Studying in the UK

Hi. My name is Anna and I'm from Seattle. I'm currently studying Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia. I volunteer on behalf of Education UK to help give advice about studying in the UK . If you have any questions about moving to or studying in the UK, please feel free to ask me. I'd be happy to help out.

One thing I wish I'd known before I moved is how different food is in the UK. Now when I visit my family in the USA, I bring them some of my British favorites and I always return with a bag full of American foods I've missed. If there are certain foods you love or can't live without, I'd recommend searching online to see if they're available in the UK and bringing some with just to be on the safe side!

WELCOME! When I was a student my parents shipped me over grape jelly and peanutbutter (the real stuff). I really never liked it til I couldnt get it 

Welcome to UK Yankee, Anna!    I trust lutefiske is not one of those foods you're bringing back from America (or Sweden). 

Welcome Anna!  Are you concentrating in poetry or fiction?  I studied poetry back in the US. 

Though, I greatly wish I could, I can't stuff a whole Chipotle restaurant into my luggage As a student in the UK, it's my pleasure to welcome you to the forum!

Thanks for all the welcome messages!

I think salsa, especially good fresh salsa, is the food I miss most...although I do miss the peanut butter as well. Nope, I'm definitely not bringing lutefisk in either direction.

I'm studying prose, lilybelle. Are you still studying poetry?

I'm going to post on a few different questions students usually have about studying in the UK. Please feel free to add your own input and advice or to ask more questions. Thanks!

Pro's and con's of studying in the UK

The British and American education systems are fairly different. There are pro's and con's to each system, depending on what kind of experience you're looking for.

Shorter course length -  A British bachelor's degree is usually completed in three years of full-time study rather than the traditional four in the USA. A master's degree generally takes one year of full-time study and a PhD takes three.

Length of term - Term lengths tend to be shorter in the UK than in the US, with more breaks. This means less time spent in class but often more time spent on independent work.

Class structure - In my personal experience, classes in the UK tend to require less time in class and more time spent studying than those in the USA. It has also been my experience that more written work is required in American undergraduate classes, but that it is judged more critically (because there is less of it) in British university classes. This may vary from university to university - I can only compare two British universities to two American collages.

Undergraduate specialization - Undergraduates study within their major almost exclusively in the UK. This appeals to many students because it allows for greater specialization. Many other students prefer the opportunity to take classes in various elective subjects as is possible (and required) in the USA.

Structure of PhD - American PhD programs, in the humanities at least, require two years of classwork. British PhD programs do not. Some students enjoy taking classes and the associated opportunities to meet other people in the research community. Other students prefer the independence of the British system and enjoy the opportunity to focus on the thesis from the start.

Cost of attendance - American students are far less likely to receive scholarships for study in the UK than they are for study in the USA. That being said, it's not impossible and I've met many Americans studying in the UK who do have some type of funding. Scholarship issues aside, international student fees in the UK (currently around $16,500 per year at UEA) are sometimes less than those for out-of-state students in the USA.   
 
I hope this helps anyone who's thinking about studying in the UK. If you have anything to add or any questions, please let me know!

Hi. My name is Anna and I'm from Seattle. I'm currently studying Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia. I volunteer on behalf of Education UK to help give advice about studying in the UK . If you have any questions about moving to or studying in the UK, please feel free to ask me. I'd be happy to help out.

Hi Anna, I need advice about applications hints.  I applied this past spring and didn't get in.  I have two associate's degrees but no degree focus right now.  I have taken English 1 & 2, but the English Lit department wasn't interested that I got 4.0 GPAs in both those classes.  They were more interested in GCSEs.  And in all the classes(I have well over 70 credits) I've taken I've only got 1 B in a drawing class.  All the others have been A's. 

Any good hints or pointers as I'm applying for next fall?  I also plan on taking an online course this winter (Literature related).

Thanks a bunch!

I applied this past spring and didn't get in.  I have two associate's degrees but no degree focus right now.

