The United Kingdom consists of four countries, united under one government. The countries are England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Each has a distinct culture and feel of its own. UK contains over 80 percent of the total population.
College Fit: At the higher education level, students have a wide range of options when they choose a college or university. Although there are agencies that attempt to rank colleges and universities, the concept of “fit” is also important. The GPA* of admitted students are important, but majors offered, location, number of students enrolled, and campus culture are all factors influencing a prospective student’s decision. Some colleges and universities are publicly funded, while others are privately supported.
Popular courses: Sociology and Social Studies, Law, Business Management, Computer Science, Communications/Media are the popular courses Indian students pursue in UK.
Safety in UK: As a student, you will be as safe in the UK as you are at home. When you get to your college there will be loads of other students who will give you all the information you need about the place. You will find that the country is multicultural and you will soon have friends from all over the world.
Weather
UK has a variable climate changing from day to day. It is difficult to predict the weather. In general, the summers are warm and winters see snowfall. Summers are cooler than those of India.
England - Compared to other places in UK, England is sunnier throughout the year. On some occasions, there can be strong winds. Also, the rains are unpredictable and it could rain at any time during the year. London, Manchester, Birmingham are some of the popular cities. The average temperature in summers is around 25°C to 15°C; in winters it is around 7°C to 0°C.
Scotland - The climate of Scotland is temperate and can be very unpredictable. Rainfall is not uniform across Scotland, with the western parts getting a lot more rains than the eastern parts. Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen are the major cities. The average temperature in summers is around 19°C to 10°C; in winters it is around 6°C to -1°C.
Wales - In Wales, most of the rain tends to fall between October and January. Days in winters are shorter and the region experiences snow. Summers are warmer than other parts of UK. Cardiff, Newport, Swansea are some of the popular cities here. The average temperature in summers is around 23°C to 12°C; in winters it is around 8°C to 1°C.
Northern Ireland – This region has relatively mild winters and cool summers. Northern Ireland is cloudier than England and gets less sunshine comparatively. Belfast, Lisburn, Newry are some of the popular cities here. The average temperature in summers is around 19°C to 10°C; in winters it is around 8°C to 0°C.
All international students to UK will need a letter from the college in order to open a bank account. The college will give you this letter during the induction and registration events. It is essential that all UK international students register with a local doctor. Again, the college will help you arrange this during the induction and registration events. You will have full access to a wide range of clubs and societies at the university. The college also arranges social events throughout your study period. Typically, this would include city tours, ice-skating, ten-pin bowling, and visits to other cities in the UK.
Firstly, you need to decide whether you want to live in university managed accommodation, or with a private landlord. Choosing university managed accommodation can also give you a catered or self-catered option. The catered accommodation offers the benefits of your meals being cooked for you and a degree of certainty with meal costs.
If you have an idea about what you prefer, the accommodation office at your university will be able to tell you what accommodation they have available - so that’s the place to start. If you are thinking of renting from a private landlord or if your chosen university can’t offer you anything in its own residential facility, the accommodation office should be able to provide you with a list of private properties and landlords in the area.
Wherever you choose to live, you should make sure that you know your contractual rights and responsibilities. In most cases, you will be asked to enter into a tenancy agreement, which you should read thoroughly before you sign.
The kind of accommodation options available would be -
Orientation week is mandatory for international students, to ensure that you arrive before it starts. This is the time where you will be introduced to the university and its services, as well as enroll in your classes. It is essential that you read your guidebook, which is provided by the college. The guide explains each part of the admission process.
Along with sports, colleges offer extra-curricular activities that provide students with a wide range of experiences. Music, drama, science and literary societies in colleges offer opportunities for outdoor education and other leisure activities. Visits to theaters, concerts, and places relevant to the courses of study such as art galleries and museums, religious centers or historical sites, scientific companies and projects are all part of college life.
These vary between study programs and levels. For each course,Nepalese students will need to meet a minimum English language requirement. Along with that a minimum academic record of 65% and above for humanities stream in class XII, and 70 - 80% and above for Science/Commerce stream in class XII will also be required. Foundations and Diploma programs are available for students who have secured below 60%. The student should have completed 18 years of age before joining a degree program.
Documents required by UG aspirants for UK Student Visa
It is important to note that these numbers are just for reference purposes, the actual numbers may differ from university to university
The following documents also need to be submitted for post-graduate aspirants:
Timeline
Here is a timeline to follow to get admission steps completed in time:
12-18 months before enrollment
• Start researching and select 8-12 universities that you will apply to. Visit university websites and note application requirements, deadlines etc.
• Learn about options to fund your studies.
• Make custom application strategies for different universities.
10-12 months prior to enrolment
• This is the time when you shift from the preparation mode to creating the application. Think hard about what makes you unique as an applicant and sketch out your strengths and self-assessment.
• Register yourself and start preparing for required standardized tests like GMAT, GRE, UKCAT, TOEFL or IELTS - depending on the course and university.
10 months before enrolment
• Begin by downloading admissions brochures from the university websites.
• Start working on the UCAS admission form and application.
• Search for and begin applying for external scholarships (if applicable).
• Take standardized tests like GMAT and TOEFL.
• Contact your professors and direct managers for at least two reference letters.
• Begin drafting your SOP and essays.
• Alongside your admission applications, plan for your expenses like applying for an education loan.
Enrolments
• Apply before the deadline!
• You may have to appear for a video interview in front of the admissions committee.
• You will get your rejection letter via e-mail by April-June (the months may vary). The acceptance letter helps you attain student visa.
• Gather paperwork for your student visa.
• Depending on the deadline, you will need to notify the universities of your decision, pay a non-refundable deposit, and apply for your student visa.
Application fee: All colleges require that you pay an application fee while applying. The fee amount will differ depending upon the college and course being applied to, so check with individual colleges about their application fee.
SOP: A Statement of Purpose (SOP) is your introduction to the college and admission officers. It is always written in the first person and describes the reason for applying to a particular college. It needs to highlight why you are a perfect fit for the college and why the college should accept you. The style of writing could differ from formal to casual, but it is important to remember that it should reflect your personality as well.
Essay: Essays are also required to be submitted by a prospective student. Essays are an important part of the university admissions process. Students may be required to write one or two essays, along with a few optional essays too. Common topics include career aspirations, strengths and weaknesses, skills, experiences, and reasons for considering a particular school.
LOR: A letter of recommendation (LOR) is a reference letter written by a third party describing the qualities, characteristics, and capabilities of the prospective student to recommend him to the college in terms of that individual’s ability to perform a particular task or function. The third party could be a professor, direct manager etc.
Applications to all undergraduate courses are filled through Universities and Colleges Admission System or UCAS - a central organization in the UK that is responsible for receiving undergraduate applications and forwarding them to the respective institutions.
UCAS allows you to apply to five Universities through a common form. £13 is the fees for one course or £24 for multiple courses and applications. The services offered by UCAS are designed for the admission to the September/October intake in the UK and you normally apply directly to a university for courses starting in January or February.
Note - Students seeking admission to a postgraduate program will have to apply to individual universities using the application form of that particular university. Most universities offer the facility to apply online for a nominal fee. Once the application form is filled appropriate supporting documents would have to be sent to the university. Although universities do not have a deadline it is recommended that you apply early to enhance your chances of being made an offer.
The main intake seasons are September/October and January/February in the UK. The services offered by UCAS are designed for the admission to the September or October intake in the UK. You have to apply directly to a university for courses starting in January or February.
