True, information about higher education there for compatriots is often limited to London, where most of our potential students strive to get in, Oxford and Cambridge, about which University of Nottingham student Olga Pleshkova said very accurately: 'The best representatives of their countries study there, and to look worthy, you have to be the best in your homeland.' At the same time, there are a huge number of other, no less famous universities in the UK, with excellent research facilities, strong teaching staff, and proud of their graduates.
The education system in the UK is quite traditional and includes Undergraduate programs, MSc and MA, PhD and MBA. In addition, special courses are open in the summer for those who want to improve their English or any other European language. However, most English universities do not recognize our secondary school certificate. Therefore, graduates of domestic schools will first have to complete a Foundation program - a kind of analogue of our preparatory courses.
LANCASTER UNIVERSITY
The university was founded in 1964 and is divided into nine colleges. The ratio of students to teachers allows for constant monitoring of the learning process, and, according to the students themselves, gives them the opportunity to approach a teacher at any time without waiting weeks for them to become free. At the same time, undergraduate students consider the ability to change their major after the first year to be a big plus, since making a final choice of future profession at 17 is quite difficult. At the same time, there are many programs that allow combining different subjects and earning a degree in several specialties. For example, one of the students we spoke with is simultaneously earning a degree in Spanish and mathematics.
MSc/MA programs - an analogue of our master's degree - are consistently popular among foreign students. The subjects that 'our' people prefer to study are business management, politics and law, as well as natural sciences. As for the MBA, there are no specializations here and all students study General MBA.
Currently, about 11 thousand students study at the university, 1,500 of whom are foreigners. Many are attracted by Lancaster hotels, but some students live on campus. Accommodation here will cost only 68 pounds sterling per week. Standard living conditions are a room in a block of five rooms, with a shared shower and kitchen. Cleaning is done by specially hired services.
The university has a career center that can offer vacancies at various companies, including Rolls Royce, Ernst & Young, etc. Moreover, absolutely all students receive support at each stage of the interview process.
Lancaster University provides the opportunity to participate in paid research commissioned by various business structures and industrial enterprises.
The university is among the top ten research universities in Britain and in the Top 25 universities in the country. And the MBA program, according to various estimates, ranks second to fifth in the national ranking. In addition, the university is one of the leading institutions in ecology, environmental chemistry, geography, earth sciences, astronomy, physics, and cosmology.
Admission requirements. Bachelor's - IELTS 6.0; MSc/MA - IELTS 6.5 and GMAT; MBA - IELTS 7, GMAT not lower than 600, five years of experience.
Cost. Bachelor's 8,250-10,600 per year, MSc/MA 8,500-14,000 per year, MBA 18,500.
UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM
Founded in 1881 as a college, it became a university in 1948. Academic activities here are concentrated in six faculties: Arts, Education, Engineering, Law and Social Sciences (including the Business School), Medicine and Health Sciences (including the newly created Department of Veterinary Medicine), and Science. In addition, the university has branches in Malaysia and China.
Regardless of specialization, students have an excellent practical base: for example, an own farm for students of the Faculty of Agriculture, or an entrepreneurship center that should stimulate interest in running one's own business and provide support in finding innovative solutions in all areas of activity. Traditionally, business, law, and economics are popular among students. But the main 'brand' of the university is considered to be the School of Pharmacy, which has close ties with the pharmaceutical company Boots.
The university is constantly trying to find new methods in fairly conservative sciences. For example, by posting videos about chemistry on YouTube, which in a few days of rotation on the Internet were seen by more people than ever attended lectures.
The University of Nottingham consistently ranks among the top ten universities in England. And in 2001, it was awarded two Queen’s Anniversary Prizes - for research into the use of electromagnetic resonance in disease diagnosis and for entrepreneurship in international trade. A sign of recognition was its inclusion in the Universities 21 consortium - an association of leading world universities focusing on research.
Currently, about 30 thousand students study at the university, of which about 6 thousand are foreigners from more than 130 countries of the world.
Admission requirements. Bachelor's, MSc - average certificate grade not lower than 4, IELTS 6.0–6.5; MBA - IELTS 7, five years of experience.
Cost. Bachelor's 10,200–13,500 per year, Medical faculty 14,230–18,230 per year, MSc 6,300–18,700 per year, MBA 18,500.
UNIVERSITY OF CHESTER
One of the oldest higher education institutions in Britain was founded in 1839 as a teacher training college, and three years ago became a university. In addition to traditional management, law and sociology, it notes a high level of bachelor's training in areas related to nursing care and midwifery, teaching, art and media technologies. And from the second year, you can do an internship.
