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The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (which is usually shortened to just the UK or United Kingdom) is a political union made up of four countries, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. England, Scotland and Wales share the island of Great Britain, which lies just off the northwest coast of continental Europe. The fourth country, Northern Ireland, is a portion of another island, which is split between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, an independent country, in the south. The UK also has overseas territories such as Bermuda and Gibraltar. The union of Great Britain and Northern Island is the latest that has occurred over the last 300 years. Originally Scotland and England were two entirely separate countries with their own monarchs and political systems, and Wales fell under the control of England and was known as a principality. Over the years, various acts of union have taken place that have brought England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland together, and Ireland was later to gain independence in 1922 leaving the current split we see today.
The British Empire was once a world force, with territory as far flung as India, Canada, South America and Africa. Although colonial days are far gone and there has been a steady decline in the British Empire and the UK's influence around the world, the UK is still a major political and economic force, with membership in the G8 and an economy that is the fifth largest in the world and second largest in Europe. The UK’s colonial history also means that it has been subject to a multitude of international influences and influxes of people, helping to create the multi-cultural society that exists today. If you would like more information on the history and background of the UK, please visit the Wikipedia UK pages. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uk)
Hundreds of thousands of international students study in the UK each year, giving the UK a consistently high ranking in popularity. With a diverse population and a reputation for prestigious schooling, the UK is a natural location for international students to flock to. And for students worldwide seeking an English-language education, what better place to study than the country that invented the language? With an excellent higher-education system and hundreds of world-class universities, the UK promises a rich experience for international students. Our Study UK resource is intended to help you learn more about studying in the UK as an international student, and includes sections on choosing the UK as a destination, choosing a location within the UK, learning more about the country, its history and culture, and adapting to life in your adopted country. The UK welcomes almost 460,000 international students from around the world each year. Having built a world-class education system, higher education in the UK is a model for many countries around the globe.
With around 162 higher education institutions across the UK, and a generous range of degree types, it makes sense that Britain is a popular destination in international education. The education system varies depending on where in the UK you choose to study, with some subtle differences. Regardless of where you study, you will receive high quality teaching from leading professionals. Any qualification gained in the UK will be highly regarded internationally. Many of the UK universities and colleges are seen in the leading education ranking tables. In the 2019 QS World University Rankings, the UK has 4 institutions in the top 10. There are also 18 UK institutions in the top 100. The highest ranked is the University of Oxford, which occupies 5th place. It is followed by the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London, in 6th and 8th place respectively. The UK has become one of the top destinations to study around the world. With traditions of excellence dating back hundreds of years, high class institutions on every corner, and much more flexibility than many other countries, the United Kingdom has much to offer international students that other English-speaking countries cannot.
For more statistical information about international students in the UK, visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs (https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/Research--Policy/Statistics/International-student-statistics-UK-higher-education). It's a Growing Destination, has Worldwide Recognition, Education Costs are Lower, Work Opportunities, Gateway to Europe, Multicultural Nation are major factors to consider to study in the UK. London has the largest library in the world. The first billionaire author is from the UK – JK Rowling.Over 300 other languages are spoken in London.
Click here to see the list of the UK universities.
Teaching excellence in the UK is globally recognised. The responsibility of education in the UK is delegated to four jurisdictions - England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. All of these regions have different forms of education systems, qualifications and individual laws/regulations. The major differences can be found in general and secondary education resulting in each region having its own credit frameworks and qualifications.Around 160 universities and colleges are allowed to award degrees in the UK.
Study levels: The education system in the UK consists of four stages: Primary education, Secondary education, Further education, Higher education
Qualifications framework: A qualification framework is a principal national reference point that maintains academic standards in the higher education sect in any country. Two parallel frameworks run for higher education qualifications of UK degree-awarding bodies:
Quality Assurance System: The unique factor of the education system in the UK is its Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). It is an independent body that assesses and compares universities and colleges in the country through regular audits and reviews. It also identifies the best education practices and provides feedback for areas of improvement. This ensures that the students have access to the best quality of education. All review reports are public, and can be accessed on the QAA website. However, do note that private institutions are not subjected to assessment by QAA.
Higher education: Higher education in the UK mostly comprises bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees. As an international student, you may also transition to university level studies via pathway programs that generally include English language courses and foundation courses.
