Whenever students think about studying abroad, the UK comes among the choices of their top countries. The UK has been known for its splendid education system for a long time. It has been set as an example for others, too, and therefore, many countries adopted the UK education system into their country’s education system.
The British education system is one of the renowned education systems, which makes the UK the second most opted country for international students to study abroad. Getting students from all over the world helps in building a diversified student population which allows each student to grow and learn about different cultures.
In UK academic institutions, one gets to see brilliant minds from all over the globe, which creates a competitive learning environment for students to thrive. The British education system is internationally recognized and is home to world-class universities and colleges.
So if you are someone planning to study in the UK for higher studies and want to know every aspect about studying in the UK, then this place is just for you.
Why study in the UK?
Choosing a country to pursue higher education is the most crucial decision in any student’s overseas study journey, and it is done by considering various reasons.
Besides being one of the high-end developed countries in the world, why choose the UK as a destination to study abroad? This section will further cover your doubts about why you chose the UK for your higher education.
Here are the top reasons to choose the UK over any other country to study abroad.
1 Quality Learning Process
Students passing out from the UK are known for their impeccable skills and knowledge all because of the learning process of UK universities. They try to acquire a more practical approach that subsequently prepares the students for the world out there.
The education system in the UK refines one’s creative and critical thinking, which helps in performing tasks more efficiently. Alumni of various top universities in the UK are doing great jobs in their respective fields of choice.
2 Top Universities
When it comes to educational institutions, then the UK is known to have some top universities in the world as per the rankings. These universities have long stood out globally and have proven to be the best option for students for many years.
The universities here provide various courses to students worldwide in multiple fields. Moreover, students can opt for specialized degrees while pursuing their undergraduate studies. This way, students need not go for postgraduate studies in one’s respective fields and save their time & money.
3 Neverending Work Opportunities
A student can work while studying, but there are certain restrictions. Students can work 20 hours per week during term time and work full time otherwise (i.e., during holiday breaks).
Students can find part-time or full-time jobs with some research and effort in their respective fields. Otherwise, the universities provide internships as a part of their program in many courses. This will help students gain on-field knowledge and experience to boost their CVs and make a good impression on their after-study recruiters.
The British Government has come up with a new scheme, “Post Visa Study,” under this, the UK government allows foreign students to stay and work for two years after completing their studies.
This is an eye-catching opportunity for students who wish to study in the UK and get hands-on experience in their career choice.
4 Distinctive Culture Experience
Being one of the multicultural countries in the world, the UK has a lot to offer to its students. The UK introduces you to a society of mixed culture and never-ending exciting activities.
Students always feel welcomed in the UK, which is a home for people belonging to different cultures and races. This diversified cultural society promotes harmony and provides a secure environment for students to live in.
The UK has some awestruck landscapes to look out for. The country’s long history presents interesting stories, monuments, rituals, and festivals. To have an engaging experience while you study in the UK, many activities will hold your interest.
5 Reasonable Budget
To live and study abroad is an expensive matter most of the time. However, the UK can come out as quite reasonable regarding your expenses. One of the plus points to studying in the UK is that the degrees have less duration compared to other countries.
That said, an undergraduate degree in the UK takes three years, whereas a postgraduate degree takes a time of 1 year only. With the lesser duration of a course, the tuition fee decreases, and students can save a lot of money.
Besides that, the UK offers various scholarship programs for overseas students also, which can aid one’s expenses. In comparison to many countries serving as a host to international students, the UK tends to be reasonable regarding living expenses, also providing specific discounts to students.
6 Level Up
As the UK is pretty known for its education system the degrees are recognized and respected worldwide. The UK sets a benchmark of excellence and having that on your CV is going to give a good impression at first to anyone.
To study in the UK means having a command of the English language as English is the national language of the UK and companies prefer candidates with good English language skills globally.
8 Amazing Things You Need To Know About Studying In The UK
Now if you decide to study in the UK, here are 8 things that an aspiring student should know:
Students get ample opportunities in the UK from colleges to courses, everything. Talking about colleges and universities there are 395 options to choose from whereas the country offers around 50,000 courses at the undergraduate level.
There is no standardized tuition fee, every course has a different tuition fee depending upon the type of course and its duration. However, in certain cases, students manage to get financial aid or scholarships offered by the UK to overseas students. Students belonging to the EU (European Union) get fee waivers while studying in Scotland
Applications are submitted via UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admission Services) for higher education in the UK.
The cost of living depends on the city you decide to live in such as London or other big cities that tend to be more expensive to live in.
Generally, new students take university accommodation as being new to the country and knowing less about it. But students can go for other modes of accommodations too depending upon their preferences.
