Introduction -

Location: Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France.

Area: 244,820 sq km

Population: 60,441,457

Main Cities: London, Edinburgh, Bristol, Belfast, Plymouth, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool and Manchester.

Industries: Machine Tools, Electric Power Equipment, Automation Equipment, Railroad Equipment, Shipbuilding, Aircraft, Motor Vehicles and Parts, Electronics and Communications Equipment, Metals, Chemicals, Coal, Petroleum, Paper and Paper Products, Food Processing, Textiles, Clothing, and Other Consumer Goods.

The United Kingdom is the home of Europe's largest city and is embedded in the culture, vocabulary and dreams of English speakers worldwide. It is seen as an economic hub for trade between Europe and North America with the United Kingdom benefiting from the situation for centuries. The United Kingdom still has one of the strongest economies in the world today. Its economic strength coupled with the best educational infrastructure makes it one of the ideal destinations for an international student.

Over England the mean annual temperature at low altitudes varies from about 8.5 °C to 11 °C, with the highest values occurring around or near to the coasts of Cornwall. The mean annual temperature decreases by approximately 0.5 °C for each 100 m increase in height. To a very large extent, winter temperature in the British Isles in influenced by the surface temperatures of the surrounding sea, which reach their lowest values in late February or early March. Around the coasts February is thus normally the coldest month.
Temperature is moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current.

The United Kingdom has a population of diverse backgrounds, given the variety of people who have settled here over the centuries. The majority of the population is Anglo-Saxon which is predominantly German/ Scandinavian in origin. Since the middle of last century there has been significant immigration from many ex-colonies. The United Kingdom has a positive view on increasing multicultural population of the country with the number of people immigrating to the United Kingdom increasing every year. Nearly 15% of the population was born outside of the United Kingdom and have ethnic ties with over 140 countries. This melting pot of cultures range from European groups, particularly Germany and Spain, to immigration from countries across the globe, including Australia, USA, South Africa, Hong Kong, Turkey, Caribbean, Pakistan and India.

Britain is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, as head of the State. The British constitution, unlike those of most countries, is not set out in a single document. Instead it is made up of a combination of laws and practices which are not legally enforceable, but which are regarded as vital to the working of government. Nevertheless, utmost care to taken to safeguard the fundamental right of the citizens and provide them with the best of the facilities.

The UK has one of the most open economies in the western world. The abolishment of foreign controls deregulated the economy led to globalization. This has led to high levels of foreign direct investment and rising levels of import penetration. The current wave of globalization also places heavy emphasis on the importance of human capital and development This is thus, the right time to be in UK.

Education System -

International Students have been flocking in droves to Study in the UK. This is a great opportunity for international students to add skills and experience to their resume while enjoying the experience of studying and living in another country. The UK offers a world-renowned education system. There are more than 3,000 educational institutions. One is able to find a course that suits ones real interests, ambitions and passions. Quality standards for UK institutions are among the best in the world. Career-based courses are designed to equip a student for specific roles in the modern world of work.

Besides, UK degrees can take only three years and postgraduate master's courses only one year ' compared with four years and two years in most other countries. This saves your money investment and time investment both. Thousands of scholarships and bursaries are offered by UK institutions just for international students. International students in the UK can work up to 20 hours a week when studying and full time during vacations. Study in the UK will not only give students a thorough understanding of the subject they choose to specialize in, but also analytical and problem solving skills that are recognized and much prized by employers around the world. Moreover, the past decade especially has seen a major effort to enhance and extend vocational preparation in the UK to meet the challenges faced in the changing world of employment.

Institutions use a variety of teaching and assessment methods to encourage independence, as well as mastery of the subject. Health care is often free for international students. You are likely to be able to take advantage of National Health Service (NHS) treatment, as well as reduced-cost medicines, dental treatment and eye tests.

