Complete guide to studying in the United Kingdom
Everything you need to know about becoming an international student in the UK
Five top reasons to study in the UK
- World class higher education system with many excellent universities
- High standards of living and welfare
- Study in English, the most widely spoken language in the world
- A safe country to live in with a diverse population
- Enhance your career prospects
A quick introduction to the UK
The United Kingdom is the nation made up of the countries of England, North Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It is an island country, located in north west of Europe, and was formerly a member of the EU.
As an international student interested in studying in the UK, you will be interested to learn that you are not alone! The UK is host to hundreds of thousands of international students (381,000 international first year students enrolled at UK universities in the year 2021/22 alone – Universities UK).
These students are attracted by the UK’s world class higher education system and high standards of living. It is a nation that can boast of a very rich history that nowadays is host to great cultural diversity.
For those planning to study in the UK, you should note that Great Britain and the United Kingdom are not interchangeable terms, and you will find it useful to understand the difference.
- Great Britain refers only to the island containing England, Scotland and Wales.
- The United Kingdom refers to England, Scotland, Wales with the addition of Northern Ireland, which is the northern region of the island of Ireland.
- The southern part of the island of Ireland is the Republic of Ireland, which is a country independent of the UK.
Despite no longer being a part of the EU, the UK is still a member of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and follows both the Bologna process and the ECTS, so any of your studies in the UK are also recognised throughout Europe.
The UK remains a popular destination for EU students with tens of thousands of students from within the EU choosing UK universities in the last reported year (the latest data available from HESA is from the 2021/22 academic year: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students).
The largest national cohorts from within the EU come to the UK from Italy, Romania, Spain, France and Germany but if you’re from another country within Europe it is still likely that some other students from your country will be at the same university.
The largest non-European nationalities that choose the UK for international study are currently China (26% of international students), India (23%), Nigeria (9%), Pakistan (4%) and the USA (4%).
United Kingdom’s higher education system
You can get a great education at any one of the 131 universities in the UK. The most prestigious of these are usually the Ancient universities and the Red brick universities.
All the universities in the UK can be described by one of the following categories:
Ancient universities
Ancient universities are universities that were established between the 11th and 16th centuries, and include world-renowned universities such as the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge and the University of St Andrews.
Red brick universities
Red brick universities are universities established in the 19th century, in cities that played major roles in the industrial revolution of the UK, initially to produce students with a strong grasp on subjects related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Named after the red brick typical of the construction methods of the time in the UK, there are six of these universities, including the University of Leeds, the University of Liverpool and the University of Manchester.
Plate glass universities
After Red brick universities came the Plate glass universities. In the 1960’s the UK went through educational reforms with a goal of adding many more universities to the UK and making higher education more accessible.
The resulting universities became known as the Plate glass universities, again owing to their construction methods, and includes seven reputable universities, such as the University of East Anglia, the University of Sussex and the University of York.
New universities
Further education reforms in the 1980’s and 1990’s saw many polytechnics and university colleges in the UK becoming universities in their own right, and these are often referred to as New universities.
These include many reputable universities, such as the University of Derby, Nottingham Trent University, the University of West London and Kingston University.
Russell Group universities
Russell Group universities are a group of some of the top research universities of the UK. The list is mainly composed of Ancient and Red brick universities. The group is self-selected and uses its status to push for the advancement of education in the UK.
Members of the Russell Group include founding members such as the University of Edinburgh and University of Glasgow, and universities that joined the group later, such as Durham University and the University of Exeter.
Most of the universities in the UK are publicly funded, while there are 5 private universities, including the University of Buckingham and Regent’s University London.
University rankings
The UK is home to some of the world’s oldest and most prestigious universities, and it is no surprise that many of these regularly perform very well in international university rankings.
This is an important factor for international students as a degree or masters from a high ranked and/or prestigious university will look better to prospective employers.
You can use university rankings to help you to choose your university, as they help you to compare universities on metrics that are relevant to you as an international student.
These metrics include scores for how many staff there are per student, the reputation of the universities teaching, and the percentage of students that are international.
Our table below shows the top 15 universities, though many more from the UK feature in the selected university ranking tables.
| University | Times Higher Education World University Ranking | Best Global Universities | QS World University Ranking |
| University of Oxford | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| University of Cambridge | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Imperial College London | 8 | 12 | 2 |
| University College London | 22 | 7 | 9 |
| University of Edinburgh | 30 | 38 | 27 |
| King’s College London | 38 | 36 | 40 |
| London School of Economics and Political Science | 46 | 239 | 50 |
| University of Manchester | 51 | 67 | 34 |
| University of Bristol | 81 | 96 | 54 |
| University of Glasgow | 87 | 61 | 78 |
| University of Southampton | 97 | 123 | 80 |
| University of Birmingham | 101 | 94 | 80 |
| University of Sheffield | 105 | 160 | 105 |
| University of Warwick | 106 | 172 | 69 |
| University of Leeds | 129 | 141 | 82 |
Climate
Whilst many in the UK frequently enjoy commenting about the poor quality of the weather, the climate in the UK generally offers warm summers and mild winters, without much extreme high or low temperatures.
