The United Kingdom is a preferred destination for higher studies because of a number of reasons, but academic excellence is at the center. The subjects offered are varied and diverse. The focus of studies is not to overburden students with unnecessary subjects.
Rather, they cater to practical knowledge. The international exposure gained during a student’s stay in the UK is incomparable. You meet diverse people, it is almost like the microcosm of the world. Moreover, it is easier to get a job in the United Kingdom if you have been a student.
Hence, we bring to you the step-by-step process to study in the United Kingdom.
- Decide What You Want to Pursue
Are you one of those children who read about the UK in class 4 and ever since then you want to go and study there? Well, congratulations on the dream but dreaming won’t suffice. If you still have the zeal to pursue your studies in the UK, you need to decide what you want to do. You can apply to study in the UK for multiple courses and programs. From graduation to post-graduation to research work, you study whenever you wish to. Law, computer science, and design studies are the top three arenas for study in the UK. But you can apply for anything that you want.
Once the course is decided you need to decide about the college or the university. 4 out of the top 10 universities in the world belong to the UK, according to QS World Ranking. So, eyeing the college first and then the course can also be an option. It is only up to you! But you should be clear about the course and institution at least one year before the application process. Exams like GRE for MBA students and others like IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, or ISE usually fall under the eligibility criteria of top universities. Preparing for such exams requires time and therefore, one should do the planning beforehand.
- Register
Once, you have narrowed down on what all colleges and universities you then have to register and apply to them. For undergraduate students, the process is fairly simple as all registered universities in the country are listed with UCAS. It refers to the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, a private limited organization located in England. UCAS releases an application form every year to help students apply to their dream institutions. It is an exhaustive form that shall ask you to provide things like a statement of purpose (SOP) and letter of recommendation (LOR) besides the basic information. Be prepared to produce the best of these documents as these two can work like magic to help you get to the UK. The best part is that the fees for filling out the form are nominal.
Those applying for post-graduate and other higher studies courses shall have to run the extra mile because there is no similar standardized platform to apply for these courses. However, you can surf the websites of respective institutions and you should be able to figure out how to register and apply for them. Make sure you are well-versed with the prerequisites.
- Offer Letter
The next and perhaps the most important step to getting admission to a college in the UK is to get an offer letter. An offer letter is a confirmation letter from the institution to which you applied stating that you have been short-listed for admission to the institution. No one will let you put a foot on their premises without an offer letter. Getting an offer letter depends on a lot of factors such as merit, the SOP, the LOR, the performance in the interviews if conducted, and others. You can proceed to the next steps only when you have an offer letter as other steps are incumbent upon the possibilities of admission. Neither will you get a student visa nor a student loan if you don’t have an offer letter.
- Funding
The next step for short-listed candidates is to arrange for funding. The average cost of studying in the UK has been estimated to be 22 thousand 200 hundred pounds per year. Look up fees and other expenditures of the institution you are going to get admitted to. It will give you a clearer picture. Depending on your country of source of income you can convert it to your currency to know how much it will cost you. But one thing we can confirm is that it is expensive.
It is therefore important that you have a financial plan in place so that you don’t end up faltering the fees. If your parents can afford the expenses, great for you. Otherwise, the offer letter can be used to get student loans. You may also do part-time work in the UK to earn your living. It may sound weird to the oriental world, but it is a common practice in the UK. Applying for scholarships nonetheless is the best way to get the fee sorted.
- Visa
Attaining the visa is the last official step that you need to take to the UK. As an international student, it is a compulsory document for study in the UK. in most cases there won’t be any problems in attaining the visa if you have the offer letter. But you need to be on time and not be lazy. Apply for the visa as soon as you get the offer letter lest you miss the opportunity because of something as silly as a visa.
Conclusion
Listed above were 5 important steps to secure admission in the UK. However, the procedure doesn’t exactly end there. The struggle shall start once you reach the country. From accommodation to food, you will have to look for everything on your own there. It is best to form networks with people from your own country before you take off your flight to the UK. You can hustle for basic amenities together for the time being if you are not familiar with the foreign land. Once you are well settled, you may take action independently.
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