The introduction of various disciplines has also made studying in the UK popular with many international students, with 442,000 international students studying in the UK each year. The benefits and reasons for studying in the UK in 2020 include:
UK Higher Education System
Studying in England means studying in a country that has one of the best educational systems in the world. The UK higher education system is one of the best in the world and has always been well-placed in the world rankings.UK universities achieved the following in the QS World Classification Index (QS) in 2021:
Top 4 Universities in the Top 10 Universities in 2021 (University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, UCL University and Imperial College London, ranked fourth, seventh, eighth and ninth in the world in 2021, respectively) .)
High quality education in the UK
Ensuring the quality of education at UK universities is world renowned. All UK universities and colleges are run according to the strict standards set by the government, so you can be sure that the best educational services, academic support and resources will be available to students.
Also, due to the UK’s reputation for doing the best research in the world, the most up-to-date facilities can be accessed in its universities. The United Kingdom ranks first in the world in terms of the quality of research work, surpassing the United States. Evidence of this is the acquisition of a thematic commendation, which is considered as an indicator of the quality of research works. The International Deductive Performance of the UK Research Base, Business, Innovation and Skills Group.
Duration of study in the UK
Undergraduate study is 4 years in most countries, while undergraduate study in the UK takes only 3 years, and postgraduate study in the UK takes only 1 year, which benefits in terms of tuition and cost of living. You.
The UK education systems
The UK and British education systems are divided into four different sections
Primary Education
Secondary Education
Further Education
Higher Education
The pre-university education system in the UK is divided into four key stages and students are assessed at the end of each key stage.
Key Stage 1 – 5 to 7 years old
Key Stage 2 – 7 to 11 years old
Key Stage 3 – 11 to 14 years old
Key Stage 4 – 14 to 16 years old
The most important assessment is made at the age of 16, just when students are taking a GCSE course or a high school diploma. In the UK and UK education system, when a student has completed the GCSE course, he / she can apply for further education and then higher education.
Semesters in all levels
Fall semester
It starts in early September and ends in the third week of December.
Mid-term vacation: end of October (1 week)
Christmas holiday for two weeks
Spring semester
The first / second week of January begins and ends in early April.
Intermediate Holidays: Mid / End of February (1 week)
Easter holiday for two weeks
Summer semester
It starts two weeks after Easter and ends in the third week of July
Mid-term vacation: end of May (1 week)
Summer Vacation: Six weeks
Start of school year in the UK
Start of the school year in the UK
The UK school year starts in September each year and ends in July. Each academic year consists of three semesters with one or two weeks off in the middle of each semester.
Beginning of the academic year of UK universities
In general, the academic year of UK universities starts around September and ends in June. Also, a postgraduate student will have the opportunity to write his / her dissertation during the summer months.
Age limit for studying in the UK
It should be noted that there is no age limit for studying in the UK, but the age requirements for obtaining a visa are checked.
Prerequisite courses in the UK
GCSE course
Education in the UK starts at the age of five and during a five-year elementary school period children are introduced to the environment and the way of education and the conditions of the place of study and They enter high school, which has more regular relationships.
The GCSE course stands for General Certificate Secondary Education, which usually covers the years 8-9-10 (the first years of high school) and the minimum age for a student to start this course is 14 years old and the maximum age is 17 years old. Students can enter one or two year pre-university courses after completing these courses. The GCSE score is calculated as 80% of the final exam scores held nationwide in the UK and 20% of the student’s class activities.
A-Level course
One of the courses to study in the UK is A-Level. This course is suitable for 15 years old and above and those who want to study in internationally accredited courses and enter the best universities. In this course, students study three or four courses, and the higher the A-level score obtained, the better the student’s chances of entering a high-level university. Education (GCSE) and the end of the tenth year (second high school in the former Iranian education system) is possible. Those wishing to pursue a university degree must successfully complete a two-year A-Level Certificate after obtaining a G.C.S.E. The grades of the A-level courses are graded as ABCDE, and those who obtain ABC scores in at least two courses will enter the university directly (the university rank will be directly related to these grades) and those whose grades are ED will not. They can enter the Bachelor course and enter the lower HND courses or low quality centers.
A-Level courses are grouped professionally from the beginning. And students enter specialized A-Levels related to the field of interest based on interests and abilities. For example, those interested in medicine must enter the A-Level in Medicine course from the beginning.
Foundation course
The Foundation Program is a full-time course for international students who have completed high school and received good grades in their diploma course.
