South Eastern Regional College, Southeastern College (SERC)

• Location: Northern Ireland,
• Year of foundation: 2007,
• Language of instruction: English,
• Type of education: mixed.

South Eastern Regional College is a college that offers higher education courses for international students.

About 30,000 students from all over the world study at SERC every year, and more than 1000 people work on a permanent basis.

The SERC infrastructure includes 6 campuses in different cities: Ballinahinch, Bangor, Downpatrick, Lisburn, Newtownards, Newcastle and Hollywood.

In 2009, the SERC was inspected by the Education and Training Inspectorate and recieved high rating.

The university offers a number of educational programs, including Pre-University Foundation Year, Higher National, University Foundation Degree, and Degree in subject areas.

Available educational levels:

• Level 1: BTEC, Awards, Certificates, Diplomas, NVQ, Skills for Life and Work. They are designed for those students who have a low level of qualification and want to improve it qualitatively.
• Level 2: Internships, apprenticeships. This educational stage helps students develop practical skills in specialized disciplines. One of the main educational activities of students at this level is the performance of practical tasks, internships in production.
• Level 3: BTEC, Diploma Access. It allows you to gain narrow-profile knowledge and skills so that students can understand the material at a detailed level. Successful mastering of this level helps students to get more promising job positions, enter higher education courses, etc.
• Level 4: Higher National Certifications (HNCs), top-level apprenticeship programs. Suitable for working students to enhance their skills and knowledge.
• Level 5: Higher National Diplomas (HND), Foundation Degrees, Top-Level Apprenticeship Programs. The level combines academic education with practical work so that students can fully prepare for work in a particular field, learn how to interact with modern technologies, and develop management skills and critical thinking.
• Level 6: academic degree, bachelor's degree. The educational process helps to develop analytical and intellectual skills, master the process of compiling reports.

In addition to these levels, there are introductory courses that help foreign students learn skills for life and work.

During their studies, students receive not only practical skills that are aimed at the professional development of students, but also knowledge for personal growth: teachers help SERC students develop entrepreneurial skills, soft-skills, the ability to work in a team and implement both joint and individual projects.

In addition to the main classes, SERC students can attend lessons with local tutors to improve their knowledge on problematic topics or work out specific tasks.

In extracurricular time, SERC students can take part in the activities of the Student Union: this is a democratic structure, the composition of which is chosen by the students themselves among their classmates and not only. The Students' Union organises recreational activities and improves the lives and learning of students.

SERC students can participate in the broadcasting process through the university's partnership with three public radio stations, so that people of all professions can learn how to work with the media.

• A wide range of educational courses to choose from: from full-time to part-time, from bachelor's programs to business lessons - in total, there are more than 700 educational programs with different profiles and levels on the basis of SERC.
• The SERC management actively supports all students, including foreign students: to help students, the university has a career counseling service, and there are grant programs that help pay students financial aid.
• Small educational group allow for more targeted work with each of the students. Both local and international students are taught by experienced lecturers, some of whom are professors and experts in their fields.
• Lower tuition fees than in other universities in the country and abroad, in neighboring countries.
• Each student is assigned a personal mentor or a specialist in supporting the educational process; Both of these employees are responsible for the well-being of students, their comfort and high academic performance.
• SERC supports inclusion in education, so people with any health needs can get higher education or take advanced educational courses here.
• SERC educators and administrators organize business visits and internships to help students prepare for the real world of work.
• There is a hotline for round-the-clock support, which can be used by any student for free and anonymously. Personal consultations is also available.

All SERC students are given access to the Learning Resource Center, which has analogues on all major campuses of the university. On the territory of the Center, they can use a university laptop computer to prepare homework or find additional thematic materials, here there are classrooms for students, where they can also study outside of school hours individually or in groups. These Centers include, among other things, libraries that store both printed and electronic publications.

Of the additional infrastructural features on the SERC campuses, there are:

• student theaters;
• creative workshops;
• computer clubs;
• restaurants;
• shops;
• beauty salons.

Some services are paid additionally to tuition fee. Additional expenses at South Eastern Regional College include:

• payment for housing;
• nutrition;
• additional study materials;
• leisure activities;
• personal expenses: clothes, communications, souvenirs, etc.;
• medical insurance.

Professional qualifications are a great way to find a job immediately after receiving a diploma. At SERC, all educational programs are focused on the practical component, so students graduate as fully qualified and prepared specialists. Curriculum developers at SERC focus primarily on the demand from the labor market, regularly conduct surveys among employers to determine the most in-demand professions and narrow specializations.

91% of students at SERC have a high level of academic achievement in all courses and at all levels – thousands of students who have studied at SERC have already become a workforce that has improved the economy of Northern Ireland.  After graduating from South Eastern Regional College, the student will enter the labour market fully prepared, leading companies in the market in Northern Ireland and abroad will be happy to accept such an employee into their staff.

Already during their studies, SERC students can participate in events that help develop students' business skills: this is how they participate in the development of corporate ideas, offer their own, and receive support from the university's employees and partners in their implementation.

In order for a foreign student to get into courses at SERC, they need to meet the requirements of a specific level. Studying at SERC requires the completion of the previous stage: for example, if a foreign student wants to enter level No4, then he must first complete level No3. In some cases, the previous level can be replaced by other skills and competencies:

• Entry to level No2 requires 4 GCSEs at DG level, including English and Mathematics at level F or above or equivalent.
• Level No3 requires 5 GCSE exams at level C/4 or above, including English and/or Mathematics.
• To enter level No4, you need to have an A-Levels certificate or work experience in the chosen industry + pass an interview.
• To enter the No5 level, you need experience in the chosen industry + passing an interview.
• For admission to level No6, you need experience in the chosen industry + passing an interview.

SERC students can count on financial assistance from the university:

• payment for a travel ticket;
• free meals;
• payment of allowances for partial or full payment of educational courses and study materials;

The university updates the specific conditions of material payments to international students annually.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision