Study in UK: Find Universities, Costs, Courses, Visa, Scholarships, Placements

Studying in UK is popular among international students because of the number of top universities and the top tier education in UK and the legacy of welcoming international students. UK is often counted in the list of the 3 most coveted countries for international students, including Canada and USA. UK has over 150 top universities in the UK ranking globally for their curriculum and research methods.

International students, including Indians who make up one of the largest cohorts at British universities, bring a net positive economic impact for the UK economy even once other costs are factored in, a new report has found. ’The costs and benefits of international higher education students to the UK' reveals the total economic benefits from foreign students have risen from GBP 31.3 billion to GBP 41.9 billion between 2018-19 and 2021-22 - marking an increase of 34%. International students put nearly 10 times more into the economy than they take out - boosting both local and national economic well being, said Dr Gavan Conlon, Partner at London Economics, which had been commissioned to conduct the analysis.

As per the survey results of India Today, UK ranked amongst the most preferred international destinations among Indian students. As per the latest report, there are 679,970 international students pursuing studies in UK according to statistics from the Higher Education Statistics Agency. Beating Canada and USA to lead at #1 with nearly 28% of the total votes, the country has managed to gather a huge fascination among global applicants. India was amongst the second-highest nations that made up the student body of the UK in 2022 after China.

Study in UK: Top Universities for International Students

To help you research your dream university, some of the globally reputed and top-ranking universities in the UK are listed below.

Why Study in UK?

From globally reputed institutes to remarkable research alternatives, diverse population and amazing jobs, UK as a country never disappoints its aspirants. Along with this there are other factors which are responsible for influencing students to study in the UK which includes:

• Internationally Recognised Universities: Universities in the UK have a remarkable international reputation. According to QS World University Rankings, 3 of the top 6 universities in the world are in the UK.
• Two-year Stay Back: Since the UK Government has allowed a standard stay-back time of 2 years in the UK for international students which allows them sufficient time to explore a range of opportunities and apply for jobs post completing their degrees adds to the credit of studying in the UK.
• Education Revolution: Rishi Sunak Government's 7 Plans to Transform UK Studies for Indians makes sure that the degrees that have low employability prospects and high dropout rates in all UK universities will be discontinued.
• Shorter Duration of Courses: With over 60,000 courses in top universities in the UK, there are numerous courses fit for the needs of every individual. The short-duration courses in the UK that can be completed in the span of 6 to 11 months will not only help reduce the tuition fee but also the accommodation costs.
• Lower Tuition Fee: An average fee for a master’s program in the country is comparatively lower to its other competitors like the US with 17,392 and 38,380 GBP, respectively as the standard fee for most of the graduate courses.
• Strong Research Infrastructure: The latest Research Excellence Framework (REF) classifies 30% of UK university research as 'world-leading'. About 46% is considered as 'internationally excellent'.
• Scholarship and Financial Aid: The UK offers up to 100% Scholarship on tuition fees in some of the most renowned institutes and allows a fair chance to all to be a part of the UK education system.
• Employment/Job Opportunities: With a globally renowned curriculum and research-oriented skills, candidates having studied from the UK have a high employment rate of over 90% for most of its universities.

Want to get detailed information about how to study in UK? Click below and watch a step by step guide to study in UK.

Popular Courses in UK

For all the prospective applicants, the country offers a plethora of diverse study abroad programs in the UK ranging from STEM programs to Humanities and a varied variety of non-conventional courses. The fascinating part about these thousands of courses is that they are offered from a duration as small as 6 months to a program of 5 to 6 years and fit the criteria of best courses to study for jobs in the UK.

Some of the highly popular programs for masters (MS) in UK comprise Business and Natural Sciences, Engineering and Technology, Medicine, Law, Social Sciences, Media and Communication, Arts, Hospitality and Tourism, among others. The details of some of the conveyed choices in the list of programs for international students are as tabulated below.

International students form a highly significant part of the student body in the UK. According to the survey results of Higher Education Statistics Agency UK, nearly 127,335 of the international candidates in the country are engaged in Business programs with 22,045 and 32,890 students respectively in the stream of Medicine and Creative Arts. A graph depicting the distribution of international students across major fields of study across the country are as depicted below.

