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The UK wants YOU to study in the UK

By Karen Hott, February 2025

I’m working with a student who really wants to get out of Maryland and go to college across the pond, so I registered for The UK Study Expert’s UK Admissions Academy, a two-day virtual conference for college counselors to learn about UK admissions and how to advise students to apply and earn their degree in the UK. Here’s some of what I learned.

The University of Sheffield, photo by Mick Knapton, via Wikimedia Commons

Why should you study in the United Kingdom?

Americans, according to the British Council, should study in the United Kingdom for these top reasons:

  • The UK has schools that rank as some of the best in the world.
  • You can potentially save over $100K going to universities abroad.
  • The admissions criteria are more straightforward.
  • You fill out one simple application with a limit of five colleges.
  • Learning approaches are influenced by what industry wants.

Top world rankings

I admit that I don’t like rankings; nonetheless, here they are. If you care to look at the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, you’ll see UNC Chapel Hill at #70 and the University of Manchester at #53. Of the “top 100” universities in the world, the UK, with its 166 (compared to around 3,000 in the U.S.), holds 12: Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, UCL, Edinburgh, Kings College London, London School of Economics, and the Universities of Manchester, Bristol, Glasgow, Birmingham, and Sheffield.

The University of Manchester, citysuitesimages, via Wikimedia Commons

Saving money

How is it possible to save over $100K going to one of these elite universities? It’s mostly because the bachelor’s degrees in England, Northern Ireland, and Wales are typically earned in three years as opposed to four. (Scotland’s system is more like ours, with a four-year degree the norm.) The cost of living can be lower, especially in Northern Ireland. Rent is one-third lower in London than in New York City. 

Simpler admissions process

The admissions process in America can seem convoluted and opaque. In the UK, criteria are very clearly spelled out. Admission is score based. If you have at least the minimum GPA and scores (AP scores are especially valued), you get in. (The selective Russell Group schools–including Cambridge and Oxford–receive more qualified applicants than they can admit, so they are more selective; the personal statement can be the deciding factor.)

You can apply to only five universities on the UCAS, UK’s equivalent of the Common App. This means you want to make each application count–it discourages the scattershot approach that’s so tempting on the 20-slot Common App.

Industry-led learning approaches

Higher education in the UK has a very practical bent, with industry influencing the classroom. You’re working toward a career. Because higher education in the UK is practical and career focused, programs work closely with industry to be sure their students graduate with the skills needed to succeed in their career.

Bonus reason: Once you have your visa, you are eligible for free health care through the NHS.

Admissions in the US v. admissions in the UK

Graphics provided by The UK Study Expert.

The American way

Most American universities review applications holistically, meaning that they look at the whole picture of your application without a formula. Schools, especially those that are more selective, do emphasize that they want to see a strong grade point average (GPA) in rigorous coursework. Nonetheless, your essay(s) and activities can have a significant impact on admission decisions. With so many elements in the mix, it’s hard to predict your chances of admission. At schools that require standardized test scores, that’s also part of the consideration. What about test-optional colleges? That just makes it even more complicated.

And so, from the UK point of view, American admissions are complex and confounding.

The UK way

UK admissions puts the greatest emphasis on testing in A-level courses. The closest equivalent to that in the US would be AP or IB exams. So your scores on your AP Biology and your AP English Language and Composition exams may have more weight in the admission decision than your GPA. Grades in dual-enrollment classes at community college or honors classes would be considered next, and then your GPA in core courses. Standardized testing tends to be used in admissions to STEM programs; portfolios in artistic programs. 

In the US, you may have one essay to write, or you could have more than 20 if you’re applying to schools that have supplemental essays. A school can request one recommendation, or none, or several. In the UK, you write one essay (and it’s much different from the personal statement for Common App) and provide one recommendation.

The essay

The personal statement for US colleges calls for introspection. Here’s prompt #5 from the Common App: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others (250 – 650 words). In contrast, the UCAS (the application tool for the UK) personal statement just recently changed from a single essay to answering three questions (maximum 4000 characters):

  1. Why do you want to study this course or subject?
  2. How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?
  3. What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

Universities in the UK want to know that you are ready to hit the ground running studying a particular subject.

And that, I believe, is the most significant difference. Your UK “general education” courses are taken in high school, not in college. In the UK, you start immediately on what in the US we’d call your major. You’re applying directly to a course or subject. In many US schools, especially liberal arts and sciences colleges, you may not have to declare your major until second semester of your sophomore year. You can explore your interests before you decide.

This difference is also why you can attain a bachelor’s degree in three years rather than four in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland.

How does studying in the UK differ from studying in the USA?

In the UK, specialization is key. General education occurs in high school, not college. Therefore, you apply to a specific program, course, or subject (we’d call it a major), not to a university as a whole. You must demonstrate your suitability to the program, not the university. 

Accreditation comes from the government, not from an independent accreditation commission. 

You’re expected to be independent, already an adult in the UK. Courses are generally lecture based with occasional assignments. Of course you can find support if you look for it. For example, University of Strathclyde offers academic, pastoral, 

Campus life plays a much smaller role in the UK than in the US. If you’re drawn to the Instagram and TikTok posts that highlight big games and pre-game tailgating, or you want to be part of a marching band or a fraternity or sorority, you’re likely to be disappointed in the campus life in the UK. You won’t find a lazy river that spells out the initials of the university. In other words, you won’t find the “rah rah” factor in the UK.

How does living as a student in the UK differ from living in the USA?

While the US prohibits drinking alcohol before the age of 21, students in the United Kingdom are able to drink at 18, and pub life often takes the place of on-campus social events.

Food. Few UK colleges offer meal plans with campus dining halls. For the most part, kitchens are available for students to cook in each flat (student apartment or dormitory). Therefore, you’re expected to take care of your own nutrition.

Housing. It’s tough to be a freshman in America. Not only do you leave your home and your comfy bedroom, you have to share a bedroom with someone you probably don’t know. Most students in the UK have a single room, and many get their own bathroom as well. (Makes sense to me!)

Entertainment. Unless you live in the Washington, D.C., metro area, you’re used to paying to go to a museum. (In D.C., the national museums are free for all). Most of the museums in London are free, and there are 241 of them to enjoy. Add to that the music concerts and theatre performances, and you’ve got all the cultural activities you can want. (About a quarter of all UK universities are in London itself.)

What kind of student is right for studying in the UK?

  • You’re OK living independently. You can regulate yourself without someone telling you what to do. You’re able to manage without a lot of rules.
  • You can use your time wisely when your schedule isn’t prescribed.
  • You can handle drinking alcohol responsibly.
  • You are disciplined enough to spend a lot of your time in self-directed study.
  • You are able to advocate for services you need and will access those services when you need them.
  • You’re a self-advocate.
  • You don’t care about the “rah rah” factor, big athletic rivalries, or Greek life.
  • You know what you want to study.

The UK Admissions Academy by The UK Study Expert

I attended this two-day, 14-hour academy in January to learn about studying in the United Kingdom, and there’s much more to tell. Eighteen UK universities presented along with The UK Study Expert, the British Council and UCAS. I learned about completing the UCAS, the Russell Group of selective universities, working as a student, semester structure, and internships and work placements. But I’ve told you the basics in this article.

I hope that this overview helps if you are considering going to a “uni” in the UK. Contact me if you’re thinking about studying in the UK.