It is true that if you arrive from a warm country, you may be surprised by the frequency of rain throughout the year, but is it not generally intense.
Temperatures and weather do vary depending on location within the UK, with Scotland in the north generally receiving higher rainfall and lower temperatures than England in the south.
Expect summer temperatures between 10-18 degrees Celsius (50-64 Degrees Fahrenheit), with occasional warm spells of around 30 degrees Celsius (86 Degrees Fahrenheit).
In the winter, temperatures will vary between 4-10 degrees Celsius (39-50 Degrees Fahrenheit), with some cold snaps that may drop below freezing.
Lifestyle and Welfare
You will find that the UK is a safe country for international students, with a diverse population and generally welcoming locals, and it is ranked as the 34th most peaceful nation by the global peace index.
The upshot of the UK’s climate is countryside dominated by a green and lush landscape, which is beautiful to explore around the year, but particularly in the summer months.
Walking is a popular pastime in the UK, with many keen to get outside as often as possible and explore the countryside in beautiful areas such as the Peak District, the Lake District, the Scottish Highlands, Snowdonia in Wales and the many spectacular coastlines.
International students find that walking is a low cost activity that allows you to explore the country which can be enjoyed as a group, making it a great way to make friends.
The UK has lots of culture and nightlife to enjoy as a student, particularly in university cities and larger cities such as London, Manchester, Birmingham and Nottingham.
Students coming from warmer countries will note that the culture does not involve late warm nights sitting outside with friends at coffee shops, but many evenings cosying up with friends in traditional pubs.
Located in Europe, and separated from France by the narrow English Channel, the UK is a great base to travel and explore nearby European countries such as France, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.
International students in the UK benefit from access to the UK’s National Health Service, which provides medical and health care. International students must pay an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) of £776 per year (around $1,000) for access to the NHS.
Most universities in the UK have large international student bodies, so there are many opportunities to meet other students from abroad, and in many cases students from your own country. As an example, the University of Nottingham student union runs their Global Buddies network to help new students settle in and make friends.
University cities
Despite being a relatively small country, the UK is home to many universities, and as a result many of the cities in the UK are good places to study for international students.
You may have heard of many of these cities already, but we have selected some of the most popular cities for students in the UK to highlight, which include:
London
The largest city in the UK and the capital city of the country, London is home to over 9 million people. It is a global city, and the economic center of the country.
London is typically the city that many people outside of the UK will know, but it is a more diverse city than many realize, with cosmopolitan and vast suburban areas, alongside the historic locations that many will recognise, such as the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.
Around 40 universities are based in London, with notable examples including Imperial College London, UCL, King’s College London and London School of Economics and Political Science.
Birmingham
The second largest city in the UK, Birmingham is located in the West Midlands of the country, and has a history of being an important part of the industrial revolution.
In the present day, Birmingham is a very diverse city, with a lot to offer visitors. It is home to 5 universities, including Aston University, Birmingham City University and University of Birmingham.
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital city of Wales, which is part of the UK. It is the 11th largest city in the UK and is an excellent location for students, with activities of all kinds available and a reasonable cost of living.
There are 3 major universities in Cardiff, including the University of South Wales, Cardiff Metropolitan University and Cardiff University.
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland, and the 4th largest in the UK. An excellent location for your studies, with a large student population.
There are several excellent universities in Glasgow, including the University of Glasgow, the University of Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian University.
Liverpool
Located in the north west of England, Liverpool is well known for its arts and culture, as well as its football team. It is a vibrant city and a great choice for your studies, and is home to universities such as the University of Liverpool, Liverpool Hope University and Liverpool John Moores University.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, located in the south east of the country. It is a pretty city, with plenty of history and culture to explore. It is home to several high-profile universities, such as Heriot-Watt University, The University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh Napier University.
Manchester
Nearby to Liverpool in the north west of England, Manchester is another northern powerhouse which became well known for its textile industry during the industrial revolution.
A thriving city full of opportunities for students, Manchester can boast several great universities including The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University.
