202 1 detailed explanation of matters needing attention in studying in Britain

There are many universities in Britain, which are ideal places for many students to study abroad. Before applying for studying in the UK, it is necessary to understand the classification and education system of universities in the UK. Let me give you a detailed introduction to studying in the UK.

1. British university system

Undergraduate courses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland usually last for three years, and students only need to study the subjects they choose at the time of application. But there are many exceptions, such as the joint honor course, which allows students to study two courses at the same time; Longer courses, such as medicine (usually five years in Britain), usually include three years of classroom study and one year of internship in foreign countries or industries.

The Scottish system is different from other parts of Britain and follows a model closer to the American university system. In Scotland, undergraduate courses often span four years, and students can cover multiple subjects in the first two years and then choose to specialize in one subject in the second two years.

At the postgraduate stage, the courses in Britain will be further specialized, but students can choose between the master's courses taught and seminars and courses, or they can choose the master's courses focusing on their own projects from the beginning.

The length of doctoral study varies, depending on the type of research students do and whether they are required to teach as part of the course.

2. Application for studying in the UK

Unlike other countries, there is no need to apply for a British university through a separate application procedure. On the contrary, all university applications are completed through a centralized system called Ucas, which costs a small fee of about 25 pounds. When applying through Ucas, you can choose to apply for up to five universities.

In the Ucas application, you need to provide detailed information about all the exams and qualifications, as well as a letter of recommendation and personal statement from one of your teachers. Personal statement is an opportunity for you to outline why you are interested in the selected course and describe any extracurricular activities (such as clubs, clubs, extracurricular research or sports) that you are interested in after studying.

The deadline for submitting Ucas applications is usually 1. 15, and the course begins in the autumn of the following year. However, for the application of 202 1, due to the interruption of coronavirus pneumonia-19, the deadline of Ucas has been extended to 1.29, giving students extra preparation time.

The deadline for applying to Oxford University and Cambridge University and most medical, veterinary/scientific and dental courses has been advanced to 65438+1October 65438+May. You will usually receive a reply from the university you applied for before June.

There are three possible outcomes of your Ucas application: conditional admission notice, formal admission notice and rejection or rejection. Both the conditional admission notice and the formal admission notice are good news.

The most common type of admission to British universities is conditional admission, which means that your admission qualification can only be confirmed if you meet many requirements in the future. The main requirement of conditional admission is that you achieve a certain score in the exam, or a certain number of Ucas scores. This is a way to measure your score and ensure that different types of exams from all over the world are treated equally.

Every university and course will have different scores or Ucas scores. You can find the average score of any course on the website of the interested university.

If your exam results are worse or better than you expected, you may miss the admission or be much better than them. You can go through a process called Ucas clearance or adjustment in August. This should be your only chance to get into the university. Some universities that you haven't applied for may still have vacancies. The process for domestic and international students is the same.

3. Classification of British universities

There are more than 160 higher education institutions in Britain. These include the famous Russell Group, an alliance of 24 famous research universities, including Cambridge University in East Anglia, Edinburgh University in Scotland, Durham University in Northeast England, University College London and London School of Economics and Political Science in Central London.

Many top universities in London, such as Asia-Africa College, University College London, Goldsmith University, University of London and Queen Mary University of London, are actually affiliated schools of London University. In most practical processes, such as enrollment and funding, the school operates more like an independent university. As a student of any affiliated school, you can usually get the services of the University of London, such as other school libraries, Senate libraries and exclusive student discounts and concessions.

There are many other universities in China that offer a range of courses, from general undergraduate degrees to professional basic years and vocational courses.

Most universities offer art and science courses, but a few universities teach courses in specific fields, such as the Imperial College London in London, which focuses on science and technology, and professional drama schools, such as the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) and the Music and Dance Academy.

Oxford Bridge is different from other British universities.

Oxford University and Cambridge University, known as "Oxford Bridge", have always ranked in the top two in Britain and are one of the oldest higher education institutions in the world.

In addition to beautiful medieval campuses, Oxford and Cambridge are different from other British universities because of their teaching styles. In addition to the usual lectures and laboratories, students at Oxford Bridge can discuss their work with leading researchers in this field every week. This is called the tutorial system in Oxford and the supervision system in Cambridge, which means that students can get more personalized academic guidance.

Both universities implement the university system. The college is independent of disciplines and provides accommodation, study support and pastor care. Each university has its own personality and history, providing students with a sense of community. When applying for Oxford Bridge, you can choose which university to apply for, or you can submit an open application, and then you will be randomly selected. Neither of these choices will change your chances of being admitted, so it is worthwhile to choose the university you like or have been to before. The same is true of Durham University, which also has its own teaching system.

Like all other British universities, you apply to Oxford and Cambridge through Ucas, but there are some important differences, including the early deadline. Besides, you can't apply to Oxford and Cambridge at the same time, so you must choose between them.

In addition to Ucas applications, the two universities also have their own specific admission requirements, including entrance examinations and face-to-face or online interviews with admissions instructors. The competition for applying for Oxford Bridge is fierce, so it is very important to do a good job in relevant research and try to reach or predict the expected high scores of all applicants.

5. British English Language Test

If you want to study in the UK and English is not your first language, you are likely to be required to take an English language test to prove that you have enough ability to excel academically.

Universities usually indicate the exams they recognize, the lowest total score they expect, and the grades they need in writing, speaking, listening and reading. Fields such as law and medicine, as well as more competitive universities, such as those of Russell Group, usually expect applicants to get high marks. If you are not sure about the specific requirements, we suggest that you contact the international office of the selected university.

