1. HOW can I find out which is the best university or college for my chosen course?
There is no university or college which is perfect for everyone, different places suit different people, so it depends upon your preferences. You may be interested in whether a university or college is in a big city or rural location, whereas another student may be more concerned about the number of bedrooms in the halls of residence. What is important is what is best for you.
The Quality Assurance Agency (http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en) carries out external reviews and the Unistats (http://unistats.direct.gov.uk) website contains statistics and reports about students' views on the quality of teaching.
There are different guides and league tables that can help you. You need to research them closely. For information and advice check The Guardian online website (http://www.theguardian.com/education) or The Complete University Guide (http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/), an interactive site, where you can highlight your requirements and create your own unique table.
2. HOW do I know if my chosen institution is registered with UKBA under Tier 4?
You can check the following link if your chosen institution is listed in the Register of Tier 4 sponsor: https://www.gov.uk/check-a-university-is-officially-recognised/recognised-bodies
3. WHAT are the entry requirements for UK study?
Entry requirements for UK undergraduate study
The qualifications you need depend on the course you want to study. You should have completed A-Levels education in your own country or in the UK and have taken pre-university qualifications equivalent to UK A-levels, Scottish Highers or National Diplomas depending upon you A level recognition. In addition, considering Nepal Education system, 10+2 of higher education secondary board (HSEB) is also accepted however, minimum percentage is depends on university to university. Other equivalent for degree is IB.
If you haven’t got these qualifications yet, don’t worry – you can still study in the UK. Try searching for a career-based or pre-university course in the www.educationuk.org or www.ucas.com.
In addition, IELTS with overall band score 6.0 not less than 5.5 in each scale is required for undergraduate degree.
Entry requirements for career-based and pre-university study
The qualifications you’ll need will depend on the course you want to study. Some qualifications (such as A-levels Scottish Highers and BTEC National Diplomas) are below university level and lead directly on to higher education. Others (such as HNDs and foundation degrees) are university level qualifications that enable you to join a degree course in the second or third year. More details: www.educationuk.org
Entry requirements for postgraduate or MBA study
To begin a postgraduate course in the UK, you’ll need to hold an undergraduate degree from the UK or equivalent overseas qualification. You’ll be expected to have obtained a first or good 2:1 (or international equivalent) in a directly related subject and you’ll need to speak English to at least IELTS 6.5 level for most courses. For MBA most of the institutions need few years of work experience. For more details please check the website www.prospects.ac.uk, https://www.ucas.com/ucas/postgraduate or www.educationuk.org.
4. DO I need IELTS to study in UK?
If you are applying below NQF level 6 (degree level) you will need to have Secure English Language Test, for a full explanation please visit: www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/aboutus/newsroom/?view=News&id=22573942
5. How to apply for UK courses?
Depending on your chosen type of UK study, there are several different ways to apply to UK institutions.
Applying for a UK English language course
To apply for an English language course in the UK, you should contact the UK institution directly for an application form. You should find most of this information on the ‘course details’ page of your chosen course at www.englishuk.com website.
Applying for career-based and pre-university study
For Higher National Diplomas (HNDs), you can apply online through www.educationuk.org or through UCAS www.ucas.com. If you want to apply for any other career-based or pre-university programme you should apply directly to the UK institution that offers the course.
Applying for UK undergraduate study
You can apply online through the Universities and Colleges Admissions System (UCAS). You can also apply directly online or can send paper based application form (can be downloaded) by using the institutions websites. To know more about applying for UK undergraduate courses visit the UCAS website www.ucas.com or www.educationuk.org.
Applying for postgraduate or MBA study
You can apply online or can send paper based application (this can be downloaded) by using the institutions’ websites. The useful websites for postgraduate programmes are www.educationuk.org, www.prospects.ac.uk and for MBA programmes are www.the-abs.org.uk and www.mbaworld.com.
6. WHAT is the UK course fees for international students?
Course fees vary considerably between UK institutions. However, the average cost for undergraduate and postgraduate per year is £11000
English language course fees for international students
For a week’s English language course you could pay anything from under £200 to over £1,000. It depends on where the course is, what additional benefits it includes, and whether it is for general English or something more tailored. You can find fees for most English language courses in the www.educationuk.org course finder.
UK independent school fees for international students
Fees vary from school to school and are at the discretion of the UK institution. You should expect to pay a minimum of £8,000 per year and fees can be as high as £28,000.
UK career-based and pre-university course fees
•AS and A-levels: £4,000 to £17,000
•BTECs and other vocational: £4,000 to £9,000
•HNC/HNDs: £5,000 to £10,000
Foundation Degrees: £7,000 to £12,000
•International Foundation courses: £4,000 to £17,000
7. DO I need to pay any tuition fee before visa? If so, how much will I need to pay?
Most of the institutions ask for a deposit before visa. The amount of deposit depends on the institutions i.e. some institutions might ask for 50% deposit of first year tuition fee, some might ask for one third and some at GBP 1000/2000 etc.
8. CAN I work while I study in the UK?
If you have student immigration permission, and studying degree level in public funded universities you can work 20 hours per week and full time during vacation. For below degree and private universities, work is not allowed. For details, see http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/info_sheets/working_during_studies.php
9. ARE there any scholarships for international postgraduate students?
There are many different scholarships available for international students who want to study in the UK. You can search for scholarships at www.educationuk.org and www.prospects.ac.uk. Institutions, organisations and the British Government offer funding schemes called Chevening award and it covers course fees and the cost of UK living. For details please visit Chevening website.
http://www.chevening.org/nepal
10. WHAT is CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) and how long is a CAS valid for?
A CAS is an electronic reference number which is issued to you by the institution (college or university) that you have chosen to study at. Your CAS will be valid for 6 months from the date that it was issued by your institution. Please visit the UKVI website https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigrationfor any latest news and information on UK student visa.
11. HOW do I apply for a student visa?
There are different types of visa, depending on your age, and on the length and level of the course that you want to study. UK student visa categories are child student, child visitor, adult student, student visitor and prospective student. To find out about applying for a UK student visa, please visit the UKVI website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigrationor http://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/Nepal
To apply for UK student visa, you need to gain 40 points under Tier 4 points-based system. This includes 30 points for a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from the university, college or school where you want to study. The remaining 10 points comes from demonstrating that you can afford to cover all or part of your fees and living costs to study in the UK.
12. WHEN can I apply for visa?
Generally 3 months before a course starting. Please visit the UKVI website www.gov.uk for any latest news and information on UK student visa.
13. HOW much will it cost to live in the UK?
Your living cost will vary depending on where you have chosen to study in the UK. These will include essentials such as: housing, food and travel. You will also want to make sure budget for enough spending money for the lively university and college social scene as well as any travel plans you may have.
In order to qualify student visa the UKVI estimates you will need GBP 1020 per month if you live in London and GBP 820 per month if you live out side London to cover your basic living costs. Course fees are not included in this figure.