The United Kingdom is one of the excellent and globally recognized destinations for international students. A large number of foreign students fly to the UK for higher studies every year. As the UK is the home of a large number of top-notch universities, the requirements of those universities vary from department to department.
The foreign students need to meet the universities’ requirements for securing admission at UK universities. The interesting thing about studying in the UK is that if the students cannot secure their enrollment in one department they can proceed to another one. The UK universities offer a range of study options to suit international students at all levels.
Foreign students need to fulfil some admission requirements for enrolling on a UK university. Such as,
English Language Requirements
§ IELTS: International English Language Testing System (IELTS) was founded in 1989 by the British Council, Cambridge English Language Assessment, and IDP. Nations like the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand accept the score of this test for their academic institutions. Generally, IELTS costs around $225, although the amount may vary depending on the geographic location. The score scale of IELTS is 9 and different universities require a different score of IELTS from international students. Also, this score depends on the department and level of study.
§ TOEFL: In the year of 1964 the Educational Testing Service (ETS) which is the largest educational assessment and research organization created this test for proving one’s English language proficiency. Furthermore, more than 10000 (ten thousand) universities in the world accept TOEFL as an English proficiency test. The internet-based test (IBT) is most popular which costs approximately $200.
Academic Requirements
§ GCSE Requirements: The full form of GCSE is the General Certificate of Secondary Education. GCSE’s entrance depends on the institution with which the students are attending as the learners normally need to register with a school for the students GCSE education years (14-16 years old). The main requirement by the exams boards in the United Kingdom is that the students have a good level of English ability as the exams will be taken in English apart from the schools’ condition.
§ A Level Entry Requirements: The foreign students need to have at least 5 GCSEs at grades 4-9 or above including the English Language. If any student cannot achieve a grade 4 or higher in the GCSE maths examination they will have to study GCSE mathematics along with A level.
§ Foundation Courses’ Requirements: The students who cannot meet the requirements of a Bachelor degree the UK universities offer a foundation course for their international students. The objective of this course is to reduce the gap between their current level of qualification and knowledge and the level needed to enroll in a Bachelor and Master’s degree at a UK university. Students need to complete their high school before enrolling on a foundation course. Moreover, some universities require IELTS or TOEFL for this course whereas some don’t.
§ Requirements of Bachelor Degree: The students need to pass high school for enrolling on the Bachelor degree. Some universities have set a standard of high school grades for international students as they want sincere students. The students need to meet that requirement. The students whose first language is not English need to sit for an English proficiency test (IELTS/ TOEFL) as well. Also, the students need to face an interview as well.
§ Post-Graduation Requirements: In the Master’s and PhD levels, students need to complete a Bachelor degree to start their post-graduation degree. Some universities may require work experience too, especially in the field of medicine, engineering and education. Furthermore, the students need to submit two to three reference letters and a Statement of Purpose (SOP).
To learn more about admissions in top-ranking UK universities, reach out to AHZ Associates for guidelines and numerous support from our experts. Our experts are always available to assist you with the UK admission procedure.