Tips for economically studying abroad in UK

If you are intending to study in the UK - the cradle of the English language of the whole world, one of the countries with the most advanced education provides diverse and special courses with a shorter study time than many other countries. So the following article is especially for parents and students. All the experience of studying in the UK from choosing a university, choosing major, effective methods of studying in the UK, living in the UK, etc. will be updated by Saigon Business School as follow.

I. What should you pay attention to when choosing a university in the UK?

With an education system of hundreds of universities in the UK, finding information and making a decision to choose which one to study will take a lot of time. Moreover, the final choice of students is not always the best and most appropriate.

So when choosing a university to study in the UK, what should you pay attention to?

Ranking

Ranking on the world education map is an objective factor that students can easily find and thereby have an initial general assessment. Each university/college ranking site will have different criteria, so the ranking will also change year by year, specifically:

• The Times Higher Education World University Rankings: focus on Teaching (Learning Environment), Research (Scope, Finance, and Reputation), Reference (Influence of scientific research), Internationality (Number of staff, students, and doctoral students), Technology (exchange of knowledge);
• QS assessment is based on the criteria of Academic Reputation, Recruitment Quality, Faculty/Students Ratio, Reference to Scientific Research, General International Student Ratio, and International Student Ratio;
• The Complete University Guide: focus on factors of Entry Standards, Student - Staff Ratio, Expenses for Learning Services and Facilities, Graduate Employment Prospects, Degree Completion Rate, Number of international students;

However, just because a school has a high overall ranking does not mean that the major you want to study will also have a high ranking. In fact, a university with a high ranking can also have a low-ranking major, and vice versa.

Which major should I choose when studying in the UK?

The British education system is quite diverse in schools, majors, and teaching theories, so it depends on your career orientation to choose a suitable university and major. For example, if students want to pursue practical work, then universities with strengths in applied research will be good suggestions.

In addition, students also need to understand the differences between those orientations, for example:

• Academic program: the curriculum is purely theoretical and will be guided, tested, and assessed by teachers, etc.;
• Applied/ Research program: needs a lot of initiative from students with less time in class but mainly focuses on in-depth research/practice works, etc.

If you have an interest in the International Business major, you may want to consider studying at University of Northampton - Top 3% best universities of the world HERE.

Tuition fees and scholarships

Apart from personal interests and strengths, choosing which university and which major to join will also depend much on the financial ability of each family. Tuition fees vary from the private or public school, the requirements of each training program, the outcomes, the specificity of the industry, etc. Usually, the majors in engineering, medicine, and computer technology will have the highest tuition fees, while the social sciences and humanities will have lower costs.

Although tuition fees at UK universities are considered relatively high compared to other countries, international students have many opportunities to apply for scholarships from the Government or universities scholarships such as Chevening, GREAT, Euraxess, etc.

II. How can I effectively study in the UK?

Not only for the UK but studying abroad in any country also requires students to have great preparation and a spirit of learning, initiative, and adaptability to the fullest via different methods because teaching and learning ways are not the same between countries.

Therefore, you can refer to the following suggestions for effectively studying in the UK.

• Improve English language skills (4 skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing);
• Make a study plan and follow it seriously;
• Self-creative, adjust learning methods to suit yourself: lectures recording; preview the documents before attending class, Q&A; carefully preview the Syllabus of each subject before each term, etc.;
• Take advantage of student accounts to access online libraries, online banks of books/ documents, etc.;
• Don't be afraid to ask questions and seek help from friends, academic advisors, teaching assistants, or student community, etc.;
• Work-life balance, students can work part-time to cover expenses and to experience life abroad but should not be distracted from studying;

III. What is life like while studying in the UK?

In addition to enjoying one of the best quality education in the world, studying in the UK also helps students have a colorful life in one of the most diverse and unique cultures.

What things should students pay attention to when studying in the UK?

• Location of the university, weather features, culture values: Understanding what area the university is located in, and other factors like weather, culture, cuisine, people, etc. in that place has a great impact and influence on the quality of life because it is a place where you will spend quite a long time there;
• Accommodation: Depending on the policy and infrastructure conditions of each university, students will often have two options for accommodation: dormitory or off-campus venues. The dormitory is usually located on campus, so it is quite convenient for moving as well as ensuring security, but the accommodation is limited, therefore it is necessary to register early with a contract of at least 1 year. Meanwhile, if students rent outside, they can share a room/apartment with students to reduce costs, and at the same time have the opportunity to experience more local life, etc. However, finding a satisfying place will not be easy, and the level of privacy and security will not be the same as the school campus;
• Part-time jobs: When studying in the UK, students will have the opportunity to work part-time to make ends meet but pay attention to the conditions for being allowed to work part-time, maximum hours per week, the disreputable units/enterprises to avoid illegal labor, labor exploitation, etc.

It’s believed that students have enough basic information about study abroad experiences in the UK and are well prepared for the upcoming period. If you still have questions about choosing a major, choosing a suitable university, or any other problem while studying in the UK, please contact the Admissions Office or leave your inquiry below.