 

The first thing to decide will be your degree focus because for UK degrees you have to choose your degree subject (major) before you apply and then you apply to a specific degree programme. What degree program did you apply for in the Spring? (I'm guessing maybe English from your post?).

I have taken English 1 & 2, but the English Lit department wasn't interested that I got 4.0 GPAs in both those classes.  They were more interested in GCSEs.  And in all the classes(I have well over 70 credits) I've taken I've only got 1 B in a drawing class.  All the others have been A's. 

GCSE's are basically equivalent to a US high school diploma, so if you have a diploma, you should meet that requirement. Then, to get into university in the UK, you usually need to have A levels (advanced study in 3 or more subjects for 2 years after GCSEs). Usually, A levels translate to either AP classes or the first 1 or 2 years of college in the US. I would imagine that your associates degrees would probably translate to having A levels (what subjects were they in?).

It might be worth contacting NARIC to find out what your US qualifications are equivalent to in the UK (http://www.naric.org.uk/).

For undergraduate degrees, UK students all have to apply through the UCAS system, for which applications need to be submitted by January 15th 2011 for next year (October 15th 2010 for Oxford, Cambridge, medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and veterinary science and March 24th 2011 for art and design courses). I believe that international students may be able apply independently, but it's recommended that you apply through the UCAS system instead, where you make just one application but you can list up to 6 different university courses (degree programmes) on it and then UCAS will send your application to all of them (kind of like the general application in the US, I think). The UCAS site should have lots of info regarding making your application and help with applying: http://www.ucas.ac.uk/students/

Thank you so much for responding and the website!  My degrees are in Pharmacy Technology and General Studies.  Yes, the latter is broad but it encompasses a lot.  I was going to apply for English Literature or Education.  The worst part is I've never been denied, ever.  I've even gotten a full ride to numerous colleges when I was in high school.  I just chose to join the military though.

The only thing is that we're moving around Christmas and my degree focus will not be met.  However, I do have extremely high marks in all of my classes taken.  I have to be careful if I take any more online classes as well.  I can't duplicate any classes...they might not transfer.  I think if I take one or two more English classes, it will show my interest even if there isn't a definitive course of study.

I plan to pay the uni a visit when I arrive.  Hopefully they will be able to meet me in person, know that I'm a mature student, and see that I'm an asset to their department.

My college will be funded through my GI Bill as well so that's even better.

Thank you once again for your help!

One small correction: Scottish undergraduate degrees are typically 4 years, and you end up with a Masters at the end.

I think if I take one or two more English classes, it will show my interest even if there isn't a definitive course of study.

The problem is that you don't have a choice, you have to apply for a definitive course of study. You can't just apply to a university and then decide what you want to do afterwards, you are either accepted onto a specific degree course, or you are rejected.

You can apply for more than one degree course at the same university, but you have to know what you want to study as you will be accepted into that individual department and all your classes will be in that subject. You might be okay applying for both English and Education at the same university, but they don't like it if the different courses you apply for are too diverse (i.e. applying for say, English and also for Physics would make it look like you don't know what you want to study, but you could apply for say, 'English with Creative Writing' and also 'English and American Literature' within the same department).

I see on your status that you will be in Norwich - are you planning on studying at UEA?

Looking at the UEA courses, as an example, if you wanted to apply for English or Education, there are 7 English degree courses and 4 Education courses and you would have to choose which one or two out of those 11 courses you want to apply for.

I understand when I apply I will ultimately have chosen a course of study.  However, the catch is to increase my odds of acceptance.  Which is why I wouldn't apply for vastly different majors like Physics and English.  I thought English Literature and Education were semi-related and not too contrasting.  And yes, I was planning on studying at the UEA.

My current problem is 1. Trying to get acceptance for next fall and 2.  Trying to increase my chances for acceptance through further education.

As it stands right now, I wouldn't be able to get an associate's degree in English or Education so how do I prove to UEA that I'm serious about those departments?  My only solution is to take additional classes in those fields. 

Any more thoughts/comments/suggestions??  They are soooo very welcomed!

