How much does it really cost to study English in London? (2026 breakdown)

If you've Googled "how much does it cost to study English in London?", you've probably seen three completely different answers — from £200/week to £1,500/week. Both are kind of true, depending on where you stay and how you live. This guide gives you the honest, itemised version for 2026, based on real prices from 55 London schools and current rents.

TL;DR. Plan for £500–£1,000 per week, all-in, if you're a typical adult learner staying 1–3 months. You can spend less (£400/week) if you cook, share a room and pick a cheaper school. You can easily spend more (£1,200+/week) with a premium school and a Zone 1 studio.

1. Tuition

The biggest range. Per-week tuition in London in 2026 looks like this:

Budget schools — £130–£230/week for General English (15–20 lessons). Stafford House, Speak Up London, Burlington School fall here.
Mid-range — £300–£450/week for Intensive (25–30 lessons). Frances King, Skola, UK College of English.
Premium — £500–£700/week for small-group or 1-to-1. St Giles International Central, premium business courses.

Long stays get cheaper per week. A 24-week academic semester at Frances King's Standard General English is £8,040 — that's £335/week, way below the 1-week rate of £447.

💡 Tip: Use our free Cost Calculator to get an exact number for your school and length, or get a personalised shortlist with the AI School Matcher.

2. Accommodation

The second biggest cost, and the one with the widest range.

Homestay (room in a host family) — £200–£350/week, breakfast or half-board included. Best for first-timers. Distance: usually Zone 2–3, 30–45 min by tube.
Student residence — £280–£500/week, single room, communal kitchen and lounge. Usually walking distance from school.
Shared flat / room in a houseshare — £600–£1,000/month (£150–£250/week). Cheapest option but you find it yourself (SpareRoom, Facebook groups).
Studio in central London — £400–£700+/week. Comfortable, expensive.

Schools usually mark up their accommodation by 10–20% for the convenience of booking with them. Booking directly via Uniplaces, HousingAnywhere or SpareRoom is cheaper but riskier for short stays.

3. Food

Budget around £70–£120/week if you cook most meals and grab the occasional lunch out. Tesco / Sainsbury's / Lidl basics are reasonable; eating out daily will easily double this.

4. Transport

A monthly TfL pass (Zones 1–2) is around £170, or ~£40/week. Pay-as-you-go with an Oyster card or contactless is fine for short stays — the daily cap is £8.10 (Zones 1–2). Walking and cycling are free; London is more walkable than people expect.

Plan for £40–£100/week for the unavoidable costs of being in London: a pint with classmates (£6–£8), the occasional museum cafe, a Sunday roast, a club entry. This is where budgets quietly explode if you don't track them.

One-off costs to factor in once

Short-term Study visa (if you need one) — £200.
Flight — varies wildly. Book 6–8 weeks ahead from most European cities.
Travel insurance — £20–£50/month, mandatory for some visa types.
School registration fee — £50–£90 most schools; waived by some partners.
SIM card — £10–£20/month for unlimited data (giffgaff, Smarty, Lyca).

Three sample budgets

Frugal 4-week stay. Budget school + homestay zone 3 + cooking + walking: £1,800–£2,200 total (~£500/week).

Average 12-week semester. Mid-range intensive + residence + mixed eating + Oyster + social: £8,000–£10,000 total (~£700/week).

Premium 24-week academic year. Premium school + studio in Zone 1 + restaurants + weekend trips: £25,000+ total.

Use real numbers, not averages

Every school detail page on this site (e.g. Frances King) shows the exact weekly price for every course length up to 50 weeks, plus accommodation options. Pick a school, pick the weeks, see the real total — no surprises.

Next step: Try the free Cost Calculator with your own school and length, or get a personalised shortlist with the AI School Matcher.

Quick summary