This foundation course is also recommended for people who want to enter universities directly in the UK and are not eligible due to differences in the UK and Iranian education systems. The International Foundation Program (IFP) prepares students to enter the university in undergraduate courses and is a set of studies in the student’s chosen university courses as well as English at the university level and academic skills. At the end of each course, the student will have the necessary knowledge in the course; in addition, he / she will increase his / her abilities in the field of academic skills and language to enter the university in undergraduate courses. To enter this IFP course, the student must be able to demonstrate evidence of a good and standard IQ and a high degree of motivation and an appropriate level of English.
Foreign students, if they apply for this course, will have a better chance of entering the university field, provided that they pass the course successfully and with the necessary grades and meet the entry requirements of the field. Pre-university courses are for students who have studied in countries where their qualifications are not recognized in the UK. Students generally need to get good grades from their courses in their home country in order to apply for these courses.
High school and university courses in the UK
Study in UK schools
In the UK, parents who want their children to attend the UK’s top schools can take advantage of the best facilities in the UK in primary school. It will be much easier to enter prestigious universities in this country and around the world by studying in UK schools and having a degree from these schools. It is noteworthy that with the education of children in UK schools, parents who do not have the conditions to immigrate to the UK for study or work can immigrate to the UK through their child education, but only one parent can accompany international students in the UK. They will be allowed to enter this country.
Children’s education begins at the age of five. When students complete their GCSE, their schooling ends. The school year in the UK usually starts in September and ends in July. Daily school activities usually begin at 8 or 9 a.m. and end between 3 and 4 p.m.
Study in the UK with a diploma (start of the bachelor’s degree)
To enter undergraduate study at UK universities, applicants must pass at least three A-Level examinations or pass the Foundation course. Unlike other countries where the bachelor’s degree lasts 4 years, the bachelor’s degree in the UK is 3 years and the master’s degree in the UK lasts only 1 year, which is in favor of students in terms of tuition and living costs, and this is one of the most important reasons to study in the UK.
Holders of high school diplomas from most countries also have to pass the above exams to enter UK universities. Of course, in recent years, in some cases, students in their final years of community colleges and high schools have been allowed to enter universities by completing a special form and applying to the UCAS University Selection Center.
Thus, UCAS has made the necessary correspondence with the selected universities and after some time introduces the eligible applicants to the university and the university expresses its views on non-admission, unconditional admission or conditional admission to special courses and Announces the interview.
If the student’s score is lower than the required quorum, the university will address the student during the interview or refer him or her to another university or college. Candidates over the age of 23 can enter the university as Mature Students without having completed an A-Level course.
The duration of the course is three years of study or four years of study (Sandwich Course). Of course, candidates without an A-Level score can start a Bachelor’s degree at some universities, provided they complete a Foundation Year, which is a four-year course. The Bachelor’s degree is divided into two types, Honors and Ordinary, and the Honors degree is divided into four types: Second 1 (and 2), First and Third. Obviously, the Honors-First degree has the highest, and the Ordinary has the lowest level. The three-year Bachelor and Sandwich Course courses, in addition to the three-year course, include factory supervised work, usually two to six months or one year internship between years of study. This course has a practical or applied and professional aspect and provides more employment opportunities. Each applicant for the bachelor’s degree must have an IELTS degree with a score of 6-5.5.
Study in the UK Masters
One of the most popular courses for applicants to study in the UK is the MSc course in the UK and it can be one of the best study decisions for students because the duration of a postgraduate degree in the UK, unlike other countries, is 2 years. This is in favor of students in terms of tuition and living costs.
For students who want to get a master’s degree and get a job faster, or for international students whose education system is in-class, an MSc or MA course is a better choice for a master’s degree.
The MA or MSc course is a one-year course offered in the form of class attendance and a final project. For this purpose, the beginning of the course is done by attending the class and participating in the exams, and after that, the students can do research in one of the topics related to their field under the supervision of the supervisor. Usually 6 out of 12 months are for lessons and exams and 6 months for projects.
Language Certificate
It should also be noted that the IELTS language score accepted by UK universities for undergraduate admission is at least 6, for graduate 6.5 or 7 and for doctorate 7 and above.
Why study in the UK
Do you know?
The short distance to the UK from Iran reduces the time and cost of travel for you and your family and makes life while studying more enjoyable for you.
The UK education system provides the shortest possible route for students to enter the world of work.
International students will be allowed to work 20 hours a week.
The UK has only 1% of the world’s population and produces 8% of the world’s science.
UK universities and their research institutes have trained 107 Nobel Prize winners.
According to a 2015 British Cultural Council survey, 38% of Nobel Prize winners educated abroad studied in the UK.
The UK ranks second in the world in the power of the education system.
Based on the ranking of the top countries in the world in terms of quality of life in 2019 on the U.S. website. News & World Report, the UK ranks 12th.
Based on the ranking of the top countries in the world in terms of education system in 2019, quoted by the U.S. News & World Report, the United Kingdom tops the list.
