Considering the somewhat negative news in the UK’s political sphere lately – think Brexit negotiations – you may be surprised to learn that the UK is the second most popular study abroad destination in the world.
International students who have attended university in the UK, though, aren’t surprised by this at all.
Not only is the UK a world leader in international education, but it boasts some of the happiest international students in the world as well!
International student satisfaction in the UK is an impressive 91%, the highest international student satisfaction rating in the world.
And that number has only improved in recent years. According to the Times Higher Education report, 75 out of 84 measures of student satisfaction have seen an increase. A few of these measures include living, learning, immigration, and support services.
International students who study in UK are also more likely to recommend the country as a study destination.
Here are more fast facts you might not have known about the UK’s international student scene:
- UNESCO predicts that the number of international students in the UK will nearly double by 2025, from 4.5 million to 7 million.
- Almost 20% of current university students in the UK are international students.
- International students add more than £7.3 billion to the UK economy and support over 200,000 UK jobs each year!
5 top reasons why international students love studying in the UK
All these statistics and facts certainly demonstrate why the UK is such a popular study destination, but they don’t tell the whole story of why students are coming to study abroad in the UK in droves.
Here are the top 5 reasons why international students choose to study in the UK.
Quality of education
Home to one of the oldest and most prestigious educational systems in the world, the UK has long been an epicenter of educational excellence.
What does the UK do to maintain this reputation?
First of all, UK universities employ world-class academic researchers and tutors, which mean high-quality research opportunities and academic offerings.
Additionally, the technology and facilities available on UK campuses enhance the student learning experience and offer access to a plethora of resources. These factors have helped UK institutions establish a solid reputation for the quality of education.
Students are also attracted to the wide range of high-quality courses on offer at UK universities.
Institutional reputation
The importance of institutional reputation and how it affects your employability has been covered in a previous post.
To sum up, institutional reputation is one of the key factors that attract international students to study in the UK.
Consider world-famous universities like Oxford and Cambridge. These schools and others like them are so well-known because they’ve produced changemakers for centuries, counting dozens of famous authors, scientists, and Nobel Prize winners among their alumni. Besides, who wouldn’t want to brag that they attended the same school as some of the world’s most famous personalities like Stephen Hawking, Margaret Thatcher or Bill Clinton?
Course length
Why spend four years on your degree when you can earn it in three by studying in the UK?
In the US, the duration for a bachelor’s degree is typically four years. However, in the UK, you could complete your bachelor’s degree in three years.
Although international tuition fees are often much higher than fees for domestic students, international students might end up saving money by not having an additional year of study.
Work opportunities
International students studying in the UK on a Tier 4 visa are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week while they study and can go full-time during the summer.
This is very advantageous for international students for the following reasons.
Firstly, it helps alleviate some of the financial burdens of living expenses.
Secondly, it allows international students to earn gain much-appreciated work experience while still at university.
In today’s job market, a degree alone is not enough to get into a good career – you need work experience!
The ability to work whilst studying helps overseas students to gain a well-rounded experience beyond simply achieving an academic qualification.
Not only are international students allowed to work, but applying for and getting a job is so much easier in the UK compared to other countries.
In the US, international students and J-1 visa holders must be sponsored by their employer, meet certain criteria to be eligible for work, and are not allowed to work over 20 hours at any point.
The “uni” experience
One of the main reasons international students love studying in the UK is the social opportunities they can enjoy outside the lecture hall.
If you read any brochure from just about any UK university, you’ll undoubtedly find a focus on “the uni experience.”
UK universities offer a wide variety of extracurricular activity, from sports, clubs, and societies to fun weekly events, workshops, and even bars.
While at uni, you might attend a silent disco, an international festival, a party, a “student recharge” event complete with yoga and free massages, career workshops, and so much more!
Plus, not all countries can say they offer a place right on campus where students can hang out and wind down after a long day of hitting the books.
Other reasons why international students love studying in the UK
As if these weren’t enough, there are even more factors that make the UK one of the most attractive studies abroad destinations in the world, including:
- Cost of living
- Safety
- An abundance of scholarships, grants, and other forms of financial aid
- English speaking
- Links to commonwealth countries
- Opportunities for additional study
Outside the island: a brief look at UK university campuses abroad
While the British mainland is a popular study destination for many international students, you might be surprised to find nearly 40 UK university campuses in other countries.
Mauritius, UAE, and Bangladesh are just a few countries home to UK university campuses. This is especially convenient for prospective students looking to earn a quality education without leaving their home country to study abroad.
Studying abroad is an expensive venture. It’s true that the UK provides more financial assistance with tuition fees for international students, besides offering a lower cost of living in some areas.
However, international students looking to study abroad in the UK must foot the bill for extraneous costs, like student visa fees and higher international student tuition fees.
Foreign UK university campuses offer students the best of both worlds: a world-class education without the hefty price tag.
Conclusion
The UK remains a leading destination for international students and number 1 for student satisfaction.
The top 5 reasons international students choose to pursue higher education in the UK are:
- quality of education
- institutional reputation
- opportunities for work;
- course length;
- the student “uni” experience
Other factors that make the UK an attractive study abroad destination include:
- Cost of living
- Safety
- An abundance of scholarships, grants, and other forms of financial aid
- English speaking
- Links to commonwealth countries
- Opportunities for additional study
Are you an international student or a proud UK university alumnus? Please share your experience with prospective students in the comments.
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