STUDYING IN THE UK: AN OVERVIEW

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1 STUDYING IN THE UK: AN OVERVIEW Students from all over the world are increasingly looking to the UK for their higher education. The UK offers some of the world s top universities and gives students the opportunity to specialise in a subject on a condensed, shorter time frame. Included: 1. Top UK Universities 2. Introduction to courses in the UK 3. Cost of study 4. Additional opportunities

2 1. TOP UK UNIVERSITIES Oxford and Cambridge are consistently ranked amongst the top five universities in the world and are historic centres of teaching, learning, and research. Oxford and Cambridge (known collectively as Oxbridge) are the first and second oldest English speaking Universities in the world and together have produced 152 Nobel prize winners, 41 Prime Ministers and 24 Monarchs. UK UNIVERSITY RANKINGS In addition to Oxford and Cambridge, the Russell Group is a collection of 24 universities, similar to the Ivy League and renowned for leading research, outstanding teaching and excellent connections to the business world and the public sector. You may also have heard the phrase red-brick universities; these are the same as the Russell Group. Oxford and Cambridge are included in the Russell Group. The University of St Andrews is not included in the Russell Group but is usually placed within the top 100 in world university rankings. RUSSELL GROUP UNIVERSITIES AND THEIR UK RANKING University of Cambridge 1 University of Oxford 2 London School of Economics 3 Durham University 4 Imperial College London 4 University of Warwick 7 University of Exeter 10 University College London 13 University of Southampton 14 University of Bristol 15 University of York 17 University of Birmingham 18 University of Leeds 19 University of Edinburgh 20 King s College London 23 University of Nottingham 25 Newcastle University 26 University of Sheffield 27 University of Manchester 28 University of Glasgow 30 Cardiff University 31 Queen Mary University of London 33 Queen s University Belfast 36 University of Liverpool 39 The above table is according to the Complete University Guide; an independent ranking system that works closely with UK universities to provide students with a reliable, unbiased way to compare universities, courses and colleges.

3 2. INTRODUCTION TO COURSES IN THE UK Students have the opportunity to specialise in the UK system as they choose a subject to study before applying to a specific university. This means that students are experts in their field by the end of the degree course and allows them to pursue their passions and interests for a full three years. The only exception to this system is at a number of Scottish universities where students can apply to the university and then choose their subject of interest at a later date during their course. Both humanities and science courses can be either very specific or much broader. Viking Studies at University College London Is a great example of a specific course where students study everything from Old Norse to contemporary Icelandic studies. On the other hand, Natural Sciences at Cambridge is considered a very broad course where students progress over the three years to specialise in either Physical or Material Science. The UK system is fantastic for students who want to immerse themselves in a subject straight out of high school and focus on broadening and deepening their knowledge over a number of years. In the UK, it takes just three years to complete a Bachelor s degree (4 years in Scotland) and students often have the opportunity to add a Masters to their BA that can be completed in just one year. WHO SHOULD CONSIDER AN UNDERGRADUATE COURSE IN THE UK? Studying in the UK is ideal for students who enjoy small group teaching combined with independent research. UK universities generally teach students through a combination of lectures, small group seminars and, at some universities, tutorials oneon-one sessions with a professor. The UK system places a high value on independent study and research so as a result, the libraries and other facilities are some of the best in the world. In scientific and clinical degrees, students will also spend an extended amount of time in the laboratory.

4 PROJECTED COSTS 3. COST OF STUDY Once students have established which category their degree choice fits into, they can use this table see the projected costs based on the top 10 universities in both the US and the UK. If students have an EU passport, these fees will be even cheaper as, regardless of the type of degree they choose, their fees will be capped at 9000, roughly $ Contrary to belief, studying in the UK is a great deal cheaper than studying in the US, even taking into account additional expenses incurred when living abroad. Degrees in the UK can generally be classified into three categories: YEARLY UK FEES YEARLY US FEES UK FEES PER/ DEGREE US FEES PER/DEGREE CLASSROOM $22,000 $46,113 $66,000 $184,452 LABORATORY $31,000 $46,113 $124,000 $184,452 CLINICAL $44,500 $52,211* $222,500 $208,844* Classroom Laboratory Clinical Most humanities subjects and social sciences i.e. English Literature and Law Most science and applied Mathematics subjects i.e. Engineering, Biology Vocational sciences such as Medicine or Veterinary Science Additional costs to take into consideration are accommodation, living expenses, flights, insurance and visa fees but overall, students could be looking at saving a considerable amount by studying in the UK.

5 4. ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES UK universities pride themselves on the fantastic extra-curricular opportunities available to their students. From sports to music, drama to debating, every student will find the right pursuit for them. Furthermore, living in the UK gives students a fantastic opportunity to travel both around the country and to Europe. With most European cities just a few hours away by train or plane, there is no excuse not to visit! In addition, if students are studying a language or at a university which runs the Erasmus Programme, they may also have the chance to live study abroad for a year as part of their degree. Visit our website at