Now when it comes to applying to study in the UK there are different deadlines for every course offered which also varies from university to university. So pay attention to the deadlines.
International students have to apply for a UK student visa to study. To have a hassle-free process visa a student should contact study visa experts. There are certain restrictions when it comes to working hours.
Being in an English language-oriented country a student has to have a certain level of English language proficiency. To check this there are English language tests based on which students are evaluated.
13 Best Universities In The UK
If you have decided to study in the UK but are now stuck on which university to choose from as the UK provides many options then this section is for you. Every student wants to get into the top university but the question is do you know about the top universities and their rankings?
Let’s help you with that.
Below is the table of the top 10 universities in the UK :
University of Cambridge
University of Oxford
University College London
Imperial College London
King’s College London
University of Edinburgh
University of Manchester
University of Brimingham
University of Bristol
University of Leeds
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is one of the oldest universities in the Uk and is situated in Cambridge, England. It has been ranked amongst the top universities of the world by the Guardian, the complete university guide, and CWUR. The University of Cambridge is recognized worldwide due to its excellent academic image.
The university accommodates around 19,000 students of which more than 25% are international students. It has 6 schools namely clinical medicine, physical science, arts and humanities, social science, technology, biological science, humanities, and social science.
Cambridge has over 100 libraries and around 31 residential colleges with 3 only-women colleges.
According to the National Student Survey 2016, Cambridge has been rated 90% per student satisfaction. The university has a 21% acceptance rate making it one of the most selective universities in the UK.
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford has been recognized as the oldest English-speaking university in the world. Oxford has grabbed the 1st position in the list of top universities in the UK as per the Times Higher Education and US News.
It has an acceptance rate as low as 15% and high student satisfaction among the universities in the UK.
The student population is around 24,000 of which 10,000 are overseas students that come from 150 countries. Oxford has four majors: mathematics, medical science, social science, and physical and life science providing around 350 graduate courses in 38 different colleges.
Moreover, Oxford University Press which is the largest press in the world comes under the University of Oxford.
University College London
University College London or otherwise stated as UCL is considered one of the large universities that provide education to around 43,000 students and 18,000 students are from abroad belonging to 150 different countries.
The university is deep into research areas such as neuroscience, personalized medicine, environment, populations, and lifelong health. Additionally, UCL has 11 majors, a few of which are social and historical science, education, arts and humanities, engineering, and medical science.
UCL is known for its advanced research in medicine and science and is hence being recognized by the medical field in the UK. Being said that, Nose and Ear Hospital, London, and the Royal National Throat such as medical centers including many others are where UCL is affiliated to.
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is one of the best universities in the UK and has been ranked 4th by US News and 3rd by Times Higher Education. The university is home to more than 17,000 students, including around 9,000 international students from over 125 countries.
Moreover, the university is known for its expertise in engineering, science, business, and medicine. It has four basic majors namely: natural science, engineering, business, and medicine.
The university is respected in the education field because of its research and innovation in different areas. Additionally, Imperial promotes the betterment of careers of women in STEM and medicine.
King’s College London
King’s College London has been placed among the top 10 universities in the UK by US News, CWUR, and Times Higher Education. King’s is the 4th oldest established university in the UK. The university offers education to around 27,000 students of which 12,000 are international students belonging to 150 countries.
King’s College London is the foremost leading university in the research domain in the entire UK. The university offers nine academic divisions: nursing, social science and public policy, law, arts and humanities, and dentistry.
Therefore, the university is known for its outstanding research in different fields such as medicine, law, and international affairs and for being recognized for the same worldwide. The Francis Crick Institute which specializes in biomedical discoveries has King’s College London as one of the founding members.
University of St. Andrews
The University of St. Andrews is the oldest educational establishment in Scotland as well as the third oldest English-speaking university in the world. The university accommodates more than 10,000 students, including 4,000 international students. The university is known for its globally minded and intimate atmosphere.
It has the highest student satisfaction rate which is about 94% making it the most preferable university in the UK for students. The university offers many courses to the students from sustainable development to ancient history, across four different academic divisions.
The school has a lot to offer when it comes to extracurriculars, having about 190 options to choose from. Moreover, the university even offers a chance to students to engage in many different unique traditions such as the Annual Raisin Monday Foam Fight and May Dip, etc.
Durham University
Durham University provides education to about 20,000 students of which 6,000 are international students. The university has a student satisfaction rate of about 85% and a high employability rate making it the top university for employability.
Durham University is recognized as one of the top public research universities and hence it is a part of the Russell Group of British Research Universities. The school offers around 100 graduate programs and 200 undergraduate programs in four faculties namely: science, business, social science and health, and arts and humanities across 17 various colleges.
