Study Guide to UK
The United Kingdom consists of four countries, united under one government. The countries are England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The top universities in UK are University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, London School of Economics, Imperial College London, University of Durham etc. Most of the best colleges in the country are situated in London.
Sociology and Social Studies, Law, Business Management, Computer Science, Communications/Media are the popular courses Indian students pursue in UK.
Safety in UK
As a student, you will be as safe in the UK as you are at home. You will find that the country is multicultural and you will soon have friends from all over the world.
Weather
England - Compared to other places in UK, England is sunnier throughout the year. On some occasions, there can be strong winds. Also, the rains are unpredictable and it could rain at any time during the year. London, Manchester, Birmingham are some of the popular cities. The average temperature in summers is around 25°C to 15°C; in winters it is around 7°C to 0°C.
Scotland - The climate of Scotland is temperate and can be very unpredictable. Rainfall is not uniform across Scotland, with the western parts getting a lot more rains than the eastern parts. Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen are the major cities. The average temperature in summers is around 19°C to 10°C; in winters it is around 6°C to -1°C.
Wales - In Wales, most of the rain tends to fall between October and January. Days in winters are shorter and the region experiences snow. Summers are warmer than other parts of UK. Cardiff, Newport, Swansea are some of the popular cities here. The average temperature in summers is around 23°C to 12°C; in winters it is around 8°C to 1°C.
Northern Ireland – This region has relatively mild winters and cool summers. Northern Ireland is cloudier than England and gets less sunshine comparatively. Belfast, Lisburn, Newry are some of the popular cities here. The average temperature in summers is around 19°C to 10°C; in winters it is around 8°C to 0°C.
Accommodation
You decide whether you want to live in university managed accommodation, or with a private landlord. Choosing university managed accommodation can also give you a catered or self-catered option. The catered accommodation offers the benefits of your meals being cooked for you and a degree of certainty with meal costs.
If you have an idea about what you prefer, the accommodation office at your university will be able to tell you what accommodation they have available - so that’s the place to start. If you are thinking of renting from a private landlord or if your chosen university can’t offer you anything in its own residential facility, the accommodation office should be able to provide you with a list of private properties and landlords in the area.
The kind of accommodation options available would be -
Short-term accommodation: Hostels and hotels. Temporary housing which may be offered through your institution while you get settled. Talk to your institution's international support staff or check their website for details.
Rental: You can rent or 'lease' a property by yourself or with friends. This can be done through a real estate agent or privately.
On-Campus: Living can be a great option to minimize travel. Most universities have comfortable and furnished apartment-style living on campus or close by.
Home stay: This option allows you to live with a family in their home.
Orientation
Orientation week is mandatory for international students, to ensure that you arrive before it starts. This is the time where you will be introduced to the university and its services, as well as enroll in your classes. It is essential that you read your guidebook, which is provided by the college. The guide explains each part of the admission process.
Activities
Along with sports, colleges offer extra-curricular activities that provide students with a wide range of experiences. Music, drama, science and literary societies in colleges offer opportunities for outdoor education and other leisure activities. Visits to theaters, concerts, and places relevant to the courses of study such as art galleries and museums, religious centers or historical sites, scientific companies and projects are all part of college life.
Academic Requirements
These vary between study programs and levels. For each course, Indian students will need to meet a minimum English language requirement. Along with that a minimum academic record of 65% and above for humanities stream in class XII, and 70 - 80% and above for Science/Commerce stream in class XII will also be required. Foundations and Diploma programs are available for students who have secured below 60%. The student should have completed 18 years of age before joining a degree program.
Documents required by UG aspirants for UK Student Visa
Mark sheets and certificate of tenth and twelfth
Academic transcript
English proficiency test scores: IELTS/ TOEFL/ PTE Test/ Other
Personal statement
Reference letters
Copy of passport
CV (if applicable)
The following documents also need to be submitted for post-graduate aspirants:
Attested copies of mark sheets of class X, XII, and the Bachelor's degree (if applicable)
At least, two academic reference letters from professors who have taught you most recently
If you have work experience then two letters of recommendation from the employer/manager who knows you well and can comment on your professional abilities
Statement of Purpose (SOP)
Resume
Photocopied score reports of GMAT / IELTS / TOEFL
Portfolio (in case of students applying for art and design courses & architecture programs)
Others (certificates/achievements at the state and national level and extracurricular activities)
Proof of funds
SOP: A Statement of Purpose (SOP) is your introduction to the college and admission officers. It is always written in the first person and describes the reason for applying to a particular college. It needs to highlight why you are a perfect fit for the college and why the college should accept you. The style of writing could differ from formal to casual, but it is important to remember that it should reflect your personality as well.
Essay: Essays are also required to be submitted by a prospective student. Essays are an important part of the university admissions process. Students may be required to write one or two essays, along with a few optional essays too. Common topics include career aspirations, strengths and weaknesses, skills, experiences, and reasons for considering a particular school.
