Higher Education in UK

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CAMBRIDGE, March 14, 2018 - A flag flies at half mast over Gonville and Caius College at the University of Cambridge following the death of Professor Stephen Hawking, in Cambridge, Britain, on March 14, 2018. Renowned British physicist Stephen Hawking died peacefully at home in the British university city of Cambridge in the early hours of Wednesday at the age of 76, his family spokesman said.

Whether you study at graduate or postgraduate level, UK education is enriching and offers you an exciting range of benefits. You gain valuable skills and you get exposure diverse culture, innovative industries and academic excellence. The quality of education is recognized by universities governments and employers worldwide.

Salient features of UK education

Quality education:

World’s top four universities are situated in UK. More than 80 percent of international graduates are happy with the UK learning experience. Researches carried out by UK universities are either path-breaking or excellent. Besides, the facilities offered are excellent. The UK universities maintain highest standards of academic education.
International qualification and career prospects:

UK graduates are recognized worldwide and they get higher average salaries. They are employable since they have exposure to diverse culture and international business environment.
English Language:

Studying in UK is an added advantage for the overseas student. One can easily improve one’s language skills through interaction with friends and study.
Wide range of courses:

Hundreds of thousands of courses are available and the choice is amazing. One can study online or on campus. And the courses are shorter, compared to those of other countries.
International experience:

UK is a multicultural society with proximately half a million overseas students joining UK universities.

Higher education courses

Bachelor’s or undergraduate degree: It takes 3 to 4 years to complete this course. BA, BSC, BEd and BEng are offered.
Foundation degree: This is equivalent to the first two years of an honors degree and it combines academic study and work-based learning.
Diploma of Higher education: Full-time DipHE is equivalent to the first two years of a degree.
Certificate of Higher Education: It focuses on a job or profession or academic study. CertHE shows that the candidate can study at the university level.
Higher national diploma: It is a two -year diploma that leads to the third year of a degree.

Post-graduation

Master’s Degree: It gives the opportunity to enhance your knowledge of a certain subject. There are two types of masters- taught and research.
MBA: This is an internationally recognized qualification and it covers a wide range of topics
PhD: PhD or DPhil is the highest academic level in UK. These degrees are challenging from student’s perspective.
Postgraduate Diploma: Postgraduate diploma and certificates help students to enhance their skills and knowledge grained through the first degree.
Professional vocational qualifications: Such qualifications help students to improve their skills needed for specific jobs and they focus on first-hand job experience.
Conversion courses: graduates wishing to change their subjects are after first degree can take conversion courses.

The Academic year

The academic year usually begins in September and lasts until June or July.

Cost of higher education in UK

The cost of higher education depends on many factors such as institution, course, location, funding opportunities. According to a recent report, the average cost is approximately US $ 3200, which breaks down to 20 thousand US Dollars for fees and 12 thousand Dollars for cost of living. However, tuition fees can bee as high as US$63000 per year for taught clinical postgraduate degree in leading universities.

UK tuition fees and course cost

For international students, undergraduate fees presently starts approximately at US$ 12000 for lecture-based course and 58000 Dollars for undergraduate medical degree. But the fees for a lot of undergraduate courses are around US$ 16000 and for majority of postgraduate courses, it comes between US$ 16000 and 20000.

UK scholarships

A range of scholarships are offered by government universities, independent agencies and organizations, and charities. Prominent scholarships are:

Chevening Scholarships are awarded by UK government to outstanding scholars with leadership potential from around the world to pursue postgraduate courses
Marshall Scholarships are meant for helping young Americans of high ability to study for a degree.
Commonwealth Scholarship and fellowships are offered by member governments to citizens of other countries.

Course entry requirements

For undergraduate courses, the candidate need to have achieved a A-level, IB or equivalent qualifications in related-subjects. For postgraduate courses, the student need to have gained a relevant undergraduate degree.

English language test

The candidate need to have gained a language qualification, If English is not the first language. This is required for visa application as well. Visas are managed by UK Border Agency (UKBA).

The Best Universities in England for international students

The UK is an education hub well connected with rest of the world. The universities in UK offer wide range of courses for international students. The best universities in UK are given below: