The United Kingdom (UK) offers international students a fantastic study abroad experience, with its rich history, high quality of life, and excellent universities. In fact, London just celebrated its sixth year in a row as the world’s best student city. However, there are some unexpected benefits of studying in the UK that might not be on your radar. These include shorter degree durations for some students, access to the Graduate visa, incredible travel opportunities, and an outstanding cultural scene. Let’s explore each of these features below.
Check out our Study in the UK Guide and start planning your journey as an international student.
Get Your Degree Faster
If you want to get a master’s degree in the UK, you’re in luck: some master’s degrees can be completed in just one year. The shorter course time helps reduce your overall tuition fees and living expenses. Plus, you’ll be able to enter the job market sooner.
While bachelor’s degrees in the UK are typically three years long, most international undergrad students must take a bachelor’s preparation course before starting their degree. The standard bachelor’s preparation course is a year long, which brings your study time up to four years, matching courses in other countries.
Note: In Scotland, students start post-secondary classes after Year 12. No bachelor’s preparation courses are needed, but bachelor’s degrees usually take four years to finish.
Depending on your academic credentials, you might be able to take an Accelerated Bachelor’s Preparation course (also called International Year One). These courses combine degree preparation material with first-year course material. You’ll learn from instructors trained to work with international students and ease into university life with more academic support. Plus, because you’ll earn credits through this course, you can transition to the second year of your degree in as little as seven months—and graduate at the same time as local peers.
From pioneering research to tailored student support, these top-ranked UK universities offer students a world-class experience.
See the World: Start from the UK.
London has one of the world’s busiest airport systems. In fact, more than 168 million travelers passed through its six airports in 2023! When departing from London, you can arrive in most European cities in around two hours.
Other international airports in the UK—like Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle—are less busy than their London counterparts and offer non-stop flights to incredible destinations. To help your travel budget, watch for flight deals from budget airlines, and compare prices on websites like Skyscanner.
If you prefer a less hectic mode of travel, consider taking the train. The Eurostar can get you to Paris or Brussels in just over two hours, and Amsterdam in under four! Several other European cities are also within easy reach. Just grab your pillow and passport, hop on the sleeper train, and you’ll be ready to start an exciting adventure shortly after sunrise.
Planning a trip? Check out our top five tips for traveling on a budget as an international student.
Build Your Skills with the Graduate Visa
With a UK Graduate visa, eligible international students can stay and work in the UK for at least two years after successfully completing a course. PhD graduates may stay for up to three years. This opportunity to gain work experience is a major study benefit for international students.
You could be eligible for the Graduate visa if:
- You’re in the UK
- You have a current Student visa
- You’ve studied a bachelor’s degree, postgraduate degree, or other eligible course for at least the set minimum amount of time
- Your education provider (university or college) has told the Home Office you’ve successfully completed your course
This visa program makes an already desirable study abroad destination an even more attractive option, especially for students who dream of starting their careers in the UK and building an international network.
Under the Graduate visa, you can:
- Work in most jobs (but not as a professional sportsperson)
- Be self-employed
- Look for work
- Do voluntary work
Graduate visa holders are also allowed to travel abroad and return to the UK. Eligible visa holders’ partners and children may also continue to live in the UK.
Enjoy Top Sporting and Cultural Events
Did you know the modern sports of cricket, rugby, golf, and football got their start in the UK? Any sports fan is likely to feel at home here. Whether it’s watching Manchester United vs. Liverpool F.C., or seeing Scotland’s national rugby team play Wales, there’s always an exciting sporting event to attend (or watch with some friends from a local pub).
The UK is also known for its cultural scene. In fact, London is known as the “theatre capital of the world.” The city is home to 241 venues—with over 110,000 seats, collectively. As a student, theatre tickets can be pricey, so be sure to use student discounts! Or, queue for day seats, which are tickets sold on a first-come, first-served basis at heavily reduced prices.
Theatre can be found around the UK: regional theatres stage everything from stand-up to touring West End shows (top-end musicals and dramas). Plus, regional theatres often offer the same great shows at less expensive prices.
Insider’s Tip: The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is one of the world’s largest theatre festivals. From comedy to dance, cabaret to opera, it hosts thousands of new and up-and-coming works every year in August.
Some of the world’s top museums, like the British Museum, the Tate Modern, and the National Portrait Gallery, are all in London. Best of all, they’re free to visit! While some special exhibits may require a paid ticket, you can enter the museum and browse most collections for free. (That said, donations are always appreciated, and help to keep these works accessible in the future.)
Finally, the UK has an incredible culinary scene. Check out our list of five must-try dishes, including kedgeree, bangers and mash, and of course, the traditional English breakfast.
Everyone’s journey as an international student is a little different. We hope reading about these benefits of studying in the United Kingdom has inspired you to consider taking your next certification in this dynamic, historic destination.
Ready to go? Explore options for studying in the UK on ApplyBoard’s free-to-use platform.
