Top Universities & Colleges for Education, Languages and Counselling Abroad

Attracting over 458,490 international students according to the HESA website, the UK has a long tradition of quality education and houses universities dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries. 25 universities from the UK rank among the top 200 universities according to QS World Rankings 2020. And 4 universities lie among the top 10 universities. Universities in the United Kingdom are known to have excellent pedagogy merged with a focus on research.

Among the non- EU countries, China, India, the USA, and Hong Kong send most students to study in UK. The strength of Indian students approximates to 22,000 by June, 2019. A positive aspect for Indian students is an acceptance of 96 percent visa applications. 

The country is known to provide generous discounts to students (including international) on public transport, food, books and entertainment; hence students are advised to ask about student discounts everywhere. There's a great deal of second-hand shopping that can happen in the UK.

The main areas of education that the country is known to offer are engineering, science, art & design, business & management, law and finance. Masters in UK is a popular choice that students explore.

Popular cities to study in the UK

• Oxford
• Cambridge
• London
• Aberdeen
• Manchester

Popular courses to study in the UK

• Business and Administrative Studies (MBA)
• Engineering & Tech (B.Tech., M.Tech.)
• Social Sciences (B.A, M.A in History, M.Phil.)
• Creative Arts & Design (Graphic, Film, Media)
• Law (LLB, LLM)
• Biological Sciences (B.Sc., M.Sc.)
• Medicine and allied subjects
   

Popular universities in UK

Made up of four regions - Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales, the UK offers 50,000 courses in around 25 subjects. Different regions in the UK can have a different set of academic rules. For higher education, there are mainly two bodies to maintain academic standards:

1. FHEQ - The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications of Degree Awarding Bodies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
   2. FQHEIS- The Framework for Qualifications of Higher Education Institutions in Scotland
    

Undergraduate Programs

More than 395 universities and colleges offer undergraduate or bachelor courses to students. In the table below, we provide a brief of types of undergraduate degrees for you to explore which you can pursue after 12th:

Postgraduate Programs

See some more points:

• Most masters programs at the universities in the UK get completed in 12 months, this is also why MS in the UK may cost a little less than other study abroad programs.
• Some may take 24 months too. 
• In most cases. ‘Masters’ in the UK is a course that is to be undertaken after an appropriate 3-year Bachelor’s Degree 
• In Scotland, most students take up a 4-year undergrad degree combined with Masters. 

• According to The Reddin Survey for 2017-18, the undergraduate fees approximate in the range of £10,000 to £38,000. It can be higher for medical courses.
• On average, MS in the UK may cost about £20,000 per year.
• The top universities in the UK may have slightly higher fees. 
• The government mandates that you will approximately need at least £1265 each month for living expenses.
• UK is known to provide generous discounts to students (including international) on public transport, food, books and entertainment, so students are advised to ask about student discounts everywhere. You can know more about living expenses in the UK including accommodation and other living expenses.

For undergraduate courses in UK, it is advised to check the UCAS website for exact deadlines. However, a general criterion is mentioned below.

For masters programs, it is advised to apply at least one year before commencement of a course. For fall intake, you should apply by June or July. You should keep checking universities' websites as application deadlines vary. For some universities you can apply through UCAS Postgraduate. In case you have not completed your graduation, you may still get a conditional acceptance letter.

• Most Universities in the UK do not require the students to appear for GRE, GMAT .

• Either of the two English proficiency tests i.e. IELTS/TOEFL is considered.
• Academic excellence is sometimes mandatory and a high priority requirement for universities in the UK.
• Work experience is also mandatory for certain courses like MBAs.
• Students with 15 backlogs or so can apply at several UK universities, but other important factors to be taken into account when you apply are your standardized test scores such as IELTS.
• Some UK universities have no specific requirements for backlog acceptance, and a good IELTS score has no stand in granting admissions to students.

• Once you have decided to study in the UK, you must plan at least 12 months before the admission season. 
• To apply for undergraduate course/bachelors degree in the UK, you must apply through UCAS
• For masters you need to apply to individual universities.
• Pay the fees. If you apply for one university, the fee is £20 and £25for multiple choices on UCAS
• If accepted, you will receive CAS form (Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies).
   

Documentation

The following are a set of common documents you will need while applying for UK universities.

