Study In UK

The education system in the UK is also split into “key stages” which breaks down as follows:

• Key Stage 1: 5 to 7 years old
• Key Stage 2: 7 to 11 years old
• Key Stage 3: 11 to 14 years old
• Key Stage 4: 14 to 16 years old

Generally key stages 1 and 2 will be undertaken at primary school and at 11 years old a student will move onto secondary school and finish key stages 3 and 4.Students are assessed at the end of each stage, while the most important assessment occurs at age 16 – when they pursue their GCSE’s or General Certificate of Secondary Education. ( “O level” equivalent to Senior Secondary). Once students complete their GCSE’s they have the choice to go onto further education and then potential higher education, or finish school and go into the working world.

Further Education

Once a student finishes secondary education they have the option to extend into further education to take their A-Levels equivalent to Higher Secondary Level, GNVQ’s, BTEC’s or other such qualifications. UK students planning to go to college or university must complete further education.

Higher Education

Most international students will enter directly into the UK higher education system, after completing their home country’s equivalent to the UK’s “further education.” International students may opt to enrol for any programme- Bachelors is for 3 years, 4 Years are Sandwich program, Masters for 1 year and PH.D for 3 years.

Grading System

In UK Alphabetical system of grading is followed i.e. From A to E. A: excellent/outstanding; B: above average; C: average; D: below average; E: failing.

• Highest on scale: A
• Pass/fail level: C/D
• Lowest on scale: E

Main Grading system used by higher education institutions:

In UK Alphabetical system of grading is followed i.e. From A to E.

1. A: excellent/outstanding;
2. B: above average;
3. E: fail.
4. Highest on scale: A
5. Pass/fail level: D/E
6. Lowest on scale: E

Other main grading systems:

Apart from the alphabetical grading system, the Numerical system is also used in UK.

Types of taught courses

• Postgraduate Certificates and Diplomas (PG Cert; PG Dip)
• Master (MA; MSc)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Types of research degrees

• Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
• Master of Research (MRes)
• Professional / Taught Doctorates (DEng, DMus, DEd, DBA, DClinPsych)
• New Route Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD or DPhil)
• Bachelor Degrees
• Foundation Degrees
• Higher National Diplomas Higher National Certificates Diplomas of Higher Education Foundation courses,
• Foundation years or Access/Bridging courses

There are plenty of scholarship and bursaries that are offered to meritorious international students. Some of the most common ones are listed below:

1. Hornby scholarships

The A.S.Hornby Educational Trust scholarships are awarded every year to English language teachers from outside the UK to study for a Masters degree in English Language Teaching (ELT) at the University of Warwick.

Value – The scholarships fund study on the one-year MA TESOL at the University of Warwick. It funds all the costs in the UK including a monthly stipend to cover accommodation and living expenses, tuition fees, return air tickets, visa and IELTS test costs.

Eligibility – Applicants for the scholarship award must have at least two years’ full-time ELT experience and a full university degree, and must be a citizen of an eligible country.

Selection Process – Applicants are selected by a four-stage process.

1. the quality of the application form is assessed.
2. selected applicants are invited for interview at a British Council office in their country of origin.
3. selected applicants apply to the university.
4. the applicant is accepted by the university. Only at this stage is the scholarship award confirmed with the applicant.

Application dates – November till January end every year

2. Commonwealth Scholarship and fellowship Awarded to applicants of

One year Taught Master’s courses or equivalent degree and/or Doctoral degree of up to three/four years’ duration in any one of the following subjects – Engineering and Technology; Science (Pure and Applied); Agriculture ; Humanities and Social Sciences

Value – Scholarship covers economy return international travel; tuition fee and adequate maintenance and other allowances.

Application dates – Usually opens post August every year for successive academic session

3. Scholarships by other organisations

Students may apply for a range of scholarships and funding provided by UK and international Government bodies, the European Commission, funding trusts, a number of research councils, industry and employers. Contact our team for more details.

4. Scholarships by Universities

From time to time Universities continue to announce scholarships and bursaries to encourage meritorious students. Contact our team for more details.

The UK is the educational hub and house many universities. Following is the alphabetical list of all recognised universities. Colleges of the University of London are listed under the University of London.

