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Best Universities in the UK for International Students
The UK is an ideal place for international students to study. It is highly diversified and has world-leading research centers and great career opportunities. Along with this, students also get several scholarship opportunities that help manage finances.
The UK is also home to some of the top universities in the world. According to the latest QS Ranking, the UK has 4 universities in the Top 10. It also provides world-class education and accommodation facilities. All these factors make the UK the ideal spot for students who wish to study abroad.
Table of Contents
- Why UK is Best for International Students?
- Popular Intakes in UK Universities for International Students
- English Proficiency Test in UK Universities
- Top Universities in the UK
- List of UK Universities with the Most International Students
- Popular UK Courses Among International Students
- How To Choose the Best UK University as an International Student?
- Russell Group of universities in the UK
- Tier 2 Universities in the UK
- Tier 3 Universities in the UK
- Duolingo Accepted Universities in the UK
- Best universities in the UK for MBA
- Top Universities in the UK for Masters
- Student Visa in the UK
Why UK is Best for International Students?
The UK offers some of the best education and accommodation facilities to students. It provides a great academic experience that is important for a successful career. It also has world-recognized universities that provide innovative education and facility.
Many other benefits come with studying in the UK. Some of these are given below:
- A world-class degree that is great for future career
- A chance to study at some of the best universities in the world.
- Amazing post-study work opportunities through the new graduate route.
- Students can tailor-make their courses according to their needs and likings.
- Universities provide access to research opportunities that are globally recognized.
- Students can get an unforgettable experience. They can completely enjoy themselves, make friends and learn new things.
Popular Intakes in UK Universities for International Students
UK Universities provide intakes to students in three phases: Fall, Winter, and Summer.
Given below is a table with all the intakes and their details:
|
Intakes in the UK |
Deadline |
Details |
|
Fall |
September - July |
It is the most popular intake among international students Almost all colleges offer their courses in this intake However, they may vary based on courses and shifts |
|
Winter |
January - September |
This intake is a supplementary one It has lesser course options than the fall intake. But it is a great option for students who missed out on the fall intake. |
|
Summer |
April - January |
This is the least preferred intake. It offers the least number of course options The competition in this intake is the least and there are more chances of getting accepted. |
English Proficiency Test in UK Universities
The English proficiency tests accepted in the UK are IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE. The scorecard for these is valid for up to two years. Thus, students must familiarise themselves with the university calendar and apply accordingly.
Given below are the accepted proficiency tests and their required scores:
|
English Proficiency Test |
Required Scores |
|
IELTS |
6.0 – 6.5 |
|
TOEFL |
80 – 90 |
|
PTE |
56 – 61 |
Top Universities in the UK
As mentioned earlier, the UK is home to some of the best universities in the world. It has 4 universities in the Top 10 according to the latest QS World Ranking. These universities provide remarkable education and academics.
Given below are some of the top universities in the UK:
|
Top Universities in the UK |
QS World University Rankings 2022 |
|
University of Oxford |
#2 |
|
University of Cambridge |
=3 |
|
University College London |
#8 |
|
Imperial College London |
#7 |
|
The University of Edinburgh |
#16 |
|
The University of Manchester |
=27 |
|
King’s College London |
#35 |
|
London School of Economics and Political Science |
#49 |
|
University of Bristol |
#62 |
|
University of Warwick |
#61 |
|
University of Glasgow |
#73 |
|
University of Southampton |
#77 |
|
Durham University |
=82 |
|
University of Birmingham |
#90 |
|
University of Leeds |
#92 |
|
University of Leeds |
#95 |
|
University of Nottingham |
#103 |
|
Queen Mary University of London |
#117 |
|
Lancaster University |
#132 |
|
Newcastle University |
#134 |
|
The University of Exeter |
=149 |
|
Cardiff University |
=151 |
|
University of York |
=151 |
|
University of Bath |
#166 |
|
University of Liverpool |
=189 |
|
University of Reading |
#202 |
|
University of Aberdeen |
#205 |
|
Queen’s University Belfast |
=216 |
|
University of East Anglia (UEA) |
=303 |
|
University of Essex |
#439 |
List of UK Universities with the Most International Students
The UK is quite popular among international students for education. It has affordable fees and scholarship options that act as financial help. According to the HESA website, around 458,490 students travel to the UK every year to study. Out of this, around 17,990 students are enrolled in the University College London. Making this college the most popular among international students.
