Studying in UK, Entry requirements, Tuition Fees, and Scholarships

Do you want to study in UK? Studying in UK has numerous benefits like world-class teaching, affordable tuition fees, scholarship opportunities, and post-study work opportunities. The UK has an old history of education in the 11th and 12th centuries which makes it a popular study destination among international students. Surprisingly, more than 5,00,000 students around the world choose to study in the UK each year.

From top-notch sightseeing opportunities to worldwide recognition, studying in the UK offers you everything you want. Even if you want to get an easy PR opportunity, studying in UK offers that too. Amazing right? Let’s discuss more detailed information about popular UK universities, tuition fees, scholarships, etc. 

Why should you study in UK?

In the overview section, we discussed a little about the benefits of studying in UK. However, as an international student, you may be curious to know more about the UK education system and other benefits. So, let’s discuss it. 

World-Class Education

In the UK, there are great universities that are ranked worldwide. Universities like Oxford, Cambridge, and Imperial College London are super popular and always rank high globally. These universities have awesome facilities for research and teaching in a way that helps you think deeply and learn useful skills. So, if you go to a university in the UK, you’ll get an amazing education.

Global Recognition

If you get admission to a British university, your degrees will be respected everywhere, and employers all over the world will think highly of you. The UK education system is really good, so you can trust that it’s top-notch no matter where you are.

Diverse Environment

Studying in the UK means being around lots of different people from all over the world. This mix of cultures makes your time there more interesting and helps you get ready for jobs where you work with people from different backgrounds. It helps you learn how to talk and work with people from all over the world.

Job Opportunities

Studying in the UK offers you lots of chances to work part-time. This helps you get some experience and extra money. After finishing studying, it’s easier for international students to get a PSW, and with that, they can stay and work in the UK for 2 years more. If you come from another country to study in the UK, you can work up to 20 hours each week while you’re studying.

International Students support

UK universities focus on helping students from other countries feel good. They offer lots of help like showing them around, helping with studies, and giving job advice. This allows everyone to learn better, no matter where they’re from.

Popular intakes in UK

Universities in the UK generally offer three intakes for international students. However, some universities have more intakes too. Here are the popular intakes to study in UK. 

September intake

September is the primary intake in UK, generally starting in September and ending in December. It is also known as the fall intake in the UK, where most universities offer admission to international students. 

January intake

January is the second major intake in the UK generally starting in January and ending in April. It is also known as the spring intake and unlike the September intake, it is less common and offers fewer programs for international students. 

May intake

May is the less common intake in the UK starting in April and ending in June. It is also known as the summer intake. Different from September and January, May intake is less common and only 4 to 5 universities offer courses in this intake. May intake can be the best opportunity for those who have missed the previous intakes to study in the UK. 

Top-ranking universities in the UK

Universities in the UK offer high-quality education at an affordable tuition fee. Besides, UK universities always respond quickly to international students in terms of application. According to the QSWUR 90 universities in UK ranked worldwide in the ranking table. Here we mention 30 UK universities that really ranked top on the table.. 

Universities	QS World Ranking 2024
University of Cambridge	2
University of Oxford	3
Imperial College London	6
UCL	9
The University of Edinburgh	22
The University of Manchester	32
King’s College London	40
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)	45
University of Bristol	55
The University of Warwick	67
University of Leeds	75
University of Glasgow	76
Durham University	78
University of Southampton	81
University of Birmingham	84
University of St Andrews	95
University of Nottingham	100
The University of Sheffield	104
Newcastle University	110
Lancaster University	112
Queen Mary University of London	145
University of Bath	148
University of Exeter	153
Cardiff University	154
University of York	167
University of Reading	169
University of Liverpool	176
Queen’s University Belfast	202
University of Aberdeen	208
Loughborough University	212

Entry requirements to study in the UK

As an international student, you need to fulfill  two types of entry requirements to study in UK such as: academic entry requirements and English entry requirements. Let’s discuss it deeply.

