The United Kingdom is gaining ground as one of the most preferred studies abroad destinations for international students. It has some of the oldest and the most prestigious World Top Universities. The good thing is that programme options and qualifications offered by the UK universities are globally recognized, and the UK is known as a Universal Leader in study areas such as Engineering, Science, Business, Management, Finance, Law, Art, Design, and many more.
There are numerous Scholarships and Internship opportunities available for international students to study in UK. Another advantage of the UK is that they provide shorter and more intensive courses; innovative teaching methods, and easy admission and visa process making the UK an ideal choice for International Students.
Table of Content
- Popular universities for masters in UK
- Masters (MS) in UK
- Popular Programs to study masters in UK
- Entry Requirements
- Intakes for Postgraduate Courses
- Cost of Education in the UK
- Scholarships for International Students
- Internships & Part-Time Job Options
- Student Visa Applications Processing
- Post-Study Work Visa
- FAQs
Popular universities for masters in UK
The United Kingdom is home to some of the World-Renowned Universities that are known for their academic excellence. The UK is home to 131 universities of international repute. To let you know 4 out of the top 10 World Ranked Universities and 17 of the world’s top 100 universities are based in the UK as per QS World Rankings 2023.
Here’s a list of some of the top universities in UK:
University of Oxford | University of Glasgow |
University of Cambridge | University of Birmingham |
Imperial College London | Queen Mary University of London |
University College London (UCL) | Newcastle University |
London School of Economics and Political Science | Cranfield University |
University of Edinburgh | Durham University |
King’s College London | University of Sheffield |
University of Manchester | University of Nottingham |
University of Warwick | University of Southampton |
University of Bristol | University of Leeds |
These are just a few and the list is quite a lengthy one.
Masters (MS) in UK
In this article, we will focus more on the prospects of pursuing masters in UK. The best part is that Post Graduate Degrees are mostly of 1-year duration in the UK, thereby saving time and money for international students. Let’s have a look at the qualifications offered at the postgraduate level, popular programs, entry requirements, intakes, cost of education, scholarships, internships, part-time work options, student visa processing and post-study work visa prospects. In short, we will give a complete overview of masters in UK.
Postgraduate Level Qualifications
You can pick any of the below-mentioned qualifications for your higher studies in the UK based on your eligibility.
- Postgraduate Certificate and Diplomas,
- Taught Masters,
- Research Masters,
- MPhil and PhD.
Popular Programs to study masters in UK
The most sought-after programmes which students prefer for pursuing masters in UK are:
- MBA, Business and Management
- Business Analytics
- Data Analytics
- Computer Science
- Data Science
- IT
- Law
- Architecture
- Design: Fashion, Interior, product
- Literature
- Hospitality and Tourism
- Psychology
- Health
- Bio-Medical Sciences
- Sports
We have just enlisted the popular programs. If you have an interest beyond this, you can check out it, and you’ll surely get any program option that you are looking for.
Entry Requirements
Let us now talk about the entry requirements to get an admit to UK universities. For post-graduate courses, students with three years or four years bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 60-65% will be considered for direct admission into High Ranked Prestigious Universities in the UK. There are many other popular universities in the UK accepting students with an average or lesser academic percentage of up to 55% as well.
Other than academic requirements, international students will also need English Language Test Scores such as IELTS or TOEFL. The tests such as GRE and GMAT are required by very few Universities and for selected courses only.
Intakes for Postgraduate Courses
Postgraduate courses often run from September to September. Certain universities offer multiple intakes so the start dates can vary.
For universities offering one intake, students can start one year before the course commencement date. Whereas for the universities offering multiple intakes in a year, students can start the process at least 6 months before the start date.
Cost of studying a masters in UK
Let’s check out the cost to study in UK considering the annual expenses in GBP. Total Expenses for one year will approximately come up to 24775 GBP based on the below-given bifurcation.
- Tuition Fees for one-year (Indicative)*- 14000 GBP
- Living and Accommodation- 9207 GBP
- Visa Fees- 490GBP
- Immigration Health Surcharge/National Health Surcharge- 1164GBP
- Airfare from India to United Kingdom- 500GBP
As you see we have covered all the possible costs to be incurred. It can be slightly low or high depending on the university, program, study duration and the city you choose.
