UK Student Visa IHS Health Surcharge Rates Guide 2026

Official 2026 guide to the Immigration Health Surcharge for international students: calculate the £776 student rate from the applicable visa period, understand Student Visa course-date calculations, refunds, exemptions and NHS charging rules.

1. What is the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)

The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is normally payable as part of an immigration application by people applying from outside the UK for permission of more than 6 months, and by people applying from inside the UK for limited permission of any length, subject to exemptions. Visitors and certain other categories do not pay the surcharge. For students, the current rate is £776 per year. Paying the IHS normally gives access to NHS treatment broadly on the same basis as a permanent UK resident for the period of immigration permission, but some services and charges still apply, including prescriptions, dental treatment and eye tests.

Key Benchmark

Student Rate: £776 per year for students, dependants and Youth Mobility Scheme applicants.

Key Benchmark

Part-Year Charging: The amount for a partial year depends on the total visa duration and where/how the application is made; £388 is the half-year student rate in the applicable cases.

Key Benchmark

Payment Timing: The IHS is paid online as part of the visa/immigration application.

Key Benchmark

NHS Access: IHS generally provides NHS access during the immigration permission, but prescriptions, dental treatment, eye tests and some other services can remain chargeable.

2. IHS Calculation Matrix by Course Duration

The IHS portal calculates the liability from the visa application information. For Student applications, the calculation uses the course dates on the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) and the relevant periods of permission before and after the course. Student permission can therefore be longer than the course itself. The student rate is £776 for each full year. The final charge is rounded using the applicable IHS charging bands rather than simply dividing the course length by 12 months.

Course Duration & Extra Wrap-up Time	Total Visa Duration Issued	Total IHS Fee Charged (GBP)
1-Year Master's (12-month course)	Normally about 17 months permission for a standard entry-clearance Student grant: 1 month before + 12-month course + 4 months after	£1,164 in the standard 17-month calculation because the charge falls within the 1.5-year band
3-Year Undergraduate (36-month course)	Normally about 41 months permission for a standard entry-clearance Student grant: 1 month before + 36-month course + 4 months after	The exact IHS amount is calculated from the CAS/course dates and the applicable IHS rounding rules; do not hard-code a universal 40-month figure
Pre-sessional English Course Under 6 Months	Normally 1 month before + course + 1 month after	If the resulting entry-clearance visa is 6 months or less, IHS is normally £0; an in-country application can have different IHS treatment

3. How the Student IHS Calculation Works

For Student and Child Student applications, the IHS portal uses the course dates entered in the application and shown on the CAS. The Student permission can include a period before the course and a period after the course. For courses of 12 months or longer, the standard entry-clearance grant can include 1 month before the course and 4 months after it. The charge is then calculated under the IHS rounding rules. For example, a 12-month course can result in about 17 months of immigration permission, which is charged at the 1.5-year student rate (£1,164). A longer course can move into a higher charging band even when the additional period is much shorter than a full year.

4. Exemptions, Refunds & NHS Charging

Visitors and certain applicants do not pay the IHS. A student applying from outside the UK for a visa of 6 months or less generally does not pay it, while an in-country application can have different rules. Paying private medical insurance does not remove the IHS requirement where the surcharge applies. If an application is refused, rejected, void or withdrawn before a decision, the IHS is normally refundable, although a refusal subject to administrative review or appeal can delay the refund. Certain students with an EHIC and no work may also qualify to claim an IHS refund under the EU/Swiss student refund scheme.

Key Takeaways & Summary

Student IHS rate is £776 per year (£388 for additional periods up to 6 months).
IHS is calculated on total visa validity duration, including post-course wrap-up months.
Grants full access to UK NHS doctors, emergency rooms, and public hospital care.
Does not cover dental, optical, or prescription charges in England.
Refunded automatically if your visa application is rejected or refused.

Official References & Related UK Hubs

Verified External Government & Institutional Sources:

GOV.UK Pay for UK Healthcare (Immigration Health Surcharge Portal)

Related UK Higher Education & Visa Guides:

UK Student Visa Maintenance Funds Calculator 2026 UK University Tuition Fees & Living Cost Guide 2026

Frequently Asked Questions (6 Interlinked FAQs)

The Student Immigration Health Surcharge rate is £776 per year. The amount actually payable depends on the total immigration permission calculated under the IHS rules, including applicable partial-year charging.

Generally yes, an IHS payment is refundable when an application is refused, rejected, void or withdrawn before a decision, but the timing can depend on appeal or administrative-review rights. Where a refusal can be challenged, the refund may be delayed until the applicable review or appeal process is exhausted.

Paying IHS generally gives access to NHS treatment during the immigration permission, but it does not make every NHS service free. Prescription charges, dental treatment and eye tests can still be charged where the normal NHS rules require payment. The £9.90 prescription figure applies to the standard charge per item in England, not universally across the UK.

UKVI adds 4 months of extra 'wrap-up time' to 1-year degree visas (total 16 months validity), charging 1.5 years of IHS (£1,164 total).

A visitor does not normally pay IHS, but a short-term student route and a Student Visa are different immigration categories. For an entry-clearance application from outside the UK for permission of 6 months or less, IHS is normally not payable. A Student pre-sessional course can receive specific periods of permission, and applying from inside the UK can produce different IHS treatment.

No, the total IHS fee for the entire duration of the visa must be paid upfront in full during the online visa application.

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