Leeds
In the northern county of Yorkshire, Leeds is another city that benefited from the industrial revolution and remains a major city in the UK. Students have several universities to consider in Leeds, including the University of Leeds, Leeds Trinity University and Leeds Beckett University.
Student visas
If you are interested in studying in the UK as a foreign student, it is likely that you will need a student visa. You can check if you require a student visa on the gov.uk student visa website.
Costs of studying
The UK uses the Pound Sterling as it’s currency which can be abbreviated to GBP, and uses the sign ‘£’.
Course fees
As an international student, your course fees can be anywhere between £11,500 to £40,000 per year (around $15,000 – $51,000), depending on your choice of university and course.
Course fees for domestic students from the UK studying an undergraduate degree are currently capped at £9,250 per year (around $12,000).
Living costs
Living costs in the UK as an international student include things such as your rent, food, bills (such as gas, electricity and internet), transport and your social life.
Depending on where in the country you choose to study and the type of accommodation you opt for, your living costs may vary from between £800 – £1,500 per month (around $1,000 – $2,000).
For more information, read our article that covers the costs of studying abroad.
Scholarships
There are many scholarship opportunities available for studying in the UK, including GREAT scholarships and many university specific scholarships.
We recommend doing plenty of research into your available options and making sure that you meet any eligibility requirements before making an application for a scholarship.
Make sure to make your applications to scholarships as soon as possible. You should aim to give yourself the maximum time available to make decisions based on the outcomes of your scholarship applications.
What can I study?
The range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees on offer to study in the UK is vast. So no matter what subject you want to study in the UK, in most cases you will be able to find a course that matches your interests.
Generally at UK universities, if you are studying an undergraduate degree, it will take 3 years of full-time study to complete, or 4 years if you take an optional placement year. Common degree types in the UK include Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Sciece (BSc) and Bachelor of Engineering (BEng).
Postgraduate degrees such as Masters of Arts (MA) and Masters of Science (MSc) and a Masters of Research (MRes) usually take you 1 year of full-time study to complete.
Many of the UK’s public universities are research universities, which means that they place a high importance on performing and publishing research, whilst also teaching their students. This makes UK institutions attractive for any students interested in a PhD degree, which will take between 3-4 years of full time study to complete.
Entry requirements
Grades
If you are an overseas student, you will be expected to have completed your High School Diploma or an International Baccalaureate to be offered a place on a UK undergraduate course. Exact requirements will depend on your choice of university and course.
Students who do not yet meet entry requirements for their chosen degree can enlist on a 1 year foundation degree course, which are offered at many universities. Taking a foundation degree course allows you to gain entry to an undergraduate degree upon completion.
To be accepted into a university degree course in the UK, domestic students from the UK are generally expected to have completed their A level exams, as well as completing their GSCEs. The UK’s UCAS points system helps students to compare and add up the grades they have achieved.
Languages
English is spoken throughout the UK, and is the main language of tuition in universities throughout the country. In Wales, Welsh is also commonly spoken, and some Welsh universities also offer courses taught in Welsh. Celtic is often spoken in parts of Northern Ireland and Scotland.
If you want to study in the UK and you speak English as a second language, you will have to provide evidence of your English language skills. IELTS Academic and TOEFL iBT test results are the most common ways of showing that you are ready to study in English at university.
Exact requirements will vary between universities, but in general you would normally need to achieve an IELTS score of between 6.0 and 7.0 or an TOEFL iBT score of 79-100 to be accepted into an undergraduate degree course.
Many universities run English language courses alongside degree courses to help international students settle in and work on their skills when they begin their studies.
How to apply to university
The academic year in the UK generally starts in September, whilst there is also a January intake.
To apply to university in the UK, you would normally use the central application system run by UCAS, which is used by both international and domestic students.
In most cases you can also apply directly to your chosen university as an international student.
If you don’t secure your chosen course option, the UK has a university clearing process, which you can use to find a course at a university that has unfilled spaces on particular courses. The clearing process in the UK runs from the 5th of July until the 21st of October.
Job prospects for international graduates
The quality and reputation of higher education in the UK will make a difference on your CV upon your graduation.
Following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, the visa rules have changed for international graduates to find full time employment following their studies, but finding a job in the UK is still possible. Applying for a graduate visa will grant you 2 years to find suitable employment, or 3 years if you have completed a PhD.
When you find suitable employment you may then apply for a Skilled Worker visa to extend your stay in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to study in the UK?
Universities in the UK are free to set their tuition fees for international students, whilst tuition fees for students from the UK are currently capped at £9,250.
Am I allowed to work while I study?
If you are in the UK on a student visa, the maximum permitted hours you are allowed to work during your studies is 20 hours per week.