I understand when I apply I will ultimately have chosen a course of study.  However, the catch is to increase my odds of acceptance.  Which is why I wouldn't apply for vastly different majors like Physics and English.  I thought English Literature and Education were semi-related and not too contrasting.

Well, Physics and English was just an example to show that if you apply for different courses at the same univeristy, the university prefer that they are all in a similar field . I think that English and Education are probably close enough to each other to apply for both, but it's worth contacting the university and asking them if it's okay to put both down if you wanted to.

My current problem is 1. Trying to get acceptance for next fall and 2.  Trying to increase my chances for acceptance through further education.

As it stands right now, I wouldn't be able to get an associate's degree in English or Education so how do I prove to UEA that I'm serious about those departments?  My only solution is to take additional classes in those fields.

I would say that the best thing to do (again, if you haven't already) is contact the English and Education departments (and maybe the International Students office too) at UEA and ask them what qualifications they will require for acceptance to the courses. You might find that they will take you with the qualifications you already have or they might suggest things you can do to meet the requirements.

For the UK students, it's usually all about meeting specific grades/percentages in high school exams. The university will give them a minimum grades offer - if they get the grades in their exams, they're in, if they don't, they can't attend the university. Looking at UEA's entry requirements for English Literature, they require grades of AAB-BBB at A level, but you must have an A in English and the Education department requires grades of BBB at A level, but neither department will accept General Studies A level (in the UK most A level students will take General Studies as well as their other subjects, but usually it is not considered when applying to university... something I'm quite glad about actually, because I got a C in my General Studies, but AAB in my other 3 subjects).

An Associates Degree may be considered to be a slightly higher level than A levels, but you'll need to find out if you meet the subject requirements set by the departments. I wouldn't start taking any extra classes until you know what classes UEA will accept.

Looking at the UEA International Students pages, the General requirements for undergraduate students from the USA are (http://www.uea.ac.uk/international/country/USA):

 

     UNDERGRADUATE ENTRY

    * International Baccalaureate Diploma: 30+

OR

    * High School Graduation Diploma: 3.0+ GPA
    * SAT subscores (Critical Reading & Mathematics): 600+
    * ACT composite score: 28+
    * Non-International Baccalaureate candidates for science and language studies will also require at least two relevant Advanced Placement Tests. Applicants who wish to study science degrees without AP test results may also be considered for one-year preparatory/foundation courses.
    * (NOTE: these are general guidelines only; requirements for entry may vary depending on competitiveness of particular programmes.)

I can't see anything regarding Associates Degrees on the UEA site, but the Manchester University page for undergraduate students from the USA states (http://www.manchester.ac.uk/international/country/name-14788-en.htm?page=2):

From Community College/those holding an Associates Degree

Most students applying with an Associates Degree are considered for entry into Year 1 of our programmes.

As UK undergraduate degrees are usually very specialised and shorter than degrees in the USA (usually three years), the ability to gain advanced standing from an Associates Degree can sometimes be limited as we must determine that your Associates Degree has covered exactly the same content as students who have taken the courses at Manchester.

This is because our undergraduate degrees build knowledge and learning as you progress through the degree, for instance courses taken in year two will relate and depend upon issues and concepts learnt in year one.

If you do wish to apply with an Associates Degree, our minimum requirement is a GPA of 3.0, preferably 3.3.

When making an application, which must come via UCAS, you should provide as much information about your community college and Associates Degree as possible, eg telling us which four-year institution your college is linked with, details of your course syllabus etc. This should be sent to the Admissions Officer.

This seems to be a standard statement about Associates Degrees, because other university websites say almost exactly the same thing.

Hi! My name is Kristin and I've been hoping to do my Masters in Business there in England. I'd like to stay in the London area or SE because thats where someone special is to me and I'd like to spend more time with him as well. I'm kind of nervous because I've read it's really hard to get scholarships for american students there, and I've already studied in London once for a semester last year and had to take loans out. Would you recommend doing a masters there? I heard it ended up being a shorter ti me period and cheaper than doing it here in the U.S.

Welcome to UKY, Anna! I'm from Vancouver, your neighbour from the North!