The United Kingdom is known to have universities that attract some of the brightest brains in the world, particularly in postgraduate education. According to the British Council, some one million people are studying abroad in the U.K. right now at all academic levels, and around 2/5 of all postgraduate students currently come from abroad. Those are significant numbers that cannot be ignored.
Why Do People Study in the UK?
There are many reasons why people choose to study in the UK, but the greatest has to be the fact that it has a global reputation as being the best of the best. This is particularly true in terms of the educational facilities available for arts, engineering, and science. Furthermore, they offer degrees in just about any subject and are keen to accommodate the needs of students.
Furthermore, UK universities go through continuous processes of evaluation to ensure that the highest standards continue to be matched. It is for this reason that they are rated as the best in the world. Having a resume that shows a master’s or doctoral degree from a British university will instantly increase your own professional standards.
Every year, some 500,000 people from China decide to study abroad. Just 10% of those decide to go to the United Kingdom. Yet, their economic contribution is believed to be some £550 million per year! The UK gives them the opportunity to learn first hand about Western cultures and technologies, which is exactly what makes it so attractive.
Students are encouraged to be self-reliant, creative, and independent when studying in the UK. Adapting to life in the UK can be quite complex to others, not in the least because the educational system is so focused on thinking outside of the box. People are encouraged to be creative, something that is not seen in most other universities in other parts of the world.
An added benefit is that you get really good value for money at British universities. Tuition fees, per year, for undergraduate programs are set at £9,250 per year, That isn’t cheap, but undergraduate degrees take just three years to complete. This makes it a whole lot more affordable than degrees in this country, where tuition fees not only vary greatly, but are usually far more than this amount and they have to be paid for four years.
One thing that is very important to remember, which is part of the visa regulations for the United Kingdom, is that students must take out Comprehensive Sickness Insurance (CSI). This is true even for students from the European Union, who will continue to be able to come to the United Kingdom without a visa, even once Brexit is finalized. This insurance ensures that students can take advantage of the National Health Service, which is the medical system in the United Kingdom that ensures everybody is able to receive healthcare for free at the point of delivery. While you hopefully won’t need a doctor or hospital while you study abroad, CSI ensures that you will be able to receive it if needed.