Study in UK

About United KingdomCalculator

  • Capital : London
  • Language : English, Welsh, Scottish form of Gaelic.
  • Official Currency : British Pound (GBP), EURO.
  • Climate : Temperate; Moderated by prevailing Southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one half of the days are overcast.
  • Time Diff. : London 5 hrs 00 min behind PST

Many students select to study in UK because of the most popular study destinations for education in the world.

Why Study in UK?

UK Qualifications are recognized by employers all over the world. The courses encourage independence, creativity and self- reliance : qualities that employers from around the world look for in potential hires. When making decisions about your future, you may wish to consider the kind of salaries earned by certain professions, the distribution of jobs and vacancies across the UK and other statistics about the current state of the graduate market. UK institutions follow one of the best quality standards in the world. The British government rates Universities, Colleges, and Schools periodically and ranks them between one and five. Come study in top universities in UK through AS Foreign Education – your university education consultant based in Pakistan.

Education System

  • After 12th a student can go for 4 years of Bachelor degree or 2 years of Associate degree
  • After completion of Bachelors Degree student pursues Master degree, which is normally of two years duration.
  • After completion of Master degree one can pursue PhD, which may take around 3 to 5 years to complete.
  • Each U.K. College or university sets its own admission standards for admission of International students. U.K. colleges and universities usually base their admission decisions on a student’s academic records and applicable test records such as TOEFL or IELTS or SAT. If a student applies for graduate schools then additional exam scores like GRE or GMAT will be required.
 

 

Required tests

You may be required to sit on an English Language Test such as IELTS or TOEFL before the university will confirm your seat on the course. The IELTS is organized by the British Council and results take 2-3 weeks.

The minimum scores usually required are 6.0 to 7.0 for IELTS and 213 to 250 (CBT) for TOEFL.

For MBA programs in good universities, a good GMAT score is required, in addition to IELTS or TOEFL scores and work experience of 2-3 years, in addition to decent academic performance at the Bachelor’s level.

Valmiki Group can help you obtain admission in MBA programs without GMAT score too!

Cost of Education

For international students, universities set their own fees and they vary by subject and by institution. The average costs of tuition in various fields are:

Under Graduation (3-4yrs) £6,750 to £8,500 per year
Post Graduation £8,000 to £10,000 per year
MBA £7,500 to £13,500 per year (Programs at some top UK business schools can cost up to £20,000 per year)
Scholarships Up to 1000 Pounds.

For both types of postgraduate study (taught and research), you should budget for a 12-month academic year. Average living costs (covering accommodation, food, clothing, books, entertainment and travel) for an international student on a degree course are £768 per month in London and £600 per month elsewhere.

Living expenses are approx. 400 to 500 pounds sterling per month depending upon your lifestyle and the city of residence. Please note, however, that some universities include the cost of accommodation and food within the total fee payable to them.

Important Dates

 

Student Visa Process

Process to obtain British Student Visa for international students. Immigration and student visa Information for UK

For EEA Students

If you are a student from EEA country that is – European Union plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, then you can enter United Kingdom with minimum formalities. If you are from EEA then it is so easy for you to enter UK that you don’t even need to obtain UK Student visa. However, you’ll be asked to present evidences that you have been approved for the course of study you have selected and you have sufficient funds to stay and study in United Kingdom. In addition to this, you’ll also need a valid passport.

For Non EEA Students

If you do not belong to EEA (European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) then you’ll have to fulfill some immigration requirements. Students belonging to many countries will need to obtain a British Student Visa to study in UK. They can do this at the British Embassy, High Commission or Consulate of Britain. Students from some Commonwealth countries where obtaining a student visa is not compulsory must also have to get entry clearance before leaving their home. This is to make sure a Right of Appeal in the unlikely event that entry is refused. To verify either you need to obtain a visa or not, visit Foreign and Commonwealth Office web page at http://fco.gov.uk/travel/imm_visa.asp

Documents Required to Obtain British Student Visa

  1. A valid passport
  2. A letter of unconditional acceptance for a full-time course from a College or University
  3. Mark sheets or Degree of previously joined exams Attested by IBCC and HEC
  4. Evidence of your financial ability to meet, without working in the UK, the costs of your course, accommodation and maintenance and to support any dependants accompanying you.
  5. Letters of recommendations are appreciated
  6. Statement of Purpose
  7. CV

Time of validity of the student visa to be received is usually determined by the length of your course of study. When you arrive in the United Kingdom, an immigration officer may question you, so don’t forget to take all relevant documents in your hand luggage.