Some other popular colleges for international students are:
|
Institute Name |
Number of International Students |
|
University College London |
17,990 |
|
The University of Manchester |
13,750 |
|
The University of Edinburgh |
12,025 |
|
Coventry University |
11,285 |
|
King’s College London |
11,175 |
|
Imperial College of Science, Technology, and Medicine |
9,560 |
|
University of the Arts, London |
9,175 |
|
The University of Warwick |
8,990 |
|
The University of Sheffield |
8,965 |
|
The University of Glasgow |
8,815 |
Popular UK Courses Among International Students
The UK provides several courses that students can choose from. It also has great education facilities for all courses. However, some courses may be more popular than others.
The most popular courses among international students are given below:
|
Course |
University |
|
Business and Management |
University of Oxford University of St. Andrews University of Warwick |
|
Engineering and Technology |
University of Bristol University of Cambridge Imperial College London |
|
Social Studies |
University of Oxford University of Leeds University of Glasgow |
|
Law |
University of Oxford University of Cambridge University of Dundee |
|
Economics |
University of Oxford University of Cambridge University College London |
|
Computer Science |
University of Cambridge University of St. Andrews University of Oxford |
How To Choose the Best UK University as an International Student?
Since the UK provides so many options, it may get difficult for students to pick the best university for themselves. Mainly because all UK universities are great and have attractive options. However, the following are a few things that one must consider when looking for a UK university:
- Explore the Ranking of the UK University
- Research about the funding and scholarship options
- Choose a suitable location
- Contact and visit the university if possible
- Learn about the life of the students in the university
- Prepare for Tests and Applications
Russell Group of Universities in the UK
The Russell Group of Universities in the UK are high-ranking universities. These rank highly in the QS World University ranking and Times higher education World Ranking. They provide high-quality academics, faculty, research opportunities, and much more. Some of these are listed below:
|
Universities |
QS World University Rankings 2022 (Global) |
THE World University Rankings 2022 (Global) |
University League Tables 2022 (National) |
|
University of Oxford |
2 |
1 |
2 |
|
University of Cambridge |
=3 |
=5 |
1 |
|
Imperial College London |
7 |
12 |
5 |
|
University of Edinburgh |
16 |
=30 |
15 |
|
University of Manchester |
=27 |
50 |
=17 |
|
King’s College London |
=20 |
||
|
London School of Economics and Political Science |
49 |
27 |
4 |
|
University of Bristol |
62 |
92 |
14 |
|
University of Warwick |
61 |
=78 |
11 |
|
University of Glasgow |
73 |
=86 |
19 |
|
Durham University |
=82 |
=162 |
7 |
|
University of Sheffield |
95 |
=110 |
28 |
|
University of Birmingham |
90 |
=105 |
13 |
|
University of Leeds |
92 |
=127 |
16 |
|
University of Nottingham |
103 |
141 |
=20 |
|
University of Southampton |
77 |
124 |
=17 |
|
Queen Mary University of London |
117 |
=117 |
=35 |
|
Newcastle University |
134 |
=146 |
23 |
|
University of York |
=151 |
169 |
22 |
|
Cardiff University |
=151 |
=191 |
30 |
|
University of Exeter |
=149 |
=143 |
12 |
|
Queen’s University Belfast |
=216 |
201-250 |
27 |
|
University of Liverpool |
=189 |
=178 |
33 |
|
University College London |
=8 |
=18 |
10 |
Tier 2 Universities in the UK
Given below are some of the tier 2 universities in the UK:
|
Name of the University |
Location |
|
Goldsmiths College, University of London |
London, United Kingdom |
|
Manchester Metropolitan University |
Manchester, United Kingdom |
|
Oxford Brookes University |
Oxford, United Kingdom |
|
Keele University |
Keele, New Castle, United Kingdom |
|
New College of the Humanities |
Bloomsbury, London, United Kingdom |
|
Royal Holloway University of London |
Egham, United Kingdom |
|
Queen’s University |
Belfast, United Kingdom |
|
University of Central Lancashire |
Preston, United Kingdom |
|
University of Aberdeen |
Aberdeen, United Kingdom |
|
The University of the West of England |
Bristol, United Kingdom |
|
University of Hertfordshire |
Hatfield, United Kingdom |
Tier 3 Universities in the UK
Given below are some of the Tier 3 universities in the UK:
|
Name of University |
Location |
|
University of Essex |
Essex, London |
|
University of York |
York, England |
|
University of Birmingham |
Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom |
|
Durham University |
Durham, England |
|
Cambridge University |
Cambridge, United Kingdom |
|
Nottingham University |
Nottingham, United Kingdom |
|
King’s College London |
Strand, London, United Kingdom |
|
Oxford University |
Oxford, United Kingdom |
|
London School of Economics |
Holborn, London, United Kingdom |
|
University of Sussex |
Falmer, Sussex, England |
|
University of London |
London, England |
|
University of Glasgow |
Scotland, United Kingdom |
|
Lancaster University |
Lancaster, United Kingdom |
|
Birkbeck, University of London |
Bloomsbury, London, United Kingdom |
Duolingo Accepted Universities in the UK
Since, the COVID-19 pandemic, several universities have started accepting Duolingo English Tests scored. They use these scores as English proficiency test scores. This is great as students can take exams from the comfort of their homes.
