WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN UK?

Four-year institutions are considered as a college or university. Both colleges and universities confer the same type of baccalaureate or ​bachelor’s degree. Colleges usually are smaller than universities, but this is not always the case. Universities often offer masters and ​doctoral degrees, in addition to bachelor’s degrees. Some large universities might have divisions within the university (called colleges). For ​example, a University might have a College of Liberal Arts or College of Science. Liberal arts colleges have an emphasis on undergraduate ​studies in the liberal arts and sciences. They aim to provide an overview of the arts, humanities, mathematics, natural sciences, and social ​sciences. Liberal arts colleges are not “art schools”, and most liberal arts colleges offer many of the same science or mathematics studies as ​research universities. Research universities tend to be larger institutions and focus on research. These universities have many ​baccalaureate programs and commit to graduate education through the doctorate. Many professors at research universities conduct ​research, in addition, to teach within their discipline. There may be research opportunities for undergraduate students, but graduate and ​doctoral degree students conduct much of the research on campus. Art colleges focus on the arts. In addition to general education courses, ​art colleges provide training in arts such as graphic design, illustration, painting, photography, and sculpture. Many art colleges offer ​associate degrees or bachelor of fine arts (BFA).

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT PROGRAM LEVELS THAT I CAN APPLY TO?

• Bachelor's degrees – 3- 4 years
• Professional Graduate Certificate in Education – 2 years
• Graduate Diplomas / Master’s Degree: 1-2 years
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education: 1 – 2 years
• Doctoral degrees: 3 years full time and 6 years part time

STANDARD ADMISSION CRITERIA FOR BACHELORS ADMISSION

The student should have attained 18 years of age. For Humanities, 12th-grade marks should be a minimum of 65%. For Science and ​Commerce, 12th-grade marks should be 70 to 80% or above. For students who have scored under 60% are eligible to pursue Foundation ​and Diploma Programs. Minimum English language proficiency is required. The actual criteria may differ across universities.

STANDARD ADMISSION CRITERIA FOR MASTERS ADMISSION

To begin a postgraduate course in the UK, you'll need to hold an undergraduate degree from the UK or overseas. You'll be expected to have ​obtained a first or good 2:1 (or international equivalent) in a directly related subject and you'll need to speak English to at least IELTS 6.5 ​level for most courses. Qualifications required :

• Pre-master's: Undergraduate degree plus IELTS 5.0-5.5
  
• PG Cert/PG Dip: Undergraduate degree plus IELTS 6.5-7.0, or a pre-master's course
  
• Master's degree: First or upper second class undergraduate degree plus IELTS 7.0, or a pre-master's course
  
• MBA: First degree, 2-3 years’ business experience, plus IELTS 6.5-7.0
  
• PHD: Master's degree, plus IELTS 6.5-7.0
  

Within a university different courses will have different requirements and universities as a whole may have certain requirements that all ​students will have to meet. For example, the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge generally require all students to attend an interview, ​other universities will not require this.

WHAT KIND OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE OR OTHER TESTS SHOULD I TAKE WHEN APPLYING FOR EACH PROGRAM LEVEL?

You will need a good understanding of English before you can study at most further and higher education institutions in the UK. Studying an ​English language course in the UK, such as English for academic purposes (EAP) or a pre-sessional course, will prepare you for further study. ​But this is not recommended for students who belong to countries where English is the medium of instruction anyways. Another option is to ​take an English test such as IELTS in your home country before you come to the UK. The International English Language Testing System ​(IELTS) is the world’s leading English test of its kind, testing the four language skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking. Over 1,000 UK ​institutions recognise IELTS and the test is available in over 125 different countries. You could also take the Pearson Test of English ​Academic (PTE Academic), which is administered online at Pearson testing centres. The test is recognised by more than 100 institutions in ​the UK and accurately measures the English language listening, reading, speaking and writing abilities of non-native speakers.

WHAT ARE THE TERMS AVAILABLE FOR APPLICATION?

The main intake seasons are September/October and January/February in the UK.

CAN I WORK ON/OFF CAMPUS WHILE I STUDY? WHAT IS THE TOTAL PERMITTED NUMBER OR HOURS PER WEEK?

Students can work part-time during term for up to 20 hours per week. They can work full-time during vacations. This applies to both ​Bachelors and Masters degree students.

WHAT IS THE POST STUDY STAY-BACK OPTION (NUMBER OF MONTHS) IF I DO NOT HAVE A JOB AFTER GRADUATING?

From 2021, International students graduating from UK Universities would be able to stay back in UK for 2 years after they have graduated

WHAT IS THE STUDENT VISA APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THIS COUNTRY?

To study in the UK as an adult student you will need to acquire a Tier 4 visa. If you are yet to be accepted into an institution, then you will ​need a prospective student visa, and if the duration of your stay will be less than six months, then you should apply for a Student Visitor ​visa. You can apply for a Tier 4 (General) student visa to study in the UK if you’re 16 years or more and you :

• have been offered admission by a recognized university
  
• can speak, read, write and understand English
  
• have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course - the amount will vary depending on your circumstances
  
• are from a country that’s not in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland
  
• meet the other eligibility requirements
  

The earliest you can apply for a visa is 3 months before you start your course. You’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks. Find ​out about paying for a faster decision. It costs £490 to apply for this visa from outside the UK. You must pay £490 per person for any ​dependants. You’ll also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application. Check how much you’ll have to pay before you ​apply.

ONCE I HAVE MY VISA, WHEN CAN I FLY TO UK?

You can arrive in the UK before your course starts:

• up to 1 week before, if your course lasts 6 months or less
  
• up to 1 month before, if your course lasts more than 6 months
  

When applying for your Tier 4 visa, you will generally need:

• A current passport or other valid travel documentation
  
• Evidence of funds to provide your living expenses for the duration of your course
  
• Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) reference number and documents used to obtain CAS
  
• Passport-sized colour photographs
  
• Tuberculosis screening (if required)
  
• Assessment documentation
  
• Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) clearance certificate (if required)
  
• Additional documents may also be needed if you are:
  
• Not a citizen of the country you are applying from
  
• Under 18 years of age
  
• Have family (dependents)
  

*Please note that these are the basic requirements, speak with your counsellor for a detailed list of documents required for visa processing. ​If any of your supporting documents is not in English, you will need to have it translated. Each translated document must be dated, and ​include the translator's name and signature and confirmation that it is an accurate translation of the original document. You’ll have to apply ​for your student visa application online using the British Government’s official Gov.UK website. You can apply up to three months before ​your intended date of travel to the UK. Remember, your application date is the date when your application fee is paid.