Academic requirements

For an undergraduate programme in UK, you should obtain a good GPA/Score in the 12th standard, and for a postgraduate programme in the UK, you should obtain a 2:1 or 2:2 Bachelor’s degree from any reputed university. 

English requirements

If you are applying from a non-English-speaking country, you must prove your English proficiency by taking some standard English language proficiency tests such as IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, OIETC, Duolingo, etc. The IELTS requirement to study in UK for an UG programme is an overall 6.0 and for a PG is an overall 6.5. Though some universities accept an overall 6.0 IELTS scores for both UG and PG. Some British universities also accept MOI, WAEC, IB and NECO certificates instead of IELTS. 

Cost of studying in UK

International students always want to reduce the cost of studying in UK. The cost of studying in the UK includes the university tuition fee, living expenses, and food costs as well. Here is an approximate overview of the tuition fees and living expenses to study in the UK. 

Tuition fees in UK

Though the tuition fees vary from university to university and different levels. Here is the approximate tuition fees in UK.

Foundation Degree	£12,000-£15,000
Undergraduate programme	£10,000-£20,000
Postgraduate programme	£15,000-£25,000

Cost of living in UK

According to the Gov.UK,  if you study in London on average your living cost will be £1334/month on the other hand if you live outside of London your living cost will be £1023/month. Living expenses in UK include home rent, internet bill, mobile allowancel, food costs, transportation costs, etc. However, you can minimize the living cost in UK by flatshare or staying on campus and reducing your food costs. 

Popular scholarships to study in UK

The scholarship to study in UK varies from university to university. Here are some popular UK scholarships for international students.

• Chevening Scholarship
• Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship
• Great scholarship
• Scotland Saltire Scholarships
• Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships (CWIT)
• British Council Scholarships for women in STEM

Popular courses to study in UK

As an international student you may be concerned about which course should you study or which course offers you the best part-time and post-study job opportunities in UK. Here are some popular courses to study in UK universities.

• Human Resource Management
• MBA
• EEE
• Artificial Intelligence
• Archaeology
• Civil Engineering
• Adult Nursing
• Medicine
• Public Health etc. 

UK student visa requirements for international students

As an international student, you must meet some requirements for a  UK student visa application. Here are the UK student visa requirements for international students by GOV.UK..

• You need a student sponsor to offer you a place in the course.
• You should have enough money to support yourself and pay for the course, and living expenses; the amount you need will depend on your situation.
• You must be able to speak, read, write, and understand English fluently.
• If you are 16 or 17 years old, you need your parent’s permission to apply for a UK university, and you’ll have to show evidence of this.
• If you’re 16 or 17 and want to study at a private school in the UK, you might qualify for a Child visa instead.

Financial requirements for a UK student visa

Meeting the financial requirements is mandatory to get a study permit in UK. According to the rule of the British government, you need to pay £490 for a UK student visa application. Besides, you need to pay £776 per year for the (UK health insurance) IHS fee in UK. Besides you need to show (Your 1 year tuition fee + 1 year of living costs in the UK) as proof of bank statement requirement to study in UK.

For example: If you study in London and your yearly tuition fee is £16000, your bank statement will be £28006. You need to show the amount in your bank account only for 28 consecutive days. 

Post-study work opportunities in UK

According to the Home Office UK, international students can get 2 years of PSW after completing graduation. To get this opportunity you just need to switch your UK student visa to Graduate Route. You should apply for the UK Graduate Route visa before your student visa expires. 

Highest-paying part-time jobs in UK for international students

The United Kingdom offers numerous internship and part-time and post-study job opportunities for international students. Some of them also offer standard salaries. Here are some of the highest-paying jobs in UK for the students. 

• Student Hub Officer
• Student Merchandise Ambassador
• Graphic Designer Intern
• Human Resources(HR) Intern
• Fashion Intern etc.

Final Words

Studying in the UK gives you lots of chances. You can get a really good education, meet people from different cultures, and have fun exploring cool places. The UK is a great place to learn and grow, whether you want to be known worldwide, study hard, or just have adventures.

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