Study in UK
The United Kingdom,separated from the European continent by the North Sea and English Channel,consists of four countries that include England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The UK’s form of government is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system and its capital city is London. The United Kingdom has fourteen British Overseas Territories. These are remnants of the British Empire which, at its height in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, encompassed almost a quarter of the world’s land surface and was the largest empire in history.
ECONOMY
The United Kingdom’s economy is made up (in descending order of size) of the economies of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which is based on market exchange rates.Today the UK is considered as the 6th largest country with economy worldwide and the 3rd largest in Europe after Germany and France.
A GDP of 73% is made by the UK service sector. The service sector is dominated by financial services, especially in insurance and banking. London is the world’s largest financial centre with the London Stock Exchange, the London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange, and the Lloyd’s of London insurance market all based in theCity of London. London is a major centre for international business and commerce and is the leader of the three “command centres” for the global economy (along with New York City and Tokyo). It has the largest concentration of foreign bank branches in the world, such as HSBC (the world’s largest bank), Barclay’s Bank and Citigroup. Many multinational companies that are not primarily UK-based have chosen to site their European or rest-of-world headquarters in London: an example is the US financial services firm Citigroup. The Scottish capital, Edinburgh, has one of the large financial centres of Europe and is the headquarters of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, one of the world’s largest banks.
Tourism is one of the important aspect to the British economy. With over 27 million tourists arriving in 2008, the United Kingdom is ranked as the 6th major tourist destination in the world. London, by a considerable margin, is the most visited city in the world with 15.6 million visitors in 2008, ahead of 2nd placed Bangkok (10.4 million visitors) and 3rd placed Paris (9.7 million).
British motor industry is a significant part of this sector. Civil and defence aircraft production is led by BAE Systems the largest defence contractor in the world and the continental European firm EADS, the owner of Airbus. The aerospace industry of the UK is the 2nd or 3rd largest aerospace industry in the world, depending upon the method of measurement Rolls-Royce holds a major share of the global aerospace engines market. The Chemical and Pharmaceutical industry is strong in the UK, with the world’s second and sixth largest pharmaceutical firms (GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca, respectively) being based in the UK.
CLIMATE
Britain is an island country.The surrounding sea gives England a varied climate. It can never be known what the weather will be like from one day to the other. It can be sunny one day and rainy the next. In general summers are warm and the winters are cool. July and August are normally the warmest month in England. Around the coasts, February is normally the coldest month, but inland there is little to choose between January and February as the coldest month.
Maximum Temperature :32ºC
Minimum Temperature : 4ºC
WHY STUDY IN THE UK?
The UK has grown to become one of the top destinations to study around the world. With traditions of excellence dating back hundreds of years, high class institutions at every corner and much more flexibility than many other countries, the United Kingdom has much to offer international students that other English-speaking countries cannot offer.
But what makes the United Kingdom stand out? Why should you make UK as a destination to further your international education?
WorldwideRecognition
The degrees and qualifications from UK higher education institutions are known around the world as high quality and world class. The standard of excellence is set by some of the older universities with recognizable names, like Oxford and Cambridge, but the tradition carries through to many of the universities and colleges throughout the UK. When looking for work in the future, this can be a great selling point in your favour!
Academic Excellence
The quality and standard of UK higher education are guaranteed through the work of various official bodies. The quality of a university’s teaching and its general facilities are assessed by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). Research standards are examined by the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), which publishes its findings every five years. Information on quality assurance and assessments is also available from the Higher Education Funding Councils (HEFCE).
LowerEducationCosts
The cost of education for an international student in the UK can be lower compared to the USA and other countries. Tuition for the majority of UK higher education institutions is in the region of £7,000 to £12,000 a year – considerably less!
You can also save a lot of money & opportunity cost because your degree will generally take less time to complete in the UK than in other countries. Although four-year programs are increasing in popularity, most degree programs in the UK require a three-year course and a masters program is typically between one and two years. When you consider the shorter timeframe, the cost will be much lower if you only have to plan for three years instead of four or even five as in many other countries.
The Language of Business
A major advantage of studying in the UK is the opportunity to perfect your knowledge of the English language – one of the most important skills in the international business world. If you are an overseas student, especially if you are studying a commercial subject, you may well appreciate the opportunity to observe at first hand the operation of the European market. The UK is a member of the EU, and living and studying here can provide a useful insight into how this major trading bloc functions.
Gateway to Europe
With the addition of the Channel Tunnel and low cost airlines such as EasyJet and Ryan Air, Europe is easier to access from the UK than ever. You can reach most areas of Europe from the UK within a few hours by train or direct flight. For example, if you are studying in London or Manchester and you want a weekend away in Italy, you can fly Ryan Air direct to Rome, Milan, Pisa, Geneva, Venice or several other cities in Italy. The direct flight would take around two hours and cost anywhere from 30 to 100 pounds, depending on when you travel and when you book.
Multicultural Nation
The UK is known for having a multicultural society with all religions and faiths represented in some way. With a racial, ethnic and religious jumble, the UK is very open to new traditions and cultures – something that is a great thing for students from other countries! You can also be sure that a place of worship will be easily accessible for most major religions.
HOW TO APPLY:
INTAKES
The main intakes offered by Universities are in September/October and January/February. Some colleges may also have intakes in March and July.
EMPLOYMENT
• A full-time International student can work part-time as per the given guidelines:
• A full-time degree student can work up to 20 hours during term-time and full-time during vacations;
• A full-time student studying below degree level can only work up to 10 hours during term-time and full-time during vacations;
• A full-time student can also work on a work placement as part of the course;
• A student can earn from £7 – £9 per hour i.e. £560 – £720 per month.
After the successful completion of the studies a student can apply for a 2 year Work Permit under the Tier-1 (Post-Study Work) category without a sponsor for the 2 years duration. Further information can be obtained from the UK border Agency website (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/)
USEFUL LINKS