Study in United Kingdom
Brief Background: The United Kingdom, which encompasses England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, is home to 164 higher education institutions offering postsecondary degree programs.
2018-2019, the UK enrolled 485,645 international (non-EU) students. Of the more than 18,000 US students pursuing full degrees in the UK, about 7,000 were undergraduates. The most popular courses of study for American students include social studies, historical and philosophical studies, biological sciences, business and administrative studies, and creative arts and design.
Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings 2019 listed four British institutions among the top 20 universities in the world: The University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, and University College London. These institutions are members of the Russell Group, an organization representing 24 leading UK universities committed to outstanding research and teaching.
The UK has six ancient universities which are extant medieval universities and early modern universities founded before 1600. Four of the ancient universities are in Scotland and two are in England. The ancient universities in the UK are among the oldest extant universities in the world.
Good to Know: A bachelor’s degree in England, Northern Ireland, and Wales can be completed in three years and degree programs tend to be very focused from the outset. Whereas, in Scotland, four years is usually standard, with breadth and flexibility offered in the first two years of study. The term course refers to what US institutions typically call a major or program of study, and are declared during the application process. Most programs are honors courses, which require students to produce a dissertation or capstone project based on independent research in their final year.
Some UK universities have courses that allow students more flexibility in their studies. Combined honors give students the opportunity to study up to three subjects, similar to having multiple majors or minors in the US. There are also broad-based courses such as a bachelor’s in liberal arts. Students who are unsure of what they want to study might want to focus on Scottish universities, as these allow students to explore additional subjects during their first year.
Professional degrees—such as law, medicine, veterinary science, and dentistry—are available at the undergraduate level. It is important to note that entry requirements for these programs tend to be more demanding than those for other majors, and the duration of the course may be longer. There might also be additional steps involved to practice with these degrees in the US.
Law
In the UK, students can study law straight after high school and the degree takes three or four years to complete. If a student decides at the end of their course that they want to become a legal professional, there are opportunities to pursue a Graduate Diploma in Law. After successful completion of this one-year course, students receive Qualifying Law Degree status, which is needed to practice law in the UK.
Students thinking of practicing law in the United States with a foreign law degree should keep in mind that each state has different requirements. The requirements for each are listed on the state-specific bar exam website and are summarized by the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ Bar Admission Guide.
Law is also offered as an academic subject that can be combined with another discipline for students who are interested in law, but may not want to practice. For example, there are dual honors options such as BA (Hons) Business and Law, BSc (Hons) Law and Psychology, and BA (Hons) Law and International Relations.
Special Entrance Requirements: The National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT) is a two-part test that is used to help admission tutors assess aptitude for studying law. LNAT is required for most law courses at the universities of Bristol, Durham, Glasgow, Kings College London, London School of Economics, Nottingham, University of Oxford, SOAS University of London, and University College London. Students should take the test prior to submitting their application via UCAS.
Application Deadline: The majority of institutions expect international students applying to law to apply by the Jan. 15 deadline.
Medicine
There are 33 medical schools in the UK that offer an undergraduate medicine program. These programs provide students the opportunity to pursue medicine without a prior degree, and typically take five to six years. Due to the number of places for international students on medicine courses being capped, the application process for international students will remain extremely competitive due to capacity, the volume of applications, and high academic qualifications required for entry.
Applications must be made through UCAS. Applicants are able to apply to up to four medical courses and their fifth application choice must be to a non-medical course. The fifth choice cannot be dentistry or veterinary science, and is recommended to be an allied health program or life science.
Entrance requirements typically include:
- The equivalent of 13 years of secondary school (although, in some cases, exceptional grades in 12-year schooling systems are accepted)
- Excellent grades in chemistry and/or biology
- Academic excellence in another science or math course (e.g., chemistry, biology, physics)
- Significant experience in a health care environment gained prior to the application submission. Experiences can be voluntary, paid work, or informal.
- Additional tests, such as the The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) and Biomedical Admissions Test (BMAT) are commonly used to assess aptitude. Applicants must find out whether additional tests are required and, if so, which tests are required by their university choice.
Interviews for medical courses normally take place in the UK between November and March. When a university receives a high volume of quality applications from a particular geographic region, interviews may be arranged at an alternative location.
The American Medical Association includes an informational page for graduates of foreign medical school programs if they wish to practice in the US. The British Medical Association also provides a resource for practicing in the US.
Application Deadline: Oct. 15 in the year before the student wants to enroll.