Undergraduate courses: Undergraduate courses are designed to help students get exposure to a whole new world after school whilst providing a thorough understanding of a subject of interest. The UK offers a variety of courses in humanities, social science, art, design, business, technology, science and more! Here’s an overview of the types of postgraduate courses offered in the UK
Program | Duration |
Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Diploma (HND) | 1 to 2 years |
Certificates or Diplomas of Higher Education (Cert HE/Dip HE) | 1 to 2 years |
Foundation degrees (Fd A/Fd Sc) | 6 months to 2 years |
Degrees (such as BA, B.Sc, BEng) | 3 years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland 4 years in Scotland |
Sandwich degrees | 4 years with a year in industry |
Integrated courses (where masters is awarded as the first degree such as MEng) | 4 years |
Postgraduate studies: Postgraduate courses are more specific and involve in-depth study. Most master’s degrees have a duration of one year, which means you can be back in the workforce faster than your counterparts pursuing masters in other countries. There are a plethora of courses to choose from including niche courses that are highly valued in the industry. Here’s an overview of the types of postgraduate courses offered in the UK
Program | Duration |
Postgraduate certificates and diploma (PG Cert/PG Dip) | 9 to 12 months |
Taught Masters (such as MA, M.Sc., LLM, MBA, MRes) | 1 year |
Research Masters (such as MPhil, PhD, DPhil) | 2-3 years |
Pathway programs: These are preparatory courses for seeking admission into universities through English Language learning programs or foundation-level courses. Pathway programs can help enter university-level studies in the country and help strengthen your language skills as well. These are offered by both universities and private institutions to help students who need extra assistance with English language to gain admission.
The cost of tuition in the UK will vary depending on a number of factors. Things such as the location of the school, the type of course you plan to attend, the length of the course, etc., will all have a bearing on how much it will all total to. To give you a simple guide we have put some numbers together that estimate how much it could cost for ESL courses and degree programs. Other courses and schools, such as those that offer A-levels and GCSEs fluctuate so much that we encourage you to contact schools to find this information.
ESL Programs: The best advice for ESL schools is to do your research and find a school that is in a good location, offers good student support, and has low class numbers. Although London will be a popular attraction for many students, it will be more expensive. Look further and see if other parts of the UK would interest you. This will also allow you to see more of the rest of the country.For more information on ESL programs we would recommend a visit to the ESL Directory ( https://www.esldirectory.com/ ) - which offers a free online database of schools around the world.
Your expenditure on Tuition fee depends on the type of qualification and university or school you opt for. There are many high-ranking universities and colleges in the UK with their own fee structures. Further, the fee also depends on where in the UK you choose to study (there are different rules for England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales), and your study level. Most commonly humanities, arts, and education courses are cheaper, while subjects such as medicine and engineering are likely to be more expensive. If you wish to study at the postgraduate level, the tuition fees are typically higher and the costs vary depending on the program. As with most other countries, MBA programs are often the most expensive.
S.No. | Study Program | Average fee (in Euros*) |
1 | Undergraduate bachelor degree | GBP 10,000 to GBP 20,000 per year |
2 | Postgraduate master's degree | GBP 10,000 to GBP 20,000 per year |
3 | Doctoral degree | GBP 15,000 to GBP 24,000 per year |
Accommodation Cost : Most universities in the UK offer on-campus residence facilities called the Halls of Residence to international students. These can be self-catered or full boards. Certain campuses also provide self-catered shared houses or flats to their students. Living as a resident on-campus is a very affordable option. However, you need to apply for it separately, and well ahead in time to secure a slot for yourself. If you are unable to find such accommodation, you might have to look for a room on rent, homestay or find localhost. Your university’s accommodation office may help you out in this case too as they often have a list of accommodation options available in the nearby area. Your checklist when looking for a place: Costs, Facilities, Deposits, Inventory, Rent book, Bill payment, Tenancy , agreement, Council tax, House rules, if any
The cost will vary from city to city. If you opt to rent an apartment, you will have to additionally pay for utility bills like electricity, internet, water usage and also tenant’s insurance (in some areas of housing). House rent for a one-bedroom apartment generally ranges between £550 and £650 (Indicative). Note that anyone over the age of 18 living in the UK is required to pay for local community services such as rubbish collection, police, fire brigade, leisure services, etc. You’ll have to pay council tax if you’ll be living anywhere apart from on-campus accommodation or sharing a home with a family or other full-time student. Ask for a tenancy agreement before moving and do not sign just any document without understanding it. In most cases, universities help the students in finding accommodation, both on-campus as well as off-campus. The student accommodation cost depends on the type and location of the accommodation. As per the NUS/Unipol Accommodation Costs Survey, London has the highest average weekly rent of approx. £157.48 per week and the cheapest rooms are in Northern Ireland costs around £83.01 per week.
Institutions in the UK offering scholarships The amount of money available and the type of award varies between institutions. Certain research programs may provide up to 100% of the tuition fee besides covering a part of your living expenditures. You may experience higher competition when you apply for government scholarships in comparison to the university scholarships. So, we suggest you start with the procedure about 8-12 months before your preferred intake begins.
