Why UK:
The UK is one of the top choices of International students when considering to Study Abroad. And why wouldn’t it be with the kind of worldwide recognized quality education it imparts on its students thus making itself the world’s second most favored destination, for international students, just behind the USA. Every year more than 500,000 international students enrolled in the UK’s top world ranking universities, more than 395, offering more than 50,000 courses in 25 different Subjects. Due to the diverse range of subjects offered, students can study those subjects which are not available in their own country. Another plus point that sets the U.K apart from other countries is that the UK’s courses are generally finished in a shorter period of time thus saving in tuition and accommodation costs.
Benefits for International Students:
- Worldwide Recognition:
The academic benefits of studying in the UK are probably the main reason why choosing the UK as your study destination will be the best decision for your career life. UK degrees are recognized and respected by all employers all around the globe no matter where you go. UK universities provide you with the kind of education that builds up a strong foundation and sets you apart from other graduates while increasing your chances of having a higher salary and finding the job that’s best for you. For years the UK’s Higher education System has been a standard for the rest of the worlds education systems. Old universities with recognizable names like Oxford and Cambridge have set these standards of excellence.
- Work While you Study:
Compared to other popular study destination options, the UK allows international students to work side by side their studies. This allows them to lower their living expense and gain valuable work experience. During the academic year, students are allowed to work for 20 hours a week and when the academic year ends they can work full time thus can save up for tuition fees and accommodation costs. Working alongside studying gives them a sense of independence and builds up their confidence in their own self. And if you show good commitment and result in your studies then you will get offers from employers and companies to work in the UK making you able to extend your stay in the UK and work here.
- Affordable Universities:
The tuition fees of UK universities are considerably less as compared to the USA and other country universities. USA course fees can be around $25,000 a year which is just tuition while UK programs cost around £6,000 to £7,000 a year which is considerably less. Also considering the fact that UK degrees are completed in a shorter period of time, where other countries take 4 years for undergraduate and 2 to 3 years for postgraduate compared to the UK where undergraduate is completed in 3 years and postgraduate in 1 thus lowering overall costs. On top of that, there are a lot of scholarships, grants offered by the UK government to institutions for international students only. Every year 20,000 students are selected for Financial Aid from the UK.
- UK Gateway to the Rest of Europe:
In addition to from academic benefits, other benefits include being able to travel throughout Europe with ease and learn and experience different cultures for example while staying in the UK you can travel to Wales, Scotland and Northern Irelands. Public transport makes it easy to go about to different places and as a student, you can achieve special discounted rates when buying monthly passes. With the introduction of Channel Tunnel and low-cost airlines like EasyJet and Ryan Air, traveling through Europe has become easier and cheaper. Let’s say your studying in London and want to go on a weekend getaway to Italy, you can fly Ryan Air direct to Venice or Rome. The direct flight takes two hours and cost from 30 to 100 pounds.
- Multi-Culture Nation:
The UK is famous is its cultural and ethnic diversity. You will find people of all races, faiths, and cultures here. It’s one of the reasons why locals are so open to new traditions and cultures, which is great for students from different countries. You can also be at ease that for major religions, places of worships are easily available. International students from all over the world come and study in the UK. 17% of students and 25% of academics and professors are from abroad. Proving the fact that UK is used to accepting people from outside and abroad people are comfortable living in the UK.
Studying in the UK:
Tier4 Visa:
UK’s Student Visa is called as Tier4 Visa and it has two types:
1. Tier4 (General):
Eligibility:
You can apply for this visa if you are above 16 years of age an:
- Have been offered an unconditional space in a course with a licensed Tier 4 sponsor
- Can speak, write, read and understand English
- Have adequate finances to support yourself and pay for the course
- Belong to a country which is not in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland
When to Apply?
The Earliest time to apply is 3 months prior to the start of your course
Fees:
If you apply from outside the UK, fees are £348. And £348 each for every dependent.
