University preparation in near London 2024

Studying in the suburbs of London is no less a popular educational route than the capital itself. London is a cosmopolitan and bustling city, where life boils 24 hours a day, and therefore it is extremely interesting to study here: popular attractions of Great Britain are within walking distance, bright musical and cultural events are constantly taking place. But many London schools and prestigious universities are located away from the hustle and bustle of the city, in the vicinity, where the learning science is much calmer and where there are fewer temptations. So, not far from the capital there are famous student and not only small towns: Oxford, Cambridge, Dover, Kensington and others.

For the students, it is difficult to find a more suitable place to receive a quality education than an academic suburb of London. In addition to teaching the highest class, students will have an interesting linguistic and cultural experience here. Just an hour's drive from the capital in Oxford and Cambridge the foreign students will meet with a strikingly different atmosphere: the ancient architecture of Oxford educational institutions creates an amazing look. The students can get around such towns in one walk, and in Cambridge you will find Gothic buildings, green parks and lawns, in the port of Dover you can explore the alabaster rocks and enjoy the panorama of the English Channel. Canterbury is listed as a UNESCO heritage site, and Stonehenge with its Neolithic buildings is also worth mentioning.

Universities in the UK are without exaggeration considered the best in Europe, occupy high positions in world rankings and tops. In order to maintain such a status and withstand competition with no less prestigious foreign universities, the state provides huge financial and other support to universities. Here the foreign students will find the most advanced research centers, developed academic sports infrastructure, the best teachers and the widest opportunities for development.

According to statistics, the most popular specialties in universities in England are:

• Management
• Economy
• Ecology
• Veterinary medicine
• Design
• Art
• Jurisprudence
• Business.

The duration of bachelor's degree programs is 3 years (except for medical faculties). Upon completion of the courses, the student receives the first degree of higher education, Bachelor's degree. Another option — Integrated Master's degrees – is a combined bachelor's and master's degree course and lasts 4-5 years (especially relevant at the faculties of natural Sciences and Engineering). The Master's degree program in the UK lasts only a year, but very high requirements are imposed on students.

The learning process is intensive: students attend lectures and perform numerous projects and tasks, emphasis is placed on the formation of scientific independence and analytical thinking. In the form of classes, they are practical seminars with an admixture of theory. One of the advantages for students is a small number of groups – up to 15 people, in top private universities – 5-7.

Unfortunately, it will not be possible to enroll in a British university immediately after graduating from a school of native country – it's the difference between the school education systems of countries. Preparatory programs neutralize the difference in the number of years of study at school and help to study more deeply the subjects necessary for admission to British universities. The cost of studying varies depending on the chosen program.

There are several courses for admission in universities suburbs of London (University Pathway, Foundation, A-Levels, IB). For parents who dream of seeing their child as a student at Oxford University, the experts recommend paying attention to the A-Levels program – the national program of the last 2 years at school, which can be completed on the basis of private schools and colleges.

Also, British universities often arrange summer and seasonal courses on their campuses: both for children and teenagers, and more academically advanced for high school and adult students. This is a great opportunity to improve knowledge, better prepare for the upcoming studies, gain new competencies and skills.

The universities in Britain also pay attention to language education: from basic courses for foreign students (ESL or EAL), which can be combined with any program, to academic educational programs, business English and teacher preparation - any options are available on request.

Additionally, there are Pre-Masters programs, which are very popular among foreign students who received their first higher education (bachelor's degree) at home, short-term professional courses and advanced academic preparation, helping in the admission in suburbs of London universities.

Universities in Britain are expected to put high prices on their educational programs:

• Bachelor's degree - from £15,000/year
• Master's degree - from £15,400/year
• Preparation for university - from £25,500/year
• Thematic courses - from 2000£/week
• Advanced preparation - from £9,000
• English language courses - from £240-270/week.

The most expensive programs are in medicine, architecture and business. In addition, architectural and medical directions are also the longest, even a bachelor's degree takes 5-6 years instead of the usual 3. There are no budget places here in principle, but the foreign students can significantly save money with grants and scholarships: there are a great many of them in Oxford, British universities offer a wide variety of options. Applicants for master's and doctoral studies have a particularly large choice.