Scholarships for Masters in UK
UK Universities offer several scholarships, bursaries, and grant schemes to international students allowing their study abroad journey to become smoother. In general, the amount of the scholarship ranges by and large from £1000 to £5000. Scholarship amounts can also range from full or 50% fee waiver for students with academic excellence, but these are obviously very few in numbers and highly competitive.
There are many external scholarships for international students in UK which cover full fees and living expenses. To name a few, Chevening Scholarship, Commonwealth Scholarships and Great Scholarship. These Scholarships are offered to a select few talented individuals to pursue a one-year master’s degree in the UK in specific subjects only. So, you need to check out all the relevant details on the official websites.
Internships & Part-Time Job Options
Students can take a part-time job, work placement or internship alongside their studies in the UK. They can work 20 hours per week during term time and 40 hours per week during vacations. At the PG level UK Universities offer 18-24 months of Postgraduate Courses which allow students to get 6-12 months of internship.
Student Visa Applications Processing
UK Student Visa Applications are processed within 15 working days from the date of the completed application being lodged at the VFS centre. Each applicant must have liquid funds to show the financial capacity to cover Tuition Fees (for one academic year) and Living Expenses (for 9 months at least)
Students and parents can be the ideal financial sponsors for UK Student Visa applications. Any other relatives like grandparents, uncles, brothers, and sisters cannot sponsor the student and funds in their account will not be accepted. So, it is essential for the applicant to have clarity of all these aspects so that the visa processing goes smoother without any hassles or rejection.
Post-Study Work Visa
Most of you must be aware that the UK Government announced a new immigration route called a GIR which is effective from 1st July 2021. It is open to all international students who have successfully completed a course of study in any subject at the undergraduate level or above with an approved UK Higher Education Provider. This will allow eligible students to work, or search for work, in any career or position of their choice, for two years after completing their studies.
Speaking in a nutshell, the UK is providing great academic opportunities to international students with equally great opportunities post studies. So, if you also have been giving thought to studying masters in UK this is the right time to approach KC Overseas Education, one of the most renowned Study Abroad Consultants in India and South Asia. KC’s UK experts will give you in-depth information about the universities, course options, admission, application, and visa process. They will help you shortlist the universities and programs as per your eligibility. KC also assists in standardized test coaching, which you can take in person or online, assistance for Overseas Education Loans and accommodation assistance as well.
In short, KC does complete handholding from counselling to coaching, admission application, and Education Loan to Visa Process. We give a Pre-departure briefing as well to make you feel more adaptable before you leave for your study abroad destination. Our team is just a call away, so check our website and connect to our UK experts right away. We have 65+ offices across India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Malaysia, Pakistan, Vietnam, Philippines . You can connect to our team in person or virtually and get the entire process done.
Get connected to one of the fastest growing edtech companies in South Asia and make your study abroad dreams come true.
FAQs-
1. What is the Course Duration for Masters in UK?
Answer – Most of the Masters in UK are shorter and more intensive. As a result, the course duration is primarily 1 year. This is also the best part of studying Master’s in the UK.
2. Which are the Popular Masters Programs in the UK?
Answer – Some of the most popular programs to study Masters in UK are MBA, Business and Management, Business Analytics, Data Analytics, Computer Science, Data Science, IT, Economics, Law, Architecture, Literature, Hospitality and Tourism, Psychology, Health, Bio-Medical Sciences and Sports.
3. Which English Language Test Scores are acceptable in the UK?
Answer – English Language Test Scores such as IELTS, and TOEFL are widely acceptable. Some universities provide IELTS waivers as well.
4. What are the intakes for Postgraduate Courses?
Answer – Postgraduate courses often have September and January intakes. However, certain universities offer program options in mid intakes such as Apr, May and June as well.
5. Can students take a part-time job?
Answer – Yes, students are permitted to work part-time for 20 hours per week during term time and 40 hours per week during vacations. Working part-time is highly beneficial for students to contribute towards their living expenses.