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Education planning · 2026 entry

How much does it cost an American to study at Oxford?

The short answer

$67,000 – $108,000 a year

About $202,000 – $323,000 for a 3-year degree — tuition, living costs, visa, the UK health surcharge and flights home.

Today's prices for 2026 entry, converted at $1.28 per £. Before scholarships. Figures checked November 2026.

One year at Oxford, line by line

Most cost articles stop at tuition. These are all the costs a US student pays, each with its source.

CostIn poundsIn dollarsNotes
Tuition (overseas fee)£37,380 – £62,820$47,846 – $80,410Depends on the course; clinical medicine costs more.
University of Oxford: Course fees for 2026 entry
Living costs (9 months)£12,645 – £18,945$16,186 – $24,250£1,405 – £2,105 a month: rent, food, study and personal costs.
University of Oxford: Living costs for 2026 entry
UK health surcharge£776$993Required for US students, paid with the visa application.
GOV.UK: Immigration health surcharge, how much you pay
Flights home£1,500$1,920Our planning estimate, not an official figure.
Student visa£558 once$714 oncePaid once, from outside the UK.
GOV.UK: Student visa
Total per year£52,301 – £84,041$67,000 – $108,000Plus the visa once.

The whole degree

Most Oxford undergraduate degrees take 3 years: about $202,000 – $323,000 in today's prices. A 4-year course comes to about $268,000 – $431,000. Some courses take 4 years, and clinical medicine costs more. Oxford advises allowing for living costs to rise about 4% or more a year.

How much do we need to save each month?

Move the sliders to your family's situation.

Assumes costs rise 3% a year until your child starts at 18, and you save the same amount every month until then. Before tax, fees and any scholarship.

Save each month for the next 10 years

$1,748 – $2,795

to cover a 3-year Oxford degree costing $202,000 – $323,000 in today's dollars.

Is Oxford more expensive than Harvard?

For the whole degree before aid, usually not. Harvard's 2026-27 cost of attendance is about $95,134 – $100,134 a year for 4 years: $380,536 – $400,536 in all. Oxford's 3-year degree comes in lower overall, even though its most expensive courses can cost more per year than a Harvard year.

After aid, often yes. Harvard is free for families earning under $100,000 and tuition-free under $200,000, assuming typical assets. Compare the price you would actually pay, not the sticker price.

Harvard College: How aid works (2026-27 cost of attendance) · Harvard College: Financial aid expansion

Can we use US federal student loans?

Oxford can certify US federal Direct Loans for US citizens. But a US law signed in July 2025 changes federal student aid from the 2026/27 year, so check the current rules with Oxford’s US loans team (us.loans@admin.ox.ac.uk) before you count on them.

University of Oxford: US federal loans

Is a UK degree recognized in the US?

A UK bachelor's usually takes 3 years, not 4. Many US graduate programs accept it directly, but some ask for a credential evaluation (for example from WES or another NACES member). If a US graduate degree is the plan, check each program's admissions rules early.

What a cost table can't show

Can your family afford Oxford — and still retire on time?

PANZE puts the degree into your whole family plan: savings, retirement, the house, the other kids. Pick the university on a globe and see the year-by-year effect.

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Sources and assumptions