LOR: A letter of recommendation (LOR) is a reference letter written by a third party describing the qualities, characteristics, and capabilities of the prospective student to recommend him to the college in terms of that individual’s ability to perform a particular task or function. The third party could be a professor, direct manager etc.
Timeline
12-18 months before enrollment
Start researching and select 8-12 universities that you will apply to. Learn about options to fund your studies.
Make custom application strategies for different universities.
10-12 months prior to enrolment
This is the time when you shift from the preparation mode to creating the application. Think hard about what makes you unique as an applicant and sketch out your strengths and self-assessment.
Register yourself and start preparing for required standardized tests like GMAT, GRE, UKCAT, TOEFL or IELTS - depending on the course and university.
10 months before enrolment
Begin by downloading admissions brochures from the university websites.
Start working on the UCAS admission form and application.
Search for and begin applying for external scholarships (if applicable).
Take standardized tests like GMAT and TOEFL.
Contact your professors and direct managers for at least two reference letters.
Begin drafting your SOP and essays.
Alongside your admission applications, plan for your expenses like applying for an education loan.
Enrolments
Apply before the deadline!
You may have to appear for a video interview in front of the admissions committee.
You will get your rejection letter via e-mail by April-June (the months may vary). The acceptance letter helps you attain student visa.
Gather paperwork for your student visa.
Depending on the deadline, you will need to notify the universities of your decision, pay a non-refundable deposit, and apply for your student visa.
Application fee: All colleges require that you pay an application fee while applying. The fee amount will differ depending upon the college and course being applied to, so check with individual colleges about their application fee.
Intake Seasons
The main intake seasons are September/ October and January/ February in the UK. The services offered by UCAS are designed for the admission to the September or October intake in the UK. You have to apply directly to a university for courses starting in January or February.
Language Exams
International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), and Pearson Test of English (PTE) are all standardized language tests, which are required to be taken for the purpose of getting admission into colleges.
General Exams
GMAT - The Graduate Management Aptitude Test is used to measure the abilities of the potential MBA aspirant to undertake higher education in the field of business or management. It measures mathematical, English, and reasoning skills of the student.
GRE - The Graduate Record Examination is another test required to be taken by students applying to graduate schools to pursue MA or MS. Increasingly many business schools are also accepting GRE scores for the purpose to granting admission for MBA.
Expenses
The cost of living depends heavily on what part of UK will you be living in along with how much you will socialize. Some of the basic elements for living as an international student in the UK are:
Accommodation rent ( on campus or off campus )
Groceries and food
Utilities like electricity, water, gas, internet
Phone bills
Text and reference books
Airfare for traveling back to India
Living Expenses
As part of the new visa requirements, if you are an international student, the UK Border Agency (UKBA) requires you to have a budget of at least £1,265 per month to study in London, in addition to the tuition fees. If the campus is outside of London, you will require a minimum budget of £1,015 per month as requested by the UKBA. On an average, you may need around £200 to £300 per week to live in or around London. It is just an estimate, and the final costs will vary depending on your lifestyle, place of residence and how much you socialize.
Costs of other essential items depend on one’s lifestyle and the place you live. Like the average food bill for a week costs £50. A meal at a restaurant can cost around £15-£25, whereas a meal at a pub can cost around £8-£12.
Health Insurance
Insurance Policy is mandatory for international students, as students have to stay abroad for a long period of time. However, now students need not buy a separate health insurance policy, as now it is part of the student visa issued to them. The insurance helps students during the time of hospitalization as it covers all costs and they do not need to pay any money themselves
UK Scholarships for Indian Students
Merit and need-based fee waivers are awarded to international students. Candidate with strong academics, good performance in standardized exams and extracurricular achievements would be eligible for scholarship awards and financial assistance.
Documents required: The documents usually needed for a scholarship application are as follows, although the requirements may differ:
Academic records and photocopies
A recent CV
A letter of intent, which acts as a cover page
Certificate of language proficiency (TOEFL or IELTS scores)
Letters of Reference (LOR)
Loans
Student eligibility criteria: The first thing is to be aware of is whether you are eligible to apply for the loan or not. The general eligibility criteria that are followed by all the banks are –
You should be an Indian national
You must have a strong academic record
You must be seeking admission to a professional, technical or another course of studies
Most banks maintain that the selected course should be job oriented.
You must have secured admission to foreign university institutions
You must be above the age of 18 years or else your parents can avail the loan
Eligibility of course: You may not get a loan on every course. Here are the kinds of courses that qualify for the education loan.
For Graduation: Job oriented professional or technical courses offered by reputed universities
For Post Graduation: MCA, MBA, MS or even diplomas
These courses could be from foreign universities or institutes approved by the state and central government.
