Admission in UK CollegesAdmission in UK Colleges and Universities
Every year thousands of international students come to the UK to enhance their careers and their knowledge. Whatever your subject, you will be able to further your academic qualifications in an environment that attracts some of the best intellects to study at some of the best institutions in the world.
A United Kingdom (UK) degree carries prestige through out the world. In coming to the UK to study, you will also be surrounded by native speakers of the international language of business and commerce. The possibilities of where and how you study are endless. You can choose from literally thousands of courses in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. You can be sure of their quality because there is a strict system of quality assurance.
The three main web resources for finding out about postgraduate Programmes and doing course searches are:
www.educationuk.org
www.prospects.ac.uk
http://www.postgrad.hobsons.com/
The power to award degrees is regulated bylaw. It is illegal fro an institution to offer to award a UK degree without proper authorization. To see which universities and colleges offer courses leading to recognized UK degrees go to http://www.education.gov.uk/
What qualifications will I need?
Entrance requirements for postgraduate Programmes vary greatly, so we suggest that you check with the specific institutions you would like to attend. If you are not sure where you want to go, you can obtain prospectuses from different institutions or find the information on their websites. As a rough guide, for a taught programme you will usually need:
Will my no-UK qualifications meet course entrance requirements?
The National Academic Recognition Centre (NARIC) www.naric.org.uk is the official source of information on the comparability of international qualifications with those in the UK. UK NARIC supports universities and colleges but the final decision o the recognition of international qualifications is always made by the individual institution.
Check with your local British Council office whether they can give you some advice and then contact your chosen institution directly for specific information.
Are there any English language requirements?
Yes. Ensure that you have the English language ability required by the institutions you intend to apply to. For a postgraduate course an IELTS score of 6.0 to 7.0 may be required. Ask your local British Council office where and when you can take the test.
How do I apply?
There is no centralized admissions system for postgraduate courses in the UK so you need to check with them directly. It is important to allow yourself lots of time when applying for a course as it ma take some time for the institution to process the application and get back to you with a decision. What goes into the application will vary but you will be expected to highlight your academic record and possibly mention you proposed research interests. Work experience is valuable when applying for postgraduate courses so think about skills you have developed whilst working. Your personal statement will be a key part of the application so think are fully about your motivation and relevant experience for your chosen programme.
What else do I need to know?
You should bear in mind immigration requirements when considering whether to study in the UK. Requirements vary according to your nationality or citizenship and the length of time you want to study. You will not be allowed to extend your permission to stay in the UK for more than two years on courses that are below degree level and are of less than one year’s duration.
Note in particular that you will not be given permission to enter the U.K as a student if the school, college or university that you want to study at does not appear on the UK Department for Education and Skills Register of Education and Training Providers.
You can check the register by clicking on Browse the Register at www.dfes.gov.uk
Useful Links:
British Accreditation Council (BAC)
British Council
www.britishcouncil.org
Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills Department website www.dius.gov.uk
Register of Education and Training Providers
http://www.education.gov.uk
The national association for British Council accredited English language teaching centers.
www.englishuk.com
Study World English
www.studyworldfair.com
technical and vocational education suppliers.
www.tvetuk.org
The body that assesses overseas qualifications.
www.naric.org.uk
