Study in UK

The United Kingdom is one of those developed countries which do not need any introduction. The United Kingdom consists of four countries- England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The United Kingdom is the world’s fifth largest economy, with regard to the Gross Domestic Product. The United Kingdom has a temperate climate, with a lot of rain all around the year. With such old and reputed universities like University of Cambridge and University of Oxford being the top institutes of the UK, the allure of studying in the UK is understandable.

Courses and Exams

The students pursue undergraduate as well as post graduate courses in the UK in any stream of their choice, be it science, commerce or humanities. Some of the exams that the students have to appear for, depending on their choice of course, are SAT, TOEFL or IELTS, GRE and GMAT. Some other exams are BMAT (Biomedical Admission Tests), UKCAT, Cambridge law test etc. Students need to clear class 12^th (with 60% marks) for UG admission and bachelors (with 50% marks) for PG admission. Some universities accept the TOEFL score and some other universities accept IELTS score. The students need to have a minimum score of 6.5 in IELTS and a score between 79 and 93 in TOEFL.

Education and Living Cost

In 2017, international students paid between £10,000 and £35,000 annually for lecture-based undergraduate degrees. An undergraduate medical degree can cost international students up to £38,000 per year. The post graduate courses in the UK have no upper limit and are much more expensive than the graduate level courses in the UK. Similarly, cost of living in UK is also very high.

Part-time Jobs

Indian students who go to the UK usually work a part-time job to earn some extra money and to get familiar with their surroundings. A part time job helps the students meet people who live in the USA and interact with them, this helps them learn more about the culture of the country they are living in. Some of the easy to find on campus jobs are Library Monitor, Teaching Assistant, Tour Guide, Peer Tutor, Academic Department Assistant, Campus Tech Support, Production Assistant, University Book Store Assistant, Babysitter and Barista. The students can work for only 20 hours per week as per the visa guidelines for working part-time jobs.

Availability of Finances

A student needs to show a decent amount of money in their account and also have funds required for living in the UK, there is no minimum requirement. But, the funds in the account should be at least 3 months to 6 months old. The available amount must justify the overall cost of the student’s trip to the UK. So, estimate the cost of airfare, food, lodging, tours, shopping and a bit of extra amount. The student can present Saving Account, Time deposits & Investments to present as Source of Funding.

Jobs and Post Study work-permit & Permanent Residency

Tier 2 is the most common visa route for international graduates to get a job. To qualify, the student will need to find work with an employer who is willing to pay the student a minimum salary of £20,800 a year. The students can work part-time jobs for 20 hours a week. These part-time jobs can also help students in getting a job, as relevant jobs add value to the resume of the students.

Advantages of Studying in UK

• Some of the best institutes in the world are in the UK. The institutes of the UK consistently out rank Indian institutes and have globally earned a great reputation.
• Institutes in UK offer flexibility of choice and enables the student to blend academic and vocational courses of their choice.
• The UK is the home of the British people, so all the people converse in English. Therefore it is an ideal place to develop language skills and enhance employment prospects.
• The teaching and study methodology used in the UK gives the student freedom to be creative and develop a great set of skills and confidence.
• As a student one gets the opportunity to be taught by the world’s best academics and; the student also benefits from constant academic support of these experts.
• The UK has an excellent academic record, as it undertakes 5 per cent of the world’s scientific research and produces 14 per cent of the world’s most frequently cited papers
• The courses in the UK institutes can be customized according to one’s needs and interests. Specialized modules can be created to be fit for one’s academic pursuits.

Cost of Education in United Kingdom , UK

Not just studying in UK, but moving to a different country for your education comes with a whole lot of baggage and planning. Expenditure is one of the core aspects to look into since the economies of countries are highly variable. The student must be sure beforehand that he/she can conveniently afford the minimum living costs of the place along with the college fee. Thus, to make the process easier, we’ve compiled our research to present estimated costs of studying in UK, so that the student can move on to focus on the next step of their stay in the country.

