Study in UK: UK or United Kingdom has become one of the top study abroad destinations for Indian students due to its Oldest Universities, World recognized degrees, Affordable education, Education system, Culture, Tradition, Diversity etc…And it is second most popular study abroad destination for International students after USA among English speaking countries.

UK represents some of the oldest universities and colleges in the world which were rooted in 13^th and 14^th centuries. Hence UK has become a benchmark for other countries for its history in Education, Highly Standard Education system and also for welcoming International students to pursue their higher education. Most interesting fact is that one in every 4 world leaders have studied in UK Universities, so if you want to achieve big things in life and have a great career, you can be sure that you have made a right choice of studying in UK.

Why study in UK?

Benefits of studying in UK:

Here are the reasons for why to study in UK and why Indian students choose UK to study Masters or Bachelors in UK.

Top Universities to choose from

UK Universities have world’s best education system and oldest Universities which are more than 500 years old. In fact 4 Universities in UK are in the list of world’s top 10 Universities including University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University College London and Imperial College London and also UK’s 18 Universities fall in top 100 in the world (QS world ranking).

Quality Education

As UK’s Universities have secured top rankings in the world, it assures you the quality of education that you are going to get. UK Universities are regularly assessed by QAA (Quality Assurance Agency) a Government body which checks Quality of Education and performances of individual Universities through regular Audits. Accordingly they send feedback for improvisation and to implement best education practices and they monitor the same. This ensures the best quality of education, learning and research facilities that international students get irrespective of universities and courses that they are going to pursue in United Kingdom.

Courses are intensive with Shorter duration

UK Universities offer more flexible and short courses unlike any other countries, where you can complete your Bachelors in 3 years and masters can be completed in another one year. It will be an ideal choice for those who want to be graduated and start working sooner. It will not only save your time, you can save lot of money to be spent on tuition costs and living expenses for additional years.

Part time work options

International students can work 20 hours per week during course period And 40 hours per week during vacations and holidays. Students have an opportunity to work off campus in Restaurants, hotels, Grocery shops, Supermarkets and Petrol bunks etc. and also they can work On campus as a Librarian, Teaching Assistant, Research Assistant, Student Alumni, Campus tour guide, etc. where they can explore in to same field of study.

Post study work permit option

Now International students can remain for another 2 years after completion of their Bachelors and Masters in UK. After Brexit UK has announced 2 years graduate immigration route for International students which enables them to work or search for a job after their studies (Undergraduate level or above). Previously students were permitted to stay up to 4 to 6 months after completion of studies. So it is one more major factor which may increase the International students flow in coming years to UK.

Work Placement option

Most of the UK Universities have Work placement option which benefits students to extend their course to additional one year and have an opportunity to do 9 to 12 months of Internships in well reputed companies as part of their curriculum. This would be a great opportunity for international students to have Industrial exposure and to gain experience in the similar field of study which will add more weight age to their resume and increases the job prospects after graduation.

Scholarships and Financial support

Most UK Universities offer Merit based scholarships and financial support to International students to manage their tuition fee and Living expenses. Scholarships are purely depending upon the student profile. Other than merit based scholarships Universities will also have country specific, Course specific scholarships, you can apply for these too if corresponding university have such scholarships.

Strong Research Infrastructure

UK Universities are provided with very strong research facilities, as per the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF) 30% of the researches conducted by UK Universities are “world leading” and 46% are International excellent. And one more important fact is that there were 95,184 research degrees awarded from 2008-2009 to 2012-2013.

Health benefits for abroad students

International students will have free medical treatment by National Health Service (NHS) while you are studying in UK. To avail this service you will have to pay a small amount as a “Immigration health Surcharge” while submitting your student visa application.

International exposure

Over 4,36,000 International students from more than 180 countries were studying in UK in the year 2019, out of which Indians were 18,320 which is 2^nd largest in the group. Studying in UK is an opportunity to have International exposure and experience cultural diversity, to meet fellow students from different countries, to visit historical places etc…

Affordable Education

UK Education is quite affordable as compared to other countries like USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and any other European Countries, even cost of living is also pretty cheap unlike other countries.