According to the Universities 21 global ranking in 2019, the UK ranked third in the quality of higher education.
According to the QS Institute, in 2020, the United Kingdom ranked 36th among the world’s top 300 universities in terms of graduate employment.
The UK is among the top 5 countries in terms of cooperation between academia and industry.
The United Kingdom has been the second largest recipient of the Nobel Prize in Medicine since 1901.
According to the Thomson Reuters Institute, Imperial College London, Cambridge and Manchester are among the 10 most innovative universities in Europe.
The city of London ranks first in the world in the number of international students and more than 100,000 international students from 200 countries have chosen to study in London.
According to a United Nations study of 128 countries, the UK is the third most innovative country in the world.
According to the official portal of the SC imago Journal & Country Rank, the United Kingdom ranks second in the world in medical research, which indicates the large volume of medical tests and research in this country.
8 universities in London are among the top 10 universities in the UK with the highest starting salaries for their graduates.
British universities are ranked second in the world with a score of 98.5%. The criteria of this ranking are based on the strength of the educational system, access, leadership and governance of universities and economic fields.
When we hear the name of England, if we are interested in studying in England, we subconsciously think of universities such as Oxford University, Cambridge University, University of Manchester, etc., which is a proof of the strength of the English education system.
The United Kingdom has a large number of universities, of which 129 British universities are approved by the Ministry of Science and Health of Iran in 2020. There are 58 universities in group (a) or excellent, 33 universities in group (b) or good and 38 universities in group (c) or average. What we have introduced below are the top 76 universities in the United Kingdom, all of which are on the list of universities in the United Kingdom approved by the Ministry of Science.
Student Satisfaction with Studying in the UK
With the satisfaction of more than 90% of its students in the field of student experience, the United Kingdom has achieved the highest score in the field of satisfaction of foreign students among English-speaking countries.
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UK student visa
International students living outside the UK or Europe must first apply for a visa to study in the UK.Students can only apply for a student visa if they are seeking full-time study in the UK. Student visas are not issued for part-time courses. Eligibility of students is calculated using a score-based rule system called the Tier 4 Student Visa.
Types of UK student visas
If a student is studying for a short-term course and is over 18 years old, he or she will be eligible for a short-term student visa. This visa is valid for six months and can be extended for English language courses up to 11 months. If a student is pursuing a long-term course, he or she must ensure that the institution of choice has a Tier 4 Sponsor License. Applicants can also apply for a Tier 4 student visa (children) or a Tier 4 general student visa. The Tier 4 student visa is suitable for people between the ages of 4 and 17 who decide to study at an independent school in the UK. On the other hand, the General Tier 4 visa is suitable for people 16 years of age and older who have the ability to speak, read and write in English based on their field of study, and who can also pay for living and studying in the UK.
Requirements for obtaining a UK Tier 4 student visa
UK student visas are based on a score-based system. In order to obtain all the necessary documents to obtain a UK student visa, it is necessary to prepare the following:
Passport contents;
New photo;
Unconditional offer in courses offered by a valid Tier4 sponsor approved by the “Study Acceptance Confirmation” course provider (30 points)
Documentary evidence of adequate language proficiency provided by one of the IELTS English language tests. If the applicant lives in English-speaking countries such as the United States or has equivalent language qualifications in the UK, he or she does not need to provide an English language qualification;
Student financial support documents while staying in the UK (10 points);
If the applicant is not from the European Economic Area / EU / Switzerland and wants to study in a sensitive field, he / she must obtain an ATAS certificate.
Applicants can obtain proof of financial support in the form of a bank form or a letter from their sponsor, in order to prove the student’s financial ability to pay tuition, accommodation and living expenses.
Applicants are also sometimes required to provide evidence of their academic qualifications;
In addition, they must take an interview or biometric test, which is actually a digital scan of their fingerprints.
If the applicant is 16 or 17 years old and has applied for a Tier 4 (General) student visa, he or she must obtain written consent from his or her parents or guardians. Based on this consent, the person can live independently or travel.
Duration of obtaining a UK student visa
Applicants must apply for a UK student visa 3 months before the start of the school year. The visa application process takes approximately 3 weeks and the validity period depends on the length of the student’s study period. Students can also enter the UK one month before the start of the academic year.
Student visa in the UK
Students can bring their affiliates to the UK if they have enrolled in undergraduate courses lasting more than 6 months or postgraduate courses lasting more than 12 months at a reputable university.
First, students need to know who is accepted as a relative. Spouse and children are considered Tier4 dependents and this principle does not apply to other dependents.
Second, in order to be allowed to enter the UK, student dependents must have adequate financial support and there is no impediment to keeping the required amount of money with the student or dependents.