Free tools
What studying abroad costs, before and after the offer letter
Seven calculators that turn tuition, living costs and visa funding rules into numbers you can plan around, plus a reference for the terms that decide what you pay.
Seven calculators for study-abroad costs
Study costs
Cost of Attendance Calculator
Add tuition, fees, living costs, books, insurance and flights into an annual and full-program total.
Open tool →Proof of Funds Calculator
Estimate the amount a student visa may require and the monthly saving needed to reach it.
Open tool →Student Monthly Budget Calculator
Turn rent, food, transport, phone, insurance and other spending into a monthly and academic-year budget.
Open tool →Part-Time Work Income Calculator
Estimate net earnings from allowed student work and the share of living costs they cover.
Open tool →Scholarship Gap Calculator
Subtract confirmed funding from the cost of attendance and see the gap and the time to save it.
Open tool →Tuition Currency Cost Calculator
Convert tuition into the home currency, add transfer costs and test a ten per cent adverse rate move.
Open tool →Student Loan Repayment Calculator
Estimate the monthly payment, total repaid and total interest on a fixed-rate student loan.
Open tool →Reference
Short, sourced entries for the terms our tools act on — written for humans and machines alike.
Study abroad
Tuition is one line, not the bill
A tuition figure is the price of instruction. The bill a student actually faces also includes mandatory fees, living costs for the months of the programme, books and materials, health insurance, and travel between home and campus. Combining them produces the cost of attendance, which is the number that matters for budgeting, visa funding and loan sizing.
The gap between tuition and the total is often large enough to change the choice of programme. A lower tuition in an expensive city can cost more per year than a higher tuition where rent and transport are moderate. Build the annual total first, then compare offers on that basis rather than on the headline tuition.
Proof of funds is a timing problem
Visa routes that require proof of funds usually ask for evidence at a specific moment: the application, an interview, or enrolment. The required amount is commonly tuition plus a living-cost figure for a set number of months, sometimes with a buffer, and the rules on what counts as acceptable evidence are set by the destination authority.
That makes the requirement a cash-timing problem rather than only a total. Money can be locked in a deposit, held in a form the route does not accept, or arrive from a scholarship after the deadline. Work backwards from the application date: how many months remain, how much must be shown, and what has to be liquid and documented on that day.
The first-year setup costs
The first year carries costs that do not repeat: a housing deposit, the first shop for bedding and kitchen items, a laptop or software required by the programme, health insurance before enrolment, flights and airport transfers, document fees, and clothing for a climate the student has not lived in. Individually they look small; together they can exceed a month of living costs.
Fund them as a separate line rather than hiding them in a contingency percentage. A first-year budget that includes setup costs is the one that survives arrival, and the same list is useful when comparing offers, because some programmes include items such as insurance or a laptop that others leave to the student.
Part-time work is a partial offset
Part-time work can cover part of living costs, but the legal limit comes first. Student visa routes commonly cap hours during term, may allow more in holidays, and may restrict the type of work or require permission. The cap is set by the destination and can change, so it has to be checked against the official source rather than assumed from another country.
Even within the cap, the realistic number is lower than the maximum: weeks lost to exams, travel and illness, tax and social contributions, and the difficulty of finding shift work near campus. Treat earnings as a reduction of the gap, never as the plan that makes the funding requirement disappear, because visa evidence usually has to exist before the work begins.
Compare programmes on two numbers
A fair comparison uses annual cost of attendance for each year of the programme and the full-program total. Programme length varies, tuition may rise, and currency movements change the home-currency cost, so a one-year masters and a four-year bachelor degree cannot be compared on a single annual figure alone.
Put the numbers side by side: tuition, mandatory fees, living cost for the actual months, insurance, travel, and one-time setup. Then test the assumptions that matter most, such as a ten per cent currency move or a rent increase, and check whether scholarships are guaranteed for every year or only the first. The result is a range, not a single figure, and that is the honest basis for a decision.
Frequently asked questions
Which currency should a study-abroad budget use?
Budget in the currency you will actually pay bills in, usually the destination currency, and keep a home-currency view for savings and family support. Exchange rates move, so add a buffer rather than converting at a single rate for years. Recheck the budget when the rate moves materially.
Is a blocked account the same as a bank statement?
No. A blocked account holds a required amount with an approved provider and releases it in monthly instalments, while a bank statement shows money you already hold. Which one a visa route accepts is set by the destination authority, so confirm the accepted evidence before moving money.
When should scholarship applications start?
Earlier than most applicants expect, often a year or more before enrolment, because many programmes have separate deadlines from admission. Funding decisions may also arrive after visa paperwork is due, so plan the proof of funds as if the scholarship will not arrive in time.
Should a student loan replace savings?
A loan converts a cash requirement into a monthly payment plus interest, while savings avoid interest but reduce liquidity. Compare the total repaid with the amount borrowed and keep a reserve for setup costs either way.
Is the cheapest city always the cheapest study destination?
Not necessarily. A low rent can be offset by higher transport, insurance, visa or travel costs, and by limited part-time work. Compare total annual cost of attendance for the specific programme and city, not a national average.
Are accommodation deposits refundable?
Often partly or fully, subject to condition and notice, but the terms are set by the landlord or provider. Read the contract, photograph the room on arrival, and treat the deposit as cash you must have at signing even if it comes back.
Why is health insurance part of the cost?
Many destinations require cover as a condition of enrolment or visa, and treatment costs without it can be large. Check what the policy covers, whether it meets the visa minimum, and whether a waiting period leaves a gap on arrival.
What if the funds fall short?
Reduce the gap with confirmed scholarships, a cheaper programme or city, a longer saving period, or a loan, in that order of cost where possible. If the shortfall appears close to a deadline, ask the institution about payment plans and deposit rules before assuming the offer is lost.