Interesting facts about United Kingdom (UK):

• World’s largest library is in London
• Tea is the most popular drink in UK, they consume over 165 million cups of tea everyday which is 20 times higher than USA
• There are 300 different languages are spoken in London
• The famous games Cricket and Golf were invented by Brits
• Chicken Tikka has been declared as their National dish which is actually Indian recipe
• UK is connected with European continent through the Channel tunnel at 21miles which is second largest in the world. It connects city of Dover (London) and Calais (France).
• You must have watched BBC TV channels; usually they don’t display any Ads in their programs as they are public broadcasting operator and are paid by British citizens.
• There are more Indian restaurants in London than India’s biggest urban cities Mumbai or Bangalore.
• There are more English speakers in India than UK
• For almost 300 years French was the official language in UK between 1066- 1362.
• The first postage stamp was created in UK
• National health services in UK offer free medical treatment to it citizens.

Study abroad Intakes in UK

When can I start my studies?

Colleges and Universities in UK offer majorly 2 intakes which are also referred as semesters in few Universities. Two major intakes in UK Universities are;

• September / October
• January / February

However, some universities offer courses March/April/May/June/July/August and November as well.

How to choose Best intake to study in UK?

While choosing best intake to start your study in UK, there are factors that you can consider like any other student such as ;

• University availability, as not all Universities open for all intakes
• Intended Course availability , as some courses are limited for only some intakes
• Your academic records, if you are waiting for your final year Mark sheets or Transcripts from your University, you will have to plan for next available intake.
• English test scores, sometime if you scored less in IELTS, TOEFL or PTE and you want to retake them to better your score in order to try for good ranking universities. You may have to postpone your plans to next intake.
• Acceptance Rates, Some intakes will have good acceptance rate, Some will have low depending on the volume of applications they receive against offered courses. For examples many Indian students prefer September intake as it is offered by most of universities for wide range of subject, so application flow is more for September intake and acceptance rates will be low due to high volume of applications with strong academic background. So many students with low academic background try for January intake as application flow will be low and acceptance rate will be high.
• Readiness, many Indian students prefer September intake as here in India Academic year starts in September for most of the Degree level studies. As they are used to local teaching period and Vacation time, they are more comfortable in start their studies in September and finish it in August.

What to study in United Kingdom?

Courses with good Job Prospects in UK:

When you are choosing your course to study in UK, there are so many things to consider while deciding which course to study. It is always good to choose course which has good job prospects and which drives you to your dream career.

As per the research conducted by Office for National statistics (ONS) degree holders from certain specialization are most likely to get good jobs with better salaries. Although studying these degrees will not guarantee your job, as your skill sets will also matter.

Best courses to study in UK for better salary and employ ability:

So, which degree do you think more employable? ONS says graduates from Engineering and Medicine related degrees have good employ ability and get you highest annual salaries.

Engineering:

In 2017, graduates from engineering degrees had achieved an annual gross salary of £45000, which is double than that of graduated from English, Linguistics, Languages and Media. But this is not only the reason to choose engineering domain, engineering subject areas are some of the most employable degrees in UK. Some of the Engineering specializations which have good job prospects in UK are;

• Mechanical Engineering
• Automobile Engineering
• Engineering Design
• Civil Engineering and Construction
• Oil, Gas and Mining
• Electronics and Telecommunication
• IT and Computer science etc.

Some research shows Medicine degree holders in UK are recorded highest employment rate as compared to other degrees, by achieving 95% employment rate. Engineering graduates have also achieved 92% of employment which is still impressive.

 Medicine

Graduates from Medical related courses would also achieve quite impressive salary with an annual gross salary of £44000. By choosing Medicine degree to study in UK you will have access to world class education and world leading medical system. If you choose for additional work placement option you can have hands on experience from world class Hospitals with in the UK.

Mathematics

Everyone knows studying Mathematics is not an easy job, but there is really a high demand for Maths graduates in UK and across the globe. Studying Mathematics in UK increases your International career prospects, as many International employers prefer Maths degrees from UK.

