Universities in England today are considered one of the most prestigious and sought-after in the whole world, a list of the best universities in Britain on an ongoing basis is published by many specialized publications. Universities in England is a synonym for higher education of the highest quality for students from around the world. Moreover, only elite and ranking universities in the USA and some large and developed countries of Europe can compete with the quality of educational services provided in higher education institutions in Britain.
Universities in England are very popular with students graduating from high schools around the world. Dreaming of getting a high-quality and thorough higher education abroad, former high school students go to the best universities in Britain, where they can study in one of many specialties and subsequently become professionals in their field.
Universities of England have been around for nine centuries! Educational methods, educational traditions have been improved throughout this time, which allows to call higher education in the UK the best. In addition, in the modern world, innovations in the field of education in most cases appear precisely here - in the homeland of universities. Everyone knows that the first European universities were opened in England - it was the University of Oxford and Cambridge, which today are considered the ideal of higher education institutions around the world. As the availability of education grew, educators, teachers in educational institutions in the UK created new educational methods and programs, improved already used ones, gradually developing English educational traditions. This allowed England to become a higher education as people know it today.
Universities in England offer two generally accepted stages of higher education: undergraduate and graduate. For four years, only those students at universities in England who have chosen an in-depth bachelor's program to study one or another specialized subject are studying. The duration of the master's educational programs in Britain is one year. In this case, an obligatory step in obtaining higher education in England is the passage of labor practice. More features of higher education at universities in England will be discussed in this article.
What is required for admission to universities in England?
The main obstacle for a graduate of a high school during admission to the best universities in Britain is the inequality of certificates of complete secondary education. Since British students study not in 11 classes but 13, which does not allow foreign certificate to be considered a document about full secondary education in Britain. The difference in two years of study must be made up for using one of the educational programs, which will be discussed later.
However, even if this difference did not exist, it would be difficult for high school graduates from around the world to immediately grasp all the subjects taught in English, because there is also a linguistic, cultural barrier that must be overcome. Including for this, there are various preparatory programs in which students get used to English, receive primary knowledge in subjects immediately in English, correlate terminology, and also learn about the educational process in British educational institutions.
To enroll in universities in England, students must first obtain a British certificate of complete secondary education, called the General Certificate of Secondary Education, or GCSE. The British themselves receive education in this program in high school before graduating from secondary schools, so SMAPSE exeprts can say that foreign and British secondary education are brought to a common denominator. Such educational courses are accepted by students from around the world over the age of 14, so it can be concluded that the most optimal time to start receiving a foreign education is to finish the ninth grade of your school.
Education on the GCSE program involves the study of 11 basic and additional subjects, among which the main ones are mathematics, English. Additional disciplines are chosen by students independently on the basis of their academic interests. It is worth noting the main advantage of the GCSE preparatory program - students are given the opportunity to immerse themselves not only in the language, but also in the cultural environment, as well as the educational environment - all this allows students to get acquainted with English culture, as well as British traditions in the field of education.
At the end of education in this preparatory course, future students of the best universities in England pass final exams and receive a British GCSE certificate of complete secondary education. After that, students are free to enter the best universities in Britain. However, this educational program is not the only way to get into popular universities in England - there are also other programs that you can learn about in the relevant sections of our educational portal.
Features of studying at the best universities in England
Education in higher education in the UK has a duration of 3-4 (undergraduate) to 5-6 years (undergraduate + graduate). During their undergraduate studies, students focus on specialized disciplines, but the share of additional subjects is also high. Any educational area also includes the study of additional optional subjects that are relevant to the main chosen specialization. For example, while studying at the economic department, students may be interested in disciplines related to mathematics in economics (econometrics, etc.). Like almost all over the world, universities in England hold lectures (theory) and seminars (practice), while seminars are generally less than lectures, and self-study of material, self-study is more widespread. One way or another, lectures imply not only a summary of the teacher, but also an active discussion of a particular topic - such discussions and even disputes are one of the traditional features of British education and one of the most recognizable characteristics of universities in England. Of course, students receive homework in the form of reading books and other teaching materials, various individual and collective projects, as well as an essay - a classic type of assignment in the Western educational field. However, grades for homework are very rarely given, because their purpose is not to get grades, but to test students and fill students' knowledge gaps. Evaluations are always made for more time-consuming and important tasks: for example, intermediate tests and sections, semester projects and, of course, an essay. Writing an essay is an art that needs to be mastered. Fortunately, the best universities in England will allow students to achieve unprecedented heights in this, and not only in this!
Prestigious higher education at leading and ranking universities in England will require a sufficiently large return on the student, diligence and hard work. Based on the results of each trimester (three months of study), exams are held, with up to five disciplines being studied. Students can rely solely on themselves and their knowledge, since the tradition of English education is not just condemned - it is strictly forbidden and entails severe punishment (up to and including expulsion from an educational institution). On the other hand, teachers at universities in England are always ready to help students, advise before exams and send them in case of difficulty.