IELTS Academic Test, TOEFL, PTE Academic English Test and Cambridge Advanced English Test are the most widely accepted English tests, and IELTS Academic Test is the most commonly recommended by British universities.

These exams are accepted and recognized by most governments and course providers in the world (including the British Immigration Department).

You don't need to complete the test before applying to a British university through Ucas, but if you don't complete the test, completing the test with a given minimum score may become one of the admission conditions. If you have already taken the exam, you can simply include this information with other exam results in the Ucas application.

6. The cost of studying in the UK

Starting from 1998, British universities charge students tuition fees, and international students usually charge higher tuition fees than domestic students. The tuition fee will depend on the course you choose and the country or region you come from.

Before Britain left the EU, students from the EU had "family tuition status" in the UK, which meant that they paid the same tuition fees as domestic students. If they study undergraduate courses in Scotland, their fees will be paid in full by the Scottish Student Award Agency. Living loans are also provided to EU students to cover their living expenses.

But Britain's withdrawal from the EU changed everything. Any student who started or is about to enter a British university before July 3 1 20265438 will continue to enjoy family expenses for the rest of the course.

However, students from the European Union, the European Economic Area-Free Trade Area and Switzerland will no longer receive the status of family tuition if they study new courses in Scotland, England or Wales after August 20021year, which means that every British institution will charge students from these regions and countries the corresponding tuition fees.

The fees for EU students applying for 202 1/22 and above will be much higher than those for domestic students, which is the same as that for non-EU students.

By 2020, international students must pay 65,438+00,000 to 26,000 pounds a year for undergraduate degrees. The cost for overseas students to get a medical undergraduate degree is as high as 58,600 pounds a year.

Please be sure to inquire more detailed information from the institution you apply for. The Northern Ireland government has not announced how Britain's withdrawal from the EU will change the tuition fees of EU students, but it is expected that more information will be provided soon.

There is no upper limit for the cost of postgraduate degree for international students, but it is often more expensive than most undergraduate courses, and the tuition fees of various universities are different.

Accommodation is another factor to consider when calculating the cost of study. The price will depend on which city you are in the UK and the type of accommodation you choose.

In 2020, the average rent for British students will be 126 pounds per week, or 547 pounds per month. However, students in London are expected to pay an average of 65,438 pounds a week, or 640 pounds a month. Students spend an average of 49 14 per year (subject to the 39-week time limit). Most of the rent also includes some kind of bill, although one third of the students have to pay other fees besides rent.

Students usually live in university dormitories in the first year and move to private houses in the second and third years.

However, accommodation and tuition are not the only expenses. Students should study and budget their personal lifestyle.

7. British Scholarship for International Students

If you are an international student, there are many scholarships to help pay for tuition, living expenses, relocation expenses, and sometimes even travel to and from the UK.

Scholarships come from many sources and forms, so it is worth doing some research to find the most suitable scholarship for you. Contrary to popular belief, scholarships are not only offered to students with academic talent. There are also scholarships based on students' country of origin, economic needs or achievements, including entrepreneurship and sports.

Most universities will provide some form of financial aid and scholarships for international students, so the university you choose should be your first consideration. Many of these scholarships are set up in the form of private donations to individual universities to help finance students from specific countries or students studying a certain subject.

In addition, many governments also provide grants, including federal scholarships, to help students from Commonwealth countries apply for master's and doctoral degrees in Britain.

8. British student visa application

From June 5438+00, 2020, international students in the UK need to apply for a student visa. This is a new visa to replace Tier4.

All international students studying for a degree need a visa, including those from Europe.

You can apply for a student visa online on the gov.uk website or through a visa application center near you.

If you apply from outside the UK, it costs 348 pounds to apply for this visa. If you apply in the UK, you need 475 pounds. There is also a priority service, which will provide faster decision-making, but it will include higher fees. In addition to the visa application fee, you also need to pay the immigration health surcharge. As of June 5438+00, 2020, the student visa fee is 470 pounds per year. For example, if your course is three years, you should hand in 1, 4 10.

If you are already in the UK, you can apply for a student visa three months before the course starts, but if you are outside the UK, you can apply for a student visa six months later.

Once you prove to your university that you have enough English learning ability, they will usually prove in English on your CAS (Admission Confirmation) form that you have the ability to immigrate to the UK.

This means that as part of the student visa application, you won't have to take another English language test. This is true even if your university exams are not on the official list of SELT (Safe English Language Test), although most of the exams required by the university will be listed on SELT.

9. Employment prospects of British graduates

With the recent introduction of work visas, international students studying in British universities will have the opportunity to stay in the UK for two years after graduation. There are many employment opportunities in Britain, and London, the multicultural capital, is a media and business center.

Since there are many famous universities in Britain, which are good places to start your academic career, you can use the job list in Times Higher Education to find the current academic vacancies.

Most British universities have career counseling centers, many of which can be used by graduates for life. Through various clubs, societies and alumni activities, British universities have ample opportunities to establish social ties. Employers all over the world recognize the prestige of British degrees, and even pay special attention to graduates from the highest ranked universities.

10. Number of British universities

According to the data collected by the National Student Survey (NSS) in 2020, there are 153 universities in Britain. Specific data can be viewed by logging in to us. You can also use the relevant part of our website to explore the best universities for your chosen courses. Oxford University and Cambridge University are the top two universities in Britain, while the three best universities in London are in the top five.