Life Sciences

Graduates from Life Sciences field have high job prospects in UK after they finish their course. There are wide ranges of jobs available within the field of Biology and chemistry. Students who are interested to study Chemistry, Biology, Biotechnology, Biotechnology, Life Science, Bioinformatics, etc. UK Universities offer wide range of courses with work placement option.

Business and Finance

Graduates from Business and Finance background also have equal job opportunities as engineering graduates. 90% of graduates have managed to get employed in to full time job. Graduates with prior work experience have high employment opportunities in UK.

Veterinary Science

There is a good demand for Veterinary Science graduates in UK and it is also a key area to study for International students. Graduates form Veterinary degree have similar employment rate at 93% as good as Medicine and Engineering graduates.

Average salaries in UK for different professions:

How much do I get paid in UK?

Work Placement option In UK (United Kingdom)

Extend your course with work placement option!

Many universities in UK have added “Work placement option” to some range of programs which provides you an opportunity to extend your one year master to 2 years by adding 9-12 months of work placement option as a part of your curriculum. This Work placement option would really help you to secure your future employment by giving you prior Industrial Experience before passing out from the university.

How does “Work Placement Option” Works?

If student is intended to extend their course with Work placement option, they have to apply for it during first semester itself through Career centre. With the help of Talent team or Career service centre, Universities will help you to Identify, Prepare and apply for wide range of Work placement opportunities at different companies. If you are able to secure your work placement at any of the company then you will begin your Work placement once you completing your course modules. But be informed that this optional work placement option will cost you additional fee which would be approximately 20% of your first year tuition fee, this needs to be paid once you secured your Placement.

Note:

• “Work placement” is optional and up to student interest
• “Work placements” are not guaranteed and students are responsible to secure their own work placement, but any way they will be supported by placement teams of the university to identify the opportunities
• If student changes his plan in between or could not secure his placement, still they can complete their degree in 1^st year itself.
• During “Work placement” students get supported and mentored by Academic supervisors of the University
• Student must have successfully passed their course modules before commencing your “Work placement”.

 Study Expenses in UK

How much will it cost to study in UK?

When you are planning your budget for studying abroad you must be aware of all types of expenses that are going to occur such as Tuition fee, Living Expenses, Health Insurance, Travel expenses, Visa charges etc… But proper budget planning will help you to manage your expenses effectively and to save lot of money.

Similarly when you are planning your budget for Studying in UK, ensure that you consider expenses like Food and Accommodation, Health Insurance, Travel expenses, Visa charges along with tuition fee.

Tuition fee

Tuition fee is a primary expense for anybody who is planning for studying abroad. Your expenditure on tuition fee depends on the qualification level and course that you are going to choose to study in UK. Usually top ranked universities would have higher fee while average ranked universities would have quite lesser fee. Also tuition fee also depends on where you study in UK as there are different fee in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and whales and University that you choose.

Average tuition fee for different qualification level in UK are as below:

S. No.	Study Level	Average tuition fee(GBP)
1	Undergraduate Bachelor degree	GBP 10000 – GBP 20000
2	Postgraduate Master degree	GBP 10000 – GBP 20000
3	Doctoral Degree	GBP 15000 – GBP 24000

Note: Above figures are indicative, for exact figures kindly refer University websites.

Living Expenses

You must have sufficient funds to cover your living expenses while studying in UK. Total expenditure on living expenses will depend on qualification level and location of study in UK.

According to British high commission,

• If you are studying in London, you must show £1,265 per month
• If you are studying outside of London, you must show £1,015 per month for living expenses

Student Visa cost

Students have to pay Approx. £348 for Tier 4 general student visa which     allows them to study in UK. For complete visa assistance and to know latest updates related to visa and costs feel free to consult our counsellors.

Immigration Health Surcharge

International students would have free access to medical treatment while studying in UK by National Health Service. To access this service students have to pay Immigration health surcharge Appox.300 to 450 GBP, any how it varies according to duration of your course duration.