Healthcare Surcharge:
As part of your application, you will also have to pay for the healthcare surcharge.
How Long You Can Stay?
You can come to the UK before your course starts:
- up to 1 week before, if your course lasts 6 months or less
- up to 1 month before, if your course lasts more than 6 months
The duration of your stay depends on the kind, of course, you are studying and the subjects you have already finished.
2. Tier4 (Child):
Eligibility:
You can apply for this visa if you are aged between 4 and 17 and wish to study in an independent school in the UK. You must:
- Have been offered a space in a course with a licensed Tier 4 sponsor
- Have the approval of your guardian.
- Can speak, write, read and understand English
- Have adequate finances to support yourself and pay for the course
- Belong to a country which is not in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland
When to Apply?
The Earliest time to apply is 3 months prior to the start of your course
Fees:
If you apply from outside the UK, fees are £348. And £348 each for every dependent.
Healthcare Surcharge:
As part of your application, you will also have to pay for the healthcare surcharge.
How Long You Can Stay?
Your age and length, of course, affect how long you can stay.
If you are under 16 years old then you can stay for Course length (up to 6 years) plus 4 months afterward.
If you are 16 or17 then you can stay for Course length (up to 3 years) plus 4 months afterward.
When can you come before the course starts:
- up to 1 week before your course starts if your course lasts 6 months or less
- up to 1 month before your course starts if your course lasts more than 6 months
Top Universities:
- University of Oxford
Number one among the top universities in the UK this year is the University of Oxford.
- University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge ranks sixth in the world and second among the top UK universities.
- Imperial College London
Ranked eighth in the world, Imperial College London is London’s highest-ranked institution this year.
- UCL (University College London)
Ranked 10th in the world in 2019 and is one of the most diverse of the UK’s top universities, with a student population of 38,900, where almost 40 percent of these coming from abroad.
- University of Edinburgh
Ranked 18th in the world.
- University of Manchester
Ranked 29th in the world and is the world’s top 20 for its reputation among graduate employers. It also has the largest student community among these top UK universities, with 40,490 students, out of which 11,000 of whom are from abroad
- King’s College London (KCL)
Ranked 31st in the world
- London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
- University of Bristol
- University of Warwick
Top Courses:
1. Subjects allied to medicine
2. Business and administrative subjects
3. Biological sciences
4. Social studies
5. Creative arts and design
Cost:
Tuition Fees:
International undergraduate tuition fees vary considerably, they start from around £10,000 (~US$14,130) and go up to £38,000 (~US$53,700) or more for medical degrees.
Living Cost:
The cost of living depends on where you choose to study, if you choose to study in London then it will be expensive you can take that from the fact that London has been ranked as the 25 the most expensive city in the world.
- Rent: The average rent depends on where you live. A one-bedroom flat averages at £650 (~$1000 USD) per month if you’re in the city; £550 (~$850 USD) if you’re outside of the city. It may be greater if your energy costs are part of the rent.
- Council Tax: This is something that you have to pay if you live in the UK. How much you pay in a year is decided by where you live and how many people live with you, usually, it’s about £25 ($40 USD) per week.
- Other utilities: If they are not part of the rent, the total for gas, electricity, and water per week is about £40/$60 USD.
- Television license: In the UK, you must pay a television license fees if you are watching TV at all, even if it is on a computer or tablet. The fees are about £150 ($230 USD) per year for color television. Luckily, this is per residence and not per person so if you live with roommates you all can share it.
- Travel costs: In UK people mostly have passes rather than their own vehicles, it’s much faster and cheaper. A monthly pass averages at £55, but students can get some great discounts.
- Mobile Phone Plan: when you’re in the UK, you will probably buy a local phone to communicate with everyone. There are many networks you can choose, some are cheaper some more expensive depending on the services they offer you.
- Other Miscellaneous costs: such as food, internet, books, toiletries, phone plan and other items and services you may need. Make sure you have money for emergencies like medical issues or excess school costs etc.