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Applying To British Universities
The whole process, from deciding to study at university, choosing Britain as the country to study in and applying to British universities, is a decisive moment in the careers of many pupils. One recommendation is to consider this long process in terms of activities which take place at different times.
The whole process, from deciding to study at university, choosing Britain as the country to study in and applying to British universities, is a decisive moment in the careers of many pupils. One recommendation is to consider this long process in terms of activities which take place at different times.
Quite early in his or her school career, the pupil has to make a firm commitment with regards university study. Many pupils find this a difficult decision because they have yet to develop a sense of what they want to do in the future and where their abilities lies. The Internet is an extremely valuable source of information. But “classical” sources such as books, older and more experienced mentors, school counsellors and even parents are not to be discounted.
Once the decision is made to go on to higher education, the next hurdle concerns what to specialize in. Three important questions to ask are:
* What are my interests?
* Do I have the abilities to do the course?
* What are the benefits of doing that course?
In line with more financial independence and responsibility required by the government, most universities have started charging students fees. Not surprisingly, a very pertinent fourth question is:
* Have I (or my parents) the funds to cover my education?
English is a world-language and a good part of academic research is conducted in it. Britain has excellent research universities. These are two good reasons to think about applying to British universities.
Because there are preparatory resources available, one would do well to find and acquaint oneself with them. Aspects of the application process, for instance, are specific to British universities.
Although I personally think other factors are far more important, you may want to consider a factor like university (or university league tables). You may want to think about whether you want to study at Oxford or Cambridge (or Oxbridge, as they are jointly called).
There are also preparatory resources specifically for law and medical studies in Britain. For instance, the UKCAT (UK Clinical Aptitude ) or BMAT (BioMedical Admissions Test) or the LNAT (National Admissions Test for Law), are requirements of many British universities (as well as many non-British ones).
Applicants whose mother language is not English will usually be required by universities to sit and pass the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) tests. The British Council is a member of the IELTS and conducts these tests overseas.
Because undergraduate university application is a centralised online process handled by UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service), that is the first place any prospective student should look at to start the process of applying to British universities.