Deciding to travel and study abroad is a huge step for students and can be a very daunting prospect for many - especially if this is your first experience of living away from your family home.

However, there are many benefits to coming to the UK and studying here, especially for students who are looking to explore an exciting new culture and access opportunities like never before. The UK has many enriching prospects available to students, which if you have the opportunity to, should definitely take advantage of. Plus, to help you navigate through any worries you may have, there are a lot of resources available to help you in this process. 

In this blog, we’ll go through a selection of the benefits to coming and studying in the UK as an international student to help give you a better insight into what it’s like to be a student in the UK. 

What are the benefits of studying in the UK?

In 2019/20, there were over 530,000 international students studying in the UK, with the largest number of students coming from China, India and the USA. This data shows that not only are there a lot of students coming to study here, but there must be good reason as to why the UK seems to be such a desirable place to study as an international student.

To explore this further, we’re going to delve into some of the top reasons to come and study in the UK, in no particular order. 

Internationally recognised universities

The UK is home to some of the most renowned universities in the world; Oxford, Cambridge, St. Andrews, the list goes on. Degrees from UK universities are respected around the world and look great on a CV when applying to jobs in the future. 

Universities in the UK have strict standards that are highly regarded by educators and employers from top international organisations, employing tutors who are experts on many academic topics, and as a result of this, are generally highly rated in international university rankings. 

Oxford University is currently ranked second in the world, demonstrating further that the quality of the tuition and courses are world-renowned. 

World class education

The Oxford tutorial method of teaching is one of the most famous in the world, recognised as crafting some of the finest thinkers throughout history.

Established in the 1800s, it focuses more on conversations between students and tutors, with small class sizes made a priority to allow this to happen. Essays are usually presented by the students in weekly one-on-one sessions which then forms the basis of the discussion. This gives the students a much more personal experience with their tutor as they are able to regularly sit down, have discussions and receive feedback on their work, rather than solely having interactions through group lectures. 

Famous history

The UK has one of the richest histories in the world, making it an incredibly interesting and inspiring destination for young learners. Stonehenge in Salisbury, as an example,  is the most architecturally sophisticated and only surviving lintelled stone circle in the world. Although no-one knows for sure, Stonehenge was believed to have been created in around 3000BC, making it older than the Egyptian pyramids. 

And that’s just one example. In the UK, there are over 2,500 museums, with the largest of which being in London. The British Library in King’s Cross, London, has over 170 million items in its collection! Many of these museums have free entry and hold regular touring  exhibitions for people to come and explore. 

Another fun part of the history of the UK that can still be seen today is the evidence of when Romans arrived in Britain in 55BC. The Romans brought new ideas to Britain including toilets and bath houses (with innovations in sanitation), towns (including Bath and Lincoln) and the development of actual roads! Original Roman roads are still in use today - you can always tell a Roman road because they are usually very straight, this is because they were built for people to get from A to B as quickly as possible. 

Work on English language skills

Another benefit of studying in the UK as an international student is the ability to work and practice English language skills. While the UK is heavily multicultural with over 300 different languages in use, where better in the world to come and finesse your English skills?

We know that English is now becoming the official language for much of the business world, so for those of you looking to work in an international corporation, having competent English skills on your CV will help you stand out to employers.

Whilst in the UK, not only will you benefit from studying in English, learning from some of the best academics in the world, but the social aspect of studying in the UK as an international student will result in you getting a more colloquial “real life” experience of the English language. 

Even if English is your first language, coming to England to learn will give you a unique opportunity to learn from world class tutors and immerse yourself in the language. 

Support for international students

There are a number of support systems in place to help international students come to the UK to study, one of which is the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA). 

UKCISA operates a helpline, lobbies the Government on issues affecting international students, and runs a student ambassador programme to share previous students experiences with those looking to move to the UK for their studies. UKCISA is especially helpful if you are looking for support regarding government guidelines and regulations, such as changes in visa requirements.

The British Council and their Study UK website gives information and insight to international students about studying in the UK. They can help you understand the process of applying to university in the UK, inform you of scholarships available and also direct you to approved agents in your country that you can use to help you apply to a UK university.

Every university has an office dedicated to international students designed to help international students. This team can provide advice on immigration, employment, funding, academic and personal matters. This department may also coordinate activities and events for international students. 

Opportunities after studying

There are plenty of opportunities for international students after studying in the UK, available to you either here in the UK, or when you return home. 

Due to UK university degrees being recognised worldwide, your academic credentials will look great on your CV and job applications. Studying as an international student not only shows future employers that you’ve pursued a top-rated education, but that you can also step out of your comfort zone, and are committed to bettering your educational opportunities. 

In addition, there are many internship opportunities for students in the UK, as well as placement years you can take as part of  your degree to give you experience in the workplace.  This is a good idea to consider if your university offers the opportunity o as a recent survey showed that two thirds of employers look for graduates with relevant work experience. 

Finally, the UK government also recently announced a new post-study visa that will allow international students who graduate from the summer of 2021 to stay and work in the UK for a further two years.

Diverse culture

The vast diversity of culture in the UK is a great reason to study here as an international student. There are over 270 nationalities and over 300 different languages spoken in the UK (as we touched upon earlier), and this makes it such a rich place to come and study and live. 

