How Does The UK Compare with the US in Higher Studies?

United Kingdom is a chosen option for students from across the world. With traditions of excellence which date back hundreds of years, solid dependable institutions and flexible patterns, the United Kingdom has become a preferred option for students from India.

However, what really makes the United Kingdom stand out? Why would a student want to go to the UK instead of the US?

Growing Destination
The top ten countries sending students to the UK are:
1. China 50,755
2. India 19,205
3. Greece 17,675
4. Republic of Ireland 16,790
5. USA 14,755
6. Germany 13,265
7. France 12,455
8. Malaysia 11,450
9. Nigeria 9,605
10.Hong Kong 9,445

Worldwide Recognition

In terms of education UK higher education institutions are recognized for their high education standards, world class faculty and excellent campuses. Some known names are Oxford and Cambridge, but there are several more reputed institutions whose names can resonate with any employer and that’s one of their key advantages. In the US too there are similar universities and their names are also easily recognizable. What is creating a ripple is the fact that even till a decade ago, the words `higher education’ were synonymous with the U.S. but the pattern is now changing with many students ready to explore the U.K. as an option

Education Costs are Lower

The cost of education for an international student in the UK can be lower compared to the USA and other countries. Some courses in the USA can be $25,000 plus a year in tuition alone. Tuition for the majority of UK higher education institutions is in the region of £6,000 to £7,000 a year!

One can also save a lot of money because a degree will generally take less time to complete in the UK than in other countries. Although four-year programs are increasing in popularity, most degree programs in the UK require a three-year course and a master’s program is typically between one and two years.

Work Opportunities

Both the U.S. and the U.K allow international students to work up to 20 hours and this enables students to partly fund their expenses. However, there is no reassurance that jobs will be available and the student can fund his own education.

Scholarships/ Loans

Financing an international education is always difficult. The best approach includes lots of preparation, careful analysis of your budget, and hard work in researching and applying for scholarships. There are a variety of scholarships and loans available to students who wish to study in the UK as well as in the U.S

Multicultural Nation

The UK is known for having a multicultural society with all religions and faiths represented in some way. The UK is very open to new traditions and cultures - something that is a great thing for students from other countries!

Reputation

A total of 14,000 highly respected academics in 131 countries were asked to rate the world's universities according to how good they thought their research and teaching were.

The results, published by Times Higher Education magazine, reveal that UK universities are second only to those in the US when it comes to reputation. While the US has 45 institutions in the top 100, the UK has 12. Japan came third with five
universities in the top 100.

Harvard was placed first, followed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Cambridge University came third, Oxford sixth and Imperial College London 11th. University College London (UCL) took 19th place.
Only academics who had published more than 50 research papers and had worked in universities for more than 16 years were asked to take part in the survey.
There are several other league tables of the world's universities, but this one is the first to go purely on reputation. Universities are likely to use these rankings, among others, to judge how much they should charge in tuition fees.