Here’s everything you need to know about getting higher education in the UK

Tuition in UK

Similar to other countries, engineering and management courses in the UK are more expensive than humanities courses, with postgraduate tuition being slightly higher across all disciplines, between £11,000 to £30,000 (~). ₹11-30 lakh) per annum. The most sought after universities in the UK are from the ‘Golden Triangle’ ie London, Cambridge and Oxford. The University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Imperial College London, University College London, London School of Economics and London Business School are the most well-known in this area. The cost of a degree in medicine would be quite high, around £60,000 (~ .) ₹60 lakhs).

However, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to classifying universities. Sometimes, smaller universities will have better facilities and faculty for a particular course and students should choose a college based on their interest, not just the reputation of the university. There are many equally good universities that offer affordable education such as Goldsmiths College and Manchester Metropolitan, for example, their fees are £17,000 (~ ₹17 million) and the University of Essex and York University starting from £9,250 (~ ₹9 lakh). These fee estimates are for Arts and Humanities courses.

living expenses

In addition to tuition fees, UK visas and immigration will require you to show proof of your financial stability – a budget of around £12,000 (~ ₹1.2 million). Also take into account the cost of the visa, currently £348 (~ .) ₹35,000) with an NHS (National Health Service) fee of £470 (~ .) ₹47,000) per year.

The cost of living in the UK also depends on your college commuting, your social life, etc. Most universities offer on-campus accommodation for international students called Halls of Residence. You have to apply early to take advantage of this. If you plan to rent an apartment of your own, you will need to pay a council tax for services such as electricity, water, gas, and food and groceries, in addition to that. Undoubtedly, living in London will be more expensive, around £11,000 (~ .) ₹11 million) per year, for inner London and around £9,000 (~ .) ₹9 lakhs) for outer London. Indian students are allowed to work up to 20 hours a week for part-time jobs. However, currently, due to the pandemic situation, students are advised not to bank on part-time work.

Work Visa, Ease of Job Search

The UK Home Office has reintroduced its post-study work visas for international students. This means that all Indian students from recognized universities in the UK can stay there and look for work for at least two years after their course. This applies to all subjects and all courses-undergraduate, postgraduate or research courses. Also, you do not need to be offered a job to apply for a post-study work visa. To be eligible for a visa, students must have studied in the UK for at least one year and must be present when applying for a visa. This rule does not apply if you were forced to complete your course outside the UK due to Covid-19. To get their dream job in UK, students need to push themselves and start applying before the course ends. An impressive resume can help students stand out from the crowd and land a job.

travel controls

The COVID rules and regulations are not the same for all universities and students need to check with the respective institutions to get updated information. However, the good news is that the UK has removed India from its red list. This means that currently flights are operating from India to the UK and back. At the same time, you need to take a Covid-19 test within 72 hours of your departure, and also book a test after you arrive in the UK.

Once you arrive, you must have another test within 48 hours and submit a negative report if you have been fully vaccinated. If you are not fully vaccinated, you will need to quarantine at your residence for 10 days after arrival.

All these may sound like a lot of rules and regulations, but that should not stop you from availing quality education and a dream career in the UK, as there are so many scholarships available for all international students including Indians. May you be successful!

Ajesh Raj is the co-founder and CEO of Edampus.