Important Facts About UK
The students studying in the UK for more than six months can take advantage of the National Health Service.
The country allows students to work 20 hours every week and they can earn a minimum wage of GBP 118 a week.
The UK has a 90% student satisfaction rate, which is quite high among all Anglophile countries like the US, Canada, Australia, and Ireland.
Most UK universities have student support centres that guide international students on various issues, making their study and stay in the UK hassle-free.
Each year, UK universities are inspected by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) to ensure compliance with government guidelines for research, learning, and teaching, enhancing the academic experience for Indian students.
Why Study in the UK?
The UK is known for its outstanding education system and has been attracting students worldwide for several years now. Over the years, it has come out as the key destination for scientific research. The country only accounts for 1% of the world population, however, it accounts for eight percent of all scientific publications in the world.
The UK assures unmatched student experiences. From its world-recognized universities to innovative teaching methodologies to progressive study curriculum, the country offers everything that a student needs to accomplish a successful global career.
UK continues to be an international student’s favourite study abroad destination because of the widely recognised universities present. The country is home to multiple highly-ranked universities with an academic reputation of 75-100. As per QS World University Rankings 2024, over 90 USA universities are on this list. Each of these universities excels in terms of academic and employer reputation.
UK’s 1-year masters programs are another reason the country sees high growth among students who wish to pursue higher education here.
There are multiple UK universities, like London School of Economics, University of Oxford, etc., that offer 1-year master’s programs in MBA, Master of Science, Master of Arts, etc. Despite the 1-year study duration, the course has been designed to equip the students with the knowledge and skills required to perform their job roles better. Since you complete this program in 1-year, students can join the corporate world early and put all their learnings into practice instantly.
When it comes to catering to international students’ needs, UK leaves no stone unturned. Gaining work experience after graduation can help students develop the knowledge and skills required to improve their profession. Thus, UK encourages graduate students to stay in the country to help pursue multiple job opportunities available.
In fact, in 2021, UK introduced the Graduate route VISA to cater to this purpose. With this VISA, students can stay in the UK for up to 2 years (for PhD students 3 years) after graduation to avail professional opportunities.
The UK comprises multiple places, such as England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. This allows students to explore the country better and learn from diverse cultures. UK is also the abode for what a student’s life should be like. Experience the nightlife and various kinds of festivals to understand what the UK culture is.
The top places to visit in the UK include the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Edinburgh Castle, Snowdonia National Park, Dunluce Castle, and much more.
Apart from being an excellent location to pursue academics, UK is also widely recognised for the big corporate names that reside there. Its central location, London, is home to prestigious corporate brands such as Tesla, HSBC, and much more.
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Most fortune 500 listed companies, such as Linde, Barclays and many more, are in the UK under various cities such as London, Cambridge, Newbury, etc. Students can be assured that with their great academic performance, capturing the interest of such high corporate brands becomes easy.
Education System in the UK
Most international students enroll for the following programs
This is the bachelor’s program, which spans over three years. Most degrees are awarded at honors level. It takes three years to complete in Wales, England, and Northern Ireland. This may take four years in many Scottish Universities. Many vocational and professional courses may take longer to complete. For instance, dentistry and medicine courses may take six years to complete.
In the UK, students can enroll for taught and research master’s degree. The taught master’s degree would take a year to complete and the research master’s degree would take 2 years, as well as the doctoral degree would take 3 years to complete. The Master of Business Administration takes 1 to 2 years to complete. The PhD programs would take 2 to 7 years for completion.
In the UK, vocational sub-degree diplomas like The Diploma in Higher Education (DipHE), Higher National Certificate (HNC), and Higher National Diploma (HND) take 1-2 years. International students can join 2-year diplomas at state colleges, skipping the first 2 years of a degree. Tutorial colleges provide one-year diplomas equivalent to one year of university education. These diplomas enable students to gain admission to the second year of university.
Intakes in the UK
There are 3 intakes in UK for international students. These are as follows
This intake opens doors for major courses in almost all UK Universities. If you apply in the September intake in UK, you will have ample opportunity to familiarise yourself with both the university and the nation. There are various scholarship options available for international students in this intake.
Those who were not able to apply in time for the Fall intake in UK may have the option to apply for top universities in the Winter intake. Compared to the Fall intake, the winter intake has fewer applications, increasing the chances of getting your dream university.
This intake is not available for all institutions and courses. The application pool is less than it was for the prior two. However, if you find your course and dream university, then you can apply for this intake.
Types of Universities in the UK
Established before the 19th century, these include some of the oldest and most prestigious institutions, such as the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge.
Founded in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in major industrial cities, these universities emphasize research and professional education. Examples include the University of Birmingham and the University of Manchester.
A group of 24 leading public research universities known for their academic excellence and research output. Examples include Imperial College London and the London School of Economics (LSE).
Many polytechnic universities were founded in the 1970s and 1980s to increase the skilled labor force in engineering, science, and technology. In 1992, they were granted university status. Since then, these institutions have been providing students with high-quality skills for career advancement.
Any university established or granted university status after 1992 is referred to as a modern university. While these institutions are relatively younger than their more established counterparts, they offer educational quality on par with the best. By employing innovative teaching methods, they are committed to delivering top-quality education.
Top Courses in the UK for Indian Students
The UK is widely recognised for pursuing a certain number of courses. This demand will vary as per the growth of selective academic fields. Here are the top 5 courses which are in high- demand in the UK.
Top courses to pursue: Nursing, Dentistry, Physiotherapy are popular examples.
In-Demand course: Nursing, Pharmacy, MBBS.
Top Universities: University of Oxford, University College of London and King’s College London.
Top courses to pursue: Business Law, Criminal Law, Public Law are popular examples.
In-Demand course: Corporate Law, Business Law, Constitutional Law.
Top Universities: University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and Durham University.
Top courses to pursue: Economics, Political Science, Sociology are popular examples.
In-Demand course: Economics, Political Science, Social Work.
Top Universities: University of Oxford, University College of London and University of Bath.
Top courses to pursue: International Business, Accounting, Finance are popular examples.
In-Demand course: Business Psychology, Business Analytics, Business Administration.
Top Universities: University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and University of Birmingham.
Top courses to pursue: Computer Science, Software Engineering, Cloud Computing are popular examples.
In-Demand course: Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity.
Admission Process to Study in the UK for Indian Students
Choose the university, course, and college.
Register on Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) providing all the personal details.
The UCAS will share a unique username for your perusal.
Sign in to fill in the necessary details, including funding options, special needs (if any), residential status, and more.
Add course choice, you can choose five courses without any course order.
Complete full education background with evidence, employment history, and other details.
Submit personal statements that include the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses.
Review the application before submitting it.
Lastly, add a reference, pay the fees, and submit your application.
Track the application status through the UCAS.
Next, accept your offer, as the college or university will contact you to inform if you have received the offer to study or not.
Arrange your funding.
Apply for your VISA, Get ready to fly to your destination!
Types of Visa's in the UK
This VISA is issued for most high education courses, including graduate and postgraduate programs or long study courses.
This VISA is issued to minors below 16 studying at an independent school. The duration for this VISA is usually 6 years and 4 months. However, this VISA duration would be 3 years and 4 months for children aged 16 - 17 years.
This VISA is usually issued to students wishing to learn English in the UK. The duration for this VISA is usually 6 - 11 months.
The UK’s Graduate Route or Post-study Work VISA allows international students to work and stay in the UK for up to two years after completing their masters and three years after completing PhD. Once the VISA term expires, you can apply for a different VISA like a Skilled Worker VISA.
