A short course to success

More than 1,60,000 Indian students have studied in the UK in the past 10 years.  No wonder, the European country is a preferred study destination for Indian students. Till June this year, there was a 32 per cent increase in the number of visas issued to Indian students as compared to the same period last year. 

The British High Commission has also issued over 5,500 short-term study/ student visitor visas in the same period, up by 11 per cent vis-a-vis the previous year, which shows a significant growth in student numbers.  To further add to the enrolment figures of Indian students, the British Council is hosting ‘Study UK exhibitions’ for students and professionals in the region. “We host these exhibitions across the country, in all major cities,” says Tom Birtwistle, Director North India, British Council. In an interaction on the sidelines of one such exhibition in Chandigarh on November 25, he elaborates on factors that are making the UK a top-favourite study-abroad destination. Excerpts:

Is the UK a cost-effective study destination as compared to the US, Canada & Australia? 

The UK is a more affordable study destination than both the US and Australia, thanks in part to the short, diverse, flexible courses on offer. These allow students to manage their time and money more effectively, and graduate a lot sooner. Other than full-time and part-time courses, UK universities also offer combined degrees, top-up degrees, conversion courses, sandwich courses and integrated degrees to this end. 

Undergraduate students can graduate in just three years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, including in engineering and law. While rules may vary from university to university, students can explore work placements, volunteering opportunities, internships and university societies. The visa rules allow students to undertake an internship, placement, or work up to 20 hours a week.

Which are the most popular courses for Indian students in the UK? 

Popular subjects at the UG level continue to be business and engineering, but there is increased interest in subjects like social sciences, law, architecture, building and planning.

Popular subjects at the PG level are same as UG, with increasing interest in social studies, biological sciences.

What are the eligibility norms for undergrad courses in the UK? 

Applying for an undergraduate degree in the UK is very simple. You don't need to get in touch with lots of universities. You can apply for up to five courses at once through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) for a small administration fee and UCAS handles everything else.

Universities and colleges set their own entry requirements for higher education courses, and these vary widely depending on the subject, the specific course, and the course provider. They set the entry requirements for each course to ensure you have the right skills and knowledge to successfully complete the course.

Some courses may need you to complete a foundation course, but this depends on what you have studied and the university and course you choose. The flexibility of UK courses and the variety of options available allow students to pick courses that suit them. A full-time bachelor's degree normally takes three years to complete (four in some cases).

UCAS has more than 50,000 undergraduate courses with more than 395 providers in the UK.

What are the post-study work visa options in the UK?

Tier 4 students studying courses lasting 12 months or longer are given four months at the end of their visa to look for a job, although they can, of course, start searching before the completion of their course. Those who secure a graduate-level job can apply to work in the UK for up to six years after they finish their studies. To switch to a Tier 2 work visa, students need to secure a graduate-level job, paying at least £20,800 or the appropriate rate for that occupation (whichever is higher) with a licensed UK company willing to sponsor them. 

We have also introduced a route to allow graduates with a business idea to set up their businesses in the UK via the graduate entrepreneurship route. There are 2,000 places available each year.

Several UK universities also offer sandwich and integrated courses. Tell us about these.

A sandwich course is one which includes at least one period based in a placement, often in industry or commerce, away from the university. These placement(s) are the filling of the 'sandwich'. The course includes a placement year which is 'sandwiched' in the middle of the degree.  Sandwich courses are more common amongst business-related subjects, but can also be found in a variety of other subjects, such as engineering, computer science, maths and a handful of humanities disciplines. 

— As told to Geetu Vaid