UK Immigration Health Surcharge for International Students

Who normally pays the IHS?

GOV.UK says a person usually pays the surcharge when applying outside the UK for a visa lasting more than six months, or when applying inside the UK for permission of any length. A Nepali applicant seeking a standard long-term Student visa will therefore normally pay it during the online application.

Some immigration categories are exempt, but a student should not assume an exemption from another route applies. The online application calculates the requirement from the route and dates entered.

Current student rate

The official rate checked on 24 July 2026 is:

• £776 for each full year for students and their dependants.
• £388 for a half-year unit where the official part-year calculation applies.

The exact payment is tied to the visa permission period. A visa may extend before and after the course, so multiplying £776 only by the number of academic years can understate the cost.

How part-years are charged

These examples explain the GOV.UK method. The official application produces the payable amount after using the course and immigration dates. If the system’s amount differs from a private calculation, recheck the visa duration and route before assuming the system is wrong.

Why a one-year master’s can attract 18 months of IHS

Under Appendix Student, a course lasting 12 months or longer normally receives up to one month of permission before the course and four months after it. A 12-month course can therefore lead to about 17 months of immigration permission, which falls within the more-than-one-year and up-to-18-month band. At the current student rate, that illustrative IHS is £1,164.

The precise start of permission can depend on when entry clearance is granted, and other course lengths receive different post-course periods. Use the live checkout as the final calculation.

What IHS payment provides

After the visa starts and the required IHS has been paid, the holder can use the NHS on broadly the same basis as an ordinarily resident person for covered services. This does not mean every health-related cost is free.

GOV.UK notes that an applicant may need to prove digital status with a share code when accessing healthcare. Register with a local GP after arrival and keep the eVisa account details current.

Private insurance and travel insurance

Private health insurance does not normally replace the mandatory IHS. A student may still choose suitable private or travel cover for gaps such as travel disruption, possessions, repatriation or private treatment, but it does not cancel the government surcharge where the visa route requires it.

Read policy exclusions and do not treat a university marketing benefit as proof that UKVI will waive IHS.

How and when the IHS is paid

1. Complete the Student visa form with accurate course and dependant details.
2. Follow the IHS payment stage in the official online application.
3. Check the calculated visa duration and amount.
4. Pay using an accepted payment method.
5. Save the IHS reference and receipt.
6. Return to the visa application and complete the remaining payment and identity steps.

Each dependant has a separate application and surcharge calculation. Do not use the main student’s IHS reference as if it covers the entire family.

If the IHS is underpaid

UKVI may send an email explaining how to pay the balance. Current GOV.UK guidance gives an applicant outside the UK seven working days after that email to pay the full amount. Failure to do so can cause refusal. Monitor the application email and spam folder.

Full and partial refunds

GOV.UK says refunds usually arrive within six weeks of the decision, but an appeal or administrative review may alter timing. If an appeal later succeeds after a refund, the surcharge may need to be repaid.

Student EHIC refund: a limited exception

Some full-time students with a qualifying European Healthcare Insurance Card issued in specified European countries may apply for a full or partial IHS refund if they meet all conditions, including not working and not planning to work. A Nepal-issued document does not fit that EHIC route. This exception should not be used in a Nepali student’s budget unless the applicant genuinely holds a qualifying card and meets the official rules.

IHS is not financial evidence

Paying the surcharge does not reduce the Student route maintenance amount. Visa application fee, IHS, tuition fees and required living funds are separate parts of the plan. A card used to pay IHS does not automatically prove that the applicant held the required maintenance funds for the required period.

Common IHS mistakes

• Calculating only from course years and ignoring extra visa months.
• Using the general adult rate instead of the student rate.
• Assuming one payment covers every dependant.
• Believing private insurance removes the surcharge.
• Confusing NHS access with completely free prescriptions and dentistry.
• Failing to monitor an underpayment email.
• Expecting the visa application fee to be refunded with IHS after refusal.
• Using a fixed NPR estimate when the payment conversion can change.

Final IHS checklist

• Correct Student route and course dates entered.
• Full permission length considered.
• £776 current student annual rate rechecked.
• Each dependant calculated separately.
• NPR exchange-rate and card buffer available.
• IHS reference and receipt saved.
• Email monitored for any balance request.
• NHS charges outside normal coverage budgeted.