London School of Economics and Political Science
The London School of Economics and Political Science is home to over 10,000 students of which a majority of students are from abroad belonging to 148 countries. The university has a low acceptance rate of about just 16% making it one of the most selective schools in the UK.
The university offers courses in 23 faculties and has 16 research journals and about 200 different clubs and societies that are run by the students only. LSE has an explicit record of skilling students in different careers such as consultancy, politics/governments, banking and finance, research, and education.
Therefore, the school has a record that 94% of the pass-out students have either jobs or go for further studies within the 15 months of graduating.
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh holds historical importance. The university enrolls about 35,000 students that take humanities and social science, and arts as their majors. About 34% of the student population includes non-EU (European Union) and Non-British students coming from different countries.
Three different colleges: Science and Engineering, Arts, Humanities and Social Science, and Medicine and Veterinary Medicine are an integral part of the university. As for now, there are 21 schools under these colleges which offer majors to students in physics, maths, literature, law, and history.
As being the historical capital the university values the tradition and culture of its place and therefore is involved in local festivals and rituals, the university has its own festival office too. The university also offers a ‘taster’ course of the Gaelic language for about six weeks for free.
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is one of the biggest universities in the UK concerning land area i.e., covering an area of 270 hectares, and also a public research university. The university is home to about 40,000 students of which 11,000 are overseas students.
The university offers a wide range of programs of about 1000+ under three majors: science and engineering, humanities and biology, and medicine and health. There are around 400 student clubs and societies to get involved with.
Manchester has a student satisfaction rate of about 83% and has a record that 94%of its graduated students get employment or go for further studies within a few months. It has some famous alumni such as Parineeti Chopra and Benedict Cumberbatch.
Lancaster University
Lancaster University, which is based in Lancashire, has been positioned at number 7th in the list of top universities in the UK by the Complete University Guide and the Guardian. The university has a student population of about 12,000 of which 4,560 are international students from 140 nations.
The university offers courses in four majors: management, science and technology, arts and social science, and health and medicine. Moreover, the university emphasizes employability and student satisfaction and hence rated 88% concerning student satisfaction.
The university is famous for its unique collegiate system as it has bonded with over 60 countries for different research domains.
Loughborough University
Loughborough University has been named the university of the year in 2019 by the Sunday Times, University Times and The Times as well. The university accommodates about 18,000 students of which more than 3,000 are international students.
As per 2018 reports, around 96% of graduated students were employed or admitted for further studies within a short span of time.
The university has been rated with 88% student satisfaction. It has 22 schools and a wide range of faculties for courses. Loughborough has a high placement rate and provides hands-on experience to its students for various skills, getting them prepared for the outer world.
The university also provides various language programs and students can enroll in them via the university’s language center.
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol grabbed a position in the list of top 10 best universities in the UK ranked by Times Higher Education, CWUR, and US News. The university is situated southwest of the UK.
University offers courses in six academic divisions: health science, law, social science, science, life science, arts, and engineering. Every academic domain has its school and research centers like the School of Modern Languages in the Arts domain and the Bristol Dental School in the health science domain.
Moreover, Bristol has dedicated its resources to the research of human rights and nanotechnology. Bristol has as well taken the responsibility for sustainability and is quite dedicated to it.
Cost To Study In The UK For Indian Students
Studying in Europe is one of the most famous and known dreams of students around the world as some of the famous universities are there. So, like the rest of the world, an Indian student also holds that dream.
If you’re one of them then one of the important things to know is the cost of living there as the UK is a little pricey to live and study in, the expenses must be taken into accord before applying to any universities.
Cost of Study in the UK for Indian Students
Studying in the UK is expensive but based on universities it does vary. Over the period, the expenses of tuition have changed. With the EU and UK students paying around £9,250 per year, or nearly US$13,050.
At the same time, tuition rates for overseas students start at around £10,000 (US$14,130) and rise to around £38,000 (US$53,700) for specialized degrees in medicine and other fields. Other fields like arts and social sciences cost less but the degrees that require laboratory or research stuff are expensive as compared.
About saving the expense is that the UK offers programs with less period so there’ll be less time for the payment as for undergraduate degrees it is for 3 years as compared to 4 years in other countries and for Master’s Degrees it is for the 1-year program as is it for 2 years in other countries.
