General Requirements to study in UK:

Find an English language course e.g. IELTS Find a suitable university and suitable course e.g. Post-graduate in Accounting and

information system. For undergraduate courses you usually need to have achieved further

education qualifications (such as A-levels, International Baccalaureate, Scottish Highers, or equivalent qualifications from your country) in related subjects. Find out more at UCAS or ask your chosen university or college.

For postgraduate courses you usually need to have achieved a relevant undergraduate qualification.

If you are unsure whether your qualifications meet the entry requirements, talk to the course provider or visit the UK NARIC website. See our Qualifications explained article for more details.

For post graduate study-http://www.postgraduatestudentships.co.uk/

Costs

Before you begin your studies, think carefully about the costs and how you will finance your studies.

UK undergraduate and postgraduate courses are generally shorter than in other countries. This helps to keep tuition fees and living expenses down. Most full-time undergraduate courses take three years to complete. Full-time postgraduate courses can take one year or more.

Tuition fees for UK higher education courses vary, depending on factors including: whether you are from the European Union/European Economic Area; where in the UK you are studying (there are different rules for England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales); and whether you are studying at undergraduate or postgraduate level.

For undergraduate students from the EU/EEA, these are the maximum tuition fees (but many institutions charge less):

In England and Wales, up to £9,000 per year

In Northern Ireland, up to £3,575 per year

In Scotland, tuition is free.

If you’re from another country outside the EU/EEA, tuition fees vary by course provider.For all postgraduate students, tuition fees vary by course provider.You can find out about tuition fees for undergraduate courses here and tuition fees for postgraduate courses here. Please also visit the UKCISA website for more information. 

Budgeting

When comparing tuition costs, look carefully at what is included – and what is not included – in each fee. For example, some institutions may charge you extra for books, study materials, examinations, etc. You should be able to find out what the course fees cover on each course provider’s website, but if not, don’t hesitate to ask them.

When budgeting, think about additional costs for:

Travel to the UK

Accommodation

Food

Day-to-day living costs

Travel and sightseeing in the UK

Health and travel insurance.

Have a look at our Money section for advice on budgeting.

Scholarships

There are a number of good scholarship and financial support schemes for UK higher education courses. Demand can be high, but it is well worth taking a look at what is available.

Where can I find UK scholarships and bursaries?

On this website, you can search through thousands of scholarships at UK schools, colleges and universities – just click here and select your subject. This lists many, but not all, UK scholarships – it is an excellent place to start, but we recommend looking at other sources too.In addition, the British Council manages or administers aspects of a number of scholarship and funding schemes. These include:

Scheme Funding opportunity Open to students or researchers

from

Euraxess UK Research placements in the UK All countries

UK-China HE Research

Partnership for PhD Studies

Doctoral studies China and UK

Commonwealth Scholarship

and Fellowship Plan

Master's and doctoral courses (for

study in the UK and distance

learning), plus academic,

professional and medical fellowships

Commonwealth countries

Tullow Group Scholarships

Scheme

Postgraduate courses Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory

Coast, Kenya, Mauritania,

Suriname, Uganda, Uruguay

Entente Cordiale Postgraduate courses France and UK

Hong Kong – Scotland Research visits Hong Kong and Scotland

Partners in Post Doctoral

Research scholarship scheme

Charles Wallace India Trust

Scholarships

Doctoral studies, research, visiting

fellows and Scottish summer school

India

Charles Wallace Pakistan Trust

Scholarships

Doctoral studies, research, visiting

fellows and Scottish summer school

Pakistan

Goa Education Trust

Scholarships

Postgraduate courses India – Goa

BIRAX Regenerative Medicine

Initiative Fellowships

Research visits for scientists Israel and UK

Young Cell Scheme Postgraduate Master's studies in the

EU

Kosovo

Nigeria LNG Overseas

Postgraduate Scholarships

Scheme

Postgraduate courses Nigeria

Higher Education Scholarships

for Palestine

Academic exchange for university

employees

Palestine

International Atomic Energy

Agency Scholarships

Fellowships for graduates Selected countries – see website

Hornby Educational Trust

Scholarships

Scholarships for English language

teachers to develop their English

language skills

Selected countries – see website

BG Tanzania International

Postgraduate Scholarship

Scheme for Geoscience and

Engineering

Postgraduate courses Tanzania

Scotland’s Saltire Scholarships Undergraduate, Master's and PhD

courses

Canada, China, India and USA

Other sources of funding

There are a number of scholarship schemes run by governments, charities and other organisations. Ask your Ministry of Education, your local British Council office or your teachers if they know of any schemes for students in your country. Here are a few global schemes you may want to have a look at:

Chevening UK government scholarships, Erasmus Scholarships, Royal Society grants.

