What is the IHS charge?
The IHS charge is mandatory for anyone applying for a new Student or other type of visa for the UK which lasts longer than 6 months, or for those extending their visa inside the UK for any length of visa granted.
After paying the charge and obtaining the visa, the person will be able to access National Health Services in the UK in the same way a UK resident can. You will have access to GP services and referals to specialist services within the NHS, emergency health care and will not be charged for hospital treatment or further medical treatment. However, like UK residents, you will still need to pay for prescriptions, dental treatments and eye tests/optician services.
For further details about healthcare in the UK for international students please see the UK Council for International Student Affairs webpage here.
Fees
You will need to pay the IHS for the full length of your visa. The immigration health surcharge is:
- £470 per 12 months
- £235 for six months or less
Dependants usually need to pay the same amount as you.
Please note that for applications submitted from 6th February 2024 onwards, the IHS fee
is due to increase from £470 per year to £776 per year
The amount that you have to pay will be based on the maximum length of time that your visa could be issued.
Calculate how much you’ll have to pay before you apply.
Example one
If you are applying for a visa to study a one year Masters course and you have one dependant, then you will both be issued with a visa for the length of your course (12 months), plus your four months post-study work period, meaning that you will have to pay £470 each for your first 12 months and then an additional £230 each for the post-study work period, giving a total of £1,410 (£705 each).
Example two
If you are applying for a visa to study a three-year undergraduate course, then you will usually be issued with a visa for the length of your course (34 months if studying from the September of your first year until the June of your third year), plus an additional four months post-study work period, giving a total of 38 months. This means that you will have to pay £1,410 for the first three years (or 36 months) of your visa, plus an additional £235 for the final two months that your visa will be issued for, giving a total of £1,645.
When to and how to pay
You will be required to pay the surcharge in full at the time of making your online application. You will be able to make this payment by credit or debit card in the same way that you would pay your application fee.
Refunds
You’ll get a full IHS refund if your visa application is refused.
You will not receive any refund of the IHS in any circumstances if your visa is granted even if you leave the UK early (for example due to suspension) or do not use the NHS whilst you are here.
Suspending your studies
If you suspend your studies you must leave the UK and apply for a new visa to return when you are ready to resume your studies full-time. In these circumstances, you would be expected to make a new visa application to return to the UK to resume studies and you would be required to pay the surcharge again as part of your new visa application.
Further help and advice
To read more about the immigration health surcharge and how it will affect you visit the UK Home Office website.
If you still have further questions then please feel free to contact International Advice and Guidance at iagteam@liverpool.ac.uk.
Speak to a International Advice and Guidance advisor
If you are unable to find an answer to your query on our web pages email iagteam@liverpool.ac.uk or book an online confidential one-one appointment.