Facts about The United Kingdom

The United Kingdom has a population of 65 million with large population of Indians and other overseas nationals too. It being the worlds’ 7th Largest Economy has many opportunities for people of all age groups, backgrounds and cultures. United Kingdom is made of 4 countries England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland combined, also called Great Britain. London, is the largest city in UK as well as in the European continent, also known to be global city and financial hub of its capital. Other major cities in the UK are Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Cardiff, and Belfast. English is its main official language. United Kingdom has one of the largest diaspora of people from Indian origin. It is a popular choice for students looking to Study Abroad.

United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with a Monarch and a Prime Minister. Prime Minister serves as head of government and has executive powers. Monarch is the head of state. Current monarch of the UK is Queen Elizabeth II.

The United Kingdom has a very unpredictable climate. It has 4 seasons Winter, Spring, Summer & Autumn. The average temperature in summer ranges between 18 – 28° Celsius and in winters it ranges from -4 – 10° Celsius. It rains a lot in the UK and also receives snowfall in winters from December to February.
United Kingdom is world’s 6th largest economy and is a very developed country in Europe second to Germany. Service and Manufacturing are the big contributors in the British economy.

Area – 2.42 Lacs Square KM
Population – 63 Million (2019)
GDP – USD 3.1 Trillion (2019)
Distance from India – Approx. 6,700 KM or 8-9 hours flight journey
Time difference from India – 4.5 hrs in summers and 5.5 hrs in winters

Benefits of Studying in the United Kingdom

Why Study in UK? Well to start UK is one of the most popular Study abroad destination for international students from across the globe. More than 5,00,000 international students from over 150 countries enroll in various British universities every year, only second to the USA. The UK is home to universities like Oxford University and Cambridge University (collectively known as “Oxbridge” in the UK) and many of the British universities are among the top 100 universities in the world. It is one of the oldest education systems in the world with universities dating back to the 18th century. UK offers wide range of subject areas to choose from and the qualifications from UK are globally recognised.

United Kingdom offers top quality education at a very reasonable cost compared to other countries like USA & Australia. All the qualification from UK are globally recognised and respected by employers and academics. The UK offers its students a great opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and critical thinking which drives their career in the forward direction. UK ranks second in the world for the quality of its scientific and research institutions, and 3rd for its university-industry collaboration. Along with being a great place to study, the UK is a perfect place to live and work as well. UK offers a diverse multicultural society with a great mix of languages, cultures, and faiths. There are many post study work opportunities in UK.

Living and working in United Kingdom

Culture : Being multicultural has made British societies, more tolerant towards international communities, who follow different faith and culture and it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of religion, race, and gender. Literature, music, and cinema are important parts of British lifestyle.

Welfare : The United Kingdom is a very safe and tolerant country and a perfect place to study however, it is worth taking all the precautions to ensure that you have a peaceful and good time during your studies in the UK. The UK Government and Universities take well-being of their students very seriously and every year millions of pounds are invested for the welfare of international students, which includes student support in distress, safeguarding their interests, mental health issues and any other special educational or training needs any student may have. British health care system is called NHS and is one of the most advanced health care system in the world. It is mandatory for all the international students to pay for their NHS fees before arriving in the UK.

Transport : The United Kingdom has one of the world’s most advanced public transport system. It includes Bus, Train, Tube, and Taxis. Trains are the most convenient and fastest mode of transport in the UK to travel from one city to another city.

Working as a student : All the international students are allowed to explore working opportunities in the UK, as they are allowed to work for 20 hours per week during their term time. All the students are allowed to work 40 hours a week in their vacations. Most students work part time and they usually find casual work with the retail stores, petrol pumps, restaurants, and delivery person etc.

Student Life : As a student you will have a very vibrant lifestyle in UK, there are lots of places you can travel. UK is known for its libraries, museums and historic landmarks. There are loads of tourist attractions and places to explore in the UK like beaches, national parks, lakes, etc. There are plenty of cinemas, theatres, pubs and nightclubs. UK is also popular for sports like football, cricket and rugby and known for hosting various music and cultural festivals.

Universities, Courses & Intakes

University : The United Kingdom has a total of around 130 universities offering a large variety of over 50,000 courses in all the fields of studies. UK universities are among the best in the world, and consistently perform well in world rankings. Majority of the Universities are Government funded. They provide high quality of teaching and are known for their quality research. Some of the well-known universities in the UK are; The University of London, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University of Manchester, and University of Edinburgh, University of Leeds, Kings College London, etc.

Courses : The United Kingdom Universities offer variety of courses at all level of qualifications. These courses can be tailored as per student’s interests and background. UK is popular for courses in Business Management, Financial Management, Architecture & Design, Law, Data Science/Data Analytics, Engineering, Marketing, Sports Management, Healthcare, Biotechnology, Aerospace, Arts and Theatre, Construction Management, and many more.

