Student Services

How To Apply To An International University In The UK In 2022

Why Study in the UK?

The UK is one of the world’s most popular destinations for higher education, with more than 500,000 international students enrolling each year.

Best Education System

Best Education System

UK universities have a remarkable global reputation and rank amongst the world’s best. Study performed by UK universities is known globally for its excellence.

UK Embraces International Students

UK Embraces International Students

The UK has a long history of welcoming international students studying at its universities. It is a tolerant, multicultural country, making it the second most popular study destination in the world.

Innumerable Courses to Study

Innumerable Courses to Study

The UK offers a wide range of courses for international students to choose from, regardless of age, capacity, or desire to engage. These courses are intertwined with advanced learning opportunities and provide international experience.

Short, Flexible Courses

Short, Flexible Courses

UK offers more across every subject – from 1-year postgraduate courses that let you qualify sooner to ways you can modify your learning as you go. Courses in the UK are tailored to support you in getting the most from your studies as quickly as possible.

Strong Teaching Expectations

Strong Teaching Expectations

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education inspects UK universities annually to ensure they achieve high learning standards. Students have the opportunity to be trained by leading educators and build sets of skills and trust.

Access World-Leading Research

Access World-Leading Research

The UK is a global powerhouse of science and research, with universities at the cutting edge of global discoveries and emerging technology. UK universities continue to be globally recognized for their commitment to research.

Affordable Education

Affordable Education

Much of the UK undergraduate courses take three years to complete, resulting in faster graduation and much less spending on concerns like tuition and fees. Most postgraduate programs last about one year.

Earn While You Study

Earn While You Study

Unlike many other European countries, UK supports students’ need to earn while they work to make ends meet. International students undertaking full-time courses at accepted institutions are entitled to work part-time for up to 20 hours a week.

Strong Employability

Strong Employability

UK education is recognized worldwide by employers, universities, and governments for producing top-quality graduates with unique skills and knowledge. Academic expectations are highly competitive, leading to higher wages and improved job prospects.

Develop Language Skills - English

Develop Language Skills – English

Learning English in the UK provides an immersive experience, embedding students in the language and improving job prospects in today’s global business setting.

Wonderful Place to Live

Wonderful Place to Live

The UK offers a blend of multicultural cities and countryside villages, abundant in heritage sites, popular events, diverse culinary options, and exciting activities to keep students engaged during their studies.

Support and Guidance

Support and Guidance

The UK provides support and guidance to students from all over the world, making them feel at home. From friendly teaching staff to excellent pastoral care, students receive all the support and assistance they need.

UK Unievrsities Benifits

We offer a range of services, all of which are bespoke and focus on delivering exceptional results:

We empower people around the world to study in UK and get the best education
Our Team reviews applications to ensure they are complete, and all required documents are included. This saves you time while ensuring applications meet your admission requirements
25 years of experience in the education industry has helped us our services ROI
Students around the world use RRG Portal to make University application
A Most powerful tool for our partner institutes to recruit home and international students
95% student said that they felt more confident about their university choice after using RRG (RRG Survey 2019)
Student Services

Apply for a Visa

As an international student, you need a visa to take your study place in the UK.

Accommodation

Once you have your offer and visa, it’s time to get packing; you can now begin to look at thinking like flights, accommodation and anything else you will need to help you make the most of your time in the UK. International students are given a range of accommodation options. It is important that your accommodation is right for you because it’s going to be hard to change partly through your stay. If you are living overseas for the first time, the residence university halls are a good way to get to know other students. For further autonomy, private accommodation like a studio, flat share can be considered a feasible option. It is important that the accommodation is near to the university, as reduces commuting time.

Living Costs in the UK

You will need to book your accommodation and arrange your finances before you arrive at university. It is vital that you have sufficient funding in place before starting your course of study, and this will need to cover your tuition fees, accommodation, books, stationery, food, and of course social costs.

Below is an approximate guide to the minimum amount you should expect for living expenses in the UK per month. These costs are for one person only, so students with children and dependents should keep this in mind when working out a budget.

