The variety of educational opportunities on
offer in the UK is enormous. If you are a newcomer to the traditions and
practices of the many academic institutions that make up the education system,
it is difficult to know how to select one course at one institution from the
many available. To help you decide, all universities and colleges publish
prospectuses, which describe the atmosphere and facilities of colleges and
contents of the courses taught. You can also study courses at postgraduate level
at colleges of higher education.
Choosing a Course
When choosing a course remember to choose a
course best suited to your needs. The checklist of criteria given below could
help you make a more informed decision:
Appropriate subject
Type of
degree
Subject
options
Availability of postgraduate studies in the same field. Size of institution
(facilities/student support)
Availability of co-curricular activities (e.g. , cricket, dramatics, etc.)
Relatives/friends in UK: accommodation.
In all, there are over 12,000 courses and
course combinations offered throughout the higher education sector in the UK.
Reference books and prospectuses, can be consulted at BCD and British libraries.
The ECCTIS database on CD-ROM, available in all
BCD and some British Libraries, enables you to search for courses which match
your requirements. The search can be done by subject, institution, location, and
type of course.
Which Course
Among
the most popular with international students are business courses, computing,
information technology and engineering. There are professional degree that can
give you the qualifications you need to enter certain careers. And as an
alternative path to a UK degree, there are two-year Higher National Diploma
courses that can be turned into a degree with an extra year of two's study.
Cost
of Study
The
cost varies from one institution to another and from one part of the country to
another. Tuition fees can vary from one institution to another. Cost of living
will depend on the place you live and on your personal life style. Most British
undergraduate courses take three years and postgraduate programmes generally
take one year.
The average tuition fee for undergraduate
courses such as Arts, Business Science ranges between 6200 pounds to 7500 pounds
per year. For vocational courses it comes to around 3700 pounds. For
Postgraduate courses in Arts, Business and Science the gees is around 6450
pounds to 7650 pounds per year approx. For English language courses the fee
ranges between 100 pounds to 500 pounds per week. Living costs generally vary
according to the location but on average it may cost around 6500 pounds to 8000
approx. (Note: These figures are only indicative and there could be
variations.)
Accommodation
Finding
a place to live is a crucial part of the process of planning to study in the UK.
It is particularly important that you have accommodation arranged - even if it
is only temporary - before you leave home.
