Indian students planning to choose the United Kingdom (UK) as their study abroad destination might be worried about the impact of Brexit [short for “British Exit”, the referendum that took place on 23 June, 2016 when British citizens voted to leave the European Union (EU).] Higher education experts both in the UK and the EU have advised students to not worry about any sudden changes at least for the next 2 years. In fact, there have been predictions that Brexit and the consequent drop in the value of the pound (£), may result in a reduction in the course fees in various UK universities.
For every Indian student, the major consideration when looking at higher study options abroad is the host country. It will not only determine the value of the degree you earn but also play an important role in defining your career choices ahead. If you are looking to apply for an undergraduate, postgraduate or research programme in the United Kingdom (UK), let us start by evaluating the advantages of pursuing that course in UK viz-a-viz another country or India.
Here are the main 9 reasons Indian students should consider (despite Brexit) for studying in the UK (England, Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland):
- Internationally recognised universities & qualifications
UK is a popular destination for higher studies for students from around the world and is home to three of the top 10 universities in the world, according to the World University Rankings. A degree that you gain from an UK university will be recognised internationally by universities, employers and government bodies.
The top 5 universities in the UK (as of 2019-2020) are:
University of Oxford – Two of India’s Prime Ministers, Indira Gandhi and Dr.Manmohan Singh have studied at Oxford
University of Cambridge – Indian’s first PM, Jawaharlal Nehru and famous economist & Nobel laureate, Amartya Sen are both alumni of Trinity College part of Cambridge university.
Imperial College, London – Known for its Science education, this university has produced many Nobel laureates including the inventor of Penicillin, Sir Alexander Fleming.
University College London (UCL) – The Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, studied law here.
University of Edinburgh (Also read: List of best UK universities)
Results of the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2016 also point towards a high employability quotient for graduates from top UK Universities like Cambridge (ranked 4th) and Oxford (ranked 6th.)
A valid TOEFL score can help you secure an admission in the top colleges.
- Quality education
The UK has retained its position as a popular destination among international students owing to its long standing tradition of providing quality education. The standard of teaching and research at UK universities and colleges is routinely assessed and graded by official organisations to ensure that set benchmarks are met. Although UK institutes undertake the responsibility of ensuring standard and quality of different programmes themselves, independent audits are carried out by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA). Professional bodies may also guide the curriculum and perform reviews on individual departments in an institute. Colleges in Scotland may undergo reviews by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education.
In fact, London was rated as the 5th best student-friendly city in the world, by QS rankings 2016.
- Opportunities offered by UK education system
Among the benefits of studying in UK is a wide choice in picking your field of study and institution. You can choose from 150,000 courses at universities and colleges across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and directly contact the institute to order prospectuses.
If you are looking to pursue a Master’s course in UK, you may find the one-year duration for all Master’s programmes to be a big advantage. Alternatively, you may opt for a Master’s programme in combination with PhD, which will save you an additional year. Shorter duration of courses in UK helps reduce tuition and accommodation costs.
The UK education system promotes close interaction between students and lecturers and provides the freedom to combine different subjects into a single course of study. English language support is offered by many institutions to help international students develop the essential study and language skills required to complete their course successfully. Most universities have counsellors and advisors to provide information and support to international students who can help you get used to the education system or any aspect of your course.
- Strong research infrastructure
As a research student evaluating the benefits of studying in UK, it will be interesting for you to note that the country puts across 6.4% of global journal articles, 11.6% of citations and 15.9% of the world’s most highly-cited articles, even though it constitutes just 0.9% of world’s total population.
The latest Research Excellence Framework (REF) which checks the quality of research conducted by more than 154 leading universities and colleges in the UK, classified 30% of the research as ‘world-leading’ and 46% as ‘internationally excellent’.
An impressive number of 95,184 research doctoral degrees were awarded in the country from 2008-09 to 2012-13. The fields of clinical sciences, health & medical sciences, social sciences, business and humanities command strong emphasis in UK research (International Comparative Performance of the UK Research Base, a report prepared for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills).
- Work while you study
Many Indian students in the UK gain work experience along with their study. A part-time job, internship or placement during vacation and volunteering are some ways to develop valuable skills that you can add to your CV. A work placement is a part of the study course for some colleges, and your university or college may assist in providing placement.