Types of Expenses
Cost in (INR & GBP)
Doctoral Program
£18,000
Application Fee for UK Universities
£50-150
Postgraduate Masters Program
£11,000 to £30,000
Entrance Exam Fees
$185
Undergraduate Bachelors Program
£10,000 to £38,000
UK Visa Application Fees
£348
Study in UK Cost for Bachelors
Annual education costs for overseas undergraduate scholars in the UK 2020/21 ranged from £,250( US$,870) to £,548 ( US$,500), or over to £,652( US$,950) for medical degrees.
Programs
Average Annual Fees (in INR)
Average Annual Fees (in GBP)
Dentistry (UG Level)
30-35 lakhs
GBP 30-35,000
Medicine Courses (UG Level)
30-40 Lakhs
GBP 30-40,000
Engineering (UG Level)
16 lakhs-22 lakhs
GBP 16-22,000
Law (UG Level)
15-18 lakhs
GBP 15-18,000
Arts (UG Level)
10-15 lakhs
GBP 10-15,000
Nursing Courses(UG )
15-18 lakhs
GBP 15-18,000
Study in UK Cost for Masters
For a Master’s degree, overseas students have to pay twice as the local students but that can vary according to the universities and the scholarships provided.
The average cost of a Master’s degree for a domestic student in a full-time, taught program is presently about £8,407 per year.
Programs
Average Annual Fees (in INR)
Average Annual Fees (in GBP)
Arts (PG Level)
10-15 lacs
GBP 10-15,000
MBA
10-40 lacs
GBP 10-40,000
Engineering (PG Level)
14-20 lacs
GBP 14-20,000
Medicine Courses (PG Level)
25-35 lacs
GBP 25-35,000
Dentistry (PG Level)
20-30 lacs
GBP 20-30,000
Doctoral Degree
14-18 lacs
GBP 14-18,000
Management Courses (PG Level)
9-35 lacs
GBP 9- 35,000
Cost of Studying in the UK: Taxes and Insurance
When the option to study overseas comes in they’re always taxes and insurance policies of the country that should be taken into account as the UK or the countries near it have very strict and hard policies for their taxes and insurance.
If insurance is taken into account health insurance is one the important factors as health insurance is needed. Some universities provide health insurance for the student with scholarships but it ends at the end of the scholarship.
During the COVID-19 period, some of the universities provided free or reimbursed the money needed by some of the students.
As is the rule of other countries, if you acquire a job during the period of studying there you’ve to pay the national insurance and tax.
Then only you’ll be provided with the facilities like a local citizen, otherwise there are some rules also for the punishment for not paying them also.
National Insurance: If you make further than 166 pounds per week, you must pay National Insurance (16,458 INR).
Income duty: If you make more than £,042 per week, you must pay income duty (1,03,300 INR).
And for a student, the insured amount that must be paid is nearly £15 to £25 (1,400 – 2,300 INR). For other requirements, you’ve to pay according to your necessities but mainly you’ve to pay approximately £100 (INR 8,900) each month. It can also vary as per your living environment.
Application Fee for UK Universities
As for the application, some of the universities cost a lot and some don’t even ask for any kind of fee. On average the application fee in UK universities is around £50-150 (INR 5000-15,000).
And for some universities, they don’t even charge any money for it so before applying and selecting only a few to apply will help a lot in saving some amount. So, here are some of them:
University of Bath
£25
£50
£60
University of Cambridge
£100
University of Warwick
£50
London School of Economics and Political Science(LSE)
£50
SOAS, University of London
Nil
Imperial College London
GBP75
GBP 150
University of Edinburgh
£50 (few Courses)
University of Newcastle
£40
University of Oxford
£100
£150
University College London(UCL)
£75
UK Visa Application Fees
There are a total of 3 types of visas that a student can apply for, divided into Short-term, Tier 4 student visa (General), and Tier 4 student visa (child).
Most of the students apply for tier-4 visas as it is required for the full-time necessity of working.
Type of Visa
Application Fees
Short-term study visa
97 GBP for 6 months;
186 GBP for 11 months
Tier 4 student visa (General)
348 GBP
Tier 4 student visa (child)
348 GBP
Living Cost of Studying in the UK for Indian Students
As the UK is an expensive country to live in the main cost of living and all the necessities of a person depend on the area and locality mostly varies between 1,100 GBP to 1,400 GBP. If it is a posh area then the cost of living will increase. Here are some of the expenses that can be faced during your stay in the UK.
Fees for the visa application are 348 GBP (INR 34,393.40), clothing and leisure charges are 50 GBP (INR 4,941.58) monthly, and food expenses are 150 to 200 GBP (INR 14,824.74 to INR 19,766.32), housing or accommodation expenses is 500 GBP (INR 49,415.80) monthly, telephone and mobile charges are 50 GBP (INR 4,941.58) monthly, transportation charges is 150 to 200 GBP (INR 14,824.74 to INR 19,766.32) monthly.