Intakes : Most traditional universities start their courses in September every year however, most modern universities in the UK also run most of the popular courses in January as well. A few universities also offer a May intake.

Funding and Scholarships

Tuition Fee : Range of tuition fees varies university to university. Below is the approximate range of tuition fees per year at the British Universities.

Level of study	Annual fees range in GBP	Annual fees range in INR (approx)
Master’s degree	13,000-26,000	11 Lakhs – 24 Lakhs
Pre Masters	10,000-18,000	9 Lakhs -16 Lakhs
Bachelor’s degree	10,000-25,000	9 Lakhs -22 Lakhs
International Foundation	10,000-18,000	9 Lakhs -16 Lakhs

Living Expenses : Students are required to show the living expenses for their stay in the UK. Below is the breakup for living expensed

• Universities located in London: £11,385 (Approx. 10 lakhs)
• Universities located outside London: £9,135 (Approx. 9 lakhs)

Scholarships and Bursaries : UK universities offer very good scholarship to deserving international students ranging from 10-50% of the tuition fees. Most of these scholarships are academic based and a separate application may be needed. Many universities also offer country specific bursaries for Indian students and some department specific scholarships.
There are many external scholarships also available to the international students such as British Council scholarship, Chevening scholarship and Commonwealth scholarships.

Visa

Student Visa : British student visa is called Tier 4 visa, which is usually valid for the entire course duration. Following are the criteria one needs to fulfil to apply for a Student Visa to Study in UK

• CAS : A Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) letter from the university you can get an admit in, duly approved by the UKVI.
• Funding : You need to provide evidence of finances showing your capability to fund your course tuition fees & living expenses while you are in the UK.
• Proof of English language proficiency

Work Visa : International students are allowed to look for employment opportunity in the UK via Post Study Work Visa called the graduate route. This Post Study Work Visa allows international students to work in the UK for 2 years without any sponsorship from an employer. Post Study Work Visas are open work visa and can further be extended with the support of an employer.

UK has also recently introduced the Points Based Migrant Work Permit, which allows qualifying skilled students to live and work in the UK for 5 years.

UK also offers a graduate entrepreneurship visa to students who wish to set up their own business in UK

Arrival and Accommodation

Arrival : Upon arrival, your passport and admission related documents are checked at the destination airport. Students are normally asked various questions regarding their intent to Study in UK by the immigration officer on arrival. Universities in the UK provide airport pickup services from the nearest airport, this service must be booked in advance before flying. Students can also take taxis from the airport or public transport to their accommodation.

Accommodation : UK universities offer variety of accommodation to international students such as on campus university accommodation, home-stay, and private apartments. Students can opt for their choice of accommodation depending on their budget, location and preferences.

Orientation and Welcome Week: Orientation and welcome week is a very important step of your journey as an international student in the UK. It offers you a great opportunity to make friends, know about your university and get familiarised with the campus facilities and much more. All the students are advised to attend these orientation and welcome week to start their journey on the right note. The university also hosts various social gatherings and fresher’s parties which is a good opportunity for students to socialise with their peers.

Career and Employment Opportunities

UK has one of the most globalised job market in the world and is renowned for its university-industry collaboration. It is a financial and international business hub, making it a perfect place for ambitious graduates to jump-start their career. It is home to some of the top multinational companies in the world like British Petroleum, HSBC, Vodafone, Tesco, GlaxoSmith, Prudential, Barclays, BT Group, Compass Group, Fiat, Aviva, Diageo, Coke EU, Virgin, Unilever, Amazon UK and many more.

Main Industries in UK : Financial Sector, Steel, Oil & Gas, Transport Equipment, Aerospace, Healthcare, Tourism & Hospitality, Pharmaceutical, IT, Retail, Construction & Manufacturing.

Emerging Industries in UK : Transport and Logistics, Financial Technology, Digital Marketing & Advertising, Clean Energy, Immersive Technology & Biotechnology

Areas of Skill Shortage in UK

There are plenty of jobs and skills, which are listed in the current skills shortage list for UK. The most updated list is available on the UKVI website. Some of the relevant skills shortage areas for students are
Business Services – Business & Data Analysts, Market Researchers, HR Professionals, Digital Marketers
Construction – Architects, Surveyors, Site Managers and Planners
Education – School teachers and university level faculty
Engineering – Almost all types of engineers like Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical Engineers, Biotech Engineers, Civil Engineers and Product and Process Engineers.
Healthcare professionals – Nurses, Medical Technicians, Pharmacists and Pediatricians
Hospitality – Chefs, Tour Operators, Event Managers
IT – Cyber Security Analysts, SEO Marketers, Software Developers, Data Analysts, UI UX Developers and Systems Engineers.