Expenses Approximate price
Accommodation (halls of residence, usually including bills) £400 – £600 per month
Private Sharing Accommodation (Including All bills) £300 – £400 Per month
Private Accommodation studio flat (bills not included) £800 – £1000 per month
Bills (electric/ gas/ water) £40 – £50 per month
Food / Housekeeping £160 – £200 per month
TV Licence (mandatory with TV or watching BBC online) £13.25 per month
(or £159 per year)
Mobile phone £15 – £50 per month
Clothes / Shoes £25 per month
Leisure / Sport (This is calculated on membership for the Students Sport centre) £20-£30 per month
Books / Stationery £21 per month
Socialising / Going out £120 per month
Travel / Transport (Based on the monthly cost of a student bus pass) £89.50 per month

UK University Ranking

Three flagship university rankings are published regularly in the United Kingdom – by The Complete University Guide, The Guardian and collectively by The Times and The Sunday Times. In the past, The Daily Telegraph and Financial Times also produced rankings. Each year since 2008, Times Higher Education has compiled a “Table of Tables” to combine the results of the 3 mainstream league tables. In the 2020 table, the top 5 universities were the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, University of St Andrews, Imperial College London and Loughborough University

Study Options

  • Foundation

    A foundation course is a curriculum which will qualify you for a university undergraduate degree. Learning a foundation course will enable you to obtain the right level of skills and competence to obtain a degree at university; it will also help students who need extra support in English or need a base related to their course.

  • Undergraduate

    A bachelor’s degree usually takes three to four years in other countries but that can vary. Studying for a bachelor’s degree in the United States typically takes four years while in the United Kingdom students generally receive theirs within three years.

  • Pre – Masters

    The UK ‘s Pre-Masters programmes are designed to completely prepare students for postgraduate study. A Pre-Masters will significantly enhance the English language and academic skills essential for efficient postgraduate study, as well as familiarise international students with UK teaching methods.

  • Postgraduate

    A master’s degree is a second-level qualification after completing an undergraduate degree. Many UK Master’s degree programmes can be accomplished in just one year, providing excellent value for money and enabling you to progress more efficiently with the career.

  • PhD / Research

    Full-time doctorates usually last three to four years, while part-time doctorates last six or seven years. Although at the decision of the university, the thesis deadline can be expanded for up to four years. Indeed, in year four several students enrol on three-year PhDs only finish the thesis.

Scholarships for International Students in the UK

RRG can assist students interested in studying in the UK in securing scholarships, bursaries, and funding.

An Investment in Your Future

Studying in the UK offers more than just a world-class qualification. It provides an opportunity to experience a new culture, network with students and professionals from around the world, and gain skills to further career development.

Various financial support options are available to help fund studies in the UK, including scholarships, grants, bursaries, fellowships, financial awards, and loans.

The UK government offers numerous scholarships, bursaries, and additional financial support to students from various countries. Many institutions also provide their own financial assistance, which can be found on their websites.

RRG issues scholarships for international students who utilize our application services. Our close relationship with UK universities, combined with our online resources, ensures that all deserving applicants can find the right scholarship to benefit their future.

FAQ

First, you need to register to apply using our online application service. Once registered, you can find a university and course, select the course, and submit your application.

Courses in the UK education system are shorter and more intensive than in many other countries, allowing you to graduate sooner while maintaining high quality. UK Qualifications will be recognized and respected around the world.

Choosing a program and a university depends on your interests, academic background, and budget. Start by creating a shortlist of your interests and choices accordingly and search for relevant courses and universities. Do your research to understand which skillset or interest has a good scope. RRG International consultants will help you find the perfect course and university.

Yes, IELTS can be exempted based on your academic marks obtained in GCSE, A level, IGCSE, or similar qualifications. Higher scores in English language qualifications from other countries may also be considered, depending on the university’s assessment of their academic suitability.

Yes, international students can study in the UK. The UK is one of the top destinations for international students due to its high-quality education system, diverse range of courses, and vibrant cultural experience. To study in the UK, international students need to apply for a student visa and meet the admission requirements of their chosen university or institution.

Yes, many UK universities offer scholarships and financial aid for international students. These scholarships can vary in terms of eligibility criteria, application process, and the amount of funding provided. It’s important for international students to research and apply for scholarships offered by their chosen universities or external organizations. Additionally, students should check with their prospective universities for specific scholarship opportunities available to international students.

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) for UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) is the most preferred English language proficiency test accepted by almost all institutions in the UK and is also advised as per the UK visa rules. However, globally, UK institutions are open to accepting other proficiency tests as well.

Most popular English tests provided:

  • UKVI IELTS for Academic – International English Language Test System
  • IELTS indicator Academic
  • TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language
  • TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition
  • PTE Academic UKVI – Pearson Test of English
  • PTE Academic and PTE Academic Online
  • Cambridge Assessment English
  • Trinity College London (Trinity Secure English Language Test)
  • Duolingo
  • Oxford International English Language Level Online Test (ELLT)

Each university has its own entry requirements, which can vary. Typically, there are academic entry requirements and English language entry requirements. You can find specific entry criteria for universities and colleges in our student portal search tool. If you are unsure whether you meet the entry criteria, you can contact our international admission team for further guidance.