TUITION FEE

 This is going to be the primary expenditure a student has to face and will probably be one of the highest they come across. Although the amount of tuition fee would largely depend on the course and the university, along with any scholarships granted to the applicant. The thing about studying in UK is that being a vast region, the fee depends on where in UK one chooses to study, where MBA programmes are the most expensive. Anyone who’s already gotten into a college would be aware of the fee structure, and anyone planning to apply to should look into its tuition fee before concluding. A comprehensive list of the annual tuition fee of each program is mentioned below in GBP:

1. Undergraduate (10,000-20,000)
2. Postgraduate (10,000 – 20,000)
3. Doctoral (15,000 – 24,000)

Similar to most countries, generalized courses such as humanities and education courses are cheaper whereas specialized courses such as engineering and medicine are likely to be relatively more expensive. Similarly, post-graduate courses are much more expensive than undergraduate courses on a per annum scale but shorter in duration. It is highly recommended to also apply for scholarships, you never know when you get lucky!

VISA COSTS

It is best to consult a counsellor regarding the student visa process as it must not fiddled with. A valid student comes with its own costs and can cost anywhere around GBP 348.

ACCOMMODATION COSTS

It is preferable that students, especially international ones, opt for on-campus accommodation facilities. It is not only much more affordable, but it would be much easier for you to connect with those around you as well as suit your educational requirements. Being around both international and native students from similar courses will enhance social life, bring you easy help and allow you to settle conveniently in a country you are absolutely clueless about – in short, it’s a great way to make friends quickly!

The only challenge posed is that not everyone would get to have access to this facility, which is primarily decided either based on score or a first-cum-first-serve basis. It is essential to book a slot for yourself as early as possible.

If a student desires to live off-campus, the most common options include renting an apartment with shared room-mates (generally from the same university or ethnicity), or a homestay with a local family. Renting an apartment costs around GBP 550-650, excluding charges like electricity, water, internet and tenant’s insurance. These charges can greatly vary based on the city one moves to so it’s also important to look at the city’s cost of living carefully to get a better idea.

One thing common is that one will mandatorily have to pay for local community services such as rubbish collection, police, fire brigade, leisure services, etc. and a council tax if you’ll be living anywhere apart from an on-campus accommodation or sharing a home with a family or other full-time student.

As per the NUS/Unipol Accommodation Costs Survey, London has the highest average weekly rent of approx. £157.48 per week and the cheapest rooms are in Northern Ireland costs around £83.01 per week.

LIVING EXPENSES

Living expenses cover a variety of sub-categories but essentially refer to all things that you need to survive in a city such as food, transportation, toiletries, social activities etc. It is a good practice to set a budget beforehand and document each expense so as to not overspend.

A comprehensive breakdown of the list of expenses per month is as follows:

1. Electricity, gas and water bills (£40 – £50)
2. Food and Housekeeping (£160 – £200)
3. TV License (£12.56)
4. Phone (£15 – £50)
5. Clothing (£25)
6. Leisure (£10 – £20)
7. Books and Stationery (£21)
8. Socialising (£120)
9. Transport (£32)

An outline into transportation: Students generally have two options – either the college provides a shuttle services to and fro or the student would use public transportation

Transportation would be both short distance (regional trains, buses, taxis and tubes) and long distance (buses, railways and flights).  When travelling in a taxi, ensure that the meter is running and if not, agree on a charge beforehand. A buffer amount should be kept for long-distance travel occasionally.

HEALTH INSURANCE

Health insurance is a mandatory, so don’t even plan to skip on this. Enrolling for a medical insurance is priced an approximate £300 yearly and is paid during the Visa process, according to the National Health Service. This varies with the length of your stay, where anyone staying for less that 6 months would have to pay £150 only. Tier 4 dependants are also required to pay a surcharge.

Some health insurances in India can be extended to the UK, so if the student has a health insurance, they must also check up on them and their policies.

TAXES

Most college students prefer working part-time, alongside their education, to ease the burden of expenses. A student is allowed to work 20 hours a week, where they have to pay tax and a national insurance, where income tax is applicable when the student is earning over GBP 1,042 a month on average and a national insurance if they’re earning more than GBP 166 a week.

This income tax and national insurance is generally deducted by the employer in the wage itself under Pay As You Earn (PAYE).

The budgeting process involved varies on a lot of factors and there will be a high influx based on exchange rate variations. This makes a part-time job and scholarships a must during your stay in UK.

For more information, You can contact us at info@gkworks.in or call 9643362320 to Schedule an appointment or Contact your nearest branch now

Best wishes for your dream career in the UK.

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