Veterinary Science
In the UK, students can pursue a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (BVMBVS), or Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (BVetMed). These degrees can be completed within four to six years.
Some veterinary medicine courses in the UK are accredited by American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and/or the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE), giving students the ability to practice throughout UK, Europe, North America, and Australasia.
Special Entrance Requirements: International academic entry requirements vary by institution for veterinary medicine courses, and in some cases, may be more rigorous than for BA or BSc courses. Applicants are typically expected to have relevant practical experience with handling animals. UCAT, BMAT, or an institution’s own test may be required. This will be stated on the entry requirements page of the institution’s website. Interviews are required for most veterinary medicine courses.
Application Deadline: Oct. 15 in the year before the student wants to enroll.
As part of their degree programs, many UK universities offer work placements, sometimes referred to as a sandwich year. Sandwich years are typically undertaken between the second and final year of the degree, and allow a student the opportunity to put their knowledge into practice, network with companies in their field, and earn money. This experience does not usually require an additional visa, as it is closely tied to a student’s academic course. The sandwich year might also be used to study abroad.
Academic Calendar: UK academic years run from September to May, with breaks in mid-December to early January and in March to mid- to late-April. Major exam periods are usually in January and May.
*Students are recommended to apply as early as possible at www.ucas.com/apply
Search: The British Council’s website gives students information about selecting a course and institution. Students can search for courses and institutions through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). The nonprofit organization offers a UK-specific online application system comparable to The Common Application. UCAS also provides tips and other guidance to potential students and families. Another useful website is Unistats, which allows students to compare three courses alongside one another.
UK media outlets publish university and subject league tables, which are similar to rankings. Because the UK university system is geared toward a student’s course of study, subject league tables may provide useful perspective or serve as a starting point for students looking to study a particular major. However, methodologies vary; students are urged to read the fine print, such as the number of people surveyed and the year the information was gathered.
Examples include:
- The Guardian’s University Guide
- The Complete University Guide
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
Apply: Most students, domestic and international, apply to British universities through UCAS. Over 20 British universities also participate in the Common Application Some universities also accept applications made directly to their institution.
Students can apply to a maximum of five courses in the UK, regardless of application method. The British Council recommends students apply to three target and two safety courses. Target courses are those for which a student is likely to meet the entry requirements, and safety courses are those that may require grades slightly below the student’s expected results. A student can apply to more than one course at the same institution. Admission officials at the universities where a student has applied cannot see where else the student has submitted an application.
Students considering Oxford or Cambridge can apply to only one of the two institutions. We will talk more about the application process to Oxbridge later in this section.
Students will be expected to enter their complete academic course history in the UCAS section as part of their UCAS application form, students will submit one personal statement and a letter of recommendation from an advisor, teacher, or similar academic professional. Final grades and an academically oriented personal statement are important parts of the application.
Personal statements should show “a student’s passion and motivation for applying and why they are suitable for the course,” according to UCAS. Applicants have 4,000 characters to write one statement, which is sent to all the universities where they have applied. The statement should straightforwardly reflect why the student wants to study their chosen course. Topics such as extracurricular interests or hardships overcome should be linked to how they have impacted the student’s desire and preparedness for studying their course of choice.
If a university requires additional application documents, the student will be asked to upload the documents in a Supplementary Application Questionnaire that is sent to them electronically after they have submitted their UCAS application. Counselors are sometimes required to submit supplementary documents upon request by the university.
References: Letters of reference should focus on the applicant’s suitability for studying the intended course. Application readers—admission officers or professors who teach the course—want to know whether the student is knowledgeable about the subject and has demonstrated an interest in various ways, to gauge whether they can successfully study it in depth. The letter of reference should also include a link to the school profile—particularly the curriculum—and cite any extenuating circumstances.
APPLICATION ADVICE
Advise students to apply to courses which are very similar. A personal statement that tries to weave together too many different courses will not be read favorably. For example, a student should not apply for engineering at one university and business at another.
The teacher or counselor who serves as the applicant’s academic referee will also be asked to predict final year grades or exam results. Such predictions are based on professional judgment, the student’s past performance, current progress, and the school’s historical performance. Referees are encouraged to work with department heads and the student’s teachers to provide predictions, however UCAS is aware that this is an imperfect science. Although some universities require predicted grades for the application to be considered complete, others will accept applications without them. Check with the university’s International Office to find out how critical the predicted grades are to the application. Because most offers of admission are conditional on achieving the predicted grades or scores, counselors and teachers should do their best to make fair and accurate predictions. Inflating a student’s predicted grades may result in a student missing out on a conditional offer. See the Upon Acceptance section below for more details.
