Many students choose a university course based on their skills, passions, and strengths — in short, they “follow their hearts,” as we are so often told to do when making major life decisions.
However, for overseas students coming to study in the UK, it’s unwise to choose a course using this method alone.
By all means, follow your heart, but don’t forget to follow your brain, too — and your wallet! International students have much more to lose by not contemplating the following factors when choosing their course.
1. Check the qualification requirements in your home country.
No matter where you plan to move after you graduate, whether it’s back home or someplace new, make sure that your degree meets the requirements for the career you want.
Imagine investing £150,000 and three years of your life into a course, only to find out that you must earn additional qualifications because of your home country’s requirements.
For instance, say you wish to practice as an accountant in your home country after graduation. So you decide to pursue an accounting degree in the UK, assuming that your degree will be automatically recognised in your home country.
However, certain countries have their own minimum requirements to enter certain professions. Therefore you may find that there are additional “top-up” requirements you need to satisfy to enter your chosen profession.
Before you even apply for your course, make sure you know your country’s minimum requirements and qualifications for your chosen career. More importantly, make sure that your degree will be recognized as valid.
2. Make sure your degree is relevant to your home country’s labour market.
The job market can differ from country to country. Therefore certain jobs may not be available in all countries.
When choosing what course to study in the UK, ensure that your country has a thriving industry in your chosen sector. For instance, you wouldn’t pursue a degree in the oil and gas industry if there’s no oil and gas industry in your country.
3. Avoid highly specialised or “niche” subjects.
UK universities are renowned for the wide variety of course options they offer. Some courses, though, are a little too narrow in their scope and can actually restrict your job opportunities.
For example, a degree in the Roman Invasion of Britannia is a highly specialised subject — and one that doesn’t offer a lot of job prospects.
No disrespect to graduates and enthusiasts of the subject! All we’re saying is, you’ll probably find it more challenging to get a job compared to a History graduate.
Expertise is highly valued in our society. The general attitude is, “The more specific the niche, the better.” This works where the speciality in is beneficial where the speciality is well established and there is a thriving labour market for it.
For instance, engineering is a broad discipline with many sub-disciplines like civil engineering and mechanical engineering. These sub-disciplines have well established industries with plenty of job opportunities.
However, not every discipline has niches that are considered attractive in the job market. In fact, pursuing a course that is highly specialised might hurt your chances of landing a career.
Most courses allow you to sign up for specialised modules. For instance, Investments and Securities might be offered as a module in the Finance degree course so you can specialise while also maximising your job opportunities.
If you want to specialise at some point, consider narrowing your niche through your choice of modules or by undertaking a masters qualification after you earn your undergraduate degree.
4. Steer clear of “Mickey Mouse degrees.”
This term, popularized by UK tabloids, refers to degrees and courses which are essentially worthless. For example, degrees in Celebrity Studies are not only too specialised — they’re also considered useless by many employers.
What constitutes a Mickey Mouse degree is, obviously, a hot-button topic in the student world. Scroll through any forum on the subject and you’ll find students debating and defending their courses to the death.
We’re not pointing fingers at any particular subject and declaring it useless. Rather, we’re encouraging you to question the relevance of your chosen course before committing to it — for your own benefit.
If you are going to invest thousands of pounds by going to uni, the last thing you want is to find out is that your degree was a dud!
5. Don’t fall for the Integrated Masters hype.
You have a choice: you can either earn your Bachelors degree in three years or your Masters in four. The optimal choice seems pretty obvious here, right? Employers like qualifications, and if you’re going to uni for three years, you might as well stay on for one more to get that extra degree.
On paper, this sounds great. In practice, though, it may not be as beneficial, especially for international students.
Let’s say you sign up for an integrated Masters programme, but halfway through your degree, you decide you don’t like the institution as much as you once did. Or maybe you find the teaching quality is lacking.
Worst case scenario? You lose passion for the subject altogether and decide to choose a whole new course.
Don’t commit your precious time, money, or effort to a Masters programme you might end up hating before the first year is out.
Speaking of money, cost is another important factor to consider — perhaps the most important. UK citizens pay up to £9,250 per year in tuition fees.
International students, on the other hand, may pay up to four times as much, up to £38,000 per year. That’s a lot of money to waste on a course you’re not fully committed to.
Before applying for an integrated Masters programme, ask yourself these questions:
- Does the university provide the best value for money in terms of teaching quality, research opportunities, etc.?
- Would it cost less to pursue my Masters at another university?
- Am I, without a shadow of a doubt, committed to this subject?
- Am I absolutely certain this is the career I want?
- Do I really need a Master’s qualification to differentiate myself from other job seekers in this sector?
- Do I like this region of the UK enough to stay here for four years?
If you’re not sure of your answers to any of these questions, an integrated Masters probably isn’t for you. The wisest course of action is to get through the Bachelor’s degree first, then decide if you want to continue your academic journey or start your career.
Need more guidance?
As a prospective or current international student, you already have a lot on your plate. You have deadlines to meet and lots of paperwork to fill out. (Trust us, we get it — we’re speaking from experience.)
Are you preparing to study in the UK as an international student? You’ll want to have your own copy of International Student Pathfinder: The Essential Guide on UK Universities and Careers. This book is packed with advice that will help you discover everything you need to know and the actions you need to take throughout your student journey.
You can get your copy [here]
More helpful guidance about choosing a university course:
- UCAS Undergraduate: What to study
- Which University: Selecting subjects to study
- Prospects UK: How to choose the right degree
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