Where do my fees go?

We want to be as open as possible about where your fees go. Undergraduate home students invest £9,250 per year in their University education and it’s only right that we show how we spend it. International students pay different fees depending on their subject. We’ve broken down the average spend for each fee type based on a number of different areas.

UK/EU students

International students

The figures above are based on our 2022/23 financial statements.

The University is also providing financial support to all students during the cost of living crisis in a variety of ways. More information on this can be found at the Student cost of living hub.

Explanation of cost categories

Academic and teaching

Primarily staff costs related to delivering and supporting lectures, laboratory sessions, seminars, personal tutoring. This includes programme development and quality activity, teaching resources and equipment.

Student support

Includes student counselling and welfare services, financial grant to the Students' Union, the Careers Service, pastoral support in residences, programme quality and teaching administration.

IT and Library

Includes library running costs, books, journals, e-publications and support, wi-fi, student email systems, Blackboard, teaching space technology and support (physical and digital).

Scholarships

The support provided to students through a variety of schemes, including our obligations under the Office for Students Access and Participation Plan, to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Commission

Includes all payments made to international recruiting agents.

Running the campus

Includes the costs of running and maintaining our buildings and infrastructure (including digital), paying for utilities and estates services (for example security and cleaning), providing sufficient insurance cover.

Running the University

This covers the costs of keeping the University running and compliant, including finance, human resources, student recruitment and alumni relations functions.

Breakdown of running the campus costs

• Estates
  • 57% attributed to supporting student activity
  • 43% attributed to other University activity
• Services and unavoidable costs
  • 54% attributed to supporting student activity
  • 46% attributed to other University activity
• Maintenance and minor works
  • 54% attributed to supporting student activity
  • 46% attributed to other University activity
• Insurance costs
  • 54% attributed to supporting student activity
  • 46% attributed to other University activity

Breakdown of running the University costs

• Vice-Chancellor, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Registrar's Office
  • 85% attributed to supporting student activity
  • 15% attributed to other University activity
• Finance, business development and research support
  
  • 40% attributed to supporting student activity
  • 60% attributed to other University activity
• Human Resources
  • 37% attributed to supporting student activity
  • 63% attributed to other University activity
• External relations
  • 84% attributed to supporting student activity
  • 16% attributed to other University activity

Notes about UK undergraduate fees

The £9,000 fee for UK undergraduate study was introduced in 2012 and was later increased to £9,250 in 2017. It has remained unchanged ever since. At the same time as the fees increase in 2012 there was a significant reduction to direct Government funding for the Higher Education sector. Since 2012, the rate of inflation in the UK means costs and prices are now 50% higher (Retail Price Index – RPI) meaning the real term value of the £9,250 fee had fallen to £6,000 in July 2023. This means that for every undergraduate student, over £3,000 less is available to the University to support teaching activity. This equated to a funding gap of approximately £32.3m in 2022/23 at the University of Leicester.

Notes about international fees

• We understand why international students ask questions about fees, and it is understandable that questions are raised about the difference between international fees and those paid by UK students.
• UK tuition fees are subsidised by the Government which is effectively the UK tax payer through grants the University receives - this level of tax payer support is not available to international students.
• A proportion of international fees are required to underpin the research the University carries out, and therefore ensure that international students benefit from research led teaching in a leading research intensive University. From a UK student perspective this support comes in the form of the tax payer subsidy mentioned above.
• We review our international fee levels regularly and this takes into account the competitive market in which we operate and in which students have choice.
• In addition to this there are specific overhead costs associated with offering international education compared to those associated with UK students. This includes student support services designed to support the transition and settling into studying in the UK to ongoing support unique to international students' needs through to compliance with immigration and visa rules.
• All of the above factors impact the fee percentages attributable to the cost categories described. Initially, the amount of the international fee spent on teaching and academic activity, at 27%, looks significantly lower than the 43% of UK fee spent. When converted to absolute figures however, using the UK fee of £9,250 and an average international fee of approximately £16,000, the actual amount spent is in the region of £4,000 per student, regardless of fee status.