Here are some popular government scholarship programs you can apply to study in the US as an Indian student:
S. No. | Name of the scholarship | Description |
1 | Chevening Scholarship | This initiative supports talented professionals who have shown prior leadership skills and exceptional performance in their respective fields. With Chevening, you can apply for a scholarship or fellowship, the selection of which is done by the high commission and British embassies These scholarships are fully funded, and includes airfare, living expenses and tuition fees This is available for 12 months (provided your course is for 12 months). However, it can be extended after 1 year under the special case that will be approved by FCO |
2 | Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship | The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK offers fellowships and scholarships to students from Commonwealth countries. Indian students applying for a master’s degree or a PhD in the UK can take advantage of this scholarship to fund their education. Under the scheme, there are scholarships available specifically for low and middle-income countries too. This scholarship covers airfare, tuition fees and some of the maintenance expenses |
3 | GREAT Scholarships | This scholarship is jointly funded by the UK Government's GREAT Britain Campaign and the British Council under the Study UK campaign. This program includes 99 postgraduate scholarships from 36 UK universities in a variety of subjects. However, for Indian students, 12 of the UK higher education institutions are offering 13 postgraduate scholarships. The amount of each scholarship is a minimum of £10,000, the equivalent of one year's tuition of a postgraduate (taught) degree. The application deadline varies as per different institutions, so you need to check the university’s website for the same. Source: https://study-uk.britishcouncil.org/scholarships/great-scholarships-2020/india |
4 | Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships (CWIT) | These scholarships are given to Indian students who are in early or mid-stage of their career and experienced in arts, heritage conservation or the humanities. It includes fully-funded awards; visiting fellowships in agreed subjects at specific institutions; grants for doctoral study; grants for research and professional visits; and grants to attend the Scottish Universities Summer School. The amount and duration vary as per the above-mentioned categories:
CWIT Long-term grants: The duration of this is usually 2-3 months up to 1 year covering accommodation, living cost and fees or any contribution to international fares Visiting fellowships: This includes 10 fellowships which enables writers, academics and translators to spend 2-3 months at specific host universities to carry out specific work activities. The deadlines depend upon an educational institution which will be hosting your visit CWIT short-term grants: This includes 10-15 grants that amount up to £1,400 to cover UK costs of short research or professional visits by academic research scholars and professionals working in the arts, heritage conservation and the humanities. This is usually granted for a period of 3 weeks and if you are planning to stay longer then you need to supplement it from different sources such as a grant from Indian council for historical research. This is payable upon your arrival in the UK and doesn’t cover international fares Grants during the final year of doctoral study: With an intentional to fill the funding gaps, this will be provided in your last year of doctoral study in arts, heritage conservation and the humanities. The amount is usually between £500-£600 |
5 | Scotland Saltire Scholarships | The initiative awards 50 students for one-year full-time graduation program in the field of science, healthcare, technology and creative industries and renewable and clean energy These are offered by the Scottish government in association with Scottish universities. The value of each award is £8,000, which will cover tuition fees for any one year of full-time study in the postgraduate master’s programme at any of Scotland’s higher education institutions |
Also, most British universities and colleges have their own list of scholarships for Indian students.
Here’s an overview of the types of study visas and their application requirements:
Type of student visa | Who it’s for | When to apply | Arrival in the UK |
Tier 4 (General) student visa | Students aged 16 or over who have been offered a place in a course at a UK educational institution | Three months before the start of your course | Up to one week before if your course lasts six months or fewer. Up to one month before if your course lasts more than six months |
Tier 4 (Child) student visa | Students aged between four and 17 who have been offered a place in a course at a UK educational institution with a valid Tier 4 sponsor, such as an independent fee-paying school | Three months before the start of your course | Up to one week before if your course lasts six months or fewer. Up to one month before if your course lasts more than six months |
Short-term study visa | Students who have offered a place in a short-term course in the UK, such as an English language course or training course | Three months before your date of travel to the UK | Depends on your nominated travel dates |
Tier 4 (General) student visa | Students who have been offered a place in a course at a UK educational institution with a valid Tier 4 sponsor | Three months before the start of your course | Up to one month before if your course lasts more than six months |
To be eligible for a Tier 4 student visa, you must:
Documents required for Tier 4 student visa: When applying for your Tier 4 visa, you will generally need:
Additional documents may also be needed if you are:
Click here for 2 Years PSW ( https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-announces-2-year-post-study-work-visa-for-international-students )
Click here Fact Sheet : Graduate Immigration route ( https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2019/10/14/fact-sheet-graduate-immigration-route/ )