Foggy prospects of Foggy Albion
A diploma from a British university has always been considered very prestigious. Oxford and Cambridge are on everyone's lips. But in fact, there are another hundred universities in the UK that provide education of an equally high level: in this country, strict requirements and clear criteria developed by the government apply to educational institutions.
But you have to pay a high price for quality. Students studying specialties that require practical classes in laboratories or studios pay 7-9 thousand pounds sterling a year. Those who study in ordinary lecture halls and classrooms pay 5-7 thousand pounds. The most expensive is medical education – 14-16 thousand pounds. Living expenses amount to 8-10 thousand pounds a year.
Only those who plan to become a master or doctor can count on a scholarship or grant, and only if their research supervisor can secure it. The right to work for the entire period of stay in the country is granted to foreign students conducting research in a doctoral program. There is no point in hoping to stay and live in the UK after graduation – the British authorities are much more willing to take in a hundred or two new refugees from African or Arab countries.
A domestic school certificate is not considered a full-fledged secondary education document in the UK. For admission, you need to study two final years at a British school or spend a year at a preparatory department for foreigners (Foundation). None of this is required if the applicant already has at least one course at a domestic university behind them. But the first two options are preferable in terms of language knowledge, since in any case you will have to take IELTS or TOEFL.
In the middle of the ocean
Australia, as a former British colony, maintains the educational traditions that have developed in the UK. There are 39 universities, two of which are private. They are mainly concentrated in the two largest cities – Sydney and Melbourne. Australian universities are considered among the best in the Pacific region.
For admission to Australian universities, a secondary education certificate is required. True, a certificate from our school is not suitable. They believe that a higher level of applicant preparation is needed. This gap can be filled by two years of study in the final years of an Australian school. You can also enroll in a university preparatory department (Foundation), successful completion of which means automatic enrollment in the first year.
English language requirements at Australian universities are higher than in other countries (580 TOEFL points or 6.5 IELTS points). The duration of bachelor's programs is three to four years. The cost is 11-26 thousand Australian dollars per year. Living expenses will cost approximately 8 thousand per year.
American combination
The United States firmly holds first place in the world in the number of educational institutions. There are 156 universities and 1,953 colleges that award bachelor's degrees. Specialists also note the diversity of the American higher education system as a distinctive feature. The curricula there allow students to combine subjects as they wish, at their own discretion. It is not surprising that US universities are the most popular among foreigners. Out of 15 million American students, half a million are foreigners.
American universities differ from each other not only in programs but also in tuition costs. Despite the fact that education in the United States is generally expensive, you can also choose a very cheap institution. (This somewhat resembles the current situation in domestic education: if Moscow State University is too much for you, you can go to any small university – there are now plenty of them – and, studying somehow, get the desired diploma.) True, by saving on education, you risk then saving on everything for the rest of your life, never finding a good job with such a diploma.
For admission to the United States, an English exam alone (TOEFL, at least 550 points) is not enough. Applicants often have to take an additional exam: SAT1 – for mathematical thinking or SAT2 – for knowledge of a certain subject. Those who plan to become masters should be prepared for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Those entering master's programs in economics take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMA).
In addition, all applicants must submit a recommendation and a transcript – a list of subjects taken with the exact number of study hours, as well as write an essay. There is enough time to prepare for all these tests: the admission process is quite slow, over a period of 15 months.
Stay forever or don't come at all
Canada ranks second in the world rankings of higher education. There are about a hundred universities, each of which accepts foreign students for both 'degree' (Undergraduate) and 'post-graduate' (Graduate) studies. At the same time, tuition prices are two to three times lower than in the United States. And life in general is cheaper.
Teaching at Canadian universities is conducted mainly in English. The exceptions are the universities of Laval, Monston, Montreal, Quebec, and Sherbooke, where instruction is in French. For admission, you need to submit a secondary education certificate and pass a language exam. In the case of English – TOEFL (from 550 points) or IELTS (from 5.5 points). Universities that require French will not offer any standard tests: each of these institutions has its own language requirements and methods of testing knowledge.
Tuition costs 7-12 thousand Canadian dollars per year plus about a thousand for textbooks. Notably, the authorities of this country provide an opportunity to cover part of the costs of study and living: Canada has many programs that allow students to combine study with work, often in their future profession. This is also beneficial in that a well-regarded intern has a good chance of getting a full-time job as soon as they finish studying.
This is facilitated by the country's flexible immigration policy, which is based on responding to the immediate needs of the labor market. In other words, foreign students have the opportunity to stay in Canada for several years, or even forever. However, the authorities may not grant spouses of students permission to work; this depends on the unemployment rate in a particular province.
However, not all foreigners planning to get an education abroad seek to stay there. As for Canada, it is not even necessary to live there while studying. This country is a world leader in distance learning. So a bachelor's degree can be obtained by studying for three or four years over the Internet or even just by mail. And in five years it is possible to obtain a master's degree. You will need to come to Canada only once or several times, and even then for a short while.