England is known as a country with impeccable quality of education. The reputation of the state is justified. Great Britain is the founder of a multi-stage educational model, which is now widely used in many countries of the world and is fairly considered to be British. Specialists who received diplomas in higher educational institutions of the country are highly rated on the world labor market. The degrees awarded here are credible, serve as a kind of quality sign.
- Territory - 245 thousand square meters. Km
- Population - 60.8 million people.
- The capital city is London (about 7.6 million people)
- Language - English
- Currency - Pound Sterling (GBP)
In the twenty-first century, the development in the United Kingdom has developed in the following areas: multimodal communications, molecular electronics and biology, and nanotechnology. The level of standards of classical teaching is also high: philosophical, historical, literary, any other humanitarian. The country is also known for highly qualified specialists in the field of finance, economics, law.
United Kingdom in figures
Open to innovations, rich in historical traditions, the state is actively developing. Today Britain is in the 6th place in the world in terms of GDP. Only 1% of the world's inhabitants live in the country. At the same time, 8% of the world's scientific work is published here annually. British scientists are awarded more than a hundred Nobel Prizes.
The system of higher education of the country
In England the structure of higher education is represented by university colleges, universities, higher colleges, polytechnic institutes. For the most effective training it is recommended to visit the country from a young age, choose primary education in the UK and adapt to the local educational system. Students study in more than 180 institutions of various levels and specializations. The lion's share of universities is in the country to universities. There are more than a hundred of them in Britain. Formation of educational policy in the country is carried out by universities. The state controls the quality of the work of teaching staff. One of the monitoring tools is the RAE research, its purpose is to determine the conformity of university programs to high educational standards. Also, the quality control function of education lies with QAA. The organization encourages educational institutions to improve programs, monitors compliance with requirements for institutions.
Education in the UK , according to the model adopted here, is a two-stage one. On the bachelor, students from Northern Ireland, Wales, England study for 3 years. In Scotland, four-year programs are offered. Students who graduate from the course receive a First Degree degree. Among graduates-bachelors in the UK, about 10% are foreigners.
The master's program assumes a one-year course. The share of foreign students in universities reaches 45%. The last stage of higher education in Britain is doctoral studies. Three-year training ends with the defense of the thesis.
Admission to the baccalaureate in the country is centralized, carried out through the UCAS system. The applicant can submit his application form in 6 institutions. UCAS has been working electronically since 2006. Consider the applications of applicants until June. Sending questionnaires to foreigners is recommended until December of the year preceding the year of study. When receiving a positive response from several universities, the student must decide, by July, where he will study. He receives a confirmation of his enrollment in August. UCAS does not accept applications from part-time students, evening people. When choosing one of these (or mixed) forms of education, the documents are submitted directly to the selected institution.
Admission to the course is based on the results of A-level or IB. You can take courses on the program. Schools working on IB, there are in a number of countries in the world, including in Russia. The international certificate allows the applicant to enter the university without taking additional tests. The higher the IB score, the greater the chances of studying at the priority faculty at the chosen university.
To prepare for university enrollment in England, another Foundation program is provided, which is obtained after the main secondary education in Britain. Such courses are offered by international colleges (for example, Bellerbys College, issuing a certificate recognized by 50 educational institutions of the country). In Scotland, the SIFP program at the University of Glasgow is popular.
The course of preparation for the university presupposes language training (its result is a sufficient score for IELTS - up to 7.0), the systematization, the repetition of school knowledge, the study of special disciplines and subjects (philosophical, business direction, management, etc.). Also, students master academic skills, practice writing essays, lecturing, drawing up reports, preparing and defending abstracts.
Preparatory courses are offered in the UK full-time and remote. Online technologies significantly expand the capabilities of modern students.
Higher education institutions in Great Britain
Each higher education institution has its own characteristics. University College from the University differs mainly in size. In the educational institution, a limited number of faculties are offered to students' attention. But at the same time in most university colleges there are strong enough scientific centers. Diplomas issued by institutions are listed in the world.