Depending on your nationality, you may be eligible for a loan or financial support from the UK

government. Visit the UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs) website for more details. In 2012, around 33% of pupils at UK independent schools received financial assistance. Visit

theScholarship Search tool at the Independent Schools Yearbook – this publication has details of

independent schools for students up to age 18 (at primary and secondary level). Please note it

does not contain information on scholarships at higher education level. Postgraduate studentships can be found via a number of websites, including Postgraduate

Studentships and Prospects. Finally, have a look at the websites for the schools, colleges and universities you are interested in. They

may have a scheme that is not listed here.

Evaluating costs

Even with financial support, it is likely that you will have to pay some costs yourself. You may have to pay for travel, accommodation or part of the course fee. Make sure you find out what is and isn’t covered by your scholarship or financial support scheme.

Find out more about tuition and living costs in Costs and fees, plus advice from the National Association of Student Money Advisers in How to map your budget.

Financial difficulties

The right time to look for financial support is before you start your course. It can be very hard to find funding, particularly mid-way through the academic year.

If you experience financial difficulties during your course, please visit the UKCISA website. They offer lots of detailed information and a student advice telephone service.

Higher Education Courses and qualification

UK universities and colleges offer thousands of excellent courses, leading to qualifications that are respected by employers and academics worldwide. When you think of UK higher education qualifications, you might think of bachelor’s and master’s degrees, MBAs and PhDs. There are, however, many other types.

At undergraduate level the main qualifications offered are: Bachelor’s or undergraduate degree: Academic study designed to help you gain a thorough

understanding of a subject. Full-time, this normally takes three years to complete (four in some cases).

There are different titles of degree, such as: Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BSc), Bachelor

of Education (BEd) and Bachelor of Engineering (BEng).

Degrees are classified as either Ordinary or Honours – this can vary between universities and colleges. Generally an 'ordinary' or 'unclassified' degree may be awarded if a student has completed a full degree course but hasn't obtained the total required passes sufficient to merit a third-class honours degree. In

Scotland, an 'ordinary' degree is usually a three-year full-time course, whereas an 'honours' degree is usually a four-year full-time course.

Foundation degree: The equivalent of the first two years of an honours degree, this may be studied full-

or part-time, and consists of academic study integrated with relevant work-based learning undertaken

with an employer. It may be studied as a standalone qualification or upon completion, you may progress

to the final year of an honours degree. Diploma of Higher Education: Two year, full-time DipHE courses are normally equivalent to the first two

years of a degree and can often be used for entry to the third year of a related degree course. They can

be academic, but are mainly linked to a particular job or profession such as nursing and social work. Certificate of Higher Education: Focuses on either a particular job or profession, or academic study.

Equivalent to the first year of a full honours degree, they are the most basic level of qualification that can

be gained in higher education and show that you are capable of studying successfully at university level.

You can use a CertHE to gain confidence to study successfully at university level, change careers or

progress your current career, or to achieve a foundation degree, DipHE or full honours degree through

additional study. Higher National Diploma (HND): A two-year course which, if completed with high grades, can lead to

the third year of a degree.

To read more about Foundation programmes, HNDs, DipHE and CertHE qualifications, see Shorter undergraduate courses.At postgraduate level, the main qualifications offered are:

Master's degree. A master’s qualification allows you to further your knowledge in a particular subject, or to

go in a completely different direction, using the skills you’ve gained from your undergraduate studies. A

master’s degree is an academic qualification awarded to individuals who successfully demonstrate a

higher level of expertise in a particular field of study. You can study one in almost any subject, but there

are two main types of master’s: taught and research (see below).

Most master's courses lead to an MA (Master of Arts) or MSc (Master of Science) qualification, but there are also subject-specific qualifications including MEng (Master of Engineering), MFA (Master of Fine Arts), LLM (Master of Laws), MArch (Master of Architecture), and more. Courses leading to an MPhil (Master of Philosophy) qualification are research-led and often designed for students to progress to a PhD.

