Studying Abroad in England | Requirements, Cost, Top Universities

England is one of the most fantastic study destinations most international students choose when it comes to pursuing an academic career. You may ask, Why?

I will tell you….

The record shows that England is one country that academically and culturally challenges students and still making the learning process very flexible and easy for them.

Also, with just going to England for study or work, you have a wider range of opportunities that can easily take you to other western European countries.

That’s amazing right?

Great!

Howbeit, England also houses top-notch academic institutions (Colleges and Universities) that offer high standard degree programs at various levels to both national and international students.

With this feature, you are sure of a wide range of programs to choose from. And this is what most students crave when it comes to studying.

So, if you’re still uncertain that England is a country you want to make your study destination, first consider the numerous benefits you will miss if you end up toying with that idea.

The wisest decision is to make up your mind. And once you’ve done that, the next step is to get a sense of what it’s going to take you. This includes getting the admission requirements, cost, and available schools offering the degree program you want to pursue.

Now, considering the stress you will pass through in scouting for the above information, we have decided to help you by making this article.

In this article, you will learn about Study Abroad in England requirements, costs and the available universities whose programs are top-notch.

The table of contents below will assist you in navigating through the article easily.

About England

England, the UK’s largest country, has a wonderful history worth exploring. In addition to the bustling capital of London (home to 8.9 million people), there are several major cities such as Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Bristol, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Leeds, all of which are easily accessible to students.

Thousands of families from around the world have chosen to live in England, which gives the country a rich and multicultural atmosphere.

The nightlife and cultural offerings are varied throughout the country and there is always something to do.

Among the entertainment and attractions students enjoy are art galleries, concerts, open-air markets, sports games, and bars.

Why Should I study in England?

England has been one of the world’s best destinations for research. With roots of excellence dating back hundreds of years, high-class institutions in every corner, and much more versatility than many other nations, the country has a lot to give to foreign students that other English-speaking countries cannot.

So what exactly makes England stand out? Why would you like to travel to England as a place to advance your foreign education?

Read on, you will know why.

England Education Degrees are Gobally Recognized

Degrees and certificates from England higher education institutions are recognised around the world as high-quality and world-class.

Some of the oldest universities with familiar names, such as Oxford and Cambridge, set this level of perfection, but the practice continues on to many universities and colleges throughout the United Kingdom.

England Has Affordable Tuition Cost

Since your degree will generally take less time to complete in England compared to other states in the UK.

Although four-year programs are becoming more popular, most degree programs in England take three years, and a master’s program usually ranges from one to two years.

International students can manage their affairs to make their education in the England affordable, UK policymakers are seeing a worrying trend in the cost of tuition for non-EU students. With exchange rates rising, life in the UK can get very expensive.

Also, unlike many other EU countries, non-EU students are charged higher fees in the UK than students from EU countries.

There is Growing Study Destination

International students have always been an important force in England, and their numbers have been increasing increasingly over the years.

England is the second most popular destination for foreign students, behind the USA. The UK has worked hard to capitalize on the rising need for English-language schooling and the post-9/11 visa barriers in the US.

England has large Job Opportunities

Typically an international student in the UK is allowed to work up to 20 hours per week during the semester, and even full time when school is out of the semester.

She should consult with her international advisor at her school before beginning any work; she does not want her visa violated and the rules change frequently.

Keep in mind that finding a job is not always easy, so relying on earned income to fully fund your education is not a good idea.

Unless you had an established job at your school prior to your arrival, you should plan to fund the entire first year of your studies without any earned income. Visit our Visa and Immigration pages for more details on working in the UK as an international student.

The country offers more student Grants / loans

Financing an international education can be difficult. The best approach involves a lot of preparation, careful analysis of your budget, hard work researching, and applying for scholarships. There are many scholarships and loans available for students who wish to study in the UK.

Gateway to Europe

With the addition of the Canal Tunnel and low-cost airlines, reaching Europe is easier than ever. You can reach most of Europe from the UK in a few hours by direct train or plane.