Master's programs include such areas as information systems, mathematics, social work, television production, management, theology, etc. Chester constantly introduces new specializations. For example, the country's first funeral department was recently opened. According to the university administration, there are very few qualified specialists in funeral matters in the country who could not only properly prepare bodies for burial, but also know how best to support the loved ones and relatives of the deceased and organize the ceremony. Also recently, an MBA program (full-time and part-time) was opened, aimed at developing and strengthening leadership, organizational and management skills.
The university has about 11,000 students. The education takes place on two campuses: in Chester and in Warrington. Chester guarantees accommodation for all foreign students. The accommodation fee will be 6493 pounds per week, depending on the type of housing and services provided.
The university provides the opportunity to participate in various charitable missions and organizations; students care for the sick and needy as volunteers, some work at the university helping to organize the educational process. Any student can choose a work area by simply contacting a special center at the university, which will find a suitable activity.
Admission requirements. Bachelor's - IELTS 6.0; MSc - IELTS 6.5; MBA - IELTS 6.5 and two years of work experience.
Cost. Bachelor's £7.000–8.500 per year, MSc £7.000–9.600 per year, MBA £9.000.
WARWICK UNIVERSITY
The university was founded in 1961 and includes four main faculties: humanities, medicine, applied sciences, and social sciences. The bachelor's program, like everywhere else, is three years long, but those students whose program includes a year abroad study for four years before receiving a degree.
The university offers a huge number of innovative programs, which helps students in theoretical specialties apply their knowledge in business. In addition, Warwick University has an excellent reputation not only in academic but also business circles, as well as a large network of alumni worldwide. And the university's business school is its real pride, being not only one of the largest in Europe, but also one of the strongest and most famous.
The location of the university campus is such that it is easy to get to Coventry, Birmingham, London. At the same time, the campus has everything necessary for a comfortable student life: excellent sports facilities, its own banks, a post office, a supermarket where you can buy products at "student prices", an Arts Centre visited by famous theater troupes and musicians, a cinema, and a bookstore.
Warwick University constantly ranks among the top ten universities in the UK, and is currently in seventh place. 22 out of 24 academic departments received an 'excellent' rating from the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. And according to a study by the Association of Graduate Recruiters, the university ranks second in the country for counseling and providing career opportunities to young professionals.
Admission requirements. Bachelor's - IELTS 6.0–6.5; MSc - IELTS 6.5–7.0; MBA - average GPA not lower than 4.5, IELTS 7.5–8.0.
Cost. Bachelor's £10.250–13.350 per year, MSc £10.250–13.350 per year, MBA £20.400 (full-time), £4.800 per module (part-time).
LONDON METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY
The university was formed in 2002 as a result of the merger of London Guildhall University and University of North London.
Subjects offered to students include art, biochemistry, English language, finance, insurance, social sciences, etc. Moreover, along with traditionally strong architectural and sports specializations, business and management directions are actively developing. Also, you can choose to study one of nine foreign languages regardless of your main specialization, and for most faculties, an internship is possible at a university in the country whose language you are studying.
Currently, the university offers about 50 different courses for those who want to obtain a master's degree. During the studies, an internship at another foreign university is possible, as well as obtaining a diploma with a note about such experience.
The university is also famous for its MBA programs. The main directions are management, banking management, and IT management. LMU can boast extensive ties with large companies across the country: ABN AMRO Management Services, Bank of England, HBOS, PricewaterhouseCoopers, GlaxoSmithKline, Royal Bank, etc.
In addition, it is famous for its alumni club, which unites former students around the world. By the way, more than 700 people have already graduated from the MBA program. The university boasts excellent equipment in laboratories and research centers, computer labs, a recently renovated library, and many other opportunities for a more complete immersion in the educational process.
London Metropolitan University has more than 37,000 students from all over the world. As for their accommodation during studies, in addition to its own dormitories, LMU has an agreement with an independent company that provides furnished rooms (with a dedicated Internet line, own kitchen and shower) at relatively low prices for London – £180-400 per week.
As Kariera notes, LMU is considered one of the most athletic universities in the country and takes first places in tennis, hockey, and basketball championships. It also has a pilot school, whose graduates can work in civil aviation.
Admission requirements. Bachelor's - IELTS 5.5–6.0; MSc - IELTS 6.0–6.5; MBA - IELTS 6.5.
Cost. Bachelor's 8,200 per year, MSc 9,000–14,400 per year, MBA 11,000.