Study in UK

Why UK

An island nation, the UK is surrounded by 4 different oceans or seas. The UK is made up of four countries. These are England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Britain is one of the few countries to still be ruled by a constitutional monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II currently standing as the longest-serving monarch in recorded history. Home to 66 million people, the UK is the 78th most populous country in the world.

Britain’s 243,000 square kilometres make it one of the smaller countries in the world. The terrain and climate can vary, but the difference is not significant. The UK is known for having relatively cold winters, and warm summers, with 4 obvious seasons.

The UK’s university system is sometimes referred to in groups or categories. These include:

• Ancient Universities – refers to institutions founded before the year 1600. Some examples are: Oxford University, Cambridge University, St. Andrews University.
• Red Brick Universities – refers to institutions founded in UK industrial cities. The term ‘red brick’ is due to the Victorian architectural style of the buildings. Some examples are: the University of Birmingham, the University of Manchester, and the University of Leeds.
• Plate Glass Universities – refers to institutions established or granted university status in the 1960s. The term ‘plate glass’ is due to the modern architectural buildings. Some examples are: the University of York, the University of Warwick, and the University of Lancaster.
• Russell Group Universities – refers to a group of 24 public research universities. These universities endeavour to maintain the best research, teaching and leading standards. Some examples are: the University of Birmingham, the University of Edinburgh, and Durham University.

University Selections

We also help clients with the institution or university selection as per their liking, preference, previous education and other factors.

English Language Requirements

UK accepts applications both ways i.e. with and without IELTS score. The institutions accepting IELTS scores have different requirements as per different levels of courses.

Academic Requirements

Types of Student Visas

Tier 4 (General) Student Visas: If you are 16 or over and want to study at higher education level, you’ll need to apply for a Tier 4 (General) student visa.

You need to wait until you have an offer from a university or college before applying for your Tier 4 (General) student visa. Your university or college will then be able to give you a document called a Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS). To do this, your chosen institution needs to be approved by the UK government as a ‘licenced Tier 4 sponsor’.

Short-Term Study Visas: Short term study visas are available to students who want to join courses that are up to six months long or English language courses up to 11 months long.

You can apply for the visa up to three months in advance of the start date of your course. UK student visas are awarded on a points-based system. In order to meet all the UK student visa requirements, you’ll need to provide: 

• Details of your passport
• A recent photograph
• An unconditional offer of a place on a course offered by a licensed Tier 4 Sponsor, evidenced by a ‘Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies’ (CAS) form from your course provider (worth 30 points)
• Proof of adequate English language skills, demonstrated by passing one of the secure English language tests (SELT). You will not need to provide this if you’re from an English-speaking country such as the United States or have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in an English-speaking country.
• Proof you have financial support throughout your stay in the UK (worth 10 points)
• If you’re a non-EU/EEA/Swiss student studying a sensitive subject, you may also need an ATAS certificate

Proof of financial support can take the form of bank statements or a letter from your financial sponsor, showing you can cover your tuition fees, accommodation and living costs. You must prove that you have £1,015 (~US$1,300) per month for living costs if studying in the UK outside of London, and £1,265 (~US$1,600) a month for living costs if studying in London.

You may also be required to produce documents showing your academic qualifications, and to attend an interview or biometric test, which includes a digital scan of your fingerprints. Depending on your country of origin, you may also be required to have certain medical vaccinations or undertake a tuberculosis test.

If you’re 16 or 17 years old and applying for the Tier 4 (General) student visa, you must have written consent from your parents/guardians that you can live and travel independently.

You must apply online for the Tier 4 (General) Student visa, ensuring you’ve read the full guidance here. You can apply up to three months before the start of your course.

UK student visa fees

The current fee for the Tier 4 (General) student visa is £348 (~US$440), with an additional £348 fee per person for any dependents. You’ll also need to pay a healthcare surcharge of £150 per year (~US$190) in order to access the National Health Service (NHS) during your stay (this will rise to £300 (~US$380) from late 2018).

The Short Term Study Visa costs £97 (~US$120) for the six month option and £186 (~US$240) for the 11 month visa.

Education System

In general, the British higher education system has five stages of education: early years, primary years, secondary education, Further Education (FE) and Higher Education (HE). Britons enter the education system at the age of three and up to 16 are obliged to attend school (compulsory education), while afterward is upon their choice.

The Higher Education System in the United Kingdom

Based on the actual education regulations in the UK education system, the Higher Education comprises these levels of courses:

Postgraduate courses that lead to a Doctorate, a Master’s degree (Taught or Research), Postgraduate diplomas, postgraduate certificates of education (PGCE) and professional degrees. To enter this level, it is usually required to have a first degree (Bachelor).

Undergraduate courses which include a wide range of first degrees (Bachelor’s): honours and ordinary degrees, qualified teacher status, enhanced first degrees, intercalated degrees (first-degree students in specific study fields may interrupt their ongoing studies and spend a year studying a field related to their major study subject).

Other undergraduate courses: Foundation degrees, SVQ, NVQ, Higher National Diploma HND (or equivalent), NHC (or equivalent) etc.

An undergraduate course it usually takes 3 years to finish, while Scotland makes an exemption because it takes 4 years to finish an undergraduate course. The higher education in the UK education system is having an extended number of universities that are offering 4-year undergraduate courses, also known as “sandwich courses”. This program includes one year in a workplace, usually in your third year.

Some British universities offer fast-track programs where you can obtain a Master’s degree at the undergraduate level. By contrast to traditional undergraduate levels, students in these programs can attend an additional year of studying instead of taking a Bachelor degree and then admit to a Master program. Besides, it costs much less than usual 3-year undergraduate courses, it’s normally much intense because there are shorten holiday breaks and the schedule is heavy.

Some of the more prestigious universities in UK offer postgraduate degrees. If schools offer postgraduate degrees, they offer Master’s Degrees (typically one year, sometimes two years if your degree is research-based) and/or Doctorate degrees (three-year degrees). These are only available if you have obtained a bachelor’s degree at an accredited university (not necessarily one in England).

In the United Kingdom education system, most syllabi are set by the universities which are offering them and are not controlled by the government or certain British educational institution. The only exception to this is teacher education programs, which the government has a lot of say over. The British government has established the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) to maintain those standards. Most countries have specific regulations for their teachers, so this isn’t any different than studying teaching in your home country. Because of their strict regulations and high standards for teacher education programs, the UK is considered to have some of the best teacher education programs in the world.

Even though the syllabi are set by universities, the Office for Fair Access (OfFA) in the British school system has a lot of say on the admission procedures of each university. This office was created so that everyone who wishes to attend university in UK has the ability to do so. They also promote fair access to higher education, even for those who are attending university as international students. Fair access also includes those of different cultures, different races, different nationalities, and those who have disabilities.

Courses

We provide face – to – face counselling for course selections as per the students’ needs, previous education and interests.

Educational Institutions

Please find below the list of institutions we represent:

• Oxford Brookes University          
• University of Huddersfield          
• University of Sunderland
• Bath Spa University
• University of Hertfordshire           
• London South Bank University          
• University of Chester
• University of West London
• Middlesex University
• Robert Gordon University