If you are studying in London or Manchester and you want to spend the weekend in Italy, you can travel directly to Rome, Milan, Pisa, Genoa, Venice or several other cities in Italy.

The direct flight will last around 2 hours and the costs will vary depending on the travel time and the reservation time. Visit the Getting Around section for more information on traveling to the UK.

A multicultural nation

The UK is known for its multicultural society, in which almost all religions and beliefs are represented. With a mix of races, ethnicities, and religions, the UK is very open to new traditions and cultures, which is great for students from other countries.

What will it Cost to study in England?

What it will cost you to study in England will be dependent on the program, institution, and some other factors. The cost of studying in England includes tuition cost, traveling cost, living cost and so many other costs. Let’s look at the costs.

Tuition Fees

Here is a break down of the tuition fees in some of the top universities in England:

UniversityUndergraduate Tuition Fee Per YearMasters Tuition Fee
Oxford£9,250-£37,000£8,000-£3,0000
Cambridge£9,250-£35,000£9,000-£30,000
Imperial College London£9,000-£10,000£4,400-£45,000
UCL£9,250-£10,000£8,000-£47,000
King’s College London£9,250-£10,000£2,000-£50,000

Cost of Living

The table below is a break down of the average cost of living in England:

EXPENSEESTIMATED COST
Meals$7.84, inexpensive fast food meal$19.61, pub or inexpensive restaurant meal$340, average monthly food expenses
Rent$1,000 – $2,250 for a 1 bedroom in the city center$850 – $1,581 for a 1 bedroom in the suburbs$915 per person for a shared 3 bedroom in the city center$653 per person for a shared 3 bedroom in the suburbs
Utilities and internet$226 for an 85 square meter apartment if not included in rent
Cell phoneAbout $30 per month
TransportationAbout $70 per month
Personal expenses$86.14, 1 pair of jeans$6.54, 0.5L of domestic draught beer$3.70, cappuccino$13, movie ticket
TotalAbout $1,000/month, not including rent

Cost of Airfare & Travel

Aside from the cost of living, your traveling expenses are another thing to consider as an international student. You’ll need to buy round-trip airfare to England. Then decide whether or not you’ll want to travel home for the holidays or any special occasions while you’re studying abroad.

Also, you’ll probably want to explore England and perhaps the rest of Europe on weekends or during school breaks, so you’ll have to think about those costs as well.

For instance, round-trip flights to England from the USA can cost $400 to $1,000. This is based on the time frame and the airport you’re flying from.

Then if you’re coming from the Northeast, you can get a round-trip ticket for around $300 during the non-peak season from New York or Boston.

During peak season, expect $600 to $800. For south tickets can cost anywhere from $400 to $1,400, from the west coast, the cost ranges from $300 to $700 from California, and $700 to $1,000 from the Pacific Northwest.

What are Study Aboard in England Requirements?

There are many different entry requirements depending on the type of study you have chosen in the UK.

The best thing about learning in the UK is that even though you don’t meet the criteria of one course, you can select another at a different level and work your way up.

England provides a variety of study opportunities to fit foreign students at all stages. Check this out!

Improve your English language skills

You will need a good knowledge of English before you can study in UK higher and higher education institutions.

Studying an English language course in the UK, such as Academic English (EAP) or a pre-sessional course, will prepare you for further study.

Another option is to take an English language test such as IELTS in your home country before coming to the UK.

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is the world’s leading English language test of its kind, which assesses all four language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. IELTS is recognized by more than 1,000 UK institutions and the test is available in more than 125 different countries.

You can also take the Pearson Test of Academic English (PTE Academic), which is taken online at Pearson Test Centers. The test is recognized by more than 100 institutions in the UK and it accurately measures the skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing of English to non-native speakers.

Now, let’s look at the requirements based on the study levels:

The credentials you require will depend on the course you choose to take.

You are expected to have completed at least 13 years of education in your own country or in the United Kingdom. Then, have a pre-university qualification equal to UK A-level, Scottish Higher or National Diplomas.

If you don’t have these credentials yet, don’t panic – you can still study at a UK university.