How to Study in UK: Application Process

Since you have reached this section of the article, it reflects that you have made up your mind to apply to an institute in UK. To help you in the process of application, let’s begin with a few simple steps:

• Research your options: Choose from the globally renowned institutes and over 60,000 courses you wish to apply in UK and check eligibility criteria for the same.
• Financial Planning: As per the current UK visa requirements, an international applicant must have a minimum of 12,180 GBP in his/her account as proof of funds and financial stability to be eligible for studying in the country anywhere except London. For London, the cost rises to 15,180 GBP per year.
• Plan your application in advance: Collect all the relevant documents and keep a close track of deadlines. Plan your application at least 2 months in advance to allow sufficient time and avoid last-minute hurdles.
• Submit application and wait for acceptance letter: For all the universities in the UK, students have to apply via the UCAS portal.
• Apply for study in UK visa: Once you have received your offer letter, waste no further time and reach your nearest British embassy along with relevant documents and an acceptance letter to apply for a Tier 4 General Student Visa to study in UK.

Admission Requirements to Study in UK

Some basic information regarding the admission process is as tabulated below.

Note: Process for admission into Oxford and Cambridge vary vividly and thus, students seeking enrollment to these universities must get in direct contact with the admissions office of these institutes.

When to Study in UK?

International aspirants must note that there are different deadlines for applying to diverse courses and institutes in the UK and thus it is highly important to keep a close track of all the relevant dates of the program and organization you are interested in. All the complete application forms must be submitted by the first week of September to UCAS.

Final Deadline for Entry applications:

• Mid of October: Deadline for most of the courses at Cambridge and Oxford. Mostly for medicine, veterinary medicine, and dentistry and other institutions.
• Mid of January: Deadline for majority of undergraduate courses.

The international students shall be shortlisted by colleges. Documents must be uploaded timely and applications should be submitted before November. Admission decisions are notified by the college usually around the month of April.

Study in UK Cost

The cost of living in the UK for an international student comprises a range of factors like basic tuition, food, travel, accommodation etc. The estimate of this cost to help you plan your finances is compiled as follows:

Tuition fees

The fee for the range of programs available in the country will vary as per different external and internal factors, primarily upon the level of program and the choice of university.

Cost of Living in UK

The cost of accommodation and other expenses in the country will highly depend upon your personal choices and the city you live in. For instance, While the average student accommodation price in the UK is approximately 125 GBP (13,194 INR) per week, a similar rental will cost a student living in Northern Ireland around 91 GBP (9,605 INR) while to the one living in London it will be nearly 182 GBP (19,211 INR) which is exactly double.

Thus, while it is hard to calculate the exact amount, an estimated average cost of living and other expenditures for a student hoping to study in the UK is as follows:

How to Study in UK with a Scholarship?

For studying in the UK, international applicants can avail the use of scholarships and awards to up to 100%. While the UK government provides a wide array of its own awards and studentships to provide financial support for international students to study in the UK, the individual universities in the country also offer merit-based and additional awards for such aspirants. Scholarships for post-graduate and doctoral courses in the UK are not open for all the candidates, as they have strict eligibility criteria.

Scholarships for International Students in UK

Some of the awards that an international candidate looking to finance his/her studies in the UK can avail have been compiled below.

Watch the video and find out about Top scholarships for Indian students to study in UK

Over the years, the United Kingdom has shown tremendous growth in its number of international students who come every year to be a part of some of the world’s highly prestigious universities. From highly skilled faculty, research methods and employment opportunities to a great campus and student life, the UK is indeed a package deal.

With a total international student population of nearly 80 to 90% formed by 46% of the women candidates make for the diversity that the country offers. This knowledge and exposure of multi-cultures and ethnicities add value to the job profile of an individual which is found highly attractive among top recruiters around the world and help them land high-paying jobs in UK. Thus, the UK has justifiably earned the rank in the list of top 3 overseas destinations among international aspirants and is undoubtedly a worthwhile pursuit.