Deadlines: The application season opens in early September. The deadline for applying to Oxford and Cambridge is Oct. 15, as well as medicine, dentistry, and veterinary science courses. Jan. 15 is the equal consideration deadline for all other UK universities, which students are encouraged to meet. Some institutions, however, may accept applications after the equal consideration deadline, and up to as late as six weeks before the course starts.
Some art and design courses have March deadlines so that applicants have adequate time to prepare a portfolio.
Application Fees: UCAS charges applicants 18 pounds for one course, or a total of 24 pounds for multiple courses, up to five.
Admission Requirements: Entry requirements for UK institutions are generally transparent and straightforward, and can be found on university websites or by contacting individual admission offices. A counselor can easily confirm the minimum GPA, test scores, and other requirements for admission.
Requirements typically include a combination of advanced coursework such as AP courses and test results; IB or college credits; SAT, ACT and SAT Subject test scores; in addition to a high school diploma.
Typically, students apply through UCAS without submitting a high school transcript. The high school transcript, one of the most important elements of the application process in the US, may not be considered for some colleges and universities in UK, though some may ask for it. Rather, on the qualifications section of the UCAS application form students will indicate qualifications they have already received. In this section students will also include results on any exams such as AP tests, SAT or ACT, or SAT subject tests. Qualifications that are pending, such as AP and IB exams, that will be taken after the student graduate.
Upon Acceptance: UK universities are usually able to offer admission electronically within two months of an application’s submission. Students may be admitted unconditionally or conditionally. An unconditional offer means that the student has no conditions to meet and has a place at the institution if they choose to accept it.
A conditional offer is the most common offer made to both UK and international students. If a student has a conditional offer this means there are certain requirements outlined by the institution that the student must meet to secure their spot, such as obtaining a certain final exam score (AP exams; IB scores; ACT, SAT or SAT Subject tests scores) or certain GPA. These offers are legally binding on the part of the university and cannot be rescinded.
Students who applied to five universities and received no offers of admission may have the option of adding an extra choice. UCAS Extra is a free service that allows these students to apply to one course at a time from late February up until early July. A final option, called clearing, is the period during which universities are allowed to fill any places they still have available. Clearing runs from July to September each year.
Once a student is notified of decisions, UCAS enables a student to hold two offers from institutions in the UK. The first is a firm choice, or the student’s first choice, and the second is an insurance choice, which provides the student with a safety net should they not obtain the results required by their firm choice.
Tuition and Fees: Each university sets its own fees. Annual tuition fees for international students range from about 10,000 to 21,000 pounds per year, with the exception of medical courses which can be up to 38,000 pounds per year. Some scholarships are available for international students. The British Council website can provide more details.
Housing: Many universities guarantee on-campus housing—typically single-occupancy—for first-year international students. International students are usually integrated into first-year housing with domestic students. Many student residences are self-catered, meaning students prepare and cook their own meals. In cities, for-profit, privately run residence halls are common. Many students elect to live in these private dorms or other private rental accommodations after their first year.
Minimum monthly costs for housing and other living expenses are estimated at 1,015 pounds outside London and 1,265 pounds in London by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
Visa and Other Permits: Universities typically advise admitted students on how to apply for a student visa. Visas are issued by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
Students are advised to apply for a visa as soon as their offer of admission becomes unconditional. Students must receive a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from the institution they plan to attend to complete the visa application. International students must meet the requirements for what is called the Tier 4 student visa, which is valid for the duration of an undergraduate degree program, for up to five years. To obtain a visa, students must demonstrate they have sufficient funds for living costs.
The visa application cost is 348 pounds. See the UKVI website for more information.
International students need to prove they have private health insurance, and they may be asked to pay an annual health care surcharge upfront as part of the visa application process. Students must pay the per year fee (300 pounds in 2020) for the duration of the visa.
International students are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week while courses are in session, and full-time during university breaks.
A new immigration route has been announced where by international students in the UK who have studied any subject will be eligible to stay in the UK for up to two years to find work. It is expected that this will apply to students entering the UK in the 2020-21 academic year and beyond. This will require a separate visa and application process.
Advice from the Field: The British Council provides numerous resources for international students on higher education in the UK, including a College and University Guidance Handbook.