Required qualifications:

  • HND: Must have qualifications equal to one or two UK A-levels. Then, two Scottish Higher or Higher National Qualification or BTEC National Diploma; or International Foundation Year. IELTS 5.5-6.0 plus.
  • Foundation Degree: Must have qualifications equal to one or two UK A-levels. Then, one or two Scottish Higher or a National Diploma; or an Overseas Foundation Year. IELTS 5.5-6.0 Plus.
  • Diploma of Higher Education: Must have qualifications equal to one or two UK A-levels. Then, two or three Scottish A-levels or a National Diploma; or an Overseas Foundation Year.

Qualifications equal to two or three UK A-levels, three or four Scottish Highers, a Higher National Qualification or Qualification, or a BTEC National Certification, or a Foreign Foundation Year. IELTS 6.0-6.5 Plus.

You would need to have an undergraduate degree from the UK or abroad to start a postgraduate course in the UK.

You will be able to achieve a first or a decent 2:1 (or a foreign equivalent) in a closely relevant subject, and you will need to speak at least IELTS 6.5 in English for most of the courses.

Required Qualifications:

  • The Premaster’s: Graduate degree and IELTS 5.0-5.5.
  • PG Cert/PG Dips: Graduate degree and IELTS 6.5-7.0, or pre-master course.
  • Master’s degree: First or upper-class undergraduate degree and IELTS 7.0, or pre-master course.
  • MBA: First degree, 2-3 years of business experience, and IELTS 6.5-7.0.
  • Ph.D.’s: Master’s degree and IELTS 6.5-7.0.

In order to apply to a UK independent school, you would need to have a decent level of education from your own country.

You may not be required to have completed standardized examinations, however you might be asked to attend the school’s own entry test in subjects such as English and Mathematics.

Some schools may expect you to attend the entrance exams in English and Mathematics. Many schools still use the traditional entrance test to prepare.

The credentials you require will depend on the course you choose to take. Few qualifications (such as A-level Scottish Highers and BTEC National Diplomas) are below university level and lead directly to higher education.

Others (such as HNDs and foundation degrees) are university-level credentials that allow you to take a degree in the second or third year.

Qualifications required :

  • BTEC National Diploma: Good general high school education equivalent to four GCSEs grades A-C, plus IELTS 4.5-5.0
  • AS/A-levels: Good general high school education equivalent to five GCSEs grades A-C, plus IELTS 4.5-5.0
  • Scottish Highers/Advanced Highers: Good general high school equivalent to six Standard Grade qualifications grades 1-3, plus IELTS 4.5-5.0
  • International Foundation Year: Twelve years of school education or equivalent in your own country, plus IELTS 4.5-5.0
  • HND: Qualifications equivalent to one or two UK A-levels, two or three Scottish Highers or a BTEC National Diploma or an international foundation year, plus IELTS 5.5-6.0
  • Foundation Degree: Must have qualifications equivalent to one or two UK A-levels, two or three Scottish Highers or a BTEC National Diploma or an international foundation year, plus IELTS 5.5-6.0

How many Universities are in England?

England houses up to 106 universities in England and 5 university colleges. This excludes Higher Education Institutions that are not full fledge Universities.

  • University of Oxford
  • University of Cambridge
  • Imperial College London
  • UCL
  • University of Manchester
  • London School of Economics and Political ScienceKing’s College London
  • University of Warwick
  • University of Sheffield
  • Queen Mary University of London
  • University of Birmingham
  • The University of Bristol
  • University of Southampton
  • The University of York
  • Lancaster University
  • University of Nottingham
  • Durham University
  • The University of Leeds
  • University of Sussex
  • University of Liverpool
  • The University of Exeter
  • University of Leicester
  • University of Reading
  • Newcastle University
  • University of East Anglia
  • University of Bath
  • Brighton and Sussex Medical School

Others includes:

  • St George’s, University of London
  • University of Surrey
  • University of Kent
  • Anglia Ruskin University ARU
  • University of Essex
  • Birkbeck, University of London
  • Brunel University London
  • Royal Holloway, University of London
  • City, University of London
  • Loughborough University
  • Northumbria University
  • Aston University
  • Liverpool John Moores University
  • Bournemouth University
  • Middlesex University
  • Coventry University
  • Goldsmiths, University of London
  • University of Plymouth
  • Royal Veterinary College
  • The University of the West of England
  • University of Hull
  • Keele University
  • University of Bradford
  • De Montfort University
  • University of Brighton
  • Birmingham City University
  • University of Lincoln
  • SOAS University of London
  • University of Portsmouth

What are the Best Study Abroad Universities in England?