Accommodation
Like most of the universities around the world, the UK also provides the in-housing like an on-campus stay of the students overseas and locals get second preference in that. But sometimes if there is an issue in getting an on-campus facility or the university does not provide that then the student has to look for some other accommodation like private housing or any other means if provided.
Two types of accommodation come into consideration first one is a university and the second one is private accommodation.
University accommodation
In this, the university provides the facility for the stay. The place is called the hall of residence; they provide the options of tone- catering or full board options. Halls are also known to minimize the cost of living in the UK for Indian scholars as they’re further cost-effective and affordable than other casing options.
The cost of living in Halls of Residence is around GBP 400 – GBP 600 per month
Private accommodation
As some of the students can not find university accommodation or it doesn’t suit them they go for private accommodation; this can vary based on the locality and other necessities that are required by the person.
In this, either, you can opt for the renting of a room or the guest facility is also there. All of these expenses depend on which area you chose to live in as London is the most expensive city in the UK.
An accommodation outside London with a one-bedroom can go nearly in the range of 550 GBP to 650 GBP per month and nearly between £1,000 – £1,500 in the megacity of London. Private apartments are from GBP 800 – GBP 1000 per month
Local homestays are from GBP 10 – GBP 60 per night.
Utilities
Utilities like water, electricity, gas, etc., along with other essential serviceability in the UK, can bring around 50 GBP to 120 GBP per month. The yearly and diurnal serviceability and rudiments that are needed are listed as follows –
Water, gas, or electricity bills, clothes, food and cleaning, Internet charges, laundry charges, books and stationery, mobile phones, and toiletries.
In addition to the same, the yearly cost of living in the United Kingdom also includes council duty, original community service charges, and other charges.
Travel
As public travels are cheaper and easiest for any person new in the country. The UK also has a subway and tubes for that. Tubes are mostly in and around London for the accessibility of the city.
Tube – £ 4 to £ 5
Taxi – £ 6 to £ 90
Train – £ 12 to £13
Bus – £ 1 to £2
Cycle – £ 2 for a 30 minutes ride
For Short Distance
Public transportation can be used similar to indigenous trains, tubes, as well as motorcars are the most feasible option. It’s also easier to get a yearly pass for motorcars or tube trains. However, they should make sure it’s running on the cadence or is as per the pre-decided charge If one chooses to travel by hack.
For Long Distance
For a trip involving a longer distance in the UK, that is, from one megacity to another, it’s stylish to conclude for an intercity machine, railroads, or air trip.
Food and recreation costs
Around 250 GBP can be spent per month on food if one chooses to order food or eat outdoors. Still, if one chooses to cook at home to save a deep pocket, they can spend close to about 80 GBP to 100 GBP per month on the cost of food.
Social Activities
For some outdoor activities or some fun one can use some time for social activities; it can cost around 50 GBP to 250 GBP per month in the UK.
Sports – 10 to 20 GBP per month
Concert tickets – 40 to 50 GBP
Dinner at a restaurant – 40 to 50 GBP
And extra as per the person spending.
Average Cost Of Living In the UK For Indian Students by City
The city and the locality play an important role in the cost of living of a person. The southern and southeastern corridors of the UK are more precious for scholars since they’ve less affordable casing options as compared to the northern part of the UK.
Places like London, Cambridge, or Oxford in England are vastly more precious for transnational scholars and locals likewise. still, you’ll find further affordable places to stay in the UK, like Glasgow, Birmingham, Edinburgh, and Belfast.
What Are The Requirements To Study In the UK?
Planning to study abroad requires many things to be done whether it’s an application form or scholarship form or student visa procedure, a lot has to be done. However, keeping a list of all the requirements will help you a lot and would save you from any last-minute hassle.
This section contains all the things that a student requires to study in the UK:
Requirements to Study in the UK
First things first, why choose the UK above any other study abroad destinations? The UK has been the center of higher education for students from all over the world for a long time and has always been a preferred choice amongst the students.
By acquiring universities and colleges that come under the top 300 universities in the world, the UK has a lot to offer to students. Not just the courses or study itself the universities in the UK pay heed to the skills and on-hand experiences of the students in the career of their choices.
The UK has English as its official language and making it easy for students globally to learn and grow. With the UK being a multicultural country, having students and citizens from different cultures from different parts of the world helps in creating a diversified society and helps students to interact and grow with the same.
English Language Proficiency Tests
Having English as the official language of the UK, the country’s education system has set some standard examinations for evaluating the English proficiency of the students. This is done to test whether the students can survive and learn in a fully English-speaking environment.