Students can come to study in the UK at any age, and many international students attend school in UK before they proceed to higher or further education. Education is compulsory between the ages of 5 and 16 (i.e. eleven years of schooling) and is provided both by state-funded and independent schools. A state-funded school has to follow the National Curriculum. Independent schools however follow a similar curriculum and keep developing their own special expertise as well. At the age of 16, students wishing to continue academic study take examinations in a number of subjects in the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE).

Primary Education
Primary education is available for children aged five to thirteen. Many international students enter at the age of seven, often as boarders, and then transfer to a secondary school in the independent system when they are either eleven or thirteen.

Secondary Education
Secondary education is for students aged between 11 and 16. At this point, they continue with English, mathematics and science, and choose four or five additional subjects to study for GCSE (SCE Standard-grade in Scotland). These courses usually take two years and finish with examinations at the age of 15 or 16. Normally the international students will enter in the UK at the age of 12 years moving into secondary education.

Post–16 Education (including A-levels and equivalents)
At the end of compulsory education, students have the choice of either leaving studies to begin working or moving onwards to post-16 education. Most, however, study A-levels or equivalent qualifications as sixth-form students in a school, sixth form college or college of further education. International students often enter the education system at this point, e.g. taking an A-level course in preparation for further or higher education in the UK.

Post–18 Education

First Degree Courses (Bachelor's degree) are normally of three or four years (in case of a sandwich course) and are largely taught courses sometimes including the preparation of a dissertation. Sandwich course - after completing 2 years of bachelors a student can undertake a year of commercial training before returning for a final year in college. The main advantage is that the student gets real experience while in the learning mode. Most universities offer this type of education.

Higher National Diploma (HND) is awarded by Vocational and Technical Educational Council. They offer a 2-year course in a vocational subjects like scientific and technical, and business subjects. Great emphasis is placed on work experience. It is often seen as the first step towards a degree course as the credits can be transferred.

Postgraduate study leads to postgraduate certificates and diplomas, Master's degrees (including the MBA) and doctorates (e.g. PhD or D.Phil.). All are advanced academic programmes for students who already have a good first degree. They are offered by universities, and by some HE colleges and institutes. These courses are normally of one or sometimes two years. Completion of a doctorate normally takes a minimum of three years. Many post-experience courses are also available, either leading to a qualification or providing a refresher course for graduates wishing to update or extend their knowledge.

Application / Admission Procedure -

Intakes: The main intake for all educational Institutions in UK is September. Every university opens admissions for all courses that they offer, for the September intake. There is also a Mid-year intake offered by some British Universities during January / February. It is important to keep in mind that, a university offering an intake in Jan/ Feb might not necessarily offer all the courses that they have on list, during the mid year intake. Whether or not a University will offer a Jan / Feb intake can be found out on the university website, but this decision is often taken by the university depending on the number of applications they receive of a particular subject, for the Jan / Feb intake.

Private universities, which are not British Universities, but are privately managed educational institutions or are foreign (American, French, Canadian etc.) universities having their campuses in UK, could have up to 3 to 4 intakes in a year. Usually these intakes are in Sept, Oct/Nov, Jan/Feb, May/ June.

No Application Fees: A very beneficial aspect of the UK education system is the fact that most Universities (British or Private) do not charge any fees for ‘application’. Thus, to send an application to any University, one is not required to pay any amount to the University; it is absolutely free. Except for a very small number of Universities that do charge an application fees, majority of Universities offer the benefit of ‘no application fees’.
This enables a student to apply to as many institutions he wishes, without being limited by financial constraints.

Application Procedure: Each University specifies its application procedure / requirements. Generally one can apply for admissions in 2 ways:

1) By Corresponding with the University, i.e. sending an application with all relevant documents through post or filling up an online application form, and also through
2) On The Spot Interviews conducted by several visiting Universities. In this case, one is required to attend an interview conducted by university staff/ faculty, who will offer the student an on the spot decision, about whether or not he is eligible for admission.

