Planning to study in the UK? Here’s a checklist of what you should know

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19 Jun 2020

study abroad in the UK — Changes to England's university admissions will see students applying for places after receiving their A-level results. Source: Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP

Throngs of international students make their way to the UK’s shores each year in pursuit of quality education, and rightly so. Choosing to study abroad in the UK means following in the footsteps of thousands of others, the vast majority of which report they are satisfied with their learning experience and careers so far.

The UK is home to many of the world’s top universities, including the prestigious Russell Group institutions. Many degrees and qualifications are recognised worldwide.

Academics aside, it’s culturally diverse — in 2017/18, there were almost half a million international students studying in UK higher education institutions, accounting for 19.6 percent of the UK’s total student population.

In its cosmopolitan cities, you will find a plethora of food from different cultures or get a taste of home if you’re ever homesick.

Here’s a quick checklist of what you should know if you plan to study abroad in the UK:

How to apply

Have you finally decided which course you’d like to study?

Here’s how you can apply through UCAS.
These tips will help when applying through UCAS at the last minute.
Here’s what to do if you’ve missed the UCAS application deadline.
Location matters when choosing a UK university. Read this to understand why.

Student visa

Once you receive an offer from a UK university, you can apply for a Tier 4 (General) student visa to study in the UK if you’re 16 or over.

We have some tips for applying.
Avoid these UK student visa mistakes.
Here’s what you need to know about the student visa process in summer 2020.
Alternatively, if you’re pursuing a short course instead of a three-year degree programme, you’ll need a short-term UK student visa.

Money

Keep your finances in check. Source: John Thys/AFP

Some parts of the UK can be very expensive. It’s best to learn to manage your finances as best as you can. We have some tips on:

Ways to avoid common money mistakes often made by students.
Where to find the most affordable cities in the UK.
UK scholarships worth exploring if you need help financing your studies.
Accessing other ways to fund your UK studies.

English language

Is English your second language?

Here are some English regional slangs to familiarise yourself with before heading to the UK!
These YouTube channels can help improve your English skills with the help of YouTube.
If you prefer the road less taken, here are some uncommon but effective ways to learn English.
These are the differences between IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge and TOEIC.
Taking the IELTS? Here’s how you can ace the reading test.
Here’s all you need to know about the IELTS writing test.
Here are more ways to prepare for your IELTS writing test.

Health and insurance

Be it a medical emergency or one that requires you to go back to your home country immediately, make sure you have the right insurance. Source: Rodrigo Buendia/AFP

Insurance will give you (and your family) peace of mind as you study abroad in the UK, in the event anything unforeseen were to occur. There are many types of insurance available.

Here’s some basic information about student contents insurance.
Emergencies such as the death of immediate family members would require a trip back to your home country. Here’s what you should know about insurance against study interruptions.

Pathway programmes

Pathway programmes are designed to prepare students for their bachelor’s or master’s programmes abroad if they don’t meet certain requirements.

Find out more about pathway programmes here and here.
If you’re looking for a pathway programme that will help you secure a spot at your dream UK university, check this and this out.

Accommodation

Should you stay on or off-campus? Source: Filippo Monteforte/AFP

Renting abroad is part of your exciting journey into adulthood as a student.

Here’s a five-step guide to renting as a student in the UK.
Choosing to live off-campus? Here’s what you should know about London’s private landlords.
This site provides housing and landlord reviews.
Here’s how you can avoid student housing scams.
Moving out from one accommodation to another? Here’s how you can move out responsibly.