UK higher education - how to make it happen
Studying in a foreign country can be an experience of a lifetime. One of the best places to get this experience is the UK. You can fulfil your potential and expand your horizons by gaining skills, confidence, outlook and independence when you grab the opportunity to study in the UK. Before you embark on this journey it is always best to decide on what kind of qualification you want to obtain and what is right for you. You should also compare similar courses from other UK universities and research to find out who has the best fit for you. Also, carefully check course entry requirements through the course profiles available on university websites as this can vary from one university to another. In some cases, the university will require a personal interview with you either in person or over the phone; if this is a requirement it will be mentioned in the entry requirements. As always if you have any issues during the whole process simply contact the university directly as they are always ready and willing to help you with any information you may need.
If you are applying as an undergraduate the process is quite sim- ple. You can simply do a single registration and apply for all the universities offering the selected course via UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Postgraduate students have a slightly different process with specific application and entry requirements which may be obtained on the respective sites of the universities that you hope to study at.
The next step after registering and applying is accepting the offer given by the university. The university or college you applied to will usually send you an official email outlining the offer and its terms and conditions of study. If the application process was done via UCAS tracking the progress at any time is quick and simple.
You can start packing your bags right away if your offer is unconditional which means you can arrive in the UK and embark on the course of study at the university that accepted you right away. In some instances, you might receive a conditional offer which will be explained in detail in your offer letter. All this means is that you might for example need to maintain a certain grade in certain subjects and in some cases, follow some kind of English course and have a score above a specified minimum mark.
Before you proceed any further check with the university if there is any form of funding available to you as there often are partial and full scholarships available for certain kinds of studies from various universities which are in some cases also exclusively applicable only to certain Asian countries.
The visa process which is smooth and streamlined will have you in the UK in no time at all. But do apply as soon as you can so that you may get to the UK in time for the commencement of your course.
Once you kick off the visa process remember to look into flights, accommodation and the calendars to calculate dates of departure and arrival etc. and make sure you shop and get all the right clothing especially for when it’s cold in the UK and also whatever else you will need to help you while you study in the UK.
For more information on how you or anyone else can take the first steps towards beginning a satisfying higher education in the UK, please call the British Council on + 94 ( 0) 11 4 521 521 or visit britishcouncil.lk/study-uk.