More information can be found on our Entry Requirements webpage.

You can read comprehensive advice and watch a video on writing a personal statement. We have also created guidance with input from universities which you may find useful.

If you are applying for an undergraduate program, you can have a maximum study gap of up to 2-3 years. For postgraduate programs, a study gap of up to 5-8 years is permitted.

Yes, UK universities accept a range of Level 3 qualifications including BTEC National Diplomas, International Baccalaureate, Access to Higher Educational Diplomas, and a range of international qualifications for most degree courses. Please check specific entry requirements for your course.

A reference letter, also known as a letter of recommendation, is typically written by an academic tutor who can vouch for your suitability for study and your enthusiasm for your chosen subject. If you’re not currently in education, an employer can also write a reference for you.

For guidance on obtaining a good reference letter or to see sample reference letters, you can visit our portal or contact us directly.

Yes, the UK government offers hundreds of scholarships, bursaries, and additional financial support to students from several countries. Many institutions also offer their own financial assistance. Please contact us to find out if you are eligible for a scholarship, and you can check individual university websites for more information.

To apply for a scholarship, you will first need to apply for a university course. Once you receive an offer to study a course, you can log into your My Portal account, where you will find a link to the scholarship application form. Details on accessing your My Portal account can be found in your offer email.

Undergraduate and postgraduate degrees generally range from £10,000 to £19,000. Living costs typically range from £400 to £1,000 per month, depending on the location and your lifestyle.

We do not arrange student finance or education loans directly, but you can choose to allow us to share some details from your application with your regional funding organization or education loan provider. More information on funding available for UK undergraduates and how to apply can be found on our website.

A credibility interview is a common interview process undertaken by UK universities to recognize the best and genuine students. It is a simulation interview process of a visa interview conducted by the UKVI (UK government body responsible for immigration and visas).

Recent changes in UK student visa policy put pressure on sponsors (universities and colleges) to maintain at least a 90% visa success rate for their issued CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies). To verify the genuineness of a student, many universities conduct credibility interviews.

The credibility interview covers topics that are common reasons for visa rejection. Preparation can help reduce the refusal rate by addressing these topics effectively.

Main reasons for visa refusals often include inadequate research on universities, insufficient information about the chosen course, vague plans for post-study activities, inability to justify funding sources, and failure to justify study gaps.

Yes, if you are coming to the UK for more than 6 months and are resident in any of the listed countries, you’ll need to have a tuberculosis (TB) test. This typically involves a chest x-ray, and if the result is not clear, you may be asked to provide a sputum sample. If your test shows no TB, you’ll receive a certificate valid for 6 months to include with your visa application.

CAS stands for Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies. It is a virtual document issued by your institution that confirms your acceptance to study a particular course. You’ll need this document to apply for a student visa.

Student visa applications typically take around 3 weeks to process, but some may take longer. On average, all student visas are currently taking 4-6 weeks to process.

For information on student visa requirements in the UK, please refer to the official guidelines provided by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

UCAS stands for the University and Colleges Admissions Service. All UK-based university applications for undergraduate degrees are made through UCAS.

As an Accredited Registered Centre, we have access to all applicants’ details when they apply through UCAS. We can assist with checking applications, attaching references, submitting to UCAS on behalf of the applicant, tracking progress, and providing support.

Completed applications, including a reference, should be sent to UCAS by 15 January in the year of entry. The final deadline is 30 June, but some courses may close earlier. Applications received after 30 June will automatically go into Clearing.

If you applied in a previous year and want to reapply in the current cycle, you’ll need to start a new UCAS application. It’s not possible to transfer your old application to a new cycle.

In the UK, you can find on-campus residence facilities or look for off-campus accommodation. Most universities offer Halls of Residence, which can be self-catered or full board. You can also opt for shared apartments or private accommodation. Your university’s international support team can help you find accommodation suitable for your needs.

The living costs in the UK vary depending on the location and your lifestyle. On average, it can range from £400 to £1,000 per month.

Yes, most universities in the UK provide language support facilities to help students improve their writing, speaking, and listening skills. You can also find opportunities to learn other languages if you’re interested.

The number of study hours per week can vary depending on your course and university. It’s best to check the specific requirements of your program.

Yes, all UK universities provide support for students with disabilities, including adapted accommodation, professional care staff, learning support coordinators, and additional time for coursework and exams.

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