- Work permit after study
There have been some changes on the post-study work visa since November 2015. You can now stay in the UK after completing graduation if you hold a job offer with an annual salary of at least 20,800 pounds (Rs. 18.3 lakh). There is no limit on the number of international students who can stay in the UK upon completion of their course. In order to work in the UK after completing your studies, you need to switch from a Tier 4 Visa to a Tier 2 General Visa. You will be required to apply for a work visa from the UK Border Agency, and you can opt from the following, depending on your employment status post study:
Tier 2 (General) Visa – Open to recent graduates holding a UK recognized Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD degree with a job offer from a licensed employer paying a salary of at least £20,800.
Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa – Open to students who are in process of developing a world-class innovative idea and are sponsored by their university.
- Scholarship and financial support
Indian students who’re worried about expensive tuition fee need not lose sleep either, for there are many scholarships that you can apply to, especially at postgraduate and research level, to support your study and cost of living costs.
For scholarships offered by UK universities, you will need to gain acceptance to the course of study before you become eligible to apply.
- Health benefits
Indian students in the UK are eligible to receive free medical treatment by the National Health Service (NHS) if enrolled in a full-time course. Your spouse/partner and/or dependent children will also be exempt from payment if they reside with you during the course of your study programme. Your college or university may have a special health policy for students too.
- Cross-cultural experience
There were 4,36,585 international students from 180+ countries studying in the UK last year, out of which Indian students were the 2nd largest group (18,320)! Studying in UK is an opportunity to experience a multicultural environment, meet new people and fellow international students from across the world and discover new places. You benefit by developing a range of skills that are necessary to be part of today’s global workforce.
Visa Description:
There are two student categories under Tier 4 of the points-based system:
- Tier 4 (General) Student Visa – This category is for students coming to the UK for higher education and the applicant must be at least 16 years old.
- Tier 4 (Child) Student Visa – This category is for children between 4 and 15 years of age coming to the UK for their education. Children between 4 and 15 years old can only be educated at independent fee-paying schools.
If you are enrolled in a bachelors degree program or higher at a UK college that is listed on both the official ‘UKBA Sponsor list’ and the list of ‘recognised bodies’, you are allowed to work for up to 20 hours per week for (Tier 4 General) and work full-time during vacations or summer holidays.
- Latest update: The UK government has announced the reinstatement of the two-year post-study work visa for international students. The new immigration rules will benefit those international students who are planning to pursue their higher studies in the UK starting from 2020-21. Currently, international students pursuing Bachelor’s or Master’s degree can stay back only for a period of four months. Only international students studying in 27 universities can stay back for six months which are part of the pilot scheme. Prospective Indian students are also going to benefit from this new rule.
- Cost of Visa:
The fee for the Tier 4 General Visa is £348. The methods of payment are stated below.
Online using either a MasterCard or Visa card
Through demand draft at the visa application center and selected branches of Standard Chartered Bank.
Though Cash at the visa application center and selected branches of Standard Chartered Bank.
- Documents:
Student visa requires you to carry a lot more documents than you would for a tourist visa, by comparison. You need the mandatory documents along with supporting documents of financial and academic records. Make sure you refer to this checklist before going to the consulate for the visa interview.
You should have the following documents before applying:
A completed student visa application form
A letter of acceptance on the course – Your approved education provider will give you an acceptance letter (CAS) and a visa letter which are official and unconditional offers of a place on a course of study. The visa letter must be issued no more than six months before you apply. The applications where the visa letters are older than six months will be refused.
Having a visa letter does not guarantee the application will be successful. The applicant must meet all the requirements of the category and any other requirements of the immigration rules.
Proof of funds – The money you need to show covers your course fees for your first year of study and living costs for up to a maximum of nine months. The amount you will need depends on whether you are applying as a child or adult and also whether you will be studying in or out of London. You must show that you have held the money for at least 28 days. The end of that 28 day period must not be more than one month before the date of your application.
You must show the following amount of money to meet basic living costs (not including fees) for a period of up to nine months i.e. £11,385 for nine months if you are living in London and £9,135 for nine months if you are living outside London.
