guide covers what an applicant from the Arab world needs to plan a UK master’s or PhD: when courses start, what tuition looks like, the visa costs, English tests, work rights, and the points that apply to Arab applicants in particular. Every figure links to the official page it comes from.
When courses start and when to apply
For the scholarships we list, the start date is autumn 2027. Chevening’s 2027/28 timeline says studies begin in September/October 2027 (chevening.org, checked 24 September 2026). We have not found an official page that sets out UK-wide intake months, so this guide does not give any.
Scholarship deadlines fall long before the course starts:
- Chevening: 6 October 2026, 11:00 UTC (chevening.org).
- Clarendon (Oxford): your course’s December or January deadline. Oxford says applications made for a March or later deadline are not considered for Oxford scholarships (ox.ac.uk, checked 24 September 2026). For the DPhil in Engineering Science, that deadline is 12:00 midday UK time on 2 December 2026.
- Gates Cambridge: 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027, depending on the course, at 11:59pm UK time (gatescambridge.org, checked 24 September 2026).
The visa comes last. From outside the UK you can apply up to 6 months before your course starts, and gov.uk says you will “usually” get a decision within 3 weeks. For a course longer than 6 months you can arrive up to 1 month before it begins, but never before the start date on your visa (gov.uk/student-visa, checked 24 September 2026).
What tuition costs: two official examples
Each UK university sets its own fees, course by course. We did not find an official page that publishes a UK-wide range for international master’s tuition, so we show two examples from Oxford’s 2027-28 course pages instead of an average.
| Course (University of Oxford) | Overseas fee, 2027-28 | Length | Application fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSc Global Governance and Diplomacy | £43,150 | 9 months | £75 |
| DPhil in Engineering Science | £36,260 per year (full-time) | Doctoral | £20 |
The same MSc page estimates living costs in Oxford at £1,475 to £2,175 per month. Clarendon and Gates Cambridge pay course fees in full; Chevening pays tuition fees. The comparison table in our fully funded master’s and PhD guide shows what else each one covers.
The Student visa: fee, health surcharge and money
| Item | Amount | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Student visa application from outside the UK | £558 | gov.uk/student-visa |
| Immigration Health Surcharge (students) | £776 per year of the visa, for example £1,552 for a 2-year visa | gov.uk |
| Living costs to show, course in London | £1,529 per month, for up to 9 months | gov.uk/student-visa/money |
| Living costs to show, course outside London | £1,171 per month, for up to 9 months | gov.uk/student-visa/money |
Nine months at those rates comes to £13,761 in London and £10,539 elsewhere. gov.uk says you “may” need to prove this money, depending on your circumstances. If you have to prove it, you must have held it for at least 28 days in a row, and the 28-day period must end within 31 days of the date you apply.
To apply you need a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from your university. Depending on your course and nationality, you may also need an ATAS certificate and tuberculosis test results (gov.uk, checked 24 September 2026). You prove your identity either with the “UK Immigration: ID Check” app or by giving fingerprints and a photo at a visa application centre, and your status is issued as an eVisa.
English tests
For a degree-level course you need English equivalent to CEFR level B2. Your university can assess your English itself and may ask you to take a different test, but the level must still be B2 (gov.uk/student-visa). If the Home Office needs a Secure English Language Test (SELT) instead, the approved tests for applicants outside the UK are:
- Skills for English UKVI (PSI Services)
- IELTS for UKVI or IELTS Life Skills (IELTS SELT Consortium)
- LanguageCert Academic SELT or General SELT
- PTE Academic UKVI or PTE Home (Pearson)
This list comes from gov.uk (page updated 21 September 2026, checked 24 September 2026). The score your university asks for is on its course page. Neither Chevening nor Gates Cambridge sets its own English test: Chevening dropped its requirement in 2020, and the university’s requirement still applies to both.
Working while you study
On a Student visa at degree level you can work up to 20 hours a week in term time. Below degree level the limit is 10 hours. You can work full time outside term time. You cannot be self-employed, work as a professional sportsperson or entertainer, or take a permanent full-time job (ukcisa.org.uk, updated 28 January 2026, checked 24 September 2026).
After your course you can switch to a Graduate visa. It lasts 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027, or 3 years after a PhD (gov.uk/student-visa). Under the current rules, anyone who starts a one-year master’s in autumn 2027 will be applying after that date, so the 18-month period applies.
Points that matter for Arab applicants
Chevening eligibility this cycle
On 24 September 2026 the Chevening eligible-country list included Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Sudan, Palestine, Yemen and Syria. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman were not on it (chevening.org/scholarships/who-can-apply). If you are eligible, remember the return clause: you must go back to your country of citizenship for at least two years after the award ends. Gates Cambridge is open to citizens of any country outside the UK, and Clarendon has no restriction on nationality.
Sponsor consent
If a financial sponsor paid your course fees and living costs in the last 12 months, gov.uk says you may need that sponsor’s written consent for your visa application. This matters if you are on a government or employer scholarship now.
Documents in Arabic
Rules differ by provider. Chevening asks for your original degree certificate, and says original documents do not need to be translated into English (chevening.org). Your university’s own rules on transcripts and translations are on its admissions pages; check them before you order certified copies.
The identity appointment
If you need a biometrics appointment, gov.uk warns that you may have to travel to reach the nearest visa application centre, which may be in another country.
Our advice: apply for the visa as soon as your CAS arrives. The 3-week decision time on gov.uk is a usual time, not a guarantee, and your flight date depends on it.
UK scholarships we have verified
The records below are hosted in the UK. Each one shows its official source, deadline, status and last-verified date. We add a record only after an editor has checked it on the provider’s own page.