Polytechnic institutes are distinguished by the training of technical specialists. Every year the line between polytechnics and classical universities is eroding more and more. Modern technical universities are called "the newest". They are distinguished by high quality of teaching and academic preparation of students.
Higher colleges specialize in the preparation of bachelors. They are more often divided in the directions. In Britain there are musical, theatrical, pedagogical, other colleges.
The main link of the educational system of the country is represented by universities. They are divided into 3 categories. The first includes Cambridge and Oxford founded in the Middle Ages, the universities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, St. Andrews. The second group is represented by the universities of the XIX century, known as "red brick". These are the educational institutions of Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, Reading, a number of other industrial cities. Many of the educational institutions of the group are among the most prestigious in the country. The third group is the universities of the twentieth century. Among them there are also universities with an impeccable reputation, in particular the Warwick educational institution.
In the UK, as in other countries, there are associations of universities. They include institutions that have certain achievements in the field of science. The British association Russell Group includes 20 different universities. The organization accounts for half of the doctoral degrees, 65% of research grants. Membership in the Russell Group are Cambridge, Oxford, King's College London, London School of Economics, Glasgow High Schools, Edinburgh, Universities in Leeds, Birmingham, Warwick, Liverpool, Manchester.
Teaching and living: the financial aspect
The price of training in the country depends directly on the prestige of the university. Also the role is played by a specific specialty. The natural-science, engineering direction is considered more expensive, the humanitarian is distinguished by reasonable prices.
The bachelor's degree in humanitarian studies costs the students a year at 7500 - 15000 GBP, technical - 10,000 - 15,000 GBP. The most expensive in the UK, as elsewhere in the world, are medical faculties. Here the year of training can cost 18 - 25 thousand.
The master's programs (postgraduate) programs cost students 6.5 thousand to 30 thousand GBP. In ordinary HEIs, these amounts are final. In the most prestigious there are additional costs. For example, in Cambridge and Oxford, a student pays an annual fee of 3 to 5 thousand for the right to study at a university.
Accommodation in Britain can have a different cost. The most economical is the accommodation in the student hostel. The cost of accommodation here is 3 - 9 thousand GBP per year (academic). The apartment will cost more. For example, in London, south-eastern cities of Britain, the cost of housing varies from 100 to 500 GBP / week.
The cost of food is 100 - 200 GBP / week, a small amount will also have to spend on transport. The purchase of textbooks will cost the student 250-400 GBP.
Scholarships for foreigners
Scholarship programs in the UK are few. Especially it concerns the bachelor's degree. The distribution of scholarships for first-year students is provided by universities. Various requirements are put forward for the candidates, but the main one is the excellent academic performance.
For masters there are several scholarships. The most popular program is the Chevening Scholarship Program. It is financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, supported by the leading universities of the country. The scholarship usually covers living expenses and training. Candidates are given age, academic requirements, professional. Foreigners who are not older than 35 years old who apply for a master's degree in international relations, media, management, law, economics (except for MBA), urban planning, telecommunications, public administration, health, and environmental protection may apply for the scholarship. Future fellows should be fluent in English, have a high score in a bachelor's degree, at least 2 years of work experience.
Grants to masters are issued by British universities. Their programs are working in many universities of the country. For example, Oxford annually allocates more than 200 scholarships in various programs.
Work and study
Foreign students in the UK can start working during their studies. Employment should not exceed 20 hours / week. On vacation students work for a full day. For work, you need to get a work permit at the local employment office. The opportunity is given to students studying for one-year and longer programs.
Foreign students can work in various spheres. More often it is service (cafe, refueling, washing, etc.), families (cleaning, walking dogs, etc.). The remuneration of students varies from 3.5 to 7 GBP per hour on average.
Visa
For foreigners who plan to study for more than 6 months, long-term student visas . You can get one in the UK visa center. The basis for issuing a visa is to confirm the fact of enrolling in an institution of higher learning. Also, the student will need to confirm his / her solvency. The package of documents includes: an extract from the bank account, a certificate of income, copies of diplomas and / or certificates, a questionnaire. In addition, to obtain a visa you need a passport with a validity of at least six months after the completion of studies in Britain.