Students who have specific questions pertinent to an individual university are advised to contact the institution’s international admission officer. Counselors should be aware that applicants have the right to request access to their recommendations under UK law. This law applies to all UK schools and their applicants, regardless of whether students have waived their FERPA rights on The Common Application. Many UK universities, particularly those in London, are known as city universities.
Similar to US universities, UK universities’ career services will continue to offer their alumni support to help them progress and develop their career. Some alumni may also choose to become involved in connecting with prospective students and sharing their experience at student recruitment events. The British Council Alumni Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of alumni and showcase the impact and value of a UK higher education. Award winners and finalists are leaders in their fields who have used their experience of studying at a UK university to make a positive contribution to their communities, professions, and countries. You can find out more about past winners and how to apply or nominate someone through the British Council website.
OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE APPLICATION PROCESS
The University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge—often referred to together as Oxbridge—are two of the most prestigious destinations for postsecondary study in the United Kingdom. Both universities are rated at the top of international rankings for quality of teaching and research. Students entering either Cambridge or Oxford can expect a challenging curriculum. Admission decisions at each university are based solely on academic indicators of a student’s ability and potential, according to stated selection criteria for each course, and, importantly, the application process for Cambridge and Oxford has some additional steps compared with other British universities.
Only a small number of courses are available for study (48 at Oxford and 30 at Cambridge), and programs of study are traditional and rigorous. The hallmark of an Oxbridge education is the focus on small-group instruction led by academic experts. At Oxford, these sessions are called tutorials; at Cambridge they are supervisions. Both systems allow students to debate and argue ideas with some of the best minds in the world.
An important caveat: Students can only apply to either Cambridge or Oxford, but not to both. Both schools have the same UCAS application deadline: Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. local time.
Students who want to attend either university should familiarize themselves with entrance requirements early in their high school years, since both universities require specific qualifications and have early deadlines.
The College System
Oxford and Cambridge are collegiate universities, meaning that a successful applicant gains a place at the university and will be a member of a college for the entirety of their undergraduate course. A college is miniature campus and is the center of undergraduate life, including sporting, musical and dramatic pursuits, and socializing.
Each college at Oxford and Cambridge differs in a number of ways, including size, location, atmosphere, and facilities, although they also have a lot of similarities. Students can research colleges of interest prior to application, but this is not compulsory.
Individual colleges are responsible for admitting their own students, although they do this on behalf of the university as a whole. Students either apply to a specific college or make an open application, meaning they will be assigned to a college based on space availability. Both universities also operate a pooling system— reallocating applicants from over-subscribed colleges to level out the application field.
Oxford or Cambridge?
Bright and motivated students who have an academic passion for a particular subject may find it difficult to decide between Oxford and Cambridge. Students must choose their course when applying, rather than declaring a major while at university. When deciding between Oxford and Cambridge, students should look first at the degrees offered by each institution, as these vary considerably. Oxford offers more joint-honors courses (e.g. philosophy, politics, and economics; or computer science and philosophy), whereas Cambridge tends to offer more single-subject honors courses, though it has recently introduced joint programs in history and politics, as well as history and modern languages.
For subjects such as history or law that are offered by both universities, students are advised to research the content of the degree course before making a final decision. Note the compulsory and optional modules, opportunities for studying abroad, and teaching and assessment methods.
Apply: International student application requirements are online.
- University of Oxford
- University of Cambridge
University of Oxford
Qualifications:
IB Diploma: Depending on the program of study, students are expected to have a total of 38, 39, or 40 points, including the core points. Specific minimum scores in certain courses may be required; students should check online for course-specific requirements. See the course listing and international qualifications webpage for details.
SAT: Oxford will accept the SAT. Students taking the SAT will need to achieve a total score of at least 1,470 out of 1,600. Oxford does not require the optional essay. For details of the University’s policy on superscoring, visit their international qualifications webpage.
ACT: A minimum score of 32 out of 36 is required. Oxford does not require the optional essay.
AP/SAT Subject Tests: SAT or ACT scores should be supplemented by at least three or more AP tests in appropriate subjects with scores of 5, or three SAT Subject Tests in appropriate subjects with scores of 700 or better.
Other Tests: Most programs also require students to take additional, subjectspecific tests. Students seeking a bachelor’s in law must take the National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT), for example, and math applicants must take the Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT). Results help to determine which candidates will be invited to interview. Some tests need to be completed before the application deadline, while others are completed after application, but before the interview. Students must check course websites to learn what tests are required and should schedule them early in the process. Most tests are administered in early November or late October. Students should check the details of which test(s) they need to take no later than early September to allow time to find and register at the nearest test center. Students are not expected to come to Oxford for their test(s), but their nearest test center may not be local. Schools and colleges may be able to register as a test center, if they haven’t already. Further details can be found through Oxford’s website.