Estimation for studying masters in UK

Expenses	In GBP(£)	In (INR)
Tuition Fee/Yr(A)	GBP 15,000	INR 13,50,000
Living Expenses/Yr(B)	GBP 10,000	INR 9,00,000
Total Expenses (X=A+B)	GBP 25,000	INR 22,50,000
(-) Part time earnings(Y)	GBP 12,000	INR 10,80,000
Net Cost to be spent by Student(X-Y)	GBP 13,000	INR 11,70,000

Note:

• Above figures have been taken on an Average, they may vary depending on the Universities and courses.
• Above estimation is for 1^st year of study, if student opts for additional “work placement option” then they will have to bear additional fee and Cost of living for subsequent year.

 Student work rights in UK (Part time work limits)

UK education is cost effective and Affordable for Indian students to pursue their higher education, but still they can reduce their education cost by working part time while studying at least to cover their Living expenses. Especially if student is not financially sound and self-sponsoring for his/her education in UK, then part time work option is going to help them a lot to support their living in UK and If he/she is taking Education loan and going to UK, then she need not have to completely depend on education loan as they can manage their living expenses from part time earning.

Who can work part time in UK and is there any limit?

Qualification Level	Work Rights
Postgraduate Degree	Can work 20 hours per week during study time & Full time during vacations
Undergraduate Degree	Can work 20 hours per week during study time & Full time during Vacations
Below Undergraduate level(Ex. Diploma)	Can work 10 hours week during study time and Full time during Vacations
Student’s dependent	Can work full time if course of student is more than 12 months study and at least NFQ level 7

Note:

• Students from Universities with Tier 4 Licence will only be entitled for these work rights.
• NFQ level 7 means courses at PG level and above, hence dependent of students from Undergraduate level and below cannot work Full time.

How much can I earn from Part time work in UK?

Let us assume you are a Master level student studying in UK, let us calculate the earnings that you can make out of Part time job while studying in UK.

During study time: 9 months * 4 weeks * 20 hours * GBP 10 * INR 90

: INR 6,48,000/-

During vacations: 3 months * 4 weeks * 40 hours * GBP 10 * INR 90

: INR 4,32,000/-

Total Earnings from part time/year : INR 10,80,000/- (Approx.)

Post study work Permit for international students in UK

Most fantastic thing is UK has announced 2 years Graduate route means post study work visa for International students on 11th September 2019, which was not there since 2012 for almost 8 years which caused drastic decrease in International students numbers from abroad. Brexit was the main reason for these developments and now as they are finally came out of European Union, succeeded in Brexit fight they are opening doors for talented International students to build their career in UK after their studies.

This Brexit did not cause any impact on UK’s Education quality and University rankings, they maintained same standard and recognition globally. Which is why still UK had been popular study abroad destination for Indian students in past years. In fact in last 2 to 4 years Indian student numbers have doubled and last year which is in 2018 it self it has increased about 42%. Now after this announcement it is expected to be doubled of this in coming intakes.

Who is eligible for this Graduate route or Post study work Visa?

As per the recent announcement made by “British High Commission” students at Undergraduate Level or above at Approved UK’s higher education provider are entitled for this route.

UK based Companies in INDIA

1	Vodafone India	Telecommunication Company
2	Shell India	Oil Industry company
3	Unilever	Consumer Goods company
4	Cadbury India	Confectionary Company
5	HSBC	Investment Banking company
6	BP(British Petroleum)	Oil Industry
7	TESCO	Retail Industry
8	GSK Pharmaceuticals	Pharmaceutical Company
9	Barclays	Financial services company
10	Standard Chartered Bank	Financial Service company
11	British Telecom	Telecommunication company
12	Marconi Telecom	Telecommunication Company
13	ICI India	Chemicals Company
14	Reuters	News agency company
15	Virgin Atlantic	Airways company
16	Marks and Spencer	Retail Company
Here are some famous UK based Car Brands in India
17	Rolls Royce	Automotive Company
18	Land Rover	Automotive Company
19	Jaguar	Automotive Company
20	Bentley	Automotive Company
21	MG Motors	Automotive Company