Studying in the UK

FAQs

Can I Study in the UK?

If you are a national of an EU or EEA country you have the right to study in the UK and access higher education courses providing that you have the required entry qualifications. Broadly speaking if you have the necessary qualifications to access higher education in your home country you can access higher education institutions in the UK.

Do I Need a Visa?

If you are an EU or EEA national you do not require a visa or permit to study in the UK. The only documentation you will require is proof of identity such as a passport. You do not need a residence permit but it might be useful to have one. See the Home Office Immigration and Nationality Directorate website for information on how to apply for a residence permit.

If you are not a citizen of an EU or EEA Member State UK then you may still be able to enter the UK to study. However, there may be visa requirements and entry procedures to go through. You must therefore check with the British Embassy or Consulate in your own country about this before making any plans to come to the UK.

How Do I Apply for a Course?

Applications for first degree courses in the UK are made through a central application system, UCAS. You can talk to the institutions you are interested in directly about their courses and your application, but the actual application will be made through the UCAS system. You can obtain an application pack from your local British Council office.

What Will it Cost?

If you are an EU or EEA national you must be treated on an equal basis as a UK national with regard to costs/fees. You should therefore be aware that UK universities may charge course fees of up to £1,125 per year for an undergraduate course. If you are from a country outside of the EU/EEA you will have to pay the full overseas student's fees which can be much higher.

You will also need to consider the cost of living in the UK while you are studying. This will depend where you study and your lifestyle of course. Although you will have costs studying in the UK, it is worth remembering that degree courses in the UK are more intensive and therefore often much shorter than degree courses in other countries. This can mean that studying in the UK is quite cost effective.

Is There Financial Help Available?

There are a number of scholarships available to help students with the cost of studying in the UK. The British Council has an online scholarships database, which you can search by subject, institution, charity and organisation.

What about Accommodation?

Accommodation is always a problem for students. The following is a brief description of your options:

Halls of Residence

Many universities and other higher education institutions have halls of residence. These are usually large buildings offering a bedroom/study accommodation for students. Facilities such as kitchens, laundry and bathrooms are usually shared. Some Halls provide meals. Others operate on a self-catering basis.

Not all institutions have halls of residence, most only have places in halls for a percentage of their students. Some institutions have enough places in halls of residence for all students but this is not common.

Hostels

Normally operated by charitable organisations. They are similar to halls of residence and can be self-catering or with some meals included. Hostels are perhaps more common in London than other parts of the country.

Lodgings

Some students lodge with a family. This means renting a room in someone's home. It usually means that you will have meals provided although you will probably be responsible for your own laundry. Lodging means living with a family, although many students find this acceptable others prefer more independence.

Other

Many students prefer to rent private accommodation. This may be a bedsit (a single room with shared kitchen and bathroom), a flat or possibly a house. In the latter case this is most often shared by a group of students, usually but not always, who are friends.

Finding accommodation can be difficult. However each higher education institution usually has an accommodation officer who will help you find accommodation before you arrive. This person will be responsible for allocating places in halls of residence and will also have lists of approved hostels, flats, houses and bedsits.

Can I Work in the UK When I am Studying?

If you are an EU or EEA national you have the right to take up employment in the UK. You can work as many hours as you wish and you do not need any permits or visas to do this.

If you come from a country outside of the EU or EEA and if your course lasts for 6 months or longer you will probably be given a passport stamp or visa sticker that allows you to work part-time during the term (up to 20 hours a week) and any number of hours during the vacations.

What About Health Care?

Students from EU countries are entitled to free health care from the UK national health service. You should apply for the European Health Insurance Card from the authorities in your own country before leaving for the UK. If you are from a country outside the EU/EEA and your course lasts for a minimum of 6 months you will be entitled to free health care in the UK. You will have to pay for some dental treatment (as do UK nationals) and also prescription charges for medicines prescribed by your Doctor (as do UK nationals).

In order to get health care you need to register with a Doctor. It may be that your higher education institution has a health centre and that you can register there. If not you will need to register with a local Doctor. Your institution will probably keep a list of Doctors.

Page last updated: 05/09/2008