Higher Studies » Study in UK
Why Study In UK?
- A high degree of sophistication, a matchless charm, and above all, educational quality that's backed by centuries of tradition: the United Kingdom is just the right place to give your career that global edge
- One in eight of students in UK higher education is already from overseas
- UK degrees can take only three years and postgraduate master's courses only one year as compared with four years and two years in most other countries
- UK degree courses are shorter because they are more intensive, and therefore more efficient in terms of time and money
- Unlike other countries, most UK universities recognize the Indian education system of 3-year graduation.
- Quality standards for UK institutions are among the best in the world. The British qualifications are recognized and respected throughout the world
- The British universities are owned and funded by the UK government and are subject to rigorous quality assurance audits periodically to standardize the quality of education across all institutions throughout the UK
- All services such as facilities available to students, quality of teaching, research funds, infrastructure, accommodation services, student support and career services are monitored according to strict quantitative assessments
- There are three thousand educational institutions in the UK that offer thousands of courses at different levels of education, be it schools, colleges, further education, higher education or research institutions
- Under existing work regulations, international students in the UK can work up to 20 hours a week when studying and full time during vacations
- The UK Government is in the process of making it easier for international students to work while studying.
- Institutions use a variety of teaching and assessment methods to encourage independence, as well as mastery of the subject
- The UK is a cosmopolitan place to live. Many thousands of families from around the world have made the UK their home, creating a richly diverse, open-minded, multicultural society
- UK people like to get together and enjoy themselves. Theatres, concerts and art galleries can be found in all large towns and cities; big sports events take place every weekend.
- Thousands of scholarships and bursaries are offered by UK institutions just for international students, while more than 21, 000 international students receive scholarship funding from the UK Government every year
Type of education in UK
Degree courses and postgraduate study are usually called Higher Education (HE). Most professional courses, such as accountancy, finance, pharmacy, dentistry, law, medicine, etc, are offered at the Higher Education level. Degree courses lead to the award of a Bachelor's degree (or, a Master's degree). They are available from Higher Education institutions (universities, Higher Education colleges and institutions) and some Further Education institutions. Universities range in size of student numbers from less than 3,000 students to over 15,000, and teach a broad range of courses. Higher Education colleges and institutions are usually smaller than the universities. Many offer similar programmes to the universities while others specialize in specific subjects.
- Postgraduate qualifications: Many postgraduate courses contain both research and taught elements. There is also a strong emphasis on student choice in many institutions and some programmes are put together in such a way as to enable the individual student to tailor the degree to their specifications. Degree titles can vary from one institution to another for historical reasons
- Diplomas and certificates: Postgraduate diplomas and certificates are taught course qualifications. Certificate courses are usually shorter than diploma courses. Both types of award are frequently given for conversion courses and courses leading to membership of certain professional bodies. Conversion courses are always taught and usually take one academic year. In some cases, the course may finish with a postgraduate diploma, and you may have to apply from scratch to get onto a Masters course. In others, the conversion course may be the first part of a Masters programme, after which you have the option of continuing on the same course.
- Masters degrees: Masters courses consist of taught courses or a research programme or they may, in certain cases, contain elements of both, such as the MPhil. Intake is from those with a Bachelors-level qualification with honours or its equivalent, and most of them take about one year of full-time study. Most Masters degrees are designated either MA (Master of Arts) or MSc (Master of Science), depending on the subject, or as a specialist degree such as an MBA or LLM. Taught Masters courses may include formal training in research methods as preparation for further research study.
- MBA (Master of Business Administration), LLM (Master of Laws), MDS (Master of Dental Surgery) are all widely recognized specialist Masters courses. The popularity of management or business-related courses has surged in recent years, especially those leading to an MBA. In the UK, 116 business schools now offer the MBA, with the number of students graduating rising from around 4,000 in 1990 to over 10,000 in 2000.
- Mphil: The MPhil (Master of Philosophy) is usually an extended Masters degree involving a longer research thesis. Some MPhil courses have a significant taught content in their first year and devote the second to research; others are purely by research. Many institutions' regulations provide for transfer from an MPhil or other Masters by research to a Doctorate for suitable candidates.
- MRes: The MRes (Masters in Research) is designed to prepare students for doctoral research.
- Doctorates: Doctoral programmes - the PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) is the most common - usually take three or four years full-time to complete.
Entry Requirements
- Postgraduate programmes For most Universities, a good first degree from a leading university in India or its equivalent is essential. The basic postgraduate entry requirement for the following UK postgraduate courses: · Taught Master's degrees, postgraduate diplomas and postgraduate certificates) · Undergraduate degree or equivalent from your country in a relevant area.
- Conversion courses (are designed to provide an intensive introduction to a subject): a British undergraduate degree is sufficient, even one in an unrelated area.
- Doctorates: Intake is normally from those with a very good first degree or more commonly from those with a Masters degree, and occasionally by transfer from a Masters course.
- MBAs: Master of Business Administration (MBA) courses usually require a British undergraduate degree or equivalent, or a professional qualification. A good GMAT score and IELTS of 6.5 or above. Most MBA courses may also require two or three years' management experience
- Language: Before accepting students for postgraduate studies, universities will require evidence of sufficient English language proficiency. The most commonly accepted test in the UK is called IELTS and a minimum average score of 6 or 6.5 is usually required, although some departments ask for 7.