Writing Sample: Some courses require a writing sample that demonstrates the student’s analytical, reasoning, and writing skills.
Students must submit their work by the deadline. The college that is considering their application may have particular format requirements (e.g., in PDF form), so it is important that students ensure their submissions meet these requirements.
Interviews: Course faculty, known as tutors, typically create a short list of candidates by late November or early December and then invite selected students for an interview. Applicants may receive very short notice of an interview date. Note that any travel costs incurred are at the student’s expense. The college considering the application may choose to interview the student via phone or on Microsoft Teams, but this is not guaranteed. Interviews for specific subjects take place within a designated time frame, and applicants must make sure that they are available on the dates required for their subject, although remote interviews may need to be scheduled outside of this time period, subject to the availability of the professors.
Interviewees should be well-read and knowledgeable about the subject matter of the course to which they are applying. They should also thoroughly review the selection criteria for their course, be fully familiar with what they wrote in their personal statement, be cognizant of relevant arguments, and be prepared to discuss their own views.
Offers: Students can expect a decision by the end of January of the year in which they plan to matriculate. An offer may come directly from the college to which a student applied, or it may come from another college within the university. For students who have not yet completed high school, the offer will likely be conditional on final results.
Resources:
- Interview Arrangements for International Students
University of Cambridge
Qualifications:
IB Diploma: Typical offers require scores between 40 and 42 points out of 45, with 7/7/6 in IB Higher Level subjects. Applicants may be required to achieve a 7 in a particular subject, depending on individual circumstances.
SAT: Applicants will need to achieve 750 in each component to give a combined score of 1500 for most science courses and economics; and 730 in evidence-based reading and writing and 730 in mathematics, to give a combined score of at least 1460 for all other courses.
ACT: An ACT composite score of at least 32 (for arts and humanities) or 33 (for sciences) out of 36 is accepted as equivalent to the SAT Reasoning Test scores.
AP/SAT Subject Tests: Applicants must submit a minimum of five College Board Advanced Placement (AP) tests (with scores of 5) in appropriate subjects. Note that SAT Subject Tests are not normally viewed as being equivalent to AP Tests.
COPA: The Cambridge Online Preliminary Application (COPA) is required of all applicants outside the European Union. It is a questionnaire that allows the university to collect useful information that isn’t part of the UCAS application, and to make arrangements for overseas interviews. A student’s application will be considered invalid unless the COPA is received by the relevant deadline.
Transcripts: You’ll be required to submit a high school transcript as part of your application to Cambridge. For most students, the transcript will be an official document or certificate from your school or college which lists the subjects you’ve studied and the grades/qualifications that you’ve achieved in the last or most recent two years of schooling. More information about transcript submission deadlines can be found on the University of Cambridge’s website.
SAQ: After students have submitted their UCAS application, they will be asked via email to complete a Supplementary Application Questionnaire—an online form that collects some additional information. There is also an opportunity to write a Cambridge specific personal statement here. Students are advised to pay close attention to the deadline for the SAQ. Also, be aware a student must include their COPA code, received after submitting the COPA, in the SAQ.
Admission Assessments/Other Tests: Most applicants are required to take a subject-specific admission assessment, either pre-interview or at interview. Other tests may be required, depending on the course of study. For example, applicants to mathematics and related courses must complete the Sixth Term Examination Paper (STEP). Students are urged to check the specific course website for details about any required tests.
Interviews: Applicants with a realistic chance of being offered a place are invited to attend an interview, and all those who are made an offer will have been interviewed. Candidates based in a location where there is an overseas interview option would ordinarily be expected to apply for an interview in that location, according to eligibility criteria. Cambridge interviews vary depending on subject and college, but the main focus of interviews is to explore the candidates’ academic potential, motivation, and suitability for the chosen course of study. Interviews are similar in many ways to supervisions and help selectors gauge how candidates would respond to the teaching methods used at Cambridge.
Offers: Students can expect a decision by the end of January of the year they plan to enroll. An offer may come directly from the college to which the student applied or it may come from another college, through the pooling system. For students who have not yet completed high school, the offer will usually be conditional on final results.
Resources:
- US-Specific Information
- COPA Cambridge
- SAQ Cambridge
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