MOD CON can help you apply to Universities in both the ways, where by all application, admission and correspondence services will be provided by us..

It also important to keep in mind that application to Undergraduate courses needs to be routed through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admission Services). Further information about UCAS can be found on www.ucas.com. As the UCAS procedure can sometimes take a longer duration of time, a large number of British Universities are now enabling Pakistani students to apply directly to the University, without necessarily using the UCAS route. Deadlines must be kept in mind, when applying through UCAS, in which case applications must be made before June 30, incase of international students living outside the UK/ EU. CONTACT US at MOD CON for assistance in the application procedure.

The following checklist will be helpful while applying to a university in the UK:

• Application Form

• Resume / Bio-data

• Statement of Purpose

• Graduation Degree Certificate / Provisional Certificate (if applying for PG)

• Std 12 mark sheet

• Std 10 mark sheet

• 2 Recommendation letters (out of which at least 1 should be academic, with the other being from the work place, if student is working)

• Work experience letters (if applicable)

• IELTS / TOEFL scorecard (as proof of English proficiency

• Any other relevant certificates

• Portfolio of work must also be included, incase of application for courses in art / design etc.

Immigration Rules for Students

All students must adhere to immigration rules in order to be eligible for a visa. The following rules must be borne in mind while applying for a visa:

• You must intend to study at a publicly funded university or college, a bonafide private institution or a fee-paying independent school.

• You must be able to and intend to follow a full time degree course, or a weekday, full time course at a single institution involving at least 15 hours of organized, daytime study per week.

• You must be able to pay for your course and the living expenses of your husband or wife and children (if they are with you) without working in UK or claiming public funds.

• You must not intend to work in UK unless you are accepted for a course lasting longer than six months, when you may work part-time or during vacations.
  · You must intend to leave UK at the end of your studies.

Documents Required For a Student Visa
The students must submit his application in person at the visa office with the following documents. The processing can take three to four working days. The students need to keep in mind that they need to apply for their visas one month prior to their course commencement.

The following is the checklist for the documents required for the visa:
· Application Form
· Student Questionnaire
· Original passport
· 4 Recent Photographs
· Visa Application Fees GBP 85
· Academic Documents
· IELTS/TOEFL Score
· Other Relevant Academic Documents
· Valid original acceptance letter from school/college in the UK stating
· Cost of course fees and receipt for any fees paid
· Details of accommodation and how much it costs
· The start date and duration of the proposed course
· Visa Covering Letter
· Statement of Purpose
· Resume
· Evidence from Work Place (if employed)
· Current and previous employment letters.
· Company documentations and most recent IT returns.
· Salary slips and a letter mentioning possible leave in the future.
· If you are engaged in family business, then put up evidence and a letter from your father mentioning the same.

Financial Documents.
· Affidavit from Sponsor
· Bank Passbooks
· FD’s
· Bank Loan Letter
· CA Statement
· Tax Returns

FAQs -

Q. When do the courses start in the UK?
A. The main intake for all the British Universities is in September but some of the universities would also have a second intake in January/February only for the popular courses related to management and IT.

Q. What are the entry criteria for an undergraduate and a postgraduate course?
A. The Criteria differs from course to course and from university to university. Usually for an undergraduate course you need to successfully complete standard XII or HSC and for a postgraduate programme you should have 12+3 or 12+4 in that subject area. Sometimes relevant work experience is considered on individual basis.

Q. What is the duration of course in the UK?
A. Normally for an undergraduate course the course duration of 3 years or 4 years in case of a sandwich course (sandwich course - after completing 2 years of bachelors a student can undertake a year of commercial training before returning for a final year in college. The main advantage is that the student gets real experience while in the learning mode.) Most universities offer this type of education.

Q. What kind of exams I need to appear for to secure admission in a British University?
A. You may have to appear for GMAT exam to get an admission into a MBA course in some universities. You may be required to give an English Language Test such as IELTS or TOEFL before the university confirms your admission. The British Council and the IDP conduct the IELTS exams. The minimum scores usually required are 6.0 for IELTS and 550 for TOEFL.