Some of these universities are:
- Anglia Ruskin University
- Bangor University
- University of Bristol
- Brunel University
- University of Glasgow
- University of Birmingham
- Queen's University Belfast
- Brunel University
- Middlesex University
- University of Stirling
Best universities in the UK for MBA
UK has several universities that offer great MBA courses. Some of these are given below along with their Course Duration and Fees:
|
Universities |
Duration |
Tuition Fee (GBP/Year) |
|
London Business School |
15-21 Months |
58,600 |
|
Said School of Business, University of Oxford |
1 Year |
59,490 |
|
University of Cambridge, Judge Business School |
1 Year |
57,000 |
|
Imperial College Business School, Imperial College London |
1 Year |
53,500 |
|
Warwick Business School, University of Warwick |
1 Year |
40,450 |
|
Alliance Manchester Business School, The University of Manchester |
15 months |
35,200 |
|
University of Edinburgh Business School, The University of Edinburgh |
1 Year |
32,500 |
|
The Business School (formerly Cass), CITY, University of London |
1 Year |
46,000 |
|
Cranfield School of Management, Cranfield University |
15 months |
39,000 |
|
School of Business and Management– Queen Mary University of London |
1-5 years |
20,500 |
|
School of Management – Anglia Ruskin University |
12 – 20 Months |
16,500 |
|
Lancaster University Management School |
12 months |
33,500 |
|
Business School – Coventry University |
12 months |
18,950 |
|
Cardiff Business School – Cardiff University |
12 months |
28,900 |
|
University of Strathclyde Business School |
12 months |
31,900 |
|
Leeds University Business School – University of Leeds |
12 months |
31,250 |
Top Universities in the UK for Masters
The UK has several universities that offer master's. However, given below are the top universities that offer master's along with their tuition fees:
|
University |
Average Tuition (GBP/ year) |
|
Oxford University |
27,000 - 40,000 |
|
University of Cambridge |
22,000 - 33,000 |
|
Imperial College London |
31,000 - 35,700 |
|
University College London |
21,000 - 25,000 |
|
University of Edinburgh |
22,000 - 34,000 |
|
University of Manchester |
20,000 - 28,000 |
|
King’s College London |
18,000 - 29,000 |
|
London School of Economics and Political Science |
18,000 - 22,000 |
|
University of Warwick |
17,000 - 22,000 |
|
University of Bristol |
17,000 - 20,000 |
Student Visa in the UK
There are two types of student visas in the UK. These are Tier 4 Student Visa and Short-Term Student Visa.
Given below are details about each:
1. Tier 4 Student Visa:
- These are for students who are 16 and above
- They must be enrolled in a course that lasts more than 11 months
- They must collect a CAS or letter of acceptance from the institute
2. Short Term Student Visa:
- These are for a student enrolled in short-term courses
- The course must last for 11 months or less.
Kickstart your academic journey now! Studying abroad could be a long and tedious process however at AECC with expert counsellors your dreams can be achieved at ease. The Counsellors will guide you through every step and help you attain your dreams at ease. They will assist with visas, courses, universities, and more.
