
Education System in United Kingdom
The UK has a variety of higher education opportunities. With over 100 universities offering various degree programs for students from the UK and around the world, there is no shortage of options.
Programmes and courses
Undergraduate – NQF level 6
In the UK most undergraduate degree programs take three years to finish. Also, they offer a ‘sandwich course’ which is four years and involves one year in the workplace (normally in your third year).
Undergraduate Top-Up degrees – NQF level 6
Top-Up degrees allow students with an existing Level 5 qualification to top-up to a full undergraduate degree with 1 year of study.
Pre-Masters – NQF level 6
For students who need additional support to meet the entry requirements for postgraduate study, the Graduate Certificates and Extended Masters below are designed to bridge this gap. Upon successfully passing the course, students will be eligible to progress on to Masters-level study at the University.
Postgraduate degrees – NQF level 7
Masters programs are generally shorter in length and undertaken after completion of an undergraduate program. Most Masters programs are of one year duration, If taken combined with a placement or taken as a pre- registration programme, the duration maybe 18 months or 2 years.
Assurance of quality and good governance
UK universities are widely regarded as being among the best in the world. Maintaining the highest academic quality and standards is crucial to that reputation.
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) is the independent body that checks on standards and quality in UK higher education. QAA checks how universities, colleges and alternative providers of UK higher education maintain their academic standards and quality. It does this through external peer review. Higher education providers are responsible for ensuring the quality and standards of their provision and for providing a high quality learning experience and education for their students. How they discharge this responsibility is examined through regular audit by the QAA.
Scholarships
The UK government offers hundreds of scholarships, bursaries and additional financial support to students from several countries. You can visit the UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs) website to find out if you are eligible for a scholarship. Further, the universities too offer several scholarships for international students.