Student Visa Doesn’t Allow

  1. working more than 20 hrs per week.
  2. your placement is part of your studies, has the agreement of your education institution and leads to a degree or qualification awarded by a nationally recognized examining body
  3. do business, be self-employed or provide services as a professional sportsperson or entertainer
  4. work full-time in a permanent job

Passport stickers, stamp and length of stay

When you apply for a student visa at a British Embassy, Consulate or High Commission outside the UK, you will receive a sticker known as vignette, in your passport with the conditions and length of stay. When you arrive at the airport, you will receive a stamp to show when you entered the United Kingdom.

If you are applying for entry at a port of entry (you can only do this if you are from a non visa required nation), you will get a stamp in your passport with conditions and length of stay.

Most of the overseas students (from outside the European Union) are initially given the right to stay for one year. But there is nothing to worry about, if you want to stay longer as a student then you may extend your visa validity length as a student.

The Immigration Officer may endorse on your passport with any other restriction that may apply to you.

Success Stories

 

Steps to Apply

  1. Admission Process
  2. Fee Transfer
  3. Visa File Submission
  4. Embassy Interview
  5. Visa Successfully Received
  6. Pre-Departure Preparation
  7. Fly to Destination

 

Useful Resources

The websites listed in unit 1 refer to general life style issues of the UK. Use these sites to increase your knowledge of the cultural and practical aspects that a student may need to know when choosing the UK as a study destination.

Education UK website

We recommend that you regularly update your knowledge by referring to the Education UK website www.educationuk.org

Accommodation

Accommodation fact sheet www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/information_sheets.php

Accommodation for students www.accommodationforstudents.com/

HOST UK www.hostuk.org

Culture

National Parkswww.nationalparks.gov.uk

National Trust http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/

Entertainment 

Ents24.com, a UK guide to live entertainment www.ents24.com

Festivals 

Festival news www.e-festival.co.uk

Film and theatre 

What’s on stage www.whatsonstage.com

British Film Institute www.bfi.org.uk

Food and restaurants 

BBC www.bbc.co.uk/food

Lastminute www.lastminute.com

Health 

National Health Service www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities www.skill.org.uk

Leisure 

National Union of Students http://www.nus.org.uk

Skiddle www.skiddle.com

Student beans is a great place to read up on student life www.studentbeans.com

Music 

NME www.nme.com

BBC music www.bbc.co.uk/music

British Council music www.britishcouncil.org/arts-music

4Music www.4music.com/

News

BBC www.bbc.co.uk/news

The Guardian www.guardian.co.uk

The Independent http://www.independent.co.uk

Scholarships

Database www.educationuk.org/scholarships/

Student calculator www.studentcalculator.org.uk/international/

Sport 

Sport www.uksport.gov.uk

Travel 

International Students Travel Confederation www.isic.org

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency www.dvla.gov.uk

Inter Rail www.interrailnet.com

National Express www.nationalexpress.com

National Rail www.nationalrail.co.uk

Travel supermarket www.travelsupermarket.com/

For students travelling and wanting to see more or the UK www.16-25railcard.co.uk/ 

or Star travel http://www.statravel.co.uk  or Travel Zoo http://www.travelzoo.com/uk

The GREAT Campaign – http://www.britishcouncil.org/about/great-campaign-0

Visas and immigration

ATAS Certificate www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/what-we-do/services-we-deliver/atas/

