STUDY IN UNITED KINGDOM

Why study in UK?

The scope of higher education in United Kingdom is evident from the greatest leaders and thinkers in the world. United Kingdom boasts of a dominant status in the world of research and learning. The quality of education is remarkable in certain courses, especially in Business, Economics and Political Science.

United Kingdom boasts of both ancient as well modern universities, both of which are equally prestigious and renowned worldwide. Both traditional as well as modern universities can be found throughout England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Moreover, UK universities have consistent ranking as per global standards and have a world-renowned reputation for teaching and research.

United Kingdom has become a favourite student destination for bachelor’s as well as master’s courses as they are relatively shorter in duration, making it a feasible option in terms of cost of education and living.

Higher Education System in UK

A Bachelor’s degree in United Kingdom can be pursued within 3 to 4 years. The Master’s level in United Kingdom can be pursued in two forms: one is a taught course while the other is a Research degree, essentially in the form of M.Phil.

A Master’s degree in UK typically varies from 1 to 2 years, depending on the course and the structure. While a Ph.D in a UK University takes about 4 to 5 years.

Admissions to the Top UK universities are based on certain exams. All undergraduates’ applications are made through UCAS (Universities and College Admission Service). The universities and colleges Admission Service runs UKPASS (UK Post graduate application and Statistical Service). A student can apply to 5 different Universities in the same application form. One can apply only one application in an academic year. Unlike the under graduate applications, the process varies when it comes to UG Courses in UK. The ones seeking to Study in UK from India can apply to numerous universities. While some universities have an application fees there are some where the fees is not mandatory.

Tuition Fees and Cost of Living

Typically, the tuition fee at UK universities vary from GBP 10,000 to GBP 20,000 annually (~INR 9,20,000 to INR 18,40,000), for both undergraduate courses as well as postgraduate courses. However, the fee for certain courses such as biomedical and biological sciences is on the higher end. The cost of living in London is comparatively higher than other cities in United Kingdom. The average cost of living in United Kingdom for a student varies from GBP 7,000 to GBP 9,000 per year (~INR 6,50,000 to INR 8,30,000).

The cost of living in London is comparatively higher than other cities in United Kingdom. The average cost of living in United Kingdom for a student varies from GBP 7,000 to GBP 9,000 per year (~INR 6,50,000 to INR 8,30,000).

Application Procedure and Admission Process

The main intake offered by all Universities in UK is September/October few universities offer Jan/Feb intake as well.

It is mandatory for fulfilling English language requirements if you want to pursue a bachelor’s or master’s degree from United Kingdom. While the minimum score of 6.5 in IELTS is for undertaking a Postgraduate course, the minimum score in IELTS for Undergraduate Studies is 6.0. Similarly, a minimum score of 90 (Internet Based Test) in TOEFL is important for Postgraduate and 80 (Internet Based Test) is the minimum score for Undergraduate Studies.

For pursuing an Undergraduate degree, one must obtain minimum 65% in Humanities in 12th standard, while the minimum percentage for Science, Commerce and Engineering is 70-80%, depending on the course and college.

Similarly, for pursuing a Postgraduate degree from UK, 60 % and above in 1st degree is required by most of the Universities for Masters and Research courses. Some universities also require working experience to pursue a degree in MBA, which may not be the case for all universities though.

Career Prospects

Students can work upto 20 hours a week while studying and full time during the holidays. After completion of the course, there is a range of stay on options:

Tier 2 work permits are applied for by employees who are coming to the UK to fill a vacant position that cannot be filled by a British citizen and who have confirmed sponsorship from a licensed UK employer.Those with an offer of a graduate level job paying a graduate salary of 20,800 pounds can take up sponsored employment through TIER 2 VISA.’

Top companies that hire internationals students are EY, KPMG, Deloitte, JP Morgan, Grant Thornton, Accenture, PWC, HSBC.

Scholarships

There are many financial support options, including scholarships, grants, bursaries, fellowships, financial awards and loans. There are hundreds of scholarships, bursaries and grant schemes on offer for students who need extra support to pay for their UK course. Depending on your nationality, you may be eligible for a loan or financial support from the UK government.

A few scholarships available are:

Chevening Award: Postgraduate scholarships from the UK government aimed at students with potential as future leaders

Erasmus Programme: Undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral research funding

Euraxess UK: Research placements in the UK

University of Waterloo International Master’s and Doctoral Student Awards

Royal Society grants: Postdoctoral science research