The foremost requirement for a student to get admitted to a university in the UK is to pass these English language tests and get a required score, such exams are IELTS (International English Language Testing System), TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), and PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English Academic).
Above mentioned exams are the commonly accepted tests but there are a few others too such as CPE (Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English), Duolingo English Test, and SELTs (Trinity Secure English Language Test).
Entry Requirements to Study in the UK: Undergraduate Level
The UK provides various undergraduate-level programs for students who want to pursue their after-school studies from abroad. One has to complete their school education (i.e., high school, 10+2) and attain minimum marks that are required by a particular course a student wants to pursue and other requirements to study in the UK.
Below is the list of requirements needed to be fulfilled by the students to get admission to an undergraduate program:
Letter of Recommendation (LOR)
Statement of Purpose (SOP)
Marksheet of 10 and 10+2 education from a certified Indian Education Board stating the completion of the secondary education
Offer Letter
Marks obtained in the English proficiency examination
Student Visa
ID proof and passport
Bank statements stating funds for the tuition fee and living cost
Entry Requirements to Study in the UK: Postgraduates
A lot of students choose to study in the UK for their masters. The universities here provide a wide range of faculties to choose from such as psychology, finance, data science, computer science, MBA, English, and business analytics.
Students are required to attain minimum marks in tests like GMAT/GRE as required by the universities for a certain program.
Otherwise, many universities and colleges conduct their entrance examination to accept students’ applications.
Here’s the list of the things required by the postgraduate students:
Letter of Recommendation (two)
Statement of Purpose (SOP)
Proof of financial funds
Certificate/mark sheet of the completed undergraduate program from a certified education institution with minimum marks required.
Offer letter
Student visa
Passport and other ID proofs
Academic transcripts of previous education
Updated resume
Entry Requirements for Ph.D. scholars in the UK
Students who have completed their graduation and postgraduation and want to go for their doctorate can apply for the Ph.D. program in the UK. Though the major of the Ph.D. should be the same as the postgraduate and graduate fields.
The foremost requirement for the application to the Ph.D. program is the research proposal that is mandatory to be submitted by the applicant, other than that a student has to go through several rounds of interviews to get admission to a Ph.D. program. Below is the list of requirements for a Ph.D.:
Statement of Purpose (SOP)
mark sheet/certificate stating the completion of graduate and postgraduate degree with minimum marks required
Passport and other ID proofs
Student Visa
Proof of funds
Detailed and updated resume
The score of the English proficiency test
Offer letter
Entry Requirements to Study in the UK: Vocational Course
For applying to a vocational course there are no requirements, just basic literacy skills and a minimum score obtained on the English proficiency test. However, a student must check for any other requirements needed for the course.
Offer Letter for the UK
The offer letter is the official letter issued by the University of the UK to the student who has been selected in the admission process. A university sends an offer letter to a student after verifying all the required documents submitted by the student.
Offer letters are of two types depending upon the complete submission of the documents by the student. If a student fails to meet the requirements set by the university to get admission then a conditional offer letter is issued in the interest of the student.
However, if all the documents and other requirements are met by the student then an unconditional offer letter is issued by the university under the name of the student.
CAS Letter
CAS stands for Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, which is another crucial document needed to start one’s journey to study abroad. A student can not apply for a student visa without a CAS letter issued by the particular university to which a student is taking admission.
A CAS letter is issued on first-cum-first-basis, electronically. The letter has a license number that is proof of your acceptance to a university. Moreover, the letter includes a certain amount ranging from 0- £5,000 that has to be submitted by the student to the sponsoring university.
This amount is adjustable in the first-year tuition fee but must be paid before applying for the student visa. To have a hassle-free visa procedure students are suggested to take the help of study visa experts. A CAS includes the following details:
The score of the English proficiency test
Course details
Tuition fee
License number issued in the CAS
Duration of the course
Part of the amount paid for tuition fee
Amount paid for accommodation
Universities Issuing CAS Letters in 1000 Pounds
Below is the list of universities issuing CAS letters for 1000 pounds or less:
University
CAS Deposit (in pounds)
University of Manchester
£1000-£2000
University of Edinburgh
£500-£1500
Cranfield University
£1000
University of Liverpool
£1000 or less
University of Essex
£1000
Queen Mary University of London
£500-£2000
UK Scholarships for International Students
Studying abroad is an expensive matter especially if it is one of the expensive countries like the UK. The tuition fee itself can put a hole in your pocket. So to ease the burden of financial funds the UK government offers several scholarships to international students.
There are mainly two types of scholarships:
Government Scholarships
UK University Scholarships
The content below covers both types of scholarships along with the eligibility criteria.
