Everything you need to know if you want to study in The United Kingdom

In this article, we will present you the benefits, the costs, the methods to apply, sources of funding and, last but not least, sources of entertainment if you decide to study in The United Kingdom (UK), a country with over 800 years of academic tradition and performance, well recognized anywhere in the world.

Education system in the UK

The access to the UK education system requires only one condition: graduating from highschool. In other words, any high school graduate with a Baccalaureate diploma (Panhellenic/Apolytirion diploma in Greece) can attend a UK university.

Studies in the UK, more accessible than one might think

Bachelor’s Degree

The university starts with the program called Bachelor’s Degree, equivalent to the faculty, followed by the Master’s Degree. Baccalaureate diploma is the key to accessing bachelor & master studies in both private and state universities that include programmes such as Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BSc), Bachelor of Engineering (BEng), Bachelor of Architecture (BArch), Bachelor of Law (LLB), Mater of Arts (MA) or Master of Engineering (MEng).

Besides Baccalaureate requirement, students have to pay a tuition cost of approximately £ 7,000 - 9,250 / year. Do not worry, EDMUNDO counsellors are here to show you the easiest and most accessible way to your dream!

Master’s Degree

The Bachelor’s Degree has continuity by following a Master's Degree that is materialized through: Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MSc), Master of Philosophy (MPhil) or Master of Literature (MLitt). As with the Bachelor’s Degree, if you want to enroll in a Master’s programme, the payment for it is between £ 3,000 - 15,000 / year or £ 6,000-50,000 / year for MBA programmes. There are funding opportunities available for both Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree.

The good news for you is that there are multiple sources of funding for studies in the UK! So you do not have to be the best, you do not have to be a straight A’s student, or to put yourself through impossible examinations. Just trust EDMUNDO and be part of those who know what they want and who are living today in the experience of an international environment.

Sources of funding

BREXIT may affect the availability of the main sources of funding described below, BUT this is NOT true yet. Political changes are not in our way, and access to UK universities is still possible! How?

For Bachelor Studies

A first form of funding for your studies can be done through the Tuition Fee Loan. This is a government loan which covers the whole tuition fee that is about £ 9,250 / year.

The loan works like this: The applicant sends the application form by mail along with a copy of his/her ID. Upon admission to the university and the start of the study program, the university receives the money for the entire tuition fee from the Government on behalf of the student. The future sounds better and better, doesn’t it?

The advantage of this loan is that it is paid only after the completion of the studies, irrespective of their duration, and the repayment phase will start as soon as you exceed the £ 25,000 threshold as an annual income, and you will have to reimburse 9% of the amount exceeds this threshold. The tax is taken monthly from your salary by the Government.

If you do not want to build a life in the UK and want to leave the country, the same calculation principle will be applied according to the threshold set by the government for the country you are currently in. For example, for Greece, the set threshold is £ 20.000 / year while for Romania this is £ 10.000 / year.

The best thing is that the tuition fee will not change over the years of study. EDMUNDO counsellors also recommend to apply for the loan at the start of your studies to ensure that it will be given to you regardless of the status of Great Britain in the European Union.

For Master studies

For the Master there is a loan very similar to the Tuition Fee Loan, mentioned above. This time, European students admitted to a Master’s programme in the UK can receive up to £ 11,222 to fund their studies.

The advantage of the loan is that, unlike the Tuition Fee Loan, it will be received directly by the student in his / her personal account and, implicitly, may be used for the tuition fee or any other current expense, at the student's discretion. The loan must be reimbursed after graduation under conditions similar to those of the Tuition Fee Loan.

The good news is that these government loans are not your only funding possibilities. Thus, you have the opportunity to receive scholarships from universities. They cannot support you financially in the UK, their value being between £ 1,000-3,000, but they are an extra income.

Part-time Job

Part-time jobs are an interactive and exciting way to make some money. In addition to providing you with income, there is also an opportunity for you to gain professional experience during your studies. The average time to find a part-time job is 6 months, and it will give you:

- about £ 6.80 / hour for those aged 18-20 years

- about £ 7.70 / hour for over 21 years

Important!

The most important thing is to have a discussion with your parents to see if they can support you financially at least in the first year of study until you find a part-time job because your scholarship does not cover your daily expenses, accommodation or transport, as they all together cost you about £ 600-800.

Applying for studies at a British university

Are you wondering how to apply to studies at one of the British universities? Simple! Through UCAS.com, the national and international online platform, where you can apply for a Bachelor's programme and obtain the official answer of the universities. In addition to filling out the UCAS platform, the application also involves writing a personal essay and obtaining a reference letter.

If you have chosen Great Britain as your destination to success, you must know that the admission requirements differ from one university to another, but generally they involve obtaining a certain grade at the final high school examination and a certain English language score. It may not be mandatory for you to pass an internationally recognized English language test (CAE, IELTS, TOEFL), as for many universities it can be replaced by another test.

EDMUNDO is one of the largest UCAS centers in Europe.

If you were aided by an EDMUNDO counsellor to apply through UCAS, you should mention this by entering the buzzword EDMUNDO2020 in your UCAS account, so that your application is linked to the EDMUNDO UCAS center.

The costs of a student living in the UK

Accommodation / rent

The cost of rent in the UK ranges between £ 70-400. The amount invested in accommodation depends on your preferences. So, you can opt for a dorm room on campus at a price of £ 280-540 per month, or you can choose a private room for which you will pay an amount of £ 150-480 per month. All of these costs are added to utilities that will cost you around £ 70 per month.

Transport

Depending on your preferences, transport costs may vary. Thus, for situations when you prefer to travel alone or you are in a time of crisis, you can opt for a taxi, 1 km with a cost of between £ 2 - £ 5.50. If you prefer the joint transport, there are two options: the bus at a price of £ 1.40 - £ 2.50 / travel or the metro that costs £ 2.10 - £ 5 / travel.

Internet and phone subscription

Although the UK looks so far away, with the help of the Internet and the telephone service your loved ones will be closer. So the cost of a phone card is £ 15 / month and your Internet subscription will cost you £ 35 / month to communicate at will no matter where you are.

The cost of everyday life in the UK

Along with accommodation, transport or the internet, living in the UK also involves food costs, which mostly depend on your meal preferences, up to £/week, or £ 160/ month. Let's imagine you're in the supermarket and your shopping list includes: 1L milk (£ 1), 6 eggs (£ 1,7), cheddar cheese (£ 8.32 / kg), apples (£ 1.67 / kg), tomatoes (£ 1 / kg), chicken breast (£ 3.23), so the receipt will be £ 17 (£ 90). If you want to dine in the city, a KFC or McDonald's menu costs about £ 5.50, a pub costs about £ 2, and a lunch in the city is priced between £ 4-7.

Until when can you apply for studies in the UK?

If you have decided and you have already chosen your future study destination, then it is time to prepare your application and apply for it. The first UCAS application deadline is January 15, and after that the "first come, first served" rule applies, so do not waste time and apply now!

After the Baccalaureate, there will be a clearing session, when the universities will reopen the programs that were left unoccupied by that time. EDMUNDO counsellors recommend that you send your application as quickly as possible in order to avoid applying on the last minute.

EDMUNDO has partnerships with half of UK universities and out team will show you the best opportunities to study, the best places to go, inspire you to make decisions (even though they may seem difficult at the beginning), and guide you through every step towards a successful career.

The EDMUNDO counsellors' mission is to advise you freely

All you have to do is CONTACT us and APPLY!