Overview

The United Kingdom, officially the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland but more commonly known as the UK or Britain, is a sovereign country lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland. The United Kingdom consists of four constituent countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast respectively. The United Kingdom is a developed country and has the world’s fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP and ninth-largest economy by purchasing power parity. It has a high-income economy and has a very high Human Development Index rating, ranking 14th in the world. England and Scotland were leading centres of the Scientific Revolution from the 17th century. The United Kingdom led the Industrial Revolution from the 18th century, and has continued to produce scientists and engineers credited with important advances.

British universities are some of the most trusted around the world and regularly find themselves ranked among the best in the world. Over and above that, the UK is also a massive economy and has a number of occupational opportunities on offer.

Cities like Oxford, Liverpool and Cambridge are famous around the world for their educational and financial institutions.

Study in UK

The United Kingdom has been for ages regarded as an epicentre of knowledge and has the finest educational institutions to offer. The UK houses some of the oldest universities in the world, like Oxford and Cambridge among many others. UK degrees being highly regarded among other institutions employers worldwide, it opens up avenues for students for real life learning through a research intensive learning and practical approach. The educational system is in itself based keeping in mind the students, thus offering, freedom of choice of programs and flexible terms.

A bachelor’s degree, HND or Foundation Degree from a UK college or university will give you an edge when you’re competing for a job or a place on a postgraduate course. Full-time undergraduate courses in the UK vary from one year to four years depending on the type of course you choose. You have the choice of studying a single honors degree where you’ll focus entirely on one subject, or you can study two subjects in what’s called a joint honors or combined honors degree. Many courses now offer the option of studying overseas or spending a year working in industry, so that you can apply what you are learning directly to the workplace.

Cost of Education

The costs of studying in UK depends on the institution and the level of study you choose.

Fees range from 7000 GBP − 35,000 GBP depending on the course. MBA courses for experienced students tend to be more expensive, as well as some finance courses. The ranking of the university also affects the fee range and it will mostly be in the higher range.

The UK has one of the most convenient and easy admission and visa process. The cost of living is also not too high. There is ample practical learning and internships which are designed to make the students confident in their own abilities. The UK education system is designed to ensure that each student graduating is an expert in their chosen subject.

UK visa requirements stipulate that a student must have 1,015 pounds in their bank accounts for every month they are to study there. If you are to live in a larger metropolis like London your cost of living will also increase considerably. London is one of most expensive cities in terms of rent costing around 150 pounds per week.

However, places like Cardiff, Aberdeen in Scotland, and Durham are far more affordable in terms of cost of living.

Study Application

The main intake dates for admissions to the UK are September to October and January to February, but a majority of the universities offer the former. Undergraduate students apply provided they have the following conditions fulfilled:

  • The applying student must be 18 or above.
  • More than 65% for humanities in the HSC, 70-80% or above for science, commerce and engineering diploma students.
  • There are also foundation courses, diploma programs for students who have scored below 60%. Some universities can also accept 2nd class provided one has additional qualifications and/or experience.

Students applying for postgraduate courses need to fulfil the following conditions:

  • A minimum age criterion of 25 years is mandatory for all post graduate courses.
  • Masters and research courses usually require the student to have secured 60% or above in their first degree.
  • 55% and above are also accepted by some management programs provided the GMAT scores are between 600-700.
  • Work experience of 2 to 4 years (full-time) may also be required by some universities for their MBA programs.
  • In language proficiency a student needs to secure at least 6.5 bands in their IELTS for an undergraduate course, or 7.0 for a postgraduate course. A TOEFL score of 80 for undergraduates and 90 for post graduate courses is required.
  • There are a number of documents that need to be in order before the applications can begin, attested copies of mark sheets for standards tenth, twelfth and all the years of the bachelor degree. There need to be at least 2 academic reference letters from your most recent professors. A student will also need to have work recommendation from the employer citing your professional abilities. Over and above this one needs to have in order their statement of purpose, resume and the score reports of GMAT/IELTS/TOEFL.
  • When you are applying for your undergraduate degree, one needs to apply only through UCAS. It needs to be kept in mind that only one application can be made per year. The application can be made online and you can apply to five universities through one form. Other programs have two deadlines, 15th of January, and the final deadline, 30th June.

Sandwich programs usually last for 4 years, the last year of this course is usually a work experience year. Those applying for foundation courses need to know that they usually last for a year. For post graduate courses universities do not usually have deadlines, but it is always advisable to apply 6 to 8 months in advance.

Visa Application

If you are 16 years or older and are applying to higher education courses you need a Tier 4 (general) visa. This visa follows pretty much similar conditions as the child visa, but has some basic differences. This visa allows you to work in most jobs, depending upon the level of your course and the type of sponsor you have. This visa does not allow you to study at a local authority-funded school.

If you are applying to the UK for a short term course like a language course or a vocational course you will need to apply for a short-term study visa. Through this visa you can stay in the UK for 6 months, provided you are 16 years or older in age.

If you are taking an English language course you are eligible to stay for 11 months, the age criterion applies in this case as well.

ANU will guide you through every step of the visa application process to ensure a successful outcome.

Scholarships

Almost all Universities offer funding, some of which are offered to all international students and some to students with good academic records. The British Council offers scholarships annually. It is important to note deadlines or it will be late for applications. Some of them are:

  • British Chevening scholarship
  • CommonWealth Scholarship
  • Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships

There are also more scholarships offered in conjunction with universities, please refer the link below. https://www.britishcouncil.in/higher-education/scholarships-funded-other-organisations