MBA courses. A Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree is an internationally recognised

qualification which gives you the skills you need for a successful management career. MBA courses

cover topics such as business policy and strategy, operational and strategic management, marketing,

market research, finance and accounting, IT, human resource management, leadership, entrepreneurship

and international trade. PhDs/doctorates. A Doctor of Philosophy, or doctorate (PhD/DPhil) is the highest academic level a

student can achieve. These degrees are very demanding and often lead to careers in academia (as a

lecturer or researcher). Doctorate courses can be applied for by students who achieve at least a 2:1 result

at undergraduate level. Although you don’t necessarily need a master’s degree, it is usual practice to

undertake one before a PhD. Postgraduate diplomas and qualifications. For those wishing to continue their studies beyond an

undergraduate degree, a variety of options are available. Postgrad certificates and diplomas allow

students to study something new or build on the skills and knowledge already gained during their first

degree. Professional and vocational qualifications. A professional or vocational qualification is usually taken to

improve skills or gain attributes required by specific jobs. Most awards will involve practical training, giving

you the opportunity to experience a job first-hand. Conversion courses. A conversion course is a vocational postgraduate qualification usually taken by

graduates wanting to change subject area after their first degree and better prepare themselves for the

job market.

Taught postgraduate programmes consist of a series of lectures or seminars, and are assessed through exams or coursework. Research postgraduate programmes require more in-depth independent study, usually over a period of two or three years. You then report on your research by writing it in the form of a thesis or dissertation.

Subjects and modules

Most higher education courses have a ‘modular’ structure. This means that you can build a personalised course by choosing modules or units of study from different subject areas. For example, if you are studying English literature, for your first year you could choose one module on Science fiction, one module on Children’s literature, and one module on Short stories.

If you are interested in more than one subject, you may be able to study a combination as part of your course, e.g. English literature and psychology. You can often decide for yourself how much time you would like to spend on each subject. ‘Joint’ means the two subjects are studied equally (50/50), ‘major/minor’ means the time spent is usually 75%/25%.

Work experience

Some courses include a year of working in industry – for example, working for a business, charity or public sector organisation. This will usually be for the third year of a degree course or the second year of an HND and, depending on the employer, may be full-time paid employment. The purpose of this is to introduce you to the world of work, while gaining valuable experience in a profession you might consider after completing your higher education course. Check your visa status allows you to do this before applying.

Study modes

Most full-time undergraduate courses take three years to complete (typically four years in Scotland). Full-time postgraduate courses can be from one year upwards.

Part-time courses are normally taken over a longer period, so that you can work alongside your studies or learn at a more relaxed pace. There is no set length of time for part-time courses – it varies from one course to another. If you need a visa to study in the UK, please check your immigration status allows you to do a part-time course at UK Visas and Immigration.As well as studying on campus in the UK, you could choose to study outside the UK – for example, by distance learning or by joining a UK overseas campus. Find out more in our our Study for a UK qualification… outside the UK article.

The academic year

In the UK, the standard academic year starts in September or October and runs until June or July. Some courses are more flexible, however, and offer a range of start dates.

How to apply for a UK course

1. What do you want to study?

The first step in planning your UK education is to figure out what stage you are at, and what you want to achieve from your course – to gain skills and qualifications for a particular career? To improve your English? To build your knowledge of a subject you’re interested in?

Here are the key stages of the UK’s education system:

Students aged 16 and under attend primary and secondary education. At this level you can study a wide

range of subjects, such as maths, English literature, IT, languages, physics, biology, chemistry,

geography and history. Find out more here. From the age of 16, students in the UK can go on to further education. You can choose

between academic courses (such as A-levels, the International Baccalaureate or Scottish Highers),

which enable you to enter university, or vocational courses, which give you the skills, training and

qualifications you need for a particular career. At this level you specialise in a few subjects. Find out more

here. With further education qualifications, you can then go on to higher education – undergraduate(e.g.

Bachelor’s degree, HND, Foundation degree, etc.), and then if you wish, on to postgraduate(e.g.

Master’s degree, PhD, MBA). At this level you normally specialise in one or two subjects. You can also

take professional qualifications to help you in your career. Find out more.

At any age and study level, you can join an English language course. There are thousands of courses across the UK, of varying lengths – days, weeks, months, or part-time to improve your English alongside your main studies. Find out more.To help you decide, have a look at our Subject profiles section for an overview of the different subjects you could study at any stage.

