LOCATION: Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France.

POPULATION: 60,441,457 (July 2005 est.)

 

GDP: $1.867 trillion (2005 est.)

 

SIZE: 244,820 sq km

 

LANGUAGE: English, Welsh, Scottish form of Gaelic (in Scotland)

 

MAJOR INDUSTRIES: machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, and other consumer goods

 

WHY STUDY IN UNITED KINGDOM?

 UK is coming up as one of the most popular study destinations for education in the world. 

A high degree of sophistication, modern facilities and International level education quality: the United Kingdom is just the right destination where your career will get a turning point. The advantages of studying in UK are:

 

a) World Class Qualification:

 

UK qualifications are renowned and respected throughout the world. Your UK qualification will be a solid foundation for building your future, boosting your career and prospects for a higher salary. UK Universities are funded by the government and are continuously assessed by official bodies that grade the standard of their teaching and research.

 

b) International Experience:

 

Wherever you choose to study in the UK, you will surely have an enriching and international experience, one that will remain etched in your memory forever and will arm you with a truly global perspective. UK institutions attract students from all over the world, so you will have the opportunity to mix with international as well as UK students. 

 

c) Learn in a modern Environment:

 

In an increasingly globalize world economy, people need special skills and qualities to succeed. UK Institutions are highly modernized and provide excellent infrastructure.

 

d) Value for Money:

 

UK degrees can take only three years and postgraduate master's courses only one year ' compared with four years and two years in most other countries. This means you will save a great deal on both tuition fees and living costs ' and you will be able to start working and earning money sooner. UK degree courses are shorter because they are more demanding, and therefore more efficient in terms of your time and money. UK institutions offer thousands of scholarships and bursaries just for international students, while more than 21, 000 international students receive scholarship funding from the UK Government every year. Under existing work regulations, international students in the UK can work up to 20 hours a week when studying and full time during vacations.

 

e) Range of courses:

 

UK Universities and colleges offer more than thousand courses at different levels of education. There is a great flexibility in the way in which a subject can be studied. One of the biggest advantages of studying in the UK is that the option of combining work placements with academic study such as sandwich courses at the undergraduate level and work internships at the post graduate level. Having a work component weaved into the programme of study gives the student’s cutting edge knowledge and expertise as well as the hands on experience in your area of study, thereby strengthening chances of obtaining suitable employment later on.

 

f) Ideal base for travel:

 

UK consists of three countries and a province: England, Scotland, Wales and the province of Northern Ireland. Each has its own distinctive history, landscape and modern culture. And, because they're all within easy reach of one another, they're easy to explore. Once you are in UK, it’s easy to see the rest of Europe. UK is the hub for business in Europe

 

TYPE OF QUALIFICATIONS IN UNITED KINGDOM:

 

Various qualifications offered by UK Universities and Colleges

a) First Degree (Bachelors Degree)

b) Sandwich Courses: Where the coursework is accompanied by the practical work.

c) HND (Higher National Diploma)

d) Vocational Courses

e) Postgraduate

f) Research (PhD.)

 

Visa Procedure

 

United Kingdom requires very few documents to be furnished while applying for a visa. To be granted a student visa you must satisfy the visa requirements and comply with a number of visa conditions for attendance and academic performance which come into effect after you have entered United Kingdom. Your student visa will list the conditions that apply specifically to you. It is important to comply with your visa conditions to avoid visa cancellation. Depending upon the length of the course to be studied, student visas are normally granted for an initial period of one year.

 

As a student seeking a visa you will have to produce various documents to show that you fulfill the Immigration Rules for students, e.g. evidence of adequate funding, educational certificates and information from your place of study.

•           A letter of acceptance on the course. This will be a letter from your institution confirming that a place has been offered to you and that the course is full-time as defined by the Immigration Rules. The letter should state how long the course will last. Where your course is more advanced or specialized, the letter should also state what level of English is needed for the course (giving minimum test marks, if appropriate) and confirm that you satisfy this requirement. 

•           Evidence that you can pay the course fees and support yourself and your family, if applicable. Depending on your circumstances, this could include evidence of government sponsorship, a letter from a sponsor in the UK confirming they can support you, together with evidence that they can do this, and/or your own bank statements. You should also provide a letter from your place of study stating the full cost of the course, what arrangements are acceptable for payment and whether you have already paid fees or a deposit. 

•           Accommodation. Although the Immigration Rules do not require unaccompanied students to show that accommodation has been arranged, your place of study may have given you information about its availability, and you should bring this to the attention of the ECO.