When Indian students look at London universities for postgraduate options like business, computing or health courses, two names come up a lot because they're modern, practical and not in the super-elite price bracket: University of East London (UEL) and University of West London (UWL). Both are proper London unis with good transport links, but the big question from families back home is always the cost tuition plus rent and daily expenses. As education consultants dealing with hundreds of Indian applications every year, we get asked this comparison all the time. Here's a straightforward breakdown based on the latest 2025-26 figures and what actually hits the bank account.

Quick Look at Tuition Fees Side by Side

For most one-year master's programmes (the kind most Indian students go for), international fees at both places hover in a similar band, but UEL often edges out slightly lower.

• University of East London: Standard postgraduate taught courses start from around £15,560 per year. Some specialised ones like MBA can touch £18,000-£19,000, but the baseline for MSc or MA is usually £15,560-£17,000.

• University of West London: Most postgraduate courses fall between £16,250 and £17,500, with some business or hospitality MBAs going up to £18,000-£20,000.

So on paper, UEL tends to be a few thousand pounds cheaper for the same level of course. Both offer early payment discounts (around 5% at UEL if you pay full fees upfront) and occasional scholarships for international students, but nothing massively guaranteed, maybe £1,000-£5,000 if your profile is strong.

The Real Decider: Cost of Living and Location

Tuition is fixed, but where you live changes everything, especially in London where rent eats the biggest chunk.

UEL has campuses in Stratford and Docklands proper East London. Rents for a decent student room or studio start from £800-£1,100 a month if you're smart and share. Areas like Newham or Plaistow are full of Indian shops, affordable curry houses and Asian supermarkets, so weekly grocery bills stay low, similar to back home prices for basics.

UWL is based in Ealing and Brentford West London side. It's greener and feels more suburban, but rents easily hit £1,000-£1,400 for similar accommodation. Ealing has a big Polish and South Asian community too, but overall shopping and eating out costs a bit more because it's closer to posher areas like Chiswick or Acton.

Bottom line: even if UWL tuition looks close, the extra £200-400 a month on rent and transport can add £2,000-£4,000 over a one-year course. For Indian students funding themselves or on tight education loans, that difference matters a lot.

University of East London Admission Process

If you're eyeing university of east landon admission, the requirements are straightforward and Indian-friendly. For postgraduate entry they accept a three-year bachelor's with 50-55% (or a four-year with lower marks sometimes). English score is usually IELTS 6.0 overall (no band below 5.5) or PTE 51-58 equivalent. Many courses don't need GMAT/GRE.

Applications go direct through their portal no fee and decisions come fast, often within 2-3 weeks. You pay a deposit (£4,000-£6,000) once you accept the offer to get your CAS for visa. Popular courses for Indians: MSc Data Science, International Business, MBA, Computer Science, all with May and September starts.

University of West London Admission Process

If you are looking for university of west london admission,UWL follows almost the same pattern. They take 55%+ in bachelor's (they're a bit stricter on marks for some courses). IELTS 6.0 overall with 5.5 minimum is standard, though a few professional courses ask 6.5.

Apply direct on their site (small fee sometimes), rolling decisions, similar deposit system. Strong on hospitality, nursing, music and business courses. Intakes mainly September and February.

Both universities have acceptance rates that feel achievable around 50-60% for international postgrad, if documents are solid and you apply early.

Other Costs Indian Families Always Ask About

Visa funds proof: For London unis you need to show £1,334 per month living costs × 9 months = about £12,000 (plus remaining tuition after deposit). Same for both.

Part-time work: 20 hours a week is allowed for plenty of retail or hospitality jobs near both campuses paying £11-13 an hour.

So Which One Comes Out Cheaper Overall?

For most Indian students on a budget, especially doing a one-year master's, University of East London usually works out more affordable when you add tuition + rent + daily spends. The savings can be £3,000-£6,000 total, which is huge when converting back to rupees.

That said, pick based on the exact course too UWL has stronger industry links in certain fields like aviation or music. Check the latest fees on official sites because small increases happen every year, and talk through your profile if you're unsure. Both are solid, welcoming places for Indian students, but if pure affordability is the priority, UEL gets the nod more often than not.