The visa fees payment confirmation receipt
Payslips
Original mark sheets/provisional certificates
Score sheet of exams like TOEFL, GMAT, IELTS, etc.
There are several steps to apply for a visa. UK student visa applications are processed within three weeks of the completed application being lodged.
Step 1 – Check if you qualify
You must be able to show that you have:
A confirmed place at the school, university or college where you intend to study. It is called a ‘confirmation of acceptance for studies’ (CAS).
Enough money (also known as ‘maintenance or funds’) to cover your course fees and living costs in the UK.
Step 2 – Get your documents ready
Step 3 – Apply online
You will need to register and create an account on the official UK Visa website.
When you have completed your online application form, you will need to print and sign your completed form. You must use the online appointment calendar to book an appointment at the visa application center. When you have completed your online application, you will receive an email message containing your application number.
Step 4 – Pay your application fee. There are 4 ways to pay your visa application fee.
Payment at Standard Chartered Bank – You can pay your fee at some branches of the Standard Chartered Bank. The bank will issue a demand draft in favour of the ‘The British High Commission’.
Demand draft from a nationalized or foreign bank – You can pay your fee by getting a demand draft issued by a nationalized or a foreign bank. Bank charges for this service will vary. The demand draft must be in favour of the ‘The British High Commission’.
Payment at the visa application center – You can pay the visa application fee at the visa application center when you submit your visa application.
Pay online – You can pay your visa application fee online using a Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card.
Step 5 – Visit the visa application center on the appointed date. You must book and attend an appointment at the visa application center to submit your application and facial photograph and fingerprints.
Students should be informed that the UK Visa is a point based visa system and it is essential for applicants to meet all the requirements of the Immigration Rules and have 40 points in total.
Factors And Points:
Students are required to have a valid Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies from a fully licensed Tier 4 sponsor – 30 points
Students should have enough money to cover course fees and monthly living costs (also known as maintenance or
funds) – 10 points
- Dependents:
Wife or children get a Dependent Visa for the same duration as the primary applicant. This is applicable for Master’s degree application only. Undergraduates cannot take dependents with them to the UK.
If you have a Student visa, your dependents apply as ‘dependent on a Points Based System migrant’. Each dependent completes a separate application form and pays a separate fee.
Along with your own maintenance funds, you need to show an additional £845 (within London) and £680 (outside London) for each dependent for each month that you are applying for up to a maximum 9 months’ maintenance funds. You can use a scholarship to cover the maintenance funds for your dependents if you already have got a scholarship. The scholarship letter must state that funds are also intended for your dependents.
- Additional Information:
From April 6, 2012, Tier 1 (Post-study work) was closed to new applicants. So technically you don’t get Post Work Visa with Student Visa. But if you want to work there after your studies, then you need to apply for a Tier 2 visa which is meant for Highly Skilled Workers. So along with your student visa, you don’t get a work permit. You need to apply for a work visa separately.
Your spouse may work in the UK if the grant of leave is for more than 12 months. If your visa was granted for a period of fewer than 12 months or you are participating in a course of study below degree level, your spouse will not be allowed to work in the UK.
- Premium Visa Services:
While a normal UK Student Visa could take at least 6 weeks to process, students can opt for the Priority Visa Service or the Super Priority Visa Service to shorten the visa processing time for an added fee. Under the Priority Visa Application, the UK Visas and Immigration aims to make a decision on your Priority Visa application and contact you to let you know that your passport is ready to be collected within 5 working days from when you submit your biometric information. Under the Super Priority Visa Application, the same work is completed within 24 Hrs. Candidates should note that the cost of this service is in addition to the visa application fee and is non-refundable if the visa application is refused, or in exceptional cases if it takes longer to process.
- Where to apply:
The process of getting a Tier 4 visa is completely online.
Online visa application form
For Biometrics interview you need to visit the VFS global visa application centre.
- Scholarships for studying in the UK:
UK’s education system is considered one of the best in the world. However, most of the international students need financial assistance to pursue their higher education from there. In order to fulfil the aspirations of international students, different types of scholarships are available to study in the UK. Below you will find the list of some of the top fellowships for studying in the UK.