Did you know more than 260,000 students come to the UK to study each year? Surprised? Well, this is true and the number is growing each year. Universities in the UK are rated among the best globally. In fact, the UK is the most preferred destination for education after the United States. From the world-class teaching facilities to the presence of renowned and respected qualifications and courses, the UK is a great place to live and study. Statistics reveal that almost 38 per cent of postgraduates, 14 per cent of undergraduates and 29 per cent of the academic staff present in the UK are all from abroad.
Reasons to Study in the UK
There are endless reasons why the UK is among the top destination for students in the world. It has a long history of welcoming international students. But the prime reasons include:
- Being a multicultural society, it is possible for students from different countries to stay comfortably in the UK. It provides a familiar homely environment to students, especially ones living in big cities.
- Overall population of international students is very high in the UK for both graduate and postgraduate courses. There are almost half a million international students present in the UK.
- There are many respected and world-renowned universities in the UK. This includes several universities that are regularly ranked top in the world. All the universities are inspected regularly to maintain their high quality of education and teaching.
During the application process, students are required to present several documents that show their latest qualifications, skills and more. They can also engage the help of a paper writing website, like this one, for cover letters and applications.
Cost of education in UK
When you talk about the cost of education in the UK, there is no fixed structure present. The fees will vary with the university, campus, course and other factors. Frequently, applicants face a lot of confusion due to the contrasting numbers presented by different universities. The variance in fees is faced more by international students.
Programs in degrees related to social sciences and humanities are the least expensive. On the other hand, fees for programs in research and clinical streams are among the highest. Also, degrees in Management (MBA) tend to cost more than postgraduate programs. Typical fees for an MBA program are around £41,000 while a Masters degree is around £17000. Added to this are the overall living costs, which in the UK are higher compared to other places.
Fees can start from around £10,000 and go up to £38,000 per year. Though these costs may seem daunting at the start, they offer true value for money in terms of quality of education. Also, as the programs are shorter, the costs are reasonable when you compare them to the three-year courses offered at other places.
Tuition fees are distributed at two levels in the case of public-funded universities. These are as follows:
- Fees for Home students
- Fees for International students
Here are the average costs you may have to bear:
- Cost of courses — £10,133
- Cost of living (including rent, insurance, personal items, household goods, leisure, travel and more) — £13,388.
The proportion of home and international students and their definition are the same across most universities, except for Scotland. In any Scottish university, students from other countries in the UK are not considered ‘Home’ students. Local Scottish students pay very low fees due to the subsidy provided by the Government.
So, overall the costs will include:
- Cost of travelling to and from your home country to the UK.
- The total fees of your selected course
- Any separate examination fees, if applicable
- Cost of books and stationery for the entire period
- Expenses related to accommodation and food
- Leisure, travel and socializing
If you are looking for a postgraduate program in the UK, the most affordable universities that you can apply to include:
- Royal Veterinary College
- University of Chester
- University of Bedfordshire
- York St John University
- University of Suffolk
Scholarships in the UK
One of the best ways to make education in the UK affordable is through a scholarship. There are a wide range of scholarships available to students applying for graduate and postgraduate programs. Apart from universities, scholarships are also offered by universities that have partnered with Across the Pond UK. You can also look for scholarships provided by the Government, charities, independent organizations, the British Council and more.
In the UK, scholarships are mostly available for postgraduate courses. There are limited options for undergraduate scholarships. You also need to understand that scholarships do not cover the full cost of living expenses and tuition fees. So, it is better to understand the provisions offered by your scholarship; such as the amount of funding provided and the types of expenses covered.
