In the early 19th century, During the Pinks of British Empire, 23 percent of the human population in the world and 24 percent of total earth area were administered by the British Crown, spanning across the globe. This placed them at a position that influenced educational curriculums and institutions of all the commonwealth countries. Also at that time the United Kingdom was the one stop destination for the youth of those colonies who aspired to study in the world class institutions to prosper their fortunes.
Fast Forwarding to the present scenario, those centuries old Institutions and institutional frameworks have stood firm against the tests of time to emerge as unchallenged pioneers of modern era education across all disciplines. These institutions have always remained on the top, whether as a choice for international students or on the QS Top 100 Universities of the world rankings. 5% of the world’s scientific research is completed and 14% of the world’s most frequently cited research papers are formulated every year in the United Kingdom. Alongwith the academic excellence they offer, they have industry oriented options for study such as blending vocational and academic courses. Don’t hesitate to aspire to study in the UK! It’s not at all difficult with this step by step guide:
1.Visualize Your Dream To Study In The UK
Every Conquest begins with an aim and the visualization of that aim is very important, Likewise in this case you need to visualize your dream to study in UK. It is better to make a mind map of your aspirations and endeavors to be clear of everything right from the start.
You need to be apt about your end goal to set the path in tandem with it. Whether you are leaving to master your subject, for research purposes, or you want to open the doors of international opportunities for yourself. You need to answer such questions to yourself; Where would you live? Will you work part time or concentrate fully on your semester? Would there be a future market for your skill set in your country or the globe if you wish to move somewhere else? Do you wish to even return back to your homeland or settle permanently in the UK? Can you survive the climate conditions, cultural shocks and living expenses of the place?
Whatever may be the case if you are firm enough, you need to start somewhere and that is the NEXT STEP.
- Decide for the Course you want to Study In The UK
Your Choice of Course must be in harmony with your visualization of the Study in the UK goal. A good news for the students of today is that a lot of universities across the UK offer the chance to blend subjects on your own for the course (Choose from Vocational and Academic subjects). On one side this option widens scope for exposure and on the other makes it extremely important for the student to select the right option. You should keep a lot of things in your mind while exercising this choice like:
- Your interest and eligibility for the course, present qualifications etc.
- Your finances and the Fees requirement of the course
- The future prospects of the course
- Research opportunities or Placement perks offered by the course
- International validity of the course, if you wish to migrate in future
- Time period of the course and the time you need to devote in, whether you will do part time jobs or not.
- Last but not the least, the course availability.
Apart from this, it is to be mentioned that come what may we can not generalize the approach towards Course selection, it’s highly subjective and you will need to devote ample time researching it if you don’t want to regret.
- Shortlist the University/College in which you want to apply for the course to Study in The UK
Right after the Course selection, you can get an array of Universities and Colleges offering that course. Now it’s up to you which ones to choose from the palette. Some of the factors that influence your decision are:
- Availability of the course, which is a prerequisite
- Your eligibility to the institutional requirements of the University
- Entrance Exams needed to qualify for the university and your score in them, there are a range of exams viz., GRE, GMAT, SAT, LSAT etc.
- QS world ranking of the university or any other alike institutional ranking
- Authority/Ranking of the Particular department of university dealing with your course
- Vicinity of the university, its cost of living, cultural diversity, climatic conditions etc. all in all implying to the adaptability of the region
- Fee of the course or the funding options available
- Mode of study i.e. Online, Offline or Hybrid, this option may influence your VISA opportunities
The decision is again very specific and may depend upon some individual ideologies also, but we have left no stone unturned in generalising the choice as evident in points above.
- Fulfill all the Eligibilities and
documentation requirements to apply for the course you want to Study in The UK
Remember till now you’re only half done, your actual Journey starts here from ideation to actuation.
While shortlisting the University, you will very well be acquainted with the selection criterion of the University and you can commence to Comply with it.
The Timeline
There are three intakes for admissions into universities and colleges in the UK: Winter (January), Fall (September) and May. Accordingly you need to gear yourself up for the admissions, as a general rule of thumb you need to shortlist, research for the colleges 7-8 months prior to the start of the session (April-June if you have January Intake) and the college needs to be applied for 2-3 months before the session starts (September-October if you opted for January semester) and in the time between the shortlisting and applying you need to comply with all the qualifications, entrance exams, language proficiency tests, etc. Then wait for the selection of your application and give your reply to the university and you are ready to rock!
Different documents required are listed below
- Proofs of Your educational qualifications, degrees and certificates on the basis of which you’re applying
- Certificates of Cracking Relevant Entrance Exams
- Certificates of test of English Proficiency (IELTS, TOEFL, PTE etc. as demanded by the Institution)
- Personal Statement (The hopes and aims of students in writing as demanded by the Universities)
- Reference Letters (Referred by Academicians from your previous educational institution)
- Copy of Your Passport
Once you have all this done, you can move on to the next step.
- Arrange for Finances or opt for Scholarships to fulfill your Study in The UK dream
You need to arrange for the Fees of the course after finalization of all things, a Graduate Degree, a postgraduate Degree or a Doctoral one can cost you anywhere around GBP 10,000 to GBP 24,000. If this sounds a lot for you, worry not there are ‘n’ number of scholarship schemes to study in the UK. These scholarships are offered by the commonwealth trust, Indian Government (or your country’s government), The university itself, the United Kingdom Government and various organizations. The Scholarships and fellowships offered are mostly merit in nature and a good amount of them are also means based in nature. While some are truly in the benefit of students and free from all clauses, some of them may include some conditions or clauses hence it is advised to read all the documents carefully. Some of the famous scholarships are:
- Goa Education Trust Scholarship
- Rhodes Scholarships at University of Oxford
- Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan
- Clarendon Fund Scholarships at the University of Oxford ● Warwick Chancellor’s International Scholarships ● Westminster International Scholarships
- Gates Cambridge Scholarships for International Students
When your Finance is done and you have the offer letter in your hand, it is the time to apply for the Visa and count the days left for your dream to come true.
- Avail the Student Visa for UK to Study in The UK
Technically the last step left and the most crucial one also. To study in the UK you need to get a Student Visa which is broadly of two types:
● Tier 4 (general) student Visas: This is the general student Visa offered by the UK government to all those aspirants above 16 and applying for long duration higher educational courses. Once you have the Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS) document that is the offer from the university, only then can you get this visa.
● Short Term Study Visas: These are offered to students who study short duration courses (up to 6 months and if an english language course up to 11 months)
You have to be extra cautious as your single negligence can screw up your whole plan.
There are various fund requirements amended from time to time, as of now You must possess following funds to ensure UK government that you can live off your own while studying
£1,334 per month (for up to 9 months) for courses in London £1,023 per month (for up to 9 months) for courses outside London And you must have these funds in your bank a/c for at least 28 consecutive days within 31 days preceding your Visa Application.
Once Your Visa is approved You are all set to celebrate and work even harder in your future to fulfill all your dreams.
7.Prepare for your Departure to Study in The UK
Once all things are done you can pack your backs and buckle yourself up for your greener pasture.
Best of Luck from our side!