• University of Aberdeen
• Abertay University
• Aberystwyth University
• Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge
• Arden University, private, distance learning & blended learning, London, Birmingham, Manchester, Dublin, Berlin
• Aston University, Birmingham
• Bangor University
• University of Bath
• Bath Spa University
• University of Bedfordshire, Luton and Bedford
• University of Birmingham
• Birmingham City University
• University College Birmingham
• Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln
• University of Bolton
• The Arts University Bournemouth
• Bournemouth University
• BPP University
• University of Bradford
• University of Brighton
• University of Bristol
• Brunel University, Uxbridge and London
• University of Buckingham, private
• Buckinghamshire New University, High Wycombe
• University of Cambridge
• Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, Thanet, Tunbridge Wells and Chatham
• Cardiff Metropolitan University(formerly University of Wales Institute Cardiff)
• Cardiff University
• University of Chester, Chester and Warrington
• University of Chichester
• Coventry University, including CU Coventry, CU Scarborough and CU London
• Cranfield University
• University for the Creative Arts, Canterbury, Epsom, Farnham, Maidstone and Rochester
• University of Cumbria, Carlisle (main campus), London, Penrith and Ambleside
• De Montfort University, Leicester
• University of Derby
• University of Dundee
• Durham University, Durham and Stockton-on-Tees (Queen’s Campus)
• University of East Anglia, Norwich
• University of East London
• Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, Lancashire
• University of Edinburgh
• Edinburgh Napier University
• University of Essex, Colchester and Southend-on-Sea
• University of Exeter
• Falmouth University
• University of Glasgow
• Glasgow Caledonian University
• University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham, Gloucester and London
• University of Greenwich
• Harper Adams University, Newport, Shropshire
• Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh and Galashiels
• University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield
• University of the Highlands & Islands, Inverness (main campus), Elgin, Perth & across north and western Scotland
• University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield&Barnsley
• University of Hull, Hull and Scarborough
• Imperial College London [5]
• Keele University, Staffordshire
• University of Kent, Canterbury and Medway
• Kingston University
• University of Central Lancashire, Preston and Burnley
• Lancaster University
• University of Leeds
• Leeds Arts University[6]
• Leeds Beckett University
• Leeds Trinity University
• University of Leicester
• University of Lincoln, Lincoln, Hull, Riseholme and Holbeach
• University of Liverpool
• Liverpool Hope University
• Liverpool John Moores University
• University of London
• Birkbeck, University of London
• City, University of London
• Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
• Courtauld Institute of Art
• Goldsmiths, University of London
• Heythrop College
• Institute of Cancer Research
• King’s College London
• London Business School
• London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
• London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• Queen Mary, University of London
• Royal Academy of Music
• Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham
• Royal Veterinary College
• St George’s, University of London
• School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)
• University College London (UCL)
• London Metropolitan University
• London South Bank University
• Loughborough University
• University of Manchester
• Manchester Metropolitan University
• Middlesex University, London
• Newcastle University
• Newman University, Birmingham
• University of Northampton
• Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne
• Norwich University of the Arts
• University of Nottingham
• Nottingham Trent University
• The Open University, Milton Keynes (an open-access distance learning university)
• University of Oxford
• Oxford Brookes University
• Plymouth Marjon University (formerly the University of St Mark & St John)
• University of Plymouth
• University of Portsmouth
• Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
• Queen’s University Belfast
• University of Reading
• Regent’s University London
• The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen
• Roehampton University, London
• Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester
• University of Salford
• University of Sheffield
• Sheffield Hallam University
• University of South Wales, merger of University of Wales, Newport and University of Glamorgan
• University of Southampton
• Southampton Solent University
• University of St Andrews
• St Mary’s University, Twickenham
• Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford and Lichfield
• University of Stirling, Bridge of Allan
• University of Strathclyde, Glasgow
• University of Suffolk, Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft
• University of Sunderland
• University of Surrey, Guildford
• University of Sussex, Falmer and Brighton
• Swansea University
• Teesside University, Middlesbrough and Darlington
• University of the Arts London
• Ulster University, Coleraine, Jordanstown, Magee and Belfast
• University of Law
• University of Wales (will merge with UWTSD in 2017)
• University of Wales, Trinity Saint David (UWTSD), Lampeter, Carmarthen and Swansea
• University of Warwick, Coventry
• University of the West of England, Bristol
• University of the West of Scotland, Paisley, Hamilton, Ayr& Dumfries
• University of West London, Ealing and Brentford
• University of Westminster, London
• University of Winchester
• University of Wolverhampton
• University of Worcester
• WrexhamGlyndŵr University
• University of York
• York St John University