London is the capital city of England, and, according to a recent study, 84% of Londoners think that the city’s cultural scene ensures a high quality of life. Alongside this, 44% of London residents are of Black and ethnic minorities,  demonstrating the diversity in and around the UK’s top cities.

There are so many benefits of a diverse culture; the food, the music, the fashion to name a few. People bringing their own identities and cultures to a country or city enables the residents to learn from each other’s heritage and grow as individuals. This is a wonderful experience for international students to come and be a part of!

Financial benefits

Alongside all the fun perks of being an international student in the UK, there are also some exciting financial benefits too, which just means even more incentive to come and study in the UK. 

Firstly, a degree in the UK takes less time to complete than in other countries. In the UK, it takes three years for an undergraduate degree and then one extra to complete a postgraduate qualification (unless you are a medical or research student). In many other countries it takes a minimum of four years to complete an undergraduate degree, and then a postgraduate is two or even three years on top of that. 

International students can also apply to get scholarships, grants and bursaries to give them some additional financial help when embarking on their overseas studies. 

Living costs in the UK are also generally more reasonable than other countries. While major cities like London are more expensive to live in, lots of university cities in the UK, like Birmingham, Edinburgh and Durham are considered to be particularly cheap - giving you more opportunity (and cash) to go out and explore your new surroundings! 

Location location location

One of the biggest advantages to studying in the UK is it’s geographical location.. You are just a two and a half hour train away from Paris when you’re in London, an 8 hour flight to New York from the England capital and a two hour flight to Italy. Plus, there are over 40 airports in the UK so it really couldn’t be easiest to get to Europe, USA or anywhere in the world from the UK.

Internally, the UK has one of the best transport systems in the world. There are a number of options when it comes to travelling; trams, buses, trains, ferries. This makes it all so easy to help you travel around the UK when you’re here as an international student. You can travel to Scotland, Wales, Ireland and England and in between them all very easily from ports and stops around the UK. 

Wide range of courses available

Stuck on what to study in the future? Choose something you’re passionate about. In the UK, there are more than 395 universities offering over 50,000 courses, so you’re spoilt for choice! You can study such courses as Contemporary Circus at Bath Spa, Brewing and Distilling at Heriot-Watt and Surf Science at Cornwall University, along with many other non-traditional courses available - there is something for everyone!

Not only is there such a variety of courses available for students, but the university towns and cities are so varied as well. With a population of 67 million, the UK is nowhere near as big as the USA (329 million) or India (1.3 billion), but travelling from Edinburgh in Scotland to Devon in England feels like it could be different worlds. 

In my opinion this is one of the best benefits to studying in the UK as an international student - it is a relatively small place to be, but home to such a vast array of different cultures, architecture, accents and landmarks. There is always something new to see. 

Large student community 

As mentioned earlier, in 2019/20 there were estimated to be over 2.53 million students in the UK, with 530,000 of these as international students. And this is a number which keeps growing each year. In cities such as Bristol and Birmingham where there are multiple colleges and universities, the student community is huge and there is no lack of societies or clubs to join that match your interests. 

There are always a huge number of student societies to choose from at universities (there are over 400 at Oxford University alone), but even if you don’t find a social aspect you enjoy at university there are always so many options in towns and cities in the UK. 

There are many platforms and student apps, like MeetUp, that you can join to meet like-minded people and do fun activities together or just make some new friends over a coffee! This is a great way of throwing yourself into the culture when you move to a new place and finding some fun new friends to get dinner with or join a club with. 

Get out of your comfort zone

The main benefit of studying abroad as an international student is that you are completely out of your comfort zone. Now I know this might sound really scary and not like a benefit at all, but I promise it is. 

Eleanor Roosevelt said “do one thing every day that scares you” and becoming an international student, going to a new place, and making new friends definitely counts and something that’s scary. 

While it may be nerve-wracking at the beginning, you will come out of the experience a better, more well rounded person. Someone who doesn’t let fear stand in the way of their personal growth and someone who is brave enough to make such big decisions at a young age. 

Not only will this look great on your LinkedIn profile and job applications, but you will make unforgettable memories from throwing yourself in the deep end and getting out of your comfort zone. This will be a tale to tell at many dinner parties to come!

Summary

While I hope this has encouraged you to look into studying abroad, we know that with current restrictions this can’t always be possible. Why not get the UK learning experience from home while you plan your international student trip? 

Get a head start on the Oxbridge tutoring method with a Melio course. Taught by world class tutors and expert academics, our courses offer you a unique insight into the Oxford and Cambridge university teaching style, all from the comfort of your own home. 

Our One-on-One tutorials allow you to get a personalised experience from one of our tutors, while our Academic Online Courses will enable you to learn alongside like minded students from around the world! For more information on the courses we can offer, visit our website or get in touch with our team.

When travel becomes easier and restrictions ease, have a look at our sister company, Oxford Summer Courses, who offer unrivalled summer programmes in Oxford, Cambridge and London. This will not only give you a unique insight into what it’s like to be an international student in the UK, but will help you get an idea if this is something you would be interested in in the future.