Governmental Scholarships
To promote the education system of the UK, the British government provides mainly two scholarships to international students.
Chevening Scholarships
This is a state-funded scholarship program in the UK and was introduced in the year 1983. Through this scholarship, the British government supports the students with excellent academic performance. Many students benefit each year via this scholarship.
Chevening scholarship is offered only for the one-year master’s program in the UK university and can be extended to other postgraduate courses too. Eligibility criteria to apply for Chevening Scholarship:
Student must be a citizen of Chevening eligible country
2+ years of work experience
An undergraduate degree
English proficiency
Commonwealth Scholarships
It is one of the rich scheme scholarship programs which are governed by 53 countries (of British colonies) together with the British part of the Commonwealth of Nations. This scholarship is granted to students who belong to the commonwealth countries for any degree.
The scholarship funds the tuition fee, accommodation cost, airline cost, and other miscellaneous expenses. The courses in which this scholarship is awarded are:
Doctoral degrees (duration 3-4 years)
1-year master’s or postgraduate degree
UK University Scholarships
There are several scholarship programs for foreign students to study in the UK whether government-funded or non-government-funded. However, there are scholarship programs as well that are for the students of particular countries.
One such scholarship is the Marshall Program, this scholarship is solely for US students who want to pursue their doctorate or master’s degree in the UK.
To aid the student’s career, many universities in the UK have scholarship programs for international students. Let’s have a look at each of those programs one by one.
Gates Cambridge Scholarship
The Gates Cambridge Scholarship program is awarded by the worldwide renowned University of Cambridge. Under this scheme, full financial aid is provided to students with excellent academic histories who want to pursue their postgraduate studies in the UK.
Rhodes House Scholarships
It is one of the prestigious and oldest scholarship programs in the world. This scholarship is granted to students who want to study at the University of Oxford. Every year 95 students manage to get this scholarship.
The scholarship covers the expense of tuition fees and the two air tickets (one for coming to the country at the start of the course and the other for returning while the course ends).
Students are evaluated based on their age, education, and residency. The competition is quite tough as it is about a world-class university, one has to have academic excellence to grab this golden opportunity.
Students from 18-18 years of age are eligible for this scheme and you should belong to one of the countries stated in the internship program guidelines.
MBA Skoll Scholarships
Said School Business is the one that awards MBA Skoll Scholarship to the students who want to pursue their masters. To grab this scholarship, an aspiring student must have experience of at least 1 year in running an enterprise and should not be a citizen of the UK.
This scheme funds the tuition fee and other additional expenses.
Edinburgh Global Research Scholarships
This scholarship program is awarded by the University of Edinburgh to students wanting to pursue their doctorate from the university. The scholarship aids half of the tuition fee.
UK Scholarships from British Council
The British Council also awards scholarships to students through IELTS. A student aiming to pursue graduate or postgraduate degrees is eligible for applying to this scheme. The scholarship offers financial aid ranging from £3,000 to £10,000. Students from all over the world apply to this scholarship program.
Denys Holland Scholarship
The Denys Holland Scholarship is awarded by the University College of London to foreign students wanting to pursue their undergraduate degrees. Under this scheme, the students are granted £9,000 each academic year now it is up to students how they want to spend it, whether on tuition fees or other living expenses.
A student has to be 25 in age or below to apply for the program.
Bristol University Scholarships
This scholarship program is awarded by the University of Bristol to foreign students applying for undergraduate degrees. The scholarship grants a sum of £8,500 to the student.
Kingston University London Scholarships
The International Office of Kingston University London awards this scholarship to students aiming for postgraduate as well as graduate degrees. The program offers an amount of £4,000 to the student.
University of Sussex International Scholarships
This scholarship program is awarded by the University of Sussex to the students of Non-EU (European Union) applying for postgraduate programs. This scholarship covers the partial tuition fee and is provided for one year only.
University Prize Scholarships
The University of Sheffield offers this scholarship program to students who want to pursue their Ph.D. Only 5 most eligible students manage to grab the scholarship each year. The scholarship covers the tuition fee and as well the living expenses.
International Scholarships at the University of Westminster
International students looking to enroll in master’s degrees at the University of Westminster are eligible to apply to this scholarship program. The program funds the tuition fee, living expenses, accommodation charges, and flight expenses.
Fulbright Foreign Student Program
The Fulbright Foreign Student Program was founded by a former US Senator. It is a merit-based scholarship program. It is offered to students willing to enrol in masters or doctorate degrees.
International Undergraduate Engineering Scholarship
Nottingham Trent University awards scholarship to students who want to pursue their graduation in biomedical engineering, sports engineering, and electronic engineering.