• Proofs of English language proficiency test scorecards
• Personal statement
• Two or more references and their contact information, if required
• LOR
• Academic transcripts with certified translations in English
• A research proposal, if asked
• A CV
• A copy of passport

• First of all, congratulations on your admit! Now, check if you need the visa. You can only apply after you have received a CAS certificate from the university.
• If you have received any scholarships from the university, make sure to check if the CAS certificate mentions that. This may create problems in the Visa interview. 
• With this, you also need to show the required funds in your bank account. 

• The earliest you can apply for a visa is 3 months before you start your course. You’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.
• You need Tier 4 (General) Student Visa (Fees £310) for a full-time degree and Student Visitor Visa (Fees £83) if you are going for studying for less than 6 months
• Get an Immigration Health Surcharge
• Book visa at: https://visas-immigration.service.gov.uk/apply-visa-type/tier4
• Give your biometrics at the Visa Application Center (VAC) for receiving a Biometric Residence Permit. You can collect it within 10 days of arrival in the UK.
• Get your Tuberculosis Screening done from UK approved clinics.

• Give your Visa interview either at a VAC or online through a video. 
   

Let’s see the list of documents required in the entire process to procure a visa.

• Original Birth Certificate
• CAS Form
• Passport
• Passport size photographs
• Academic documents
• Proofs to support your finances
• English language proficiency test scorecards
• Proof of payment for Immigration Health Surcharge
• Tuberculosis Screening Certificate

Note: 

• Visa should be applied within 6 months of receiving CAS form and before 3 months of beginning of course.
• You can arrive in the UK before your program starts up to 1 week before if your course length is less than 6 months.
• If your course lasts more than 6 months, you can reach the UK up to 1 month before the start of your course.

Several educational institutions offer scholarships to international students. Various government scholarships cover full tuition fees. However, one needs to be exceptional to get them owing to the volume of the applicants.

• GREAT Scholarships: Only for graduate students having an Indian passport, covers full tuition fees if you have a confirmed offer letter from a list of 25 specific institutions which includes universities such as Newcastle University, UCL London, and The University of Nottingham. Find the full list of Universities accepting GREAT Scholarships.

• Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships: Meant for graduate international students from members of all commonwealth countries (includes India). Deadlines close in Jan-Feb.

• Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships: Reserved for students aged between 25 and 45 in arts, heritage conservation and humanities. They even support short, artist residencies and small courses.

• Hornby Scholarships: Awards for English language teachers for teaching English as a foreign language. Their deadlines are generally in February. 

• Go Clean Scholarship- For Bachelors Certificate, Bachelor's Degree, Bachelor's Diploma, Masters Certificate, Master’s Degree, Masters Diploma, Ph.D. Applicants must submit the required essay to [email protected] before the deadline. 
• Forktip Women’s Innovation Scholarships - This scholarship is applicable for Bachelor's Certificate, Bachelor's Degree, Bachelor's Diploma, Master's Certificate, Master’s Degree, Masters Diploma, Ph.D. Scholarship is aimed at providing financial support for women around the world to further their education and careers. 
• Inlaks Scholarships- These aim at helping graduate students to pursue their masters, M.Phil and doctoral programs.
• Gates Cambridge Scholarships - These are exclusively for masters and above masters degrees. 
• Western Union Foundation Global Scholarship Program - Awarded to undergraduate students pursuing a field of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and business/entrepreneurship.
• Academic Excellence Scholarships, University of York
• University of Essex Indian Sub-Continent Regional Undergraduate Scholarship
• The Rhodes Scholarships for India, University of Oxford- These invite graduate students to pursue fully sponsored postgraduate studies at the University of Oxford. 
• Cambridge Immerse Scholarship Programme
• Oxford and Cambridge Society of India Scholarship (OCSI), UK
• Strathclyde Business School Full Time MBA Dean's Excellence Awards
• Newcastle University MBA Leadership Scholarships
• Department of Film and Television Studies MA Scholarship, University of Warwick, UK
• Undergraduate Global Excellence Scholarship Medical School, University of Exeter
• Cardiff University Scholarships- These are offered to undergraduate, graduate and research programs. 
• MBA Scholarships at Brunel University
• International Undergraduate Engineering Scholarships- These are Arkwright Engineering Scholarships, IET Awards and Scholarships ,IME Scholarships and Awards , Imperial College London PhD Scholarships in Chemical Engineering , NI Engineering Scholarship Program , QMUL Queen Mary Global Excellence Scholarships , QUEST Undergraduate Scholarships from ICE , University of Manchester Engineering Scholarships, University of Strathclyde Engineering Scholarships , Women’s Engineering Society Awards . 
• International Scholarships at University of Westminster
• University Prize Scholarships- These are meant for PH.D students studying at the university of Sheffield.
• The University of Sussex International Scholarships- These are provided for both bachelors and masters studies. 
• Kingston University London Scholarships- Helping students cover partial tuition fees, these are offered during September intake only.
• Bristol University Scholarships- These are available both for graduates and undergraduates. For example, the University of Bristol Think Big Undergraduate Scholarships.
• Denys Holland Scholarship - These are meant for undergraduate studies seeking financial support. 
• Edinburgh Global Research Scholarships
• MBA Skoll Scholarships