British Council www.britishcouncil.org/eumd-immigration.htm

Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO): www.fco.gov.uk

UK Border Agency  http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/

UK Border Agency UK Border Agency’s register of sponsors

UKCISA www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/immigration.php

Visitor information 

British Tourist Authority www.visitbritain.com

England www.visitengland.com

Scotland www.visitscotland.com

Wales www.visitwales.com

Northern Ireland www.discovernorthernireland.com

Walk-it is the urban walking route planner http://walkit.com/

Weather 

Met Office www.met-office.gov.uk

BBC www.bbc.co.uk/weather

Working 

Working in the UK – www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk

UK Education and Training

 

Advisory Centre for Education (ACE) – www.ace-ed.org.uk

Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) – www.acas.org.uk

Assessments and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) – www.aqa.org.uk

Association of Colleges – www.aoc.co.uk

Association of MBAs – www.mbaworld.com

Boarding Schools Association (BSA) – www.boarding.org.uk

British Accreditation Council (BAC) – www.the-bac.org

British Association of Lectured in English for Academic Purposes – www.baleap.org.uk

British Council – www.britishcouncil.org

Careers Scotland – www.careers-scotland.org.uk

Chevening Scholarships – www.chevening.com

City and Guilds – www.cityandguilds.com

Council for Independent Further Education (CIFE) – www.cife.org.uk

Council for Independent Schools in the European Communities – http://cobis.org.uk/

Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) – www.dcsf.gov.uk

Department for Education for Northern Ireland (DENI) – www.deni.gov.uk

Department for Education  http://www.education.gov.uk

Directgov –https://www.gov.uk

EDEXCEL – www.edexcel.com

Education and Skills, Wales – http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/?lang=en

Education UK – www.educationuk.org

English UK www.englishuk.com

European Association of Quality Language Services – www.eaquals.org

European Council of International Schools (ECIS) – www.ecis.org

Foundation Degrees –http://fd.ucas.com/FoundationDegree/About.aspx

General Teaching Council for England –http://www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching

England Education System – http://www.studying-in-england.org/

General Teaching Council for Scotland – www.gtcs.org.uk

Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST) – www.gdst.net

Girls’ Schools Association (GSA) – www.gsa.uk.com

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education and Training in Wales – www.estyn.gov.uk

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Schools (HMIE), Scotland – www.hmie.gov.uk

Incorporated Association of Preparatory Schools (IAPS) – www.iaps.org.uk

Independent Schools Bursar’s Association (ISBA) – www.theisba.org.uk

Independent Schools Careers Organisation (ISCO) – www.isco.org.uk

Independent Schools Council (ISC) – www.isc.co.uk

Independent Schools Examination Board www.iseb.co.uk

International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) – www.ibo.org

Learn Direct – http://www.learndirect.co.uk

London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Examinations Board (LCCIEB) –www.lccieb.com

Marshall Scholarships – www.marshallscholarship.org

National Curriculum – https://www.gov.uk/national-curriculum/overview

National Union of Students – www.nus.org.uk

New Route PHD – www.newroutephd.ac.uk

Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment –www.ccea.org.uk

Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) – www.ofsted.gov.uk

Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator www.ofqual.gov.uk

Open University – www.open.ac.uk

Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR) – www.ocr.org.uk

Qualifications & Curriculum Development Authority (QCDA) – www.qcda.org.uk/

Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education – www.qaa.ac.uk

Register of Tier 4 sponsors – UK Border Agency’s register of sponsors

Research Excellence Framework – http://www.ref.ac.uk/

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) – www.hefce.ac.uk/Research/ref/

Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS) – www.scis.org.uk

Scottish Funding Council – www.sfc.ac.uk

Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) – www.sqa.org.uk

Skills Funding Agency http://skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk

State Boarding Schools Association (SBSA) – www.sbsa.org.uk

UKCISA: UK Council for International Student Affairs – www.ukcisa.org.uk 

Universities and Colleges Admissions Service – UCAS www.ucas.com

UK NARIC – www.naric.org.uk

Welsh Joint Education Committee – www.wjec.co.uk