Is UK your dream destination for studies?

As the new academic term begins, students slowly settle into their daily routines and focus on their academic and personal goals but before we know it, it will be time to fill in those UCAS forms and prepare for University, if UK is your education destination.

There are more than 3000 educational institutions with an enormous range of subjects available in UK. The education UK website www.educationuk.org, is a gold mine of information on all accredited institutions and the courses on offer. The section ‘Your Study Options’ has all the details you will need to make a choice. This ranges from independent schools to universities offering post graduate qualifications. Also, courses ranging from actuarial science, computer gaming design, sound engineering, ocean engineering, animal science, anthropology, forensic science, social work, marketing, horticulture, fine arts, music or dance are available for you to choose from. Some institutions also offer a combination of subjects. There is something for everyone whether you are 12 or a 76!

Beginning with this overview, in the next six weeks, I will be giving you a low down on the UK system of education, how to fill your UCAS forms, ways to choose your majors, things to look out for in terms of pre requisites for admission, the deadlines, crafting a good personal statement, the visa procedures, financial implications, scholarship options; in short, all that you need to know about British education and did not know whom to ask.

Why UK?

In an increasingly competitive global market, you need qualifications that will help you stand out from the crowd. As a multicultural society with a great mix of people from different backgrounds, in UK, you will get to know people from all over the world and be inspired by many cultures. As the UK is a member of the EU, studying there can give you a valuable insight to how the European market operates. Your UK qualification will be accepted globally and it would give you a solid foundation for a promising career.

Besides this, the UK is at the forefront of scientific and creative innovation so you will be learning alongside some of the world’s top intellectual achievers. Also, the UK programmes are more intensive, shorter in duration and therefore more cost effective. You need to be sure of what you wish to study in UK because the courses are more structured and streamlined. Should you be unsure of what you wish to pursue, it is better to go for a yearlong foundation course or a two year diploma programme and then top up your courses to earn a degree.

The quality of a university’s or college’s teaching and its general facilities are assessed by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) while the Research standards are examined by the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), which publishes its findings every five years. Such checks and balances being in place, the quality of courses are also excellent.

The Merits

Those of you, who prefer a structured course, rather than a broad based one, will benefit from studying in a British institution. Many of my advisees also choose UK over other destinations because it is closer home and shorter in duration. Apart from this, some students find the SAT very challenging, although they could opt for an institution that waives SAT for international students, they opt for the UK instead. Furthermore, most institutions have a network of international student support services that helps facilitate a smooth transition. However, the onus of responsibility of seeking help when you need it is yours.

The ‘Find your UK education’ tool in the Education UK site lists over 4,000 scholarships and 90,000 courses across UK schools, colleges and universities. In the UK, there are different education systems for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. In England, legislative responsibility for education lies with the UK Parliament at Westminster. For Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, responsibility for education law and guidance has been devolved to the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh and Northern Irish Assemblies. In general, these four systems are very similar and offer many of the same courses and qualifications, but there are some differences.

Most undergraduate degree in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is three years in duration while it is four years in Scotland. Courses like Medicine, Architecture and dentistry will of course take longer. So also Modern language because here you will be required to spend one year abroad. The titles of qualifications too can vary from one institution to another and there are some exceptions to the general rules. For example, did you know that in Scotland, the first degree in arts in the four ancient universities namely St. Andrews, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Stirling and also in the University of Dundee is an MA or Master of Arts? Master of Arts is a post graduate qualification in all other universities.

Type of Institutions

When choosing a university, it is important to know what the university is like. Most universities in the UK fit into one of about five categories, depending on when they were founded. Some are based in bustling cities while others are in a more rustic setting. Even the buildings on campuses vary greatly with some campuses dating back to the 18th century while others are modern and their architecture, very innovative. Some are large while others are small. In a nut shell, there is one to suit each and every choice. You could take a virtual campus tour, visit student blogs and research the net to understand the various options. Universities created at the same time often share a number of characteristics. No two universities in the UK will give you the same set of experiences as a student.

For easy understanding, there are broadly five categories of institutions, they include Ancient Universities, the Red Brick Universities or the Russell Group of Universities, Plate Glass Universities,( those universities granted a charter between 1963 and 1992 (mainly in the 60s), Recently created Universities, these universities were formerly university colleges and have been granted university status since 2005 and university colleges. These offer degrees and can award them themselves (though some choose to have the degrees awarded by a full university), but is not recognised as a university. A number of UK universities started out as university colleges, there are currently still six university colleges in the UK.

Extra curriculars

Every university has a dizzying array of activities to choose from be it in sports and games, music, theatre or Art, to name a few options. Also, the research opportunities and internship avenues make it a great place to hone skills and acquire new ones. Cutting edge research is being carried out in most campuses. If you have a particular area of interest, go on, find your niche and make that application.

Teaching Style

The teaching methods followed in UK may differ from those in the Middle East. In the UK, students are encouraged to read widely, question, analyze what is read and discuss ideas and express opinions in seminars and tutorials. You will be working both individually and in groups, this will help you enhance your leadership skills and hone your ability to be a team player.

When writing essays, students are encouraged to demonstrate creativity, original thought and expression rather than regurgitating information taught. The sooner you adapt to this method of teaching, the sooner you will be able to affect the transition and make the most of the opportunity.

Many of my advisees tell me that they initially struggle with the new system and the fact that classes are not held back to back as it used to be in school. The fact that there may not be classes every day of the week is also a novel experience for most. Independent learning and taking responsibility to set goals empowers you and makes you better prepared for the competitive world. The skills that you acquire both within the class room and outside make you self confident and self reliant.

If you are really considering going abroad for higher education, taking a good look at the education system in UK and applying to a university there might be really worth your while.

Rema Menon, is the Director of Counselling Point Training & Development, Dubai, a KHDA approved centre for student counselling services.