Here are the best Universities in England that accommodates both national and international students:

#1. University of Oxford

The exact date of the founding of the University of Oxford is unknown. There is evidence that teaching began around 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest functioning university in the world.

Spread across the medieval city center of Oxford, the university consists of 44 colleges and corridors, with over 100 libraries, making it the UK’s largest library system.

Oxford is a modern, research-driven institution, but its special strength lies in science, and medicine in particular. If the Department of Medical Sciences had a university in its own right, it would be the fourth largest in the UK.

Oxford is also among the top 10 universities in the world for life sciences, physical sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities.

#2. University of Cambridge

Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the fourth oldest university in the world and the second oldest university in the English-speaking world.

The campus is located in the center of the city, with other buildings listed on or near the River Cam. There are 31 independent universities, in which students attend small group tutoring sessions called faculty supervision.

There are over 18,000 students at Cambridge, almost 4,000 from a group of 120 different countries. It is also home to 100 libraries with more than 15 million books, nine museums of art, science and culture, and a botanical garden.

Cambridge University Press, the university’s publishing company, has more than 50 offices around the world and produces up to 45,000 titles covering all types of academic research, education, and Bible publication.

Covering all possible categories, 92 of the university’s affiliates have received Nobel Prizes.

Related Article: University of Cambridge Scholarship Opportunities

#3. Imperial College London

Imperial College was established as a university in 1907, as a result of the merger between the Royal College of Sciences, the Royal School of Mines, and the City and Guilds College.

It is a scientific institution in central London, located around the South Kensington museum district, and was part of Prince Albert’s mission to make this area a center of education.

Imperial’s focus is on science, engineering, medicine, and business. It is home to the largest concentration of high impact research of any major UK university. He has 14 Nobel laureates, including Sir Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin.

Notable alumni include author H.G. Wells, Queen’s guitarist Brian May and Sir Liam Donaldson, a former UK medical officer.

#4. University of California

Founded in 1826 to provide higher education to those normally excluded from it, the University of California became the first university in England to admit women on equal terms with men, in 1878.

UCL is a constituent college of the University of London and a member of the Russell Group. Based in the heart of London, it has a student body of 36,000 students and around 850 teachers. International students, from almost 150 countries, represent a third of the population.

The institution has one of the largest graduate systems in the country, with approximately 52 percent of students participating in graduate programs.

UCL was the first British university to open a campus in Doha, Qatar, and it also has a presence in Adelaide, South Australia.

With 29 Nobel Prizes awarded to UCL alumni or staff, the university has been the hothouse of many important scientific figures, including William Ramsay, who discovered the noble gases in 1904.

#5. London School of Economics and Political Science

Founded in the late 19th century by members of the Fabian Beatrice, Sydney Webb, Graham Wallace, and George Bernard Shaw Society, the purpose of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) were to improve society by “studying the problems of poverty. and the analysis of inequality “.

LSE is one of the most prestigious social science universities in the world, specializing in economics, politics, sociology, law and anthropology. It is located near Aldwych, in central London, where King George V laid the foundation stone for the “old building” in 1920. It is home to 10,500 students from more than 140 countries.

In addition to partnerships with 16 Nobel Prize winners, the London School of Economics counts 37 former or current world leaders among its students.

FAQs

England houses up to 106 universities in England and 5 university colleges.

Imperial College was established as a university in 1907.

The best universities in England include:
University of Oxford
University of Cambridge
Imperial College London
University of Calfornia

Reference

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