Other sources of funding you may want to consider are the British Chevening Scholarships, the British Council Fellowship Programme, the Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowship Programme (CSFP), the Shared Scholarship Scheme and the Overseas Research Students Award Scheme (ORSAS).

Note:

Apart from this, one can look at the scholarship and bursaries page of each shortlisted university to find out scholarship offers, requirements, eligibility and deadlines. Some universities also offer discounts to students depending on their situation such as if their parents are alumni or if their financial condition is very bad.

When it comes to studying abroad in the United Kingdom, your way of life will depend on where you stay. A big city like London may seem bustling while a small town like Bangor may seem quiet and at ease. Punctuality, queue system and minding one’s own business are the primary traits of the British. One may seem a little creepy trying to be too friendly with strangers. The British are too polite and you may find no shouting or uncanny noise anywhere. 

The cities with maximum students in the UK are London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Newcastle, and Coventry. Starting from small towns like Essex to big cities like London, one can find courses such as Media Studies, MS and MBA anywhere in the United Kingdom. 

For all international students, the visa applications include a payment of Immigration Health Surcharge if they are to study for more than 6 months in the UK. It costs around £150 which will cover you for one year. 

Just like life in the UK, the weather also depends on where you stay. Overall, it is known to be one of the most unpredictable. English weather is hardly bad enough that it stops you from doing something but it makes everything less enjoyable. It rains a lot. The hottest it gets is at 38 degrees, at times come triggering storms. The coldest can be -26 degrees.

Based on degrees, the following table briefs about the salaries in the UK.

For other high paying jobs in the UK see the table below.

As a student in the United Kingdom, you can work up to 20 hours per week and full-time during holidays, if you are on a study abroad program at a recognized university. There are various part-time options available depending on what suits you and what you get hold of:

• At a cafe, restaurant, back office, store, malls, supermarkets, gas stations, etc.

• Social Media Jobs: Companies pay students to create and manage their social media profiles. If you know how to have the skills to do digital marketing, you can get paid a substantial amount of money here.

• Coding: If you are an MS in Computer Science student or know how to code well, it will be easier for you to get a job. There is a great start-up scenario too.

• Freelance Jobs: If you have a skill, you can share it on YouTube or take a course online. However it is important to know that you can't start a business or work as an independent entity on a student visa.

• Tutoring: You need to pre-apply for this. If there is a research opportunity, you can work with a professor as their assistant.

Mentioned below are current national minimum wage hourly rates. These rates change every April and are easily available on the gov.uk website. 

• Age 25 and above: £8.72
• Age 21 to 24: £8.20
• Age 18 to 20: £6.45
• Underage 18: £4.55
• Apprentices: £4.15

• Students who are to enrol for courses starting 2020/2021 can stay back for two years after course completion.
• Also, students pursuing Ph.D. are allowed to stay up to 2 years after completing their degree.
• You can check various visa options on the official website of the UK government.

Note:

• You can’t work full time until you have received a work permit (Tier 2).
• Self-employment is not permitted, like any freelance or consultancy work

Permanent Residency

Becoming a permanent resident for international students is securing the “indefinite leave to remain (ILR) Visa”. After 5 years of completing a graduate job, a person can apply for the ILR. A stable income along with a full-time job, good moral conduct with no criminal record will help in securing the ILR visa.There are more requirements to obtain ILR such as continuous residence, earnings etc.