Loan amount: If your total fee is Rs 10 lakh, the bank may offer to give a loan of 80% of the amount and you will have to put in the balance 20%. This is called the margin amount. The maximum loan amount offered by banks for studies abroad is generally around Rs 20. If your tuition fees amount is Rs 30 lakh, you’ll have to manage the rest of the funds by yourself. Some banks charge a processing fee, while others don’t. it may be a fixed amount or a percentage of the total loan amount. So if the bank charges you 1% as processing fee, that will be an additional cost you’ll have to cover.
Documentation required: You will have to provide the acceptance letter sent by the University reflecting that you have been selected for the course and the schedule of fees. You will also need to show the mark sheet of the last qualifying examination to show your academic record.
All banks have different requirement for documentation, so you need to confirm with the bank first.
Repayment: Repayment starts only after the course period. If the student got employed within one year after completion of the course, the repayment should start immediately after the expiry of one month from the date of employment.
If you do not secure a job within a year of completing the course, then repayment starts irrespective of whether or not you are employed. The loan is generally to be repaid in 5-7 years after commencement of repayment. If the student is not able to complete the course within the scheduled time, an extension of time for completion, of course, may be permitted for a maximum period of two years. Generally, you will get up to a maximum number of 10 years to repay the loan
UK Student Visa Application
You should have the following documents before applying:
A completed student visa application form
A letter of acceptance on the course: Your approved education provider will give you an acceptance letter and a visa letter which are official and unconditional offers of a place on a course of study. The visa letter must be issued no more than six months before you apply. The applications where the visa letters are older than six months will be refused.
Having a visa letter does not guarantee the application will be successful. The applicant must meet all the requirements of the category and any other requirements of the immigration rules.
Proof of funds: The money you need to show covers your course fees for your first year of study and living costs for up to a maximum of nine months. The amount you will need depends on whether you are applying as a child or adult and also whether you will be studying in or out of London. You must show that you have held the money for at least 28 days. The end of that 28 day period must not be more than one month before the date of your application.
You will need £1,334 per month (for up to 9 months) for courses in London
You will need £1,023 per month (for up to 9 months) for courses outside London
You must be able to speak, read, write and understand English
You must have consent from your parents if you’re 16 or 17
The fee for the UK Student Visa (formerly Tier 4 (General) Student Visa) is £363 if a student is applying from outside the UK
Application Process
Step 1 - Check if you qualify
You must be able to show that you have:
Confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS).
Enough to cover your course fees and living costs in the UK.
Step 2 - Get your documents ready
For every document you provide, you must include the original document and a photocopy.
A signed copy of your completed visa application form
A valid passport
1 passport-sized color photograph which meets the photo guidelines
Evidence of your confirmed place at the University
Any previous passports to show your previous travel history
If you send a document that is not in English, it must be accompanied by a full translation that can be verified
Step 3 - Apply online
You will need to register and create an account on the official UK Visa website.
When you have completed your online application form, you will need to print and sign your completed form. You must use the online appointment calendar to book an appointment at the visa application center. When you have completed your online application, you will receive an email message containing your application number.
Step 4 - Pay your application fee
There are 4 ways to pay your visa application fee.
Payment at Standard Chartered Bank - You can pay your fee at some branches of the Standard Chartered Bank. The bank will issue a demand draft in favor of the 'The British High Commission'.
Demand draft from a nationalized or foreign bank - You can pay your fee by getting a demand draft issued by a nationalized or a foreign bank. Bank charges for this service will vary. The demand draft must be in favor of the 'The British High Commission’.
Payment at the visa application center - You can pay the visa application fee at the visa application center when you submit your visa application.
Pay online - You can pay your visa application fee online using a Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card.
Step 5 – Visit the visa application center on the appointed date
You must book and attend an appointment at our visa application center to submit your application and facial photograph and fingerprints.
Work Permit (PSW UK)
The UK government has announced the reinstatement of the two-year post-study work visa for international students. The new immigration rules will benefit those international students who are planning to pursue their higher studies in the UK starting from 2020-21.
The UK post-study work visa allows international students to stay back in the UK to search for work for a period of 2 years after completing their graduate studies. Doctoral Ph.D. students will be eligible for 3 years stay back. PSW UK (UK Graduate Visa) will attract £715 application fee and £624 healthcare surcharge per year.
Visa for Spouse
A Visa holder in the UK gets a Dependent Visa for the same duration as the primary applicant. This is applicable for Master's degree applications only. Undergraduates cannot take dependants with them to the UK.
If you have a student visa, your dependents apply as 'dependant of a Points Based System migrant'. Each dependant completes a separate application form and pays a separate fee.
Along with your own maintenance funds, you need to show an additional £600 for each dependant for each month that you are applying for up to a maximum of 9 months' maintenance funds. You can use a scholarship to cover the maintenance funds for your dependents if you already have got a scholarship. The scholarship letter must state that funds are also intended for your dependants.