As mentioned earlier, in addition to academic subjects in the specialty, students devote a sufficient amount of time to personal comprehensive development and self-improvement, they are provided with wide opportunities for practicing almost any sport. In general, students are given a large degree of independence - they themselves determine when and what to do, the main thing is the result. Thus, students learn time management - the most important skill necessary for comfortable and successful work and life in the modern world.
Features of universities in England, the best universities in Britain
Let SMAPSE exeperts briefly consider the UK higher education system: it includes three types of educational institutions:
- universities,
- colleges,
- institutes.
It is worth noting that the conditions for admission are exactly the same for British nationals and for students from around the world, the selection committee decides whether a student is accepted for education on the basis of the documents submitted and the results of final and / or entrance exams.
Universities of England and colleges are educational institutions in which students have the opportunity to obtain a bachelor, master or doctor of science, such institutions are called "recognized bodies". Another type of educational institution is “listed bodies”, which the above academic degrees do not provide, their specialization is pre-university education of applicants for admission to universities in England.
The first category of educational institutions has all the necessary licenses and permits, giving the right to organize the education of students from around the world for higher education and the degrees of bachelor, master and doctor of science. The second category of educational institutions offer students mainly specialized educational programs, English language courses, and continuing education courses.
Very often in English-language articles there is such a gradation of the stages of higher education in the UK: undergraduate ("the main stage of higher education") and postgraduate ("additional stage of higher education"), which includes master's and doctoral educational programs. In the first stage of higher education at universities in England it is worth highlighting the following learning options:
1) Actually, undergraduate;
3) Diploma of Higher Education;
4) Higher Education Certificate;
5) Higher National Diploma.
These options are one way or another similar to undergraduate studies, with the exception of a certificate of higher education - the differences are only in the curriculum, the list of subjects studied and the degree of depth of their study.
It is worth noting that the analogue of the “red” diploma (graduating with honors) in the UK is the degree of “with Honors” - BSc (hour). The usual option for a bachelor's degree is ordinary BSc.
The "additional" level of higher education (postgraduate) includes educational programs for masters and doctors of sciences. These programs require a significant academic burden, more than in undergraduate studies, the volume of disciplines and knowledge, as well as narrow specialization (after all, these programs are for people who know exactly what they want to do).
In addition, in the UK, professional courses have been widely disseminated that are intended for students who wish to change their specialization or deepen their knowledge, gain practical experience to quickly start a career.
The main advantages of studying at universities in England, leading universities in Britain
Of course, the main and paramount advantage of higher education in the best universities in England is the fact that graduates who have received bachelor's and / or master's degrees from a British higher education institution confirm the high quality of higher education in the UK. The knowledge gained over the years of study at a university in Britain, as well as the diploma itself, provides students with a good advantage when they are employed or enrolled in other educational institutions to receive, for example, a second higher education.
Among the other important advantages of higher education at universities in England, it is worth noting, first of all, the following:
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- immersion in the cultural, linguistic and academic environment of the UK;
- acquaintance with the rich traditions of the country;
- improvement of the English language;
- new acquaintances not only with native speakers, but also with representatives of different cultures from around the world;
- wide opportunities for personal development, physical development.
List of the best universities in Britain: tuition, ranking
Of course, studying at universities in England, the best universities in Britain will require quite a lot of financial investment - after all, the standard of living in the UK is high, which pushes up prices for almost everything. Anyway, there are quite more or less budget options for prestigious and sought-after universities in Britain, which, along with leading and elite universities in England, offer high-quality educational services at reasonable prices.
On average, a year of study in a higher education program at the University of England costs from 10,000 £ to 12,000 £, and the most popular and elite universities can request from 20,000 £ per academic year. It is worth noting that the cost of one year of study includes not only educational services, but also students' accommodation for the period of study, meals, transfers, as well as some extracurricular activities (depending on the university and the chosen educational program).
First of all, the student must have a good understanding of what he wants to get from higher education in the UK, as well as be aware of his professional interests, the desired profile of study and (in the future) work. Getting higher education in the UK is a very laborious process, but the result pays off more than the first time after graduating from the University of England!
To date, a huge number of universities operate throughout England, teaching more than 500,000 students from all over the world per year! SMAPSE experts present to your attention a list of the best universities in Britain, which includes the most prestigious and famous universities in England :
- Open University of Great Britain;
- Eton College;
- University of Glasgow;
- University of York;
- Oxford and Cambridge Universities;
- University of Manchester;
- University of Leeds;
- University of Newcastle;
- Ruskin College;
- University of East Anglia.
Since people understand that the right choice of a suitable university in England is quite complicated, SMAPSE professional experts are ready to provide you any assistance in this difficult matter - just contact SMAPSE in any way convenient for you.