Q. How do I get a visa for study in the UK?
A. You should first apply for admissions to study at the university. If you satisfy all the entry requirements of the university for that particular course then the university will issue you with a Letter of Confirmation of Final Offer. This is an official document, stating the terms and duration of your study, and it may be used for visa application purposes. Our counselors at MOD CON Education will guide you through the application and visa procedure.

Q. Is it difficult to get Visas?
A. Student visas for UK are relatively easy to obtain. Students who provide a confirmed offer from a British University and evidence of financial support for tuition fees and living costs are issued visas. Contact your local MOD CON Education office for further and detailed information. Our counselors at MOD CON Education are trained enough to guide you to make a good file.
For more information on visas, click here

Q. Will I get refund of the fees if my visa is refused?
A. You will receive a refund of the deposit when you send the university a copy of your visa refusal letter from the High Commission. A few universities deduct a small amount, usually no more than 100 pounds, for processing the refund payment. It also depends upon how early you inform your university.

Q. How do I choose the best university and the best course? Is there any ranking system?
A. Our counselors at MOD CON Education can help you to choose the best combination of universities and courses. There are unofficial league tables compiled by newspapers and other publications, but they do not always fully reflect the actual ranking of the university you wish to study in. Most students will use them as a general guide for studying in the UK but rely on the results in the UK government's teaching and research quality assessment exercises when assessing the strength of universities. Please contact your local MOD CON Education for information on these assessments.

Q. Can I study part-time or can I study a diploma/certificate course in the UK?
A. Although universities do offer part-time courses and diploma/certificate courses overseas students can apply for full-time degree course only.

Q. Can I enroll for distance-learning programme?
A. Yes, there are some universities that offer distance-learning programmes.

Q. I am a commerce graduate and want to pursue MBA, what are the requirements for the same?
A. To obtain an MBA from an accredited or good level university, the candidate must have minimum 2 to 3 years of full-time work experience of managerial or middle managerial cadre after the first degree. Universities have developed useful alternative masters programmes for those without prior work experience. These sometimes follow a curriculum almost identical to the MBA. An MSc or MA is offered as a parallel alternative to the MBA degree at a school where the MBA provision is accredited or is designed for experience professionals.

Q. Can I bring my husband/wife/children to the UK?
A. You will usually be allowed to bring your husband/wife and any children under the age of 18 with you, as long as you show that you can support and accommodate them for the duration of your stay. They will normally be allowed to work if your leave to remain in the UK as a student lasts for 12 months or more.

Q. Can I work while I am living in the UK?
A. Students who are not citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA) are usually granted permission to work in the UK part-time up to 20 hours per week during term time and full-time during vacations. However, you should be aware that you would only be admitted to the United Kingdom on the understanding that you have sufficient funds to support yourself and any dependants without taking employment. Therefore, you cannot rely on finding employment in the United Kingdom to fund your stay here.

Q. Will my husband/wife be allowed to work?
A. If you are married and your visa gives you permission to remain in the UK as a student for 12 months or more, then your spouse will be permitted to work during their stay.

Q. Can I stay and work in the UK when my studies have finished?
A. In the past, most degree-course students have found it difficult to obtain permission to work in the UK after their studies have finished. But the UK Government has recently changed its policies to make it easier for some students to stay and work in the UK on successful completion of their studies. If an employer obtains a work permit for a student who has completed a recognized degree in the UK, the student may become a work permit-holder without having to leave the UK.

Under the Science and Engineering Graduates Scheme, students graduating in certain physical sciences, mathematics and engineering may be able to stay in the UK to look for or take work for 12 months after their graduation without a work permit. A list of approved courses can be found on the Working in the UK website by clicking on Schemes and Programmes.

Q. Can I extend my stay as a student?
A. If you decide during your stay that on completion of a degