Education UK and the British Council outlined some very convincing reasons for high school students to choose one of 188 UK post-secondary institutions as their destination for undergraduate studies. Apart from the appeal of world-leading academic research and international relevancy, a UK education can put you among the 83% of students who graduate on time (and most even find jobs within six months). While the academic culture is self-directed, students have access to comprehensive guidance and support services. With respect to location, over 50% of students who are studying in the UK choose schools in the greater London area (30%) or Scotland (26%).
Whether you choose Scotland’s 4-year curriculum model for a bachelor’s degree or the more prevalent 3-year undergraduate degree in the rest of the UK, you can study a single honours towards a Bachelor of Science (Hon) or Bachelor of Arts (Hon), and an interdisciplinary degree, i.e. Humanities, or a Combined or Joint Honours degrees. More distinct are the direct-entry professional programs for high school graduates, including international students, in Medicine, Law, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, Physical Therapy, and Pharmacy. Some programs offer work experience through an optional, 3rd year work placement or “sandwiched” year prior to the final year that would include a dissertation or honours thesis.
Applying to the UK universities can be done in one of three ways: UCAS, the Common App, or directly to the university. Canadians should choose to apply to up to five different programs of study (courses) on one application through UCAS (www.ucas.com) and US students can choose to apply via the Common App, where ACT or SAT scores are required, plus SAT subject tests as necessary. Students can also choose to apply directly to the post-secondary institution, especially if they are interested in a specific Foundation course, for example, in art and design.
The UCAS application process will require:
- Selecting 5 programs: 3 target schools and 2 safety schools recommended.
- Writing one Personal Statement (4,000 characters maximum in 47 lines, including spaces and blank lines), which outlines your interest and passion for a course, preparatory skills and achievements, relevant work experience, hobbies and extra-curricular activities, and future plans.
- Predicted Grades on current Grade 12 subjects: Predictions should match stated entry criteria for the course/program.
- High School Reference: The letter of reference should provide credibility for the student’s application, describes the school’s profile, contextual ides the student’s curriculum, outlines any extenuating circumstances, speaks to the student’s suitability for the course of study.
For specific courses or programs, portfolios or auditions will be required, and admissions tests will be needed (i.e. LNAT for some Law programs, UKCAT or BMAT for Medicine and some Dentistry programs, the Thinking Skills Assessment tests for certain Oxford or Cambridge courses).
The UCAS application deadlines are:
- October 15th: Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Dentistry, Oxford or Cambridge.
- January 15th: Regular Deadline for equal consideration.
- March 24th: Many Arts and Design courses (please check each course).
- June 30th: Final cycle deadline. Applications after this date will be held for “Clearing”, a process for late entry.
The application fee is £12 for one course or £23 for multiple courses.
The tuition fees range from £7,000 to £34,000 per year.
Living costs are approximately £1,015 per month (£1,265 for inner London area).
Some scholarships are available for international students. Please see: www.educationUK.org/canada
For a helpful cost calculator, go to: http://international.studentcalculator.org
If you are considering the prospect of a UK higher education and would like to learn more about the admissions process and receive guidance with the UCAS application, Options Solutions can help. Please contact our office by phone at 604-922-8456 or by email at info@options-wp.chhdev.com .