2. Search for courses, institutions and scholarships

Once you’ve decided what you want to study, you can look for the right course with the Education UK search tool. This draws from a database of over 80,000 higher education and further education courses, 1,000 boarding schools and 6,000 English language courses, as well as over 4,000 scholarships to help fund your studies.

First, go to the Search menu at the top of this page. Click Courses and you can select your study level

and subject, or click Uni/college/school to search boarding schools or find any institution by name.

Click Go and you’ll be taken to the search results page. Next, you can further personalise your search using the options on the left – you can select particular

types of qualification, for example, choose whether you want to study full-time or part-time, or choose

where in the UK you want to study. In the search results, either click on a course name to see full details of the course, or the name of the

institution to read more about it. On the institution pages, you can read about the scholarships and

accommodation it offers, its location, fees and entry requirements. When you have found some courses, scholarships or institutions you are interested in, you can add them

to a shortlist to compare them. To save a shortlist and come back to it later, register here.

3. Contact your chosen school, college or university

Once you’ve decided which courses you’re interested in, on the course information page you can click:

Visit website to go to the course provider’s website for more information. Read more about the institution,

its courses and departments, its campus, town or city, and what its students have to say. Download prospectus to download a full brochure of information on courses, costs and the application

process. Send an email to contact the institution. You can select which level of study and subject you’re interested

in, and send an enquiry to the institution directly – for example, you could ask about entry requirements,

scholarships, accommodation or how to apply.

Even better, attending an exhibition and meeting education representatives face-to-face could help to make your decision. Each year, Education UK organises exhibitions in over 50 countries, where you can meet representatives from hundreds of UK schools, colleges and universities. Ask your local British Council office about events near you, and keep an eye on the News and events page for Education UK in your country. Many events are listed here.If you are able to travel to the UK before you decide, look out for ‘open days’ at the institutions you’re interested in – these are an opportunity to visit and get a feel for the campus, meet staff and students, and ask any questions you still have. The school or university’s website will list details of upcoming open days.

Keep in mind what's most important to you – academic reputation? Sports, arts or social facilities? The number of other international students? Language and study support?

4. Apply for your chosen course

The application process varies greatly between different levels of education and types of institution, so make sure you find out all the details for your chosen course. If you have any questions, contact the institution directly and they will be happy to help.

First, ensure you meet the entry requirements – don’t waste time applying for a course that you’re not eligible for! These requirements will relate to your qualifications, your English language skills, and whether you will be able to secure a visa. To find out if you need a visa and how to apply, see our guide to UK student visas.Next, give yourself enough time. Many English language courses and shorter further education courses have start dates throughout the year, but most other courses start in September or October, and the deadline for applications can be up to a year in advance (or even more for some boarding schools). Find out what your deadline is, and what's required – if you need a reference, for example, you'll need to give your referee enough time to write it.

Where to apply

For schools, English language centres and most further education and postgraduate courses, you need to apply directly to the provider. These institutions manage their own admissions, so there is no national application system. Most have application forms on their website.For undergraduate courses and some postgraduate courses, you can apply through a central admissions system, allowing you to apply to multiple institutions quickly and easily.

All undergraduate applications are handled by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service

(UCAS). Check the application deadlines here. You can watch a short video guide here – this shows how

to register and complete your application, and what happens next.

The UCAS website also has a guide for international students on tracking your application, arranging your visa, student finance and more.

Some institutions also use a central admissions system for postgraduate courses, the UK Postgraduate

Application and Statistical Service (UKPASS). See which institutions are part of this scheme on

the UKPASS website. UCAS operates an application system for graduates who want to take postgraduate teacher training

courses. Find out more and apply online at the UCAS Teacher Training website. UCAS Conservatoires is a separate application system for practice-based music courses, some dance

and drama courses, at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Find out more and apply online at UCAS

Conservatoires.

Application tips

For advice to help you write your application – particularly for higher education courses, where you will need to write a ‘personal statement’ – check out Six tips from a Head of International Admissions.If you are invited to attend an interview as part of your application, make sure you read Interviews: Essential advice from UK admissions officers.

5. Finally, stay positive!

The application process can be nerve-wracking, but if you complete everything you’re asked for – and ask for help if you need it! – then this is just the beginning of your UK education.