1. Internationally recognized universities & qualifications

UK is a popular destination for higher studies for students from around the world and is home to three of the top 10 universities in the world, according to the World University Rankings. A degree that you gain from an UK university will be recognized internationally by universities, employers and government bodies.

The top 5 universities in the UK (as of 2019-2020) are:

University of Oxford – Two of India’s Prime Ministers, Indira Gandhi and Dr.Manmohan Singh have studied at Oxford. University of Cambridge – Indian’s first PM, Jawaharlal Nehru and famous economist & Nobel laureate, Amartya Sen are both alumni of Trinity College part of Cambridge University.

Imperial College, London – Known for its Science education, this university has produced many Nobel laureates including the inventor of Penicillin, Sir Alexander Fleming

University College London (UCL) – The Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, studied law here

University of Edinburgh 

2. Quality education

The UK has retained its position as a popular destination among international students owing to its long standing tradition of providing quality education. The standard of teaching and research at UK universities and colleges is routinely assessed and graded by official organizations to ensure that set benchmarks are met. Although UK institutes undertake the responsibility of ensuring standard and quality of different programmes themselves, independent audits are carried out by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA). Professional bodies may also guide the curriculum and perform reviews on individual departments in an institute. Colleges in Scotland may undergo reviews by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education.

In fact, London was rated as the 5th best student-friendly city in the world, by QS rankings 2016.

3. Opportunities offered by UK education system

Among the benefits of studying in UK is a wide choice in picking your field of study and institution. You can choose from 150,000 courses at universities and colleges across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and directly contact the institute to order prospectuses.

If you are looking to pursue a Master’s course in UK, you may find the one-year duration for all Master’s programmes to be a big advantage. Alternatively, you may opt for a Master’s programme in combination with PhD, which will save you an additional year. Shorter duration of courses in UK helps reduce tuition and accommodation costs.

The UK education system promotes close interaction between students and lecturers and provides the freedom to combine different subjects into a single course of study. English language support is offered by many institutions to help international students develop the essential study and language skills required to complete their course successfully. Most universities have counselors and advisors to provide information and support to international students who can help you get used to the education system or any aspect of your course.

4. Strong research infrastructure

As a research student evaluating the benefits of studying in UK, it will be interesting for you to note that the country puts across 6.4% of global journal articles, 11.6% of citations and 15.9% of the world’s most highly-cited articles, even though it constitutes just 0.9% of world’s total population.

The latest Research Excellence Framework (REF) which checks the quality of research conducted by more than 154 leading universities and colleges in the UK, classified 30% of the research as ‘world-leading’ and 46% as ‘internationally excellent’. 

An impressive number of 95,184 research doctoral degrees were awarded in the country from 2008-09 to 2012-13. The fields of clinical sciences, health & medical sciences, social sciences, business and humanities command strong emphasis in UK research (International Comparative Performance of the UK Research Base, a report prepared for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills).

5. Work while you study

Many Indian students in the UK gain work experience along with their study. A part-time job, internship or placement during vacation and volunteering are some ways to develop valuable skills that you can add to your CV. A work placement is a part of the study course for some colleges, and your university or college may assist in providing placement.

6. Scholarship and financial support

Indian students who’re worried about expensive tuition fee need not lose sleep either, for there are many scholarships that you can apply to, especially at postgraduate and research level, to support your study and cost of living costs. For scholarships offered by UK universities, you will need to gain acceptance to the course of study before you become eligible to apply.

7. Health benefits

Indian students in the UK are eligible to receive free medical treatment by the National Health Service (NHS) if enrolled in a full-time course. Your spouse/partner and/or dependent children will also be exempt from payment if they reside with you during the course of your study programme. Your college or university may have a special health policy for students too.

8. Cross-cultural experience

There were 4,36,585 international students from 180+ countries studying in the UK last year, out of which Indian students were the 2nd largest group (18,320)! Studying in UK is an opportunity to experience a multicultural environment, meet new people and fellow international students from across the world and discover new places. You benefit by developing a range of skills that are necessary to be part of today’s global workforce.

Countries in UK:

  • England
  • Scotland
  • Wales
  • Northern Ireland