Students belonging to any nation are applicable for this scholarship program which offers £5,000 per year.
MBA Scholarships at Brunel University
Students who want to pursue their MBA in Business Administration from the University of Brunel can apply for this scholarship program. The scholarship offers an amount of £6,420.
Cardiff University Scholarships
Cardiff University, a member of the Russell Group, awards this scholarship program to international students aiming to enroll in a bachelor’s or master’s degree at this university.
UK Student Visa
Getting a student visa is crucial if someone is planning to go for higher studies abroad. Permits require a lot of paperwork and should be done with utmost precision, as any delay in your passport can affect your chances of studying in the UK.
To avoid any unforeseen problems, students should take help from study visa experts to get done with their visa application.
The UK provides two types of student visas:
Tier 4 Student Visa (child)
It is for students of age 4 to 15 years who want to study in the UK.
Tier 4 Student Visa (General)
This is for students who want to pursue higher education in the UK. A student must be 16 years old to apply for this visa.
However, there are many aspects of a student visa that one must know:
Cost of Visa
The total cost of the Tier 4 student visa (general) is around £363, i.e., NRI 35,100. The payment can be made via:
Demand draft
Online portal using visa cards or master cards
Cash at the visa application center
Documents required for a UK Study Visa
A student visa for the UK requires a lot of documentation as compared to a holiday one. A student has to maintain a record of all required academic documents as well as the financial aid ones.
To attain a student visa, you can consult Apical Immigration Experts, the best study visa consultant in Noida.
Here’s the list of documents one should be ready with while applying for the student visa:
Student visa application form (filled)
CAS letter (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) is an official letter issued by the verified university that the student has been offered a seat under a particular course in their university.
Proof of funds, additionally the visa documents require bank statements, scholarship papers, or other fund-aid papers stating that you have sufficient money to carry out your studies without being a liability to the country.
Fee receipts
TOEFL/IELTS Score
Marksheet/certificate of previous education
However, the visa letter doesn’t prove that you got admission to the university. One has to fulfill other requirements also.
UK Student Visa Process
It is a whole process to get a visa in a few steps. The visa application gets processed within three weeks after the completion of the application submission.
Step-1: Eligible to get a visa or not is decided on two factors:
CAS Letter
Proof of funds
Step-2: Documentation process
Step-3: Apply online. A student has to register online on the UK Visa website.
Step-4: Fee payment. It can be done in 4 different ways:
Demand draft
Online payment
Price at a chartered bank
Cost at visa application center
Step-5: The final step is to visit the visa application center on the assigned date for further procedures.
UK Point-based Visa System
The UK has a point-based visa system, and students should meet all the essential requirements stated in the Immigration Rules, which have around 40 points.
Factors
Points
Students should have enough money to complete their studies in the UK without issues.
10 points
Students should have a CAS letter from a tier 4 sponsor that should be fully licensed
30 points
Dependents
There is an additional dependent visa, in which the wife and the applicant’s children get dent access for the same period. However, this is applicable only for the master’s degree, not for any bachelor’s.
The dependent has to complete a whole different form and pay the same fee as the primary applicant. It is required to show proof of funds for the dependent applicant, too; for each dependent applicant, you have to offer £680 (outside London) and £845 (in London) per month for at least nine consecutive months.
Additional Information
If a student is willing to work alongside their studies, they must apply for the Tier 2 visa for highly skilled workers.
Premium Visa Services
Usually, a visa application process takes six weeks; however, if someone wants to get it in a short period, they can go for Priority Visa Services.
Under the Priority Visa Service, the UK Immigration and Visas try to speed up the process and get your passport ready within five days after submitting the biometrics. In Super Priority Visa, the same work is done in 24 hours.
Where to apply
Students can apply online for the Tier 4 visa application.
How Can Immigration Experts Help You With Your Student Visa To Study In The UK?
The whole process of planning and applying for higher education in the UK can be cumbersome. The visa application process needs to be done with the utmost care, and there should not be any mistakes because any minor error can get your application canceled.
So, to help you with the whole process of getting a student visa, it is advised to get help from the study visa experts.
One such expert in this field is Apical Immigration Experts, who cleared the visa applications of around 7000+ clients while providing 15 visa options. With a successful history of 12 years in the business, they are the best study visa consultants in Noida.
So while you concentrate on your planning to study in the UK, the Apical Immigration Experts will take care of your visa application.
The UK is one of the leading countries in education; with top-notch facilities and a student-friendly environment, it is the ideal destination to pursue your studies. Now that you have thorough knowledge about every aspect of studying in the UK.
Check out your preferred course today and apply for the coming session!