With top institutions, excellent teaching standards and world-recognised qualifications, it's no surprise that the UK is one of the world’s most popular study destinations. Whether you decide to stay in the hustle and bustle of one of the big cities, or prefer the backdrop of rolling hills and mountains, there's lots to do and people from all walks of life to meet.
"It was really interesting and
helpful to see your company's
resources... You truly have some
great resources for students."
"I particularly like the page
turning function. Easy to use
and easy to read."
"This type of advice is so necessary and useful for our students... A magazine such as this has been long overdue."
"This material really supports
the research and planning processes
that the students and their
families undertake."
"Very creative and with
useful information."
"I really enjoyed the modern and interactive style of the magazines
and think that it is very clever."
"With each passing day, students everywhere are using technology with greater frequency and ease... i-studentgroup is breaking new ground in getting information about colleges and universities to students, parents, and guidance counsellors around the world."
"I went through some of the magazines on offer and was very impressed. The wealth of information on hand will certainly be very useful."
"I believe that your online resource is
a tremendous help to students and
even parents who are anxious about
university attendance."
"What an outstanding resource! I'm truly impressed, this perhaps is the best resource I've seen for students to identify schools outside going there personally."
"The site is extremely helpful and a very
useful tool for us. Looking forward to
new issues of the web magazine."
"I truly think you've done an excellent job
on i-studentadvisor. It is colourful,
informative and user-friendly."
"Terrific, fantastic, informative, appealing,
attractive, effective and wonderful!"
"We recommend the i-studentadvisor magazines and websites to our
students and families as a great research companion."
"The site was not only strictly business, but also had the type of information that students, and future scholars, want to know about. I very much enjoyed the articles and found it quite resourceful."
"I really enjoyed the way the site separates each category. This makes students able to analyse the things offered in each region."
"i-studentadvisor supplements our programme with web resources that
give up-to-date, user-friendly guidelines to make the application process
more manageable."
"The online magazine was not only organised and detailed, but also very helpful in providing a glimpse of what a student’s life would be in college."
It is essential that you spend time researching all the options for study in the UK, as your decision will affect your education, quality of life and future career. Remember you may be spending several years in your new home, so choosing the right institution in the right location is very important. Of all the decisions you will be making over the next few months, deciding what and where to study should be treated as one of the most important. It is advisable to start the process early - if possible at least one year before you are due to arrive in the UK.
Your decision should depend on a number of factors including location, course and institution. Establishing your main reason for wanting to study in the UK is a great starting point. For example, have you always wanted to study in the UK regardless of your subject choice? Or is your decision based on a particular institution specialising in your chosen subject area?
Whilst UK qualifications are normally recognised and highly regarded worldwide, it’s important that you make sure your qualification will be recognised in the country you wish to work/further study in once you have completed your course.
Choosing a course
There are many subject choices and different types of course available. Some are academic, whereas others are more vocational and work-based (such as nursing). You should make sure you know exactly what a course covers, as often courses of the same name will cover different areas; what’s included varies greatly and depends on the institution’s facilities and strengths.
You may have a specific course in mind, in which case you can narrow your search down to those institutions that offer it. However, if not then you should consider what kind of course you are interested in and may want to ask:
The UCAS course search allows you to see ‘entry profiles’ for different courses, showing entry requirements and sometimes details about the course.
Choosing a location
Your chosen course may be offered at a number of different institutions in various areas of the UK. Deciding on a location to study can be a difficult choice. The UK has all sorts of different environments, from small villages to thriving cities, seaside towns to rural countryside. You should consider what kind of environment and lifestyle you would prefer. If you'd like, and are able, to work whilst studying you may also want to consider what job opportunities there are, and also consider what your options after study will be. You may also want to consider:
Choosing an institution
There are many different higher education institutions throughout the UK and choosing the right one for you is important. As well as researching courses and areas, there are other things you should think about when considering your options, such as:
Be aware that from April 2012, you must be studying at an institution classed as a Highly Trusted Sponsor in order to obtain a student visa. This is a recent change to the student visa rules - for the most up-to-date information, see the UK Border Agency website.
The National Student Survey
The annual National Student Survey, commissioned by HEFCE, is an online survey that asks final year undergraduate students to give feedback on the quality of their course. The results can be viewed at - www.unistats.com - so prospective students can make informed choices about where to study.
You can use our free, online matching service, i-studentenquiry, to find universities, colleges and English language schools in the UK that match your preferences. Just fill out a form about what and where you would like to study and we’ll send you a list of institutions that match your requirements. Click here to visit i-studentenquiry.
