Despite its relatively small population, the UK is a renowned global innovator and financial capital, as well as boasting a disproportionately high percentage of the world’s top universities. The UK leads the world in many areas including finance, music and high street fashion and studying there will allow you to obtain a truly international education.
The Music! Can you think of any other country that’s produced as much great music as the UK? We can’t! When you consider that it’s actually quite a small country, it really is amazing how many great bands and genres of music have been born in the UK. Great music is still alive and strong in the UK, and students there are able to attend world-renowned festivals such as Glastonbury and T in the Park, where nearly 200,000 people get together for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Leave your real life behind at the door. But it’s not just huge festivals like these, when you study in the UK you will be able to regularly see great local events with both today’s and tomorrow’s headliners.
The Great Outdoors! Brits (British people) love the outdoors, and on weekends many people escape the cities to get a well earned break in the countryside. Public transport will get you to some fairly remote and beautiful spots, and an extensive network of BnB’s mean that you can find reasonably priced accommodation pretty much anywhere. There are well signposted and accessible routes, something to cater to both beginners and experienced hikers and best of all, it’s all free!
Free Stuff! There’s loads of other free events and attractions when you study in the UK. From the British Museum and the Tate Modern to the Notting Hill Carnival, there’s a huge amount of free events and entertainment.
The Pub! Pubs are a central part of British culture, a place where young and old come together. Don’t confuse pubs with bars or clubs – pubs are more traditional, usually with quiet or no music and not normally super busy. When you go to the pub it’s normal to buy drinks ‘in rounds’ – this means that everyone takes it in turns to buy drinks for the whole group. Going to the pub doesn’t mean that you have to get drunk, it doesn’t even mean that you have to drink alcohol – it’s just a social place to hang out and chat with old friends and meet new ones.
The History! The UK is packed with history. See castles, cottages, roman ruins and royal remains. There’s so much to see that it’s hard to take it all in. We advise checking out a membership of either the National Trust or English Heritage for value for money.
British humour - it can be hard to understand, even to other native speakers. But fear not, once you get used to it Brits are really funny. Honestly! Brits never take themselves too seriously, and will often joke about themselves. Humour is often delivered sarcastically and in a deadpan manner, which may initially leave you wondering whether something was a joke or not. Don’t worry though, sarcasm is used so much in the UK that you’ll soon be an expert. Check out comedians like Jack Dee and David Mitchell to see the full force of British sarcasm.
Most Brits are not particularly religious, and a traditional Sunday involves a family get-together and a large ‘Sunday Roast’. A roast is normally chicken, beef or lamb, with lots of roast vegetables. The key is taking your time, you can’t rush a roast. Enjoy great food, a lazy Sunday and good company. Lots of pubs will offer Sunday Roasts, and these can be great and might be an easy alternative when you study in the UK, but it’s not the same as cooking and eating as a family or group of friends.
Tea is a central part of British culture, so much so that many foreigners mistakenly assume tea is grown there! If you go to a British person’s house, expect to be asked “shall I put the kettle on?” or “do you fancy a cuppa?” – these are both very British ways of asking if you would like a cup of tea. Do not underestimate how much tea Brits drink – many drink more tea than water!
Talking about the weather – if you make a new British friend or meet an old one, one thing is certain, you will talk about the weather. If you’re not sure what to talk about with a Brit, just moan about the weather!
The UK is now an incredibly ethnically diverse country, many years of immigration from all over the world have led to a multicultural society where the most popular restaurant is Indian and supermarkets are stocked with produce from all over the world. You’ll never get homesick in the UK as you can always find a little piece of home.
Different types of student visa. Can I stay and work in the country after I graduate? How does the student’s home country effect applying for visas?
UK immigration and visas are managed by the UK government’s Home Office. We try to make sure that all the information we give below is accurate, but regulations will change from time to time and you should check with the UK Visas and Immigration website or your local agent.
If you are Swiss, from the EU or EEA then you do not need a visa to live, work or study in the UK – simply travel with your passport and you should face no restrictions.
All other students must seek permission to study in the UK.
If your programme is over six months then you’ll need to apply for a Tier 4 visa before you leave your home country. There are strict requirements for Tier 4 visas, including time limits, academic progression and documentation.
If your programme is less than six months and you are not going to work in the UK then you can apply for a short term student visa.
If you want to study English in the UK for up to 11 months then you can still come on the short term student visa – be aware though that if you want to extend or undertake further study in the UK then you’ll need to go back to your home country to apply for a new visa.
Is it available to students free of charge? What charges apply? What is the registration process?
The National Health Service (NHS) is a cherished British institution and is the fifth largest employer in the world. The NHS provides free health care to Brits and you may be entitled to use it when you study in the UK.
If you are Swiss or from the EEA then both you and your family are entitled to full NHS treatment. Apply for a European Health Insurance Card before you come to the UK.
If you are not from the EEA then you may still be entitled to full NHS treatment if you are studying in the UK for over six months. Students in Scotland are entitled to NHS treatment even if their course is less than six months.
Marrying tradition with modernity, Universities in the UK are consistently ranked among the world’s best – it should be no surprise that the UK is only surpassed by the USA in terms of international student numbers,
As with any education system, there are many things that you should be aware of before beginning the application process.
Semesters in the UK typically run from September until May or June.
Tuition. cost of living. can I work part time? Opening a bank account.
Tuition fees vary from year to year, and also depend on whether you are an EU or Non-EU student, the level, university and course you are applying for. On average, EU students can expect to pay around £9,000 per year for undergraduate courses and £6,000 per year for a masters. Non-EU students pay higher fees, up to around £13,000 per year.
Many places in the UK offer student discounts so be sure to keep your Student ID with you. There are student railcards available which can save you up to 1/3. One of the most important things to keep in mind is that eating out at restaurants in the UK is going to get expensive. If you want to save money you should get into the habit of going to the supermarket and cooking at home rather than eating out. Many students find that having a group who takes it in turns to cook for each other is a great way to save both time and money.
As a basic budget for living costs per week, allow £30 for food, £3 for telephone, £5 for mobile, £5 for internet, £15 for bills and utilities, £15 for travel, £10 for study materials, remember to leave some money for fun!
Choosing where to study abroad is one of the most important and difficult decisions you will ever have to make, there are so many things to consider!
We verify and partner with trusted study abroad counselors around the world, so no matter where you are or where you want to study, fill in this form and we will connect you with a professional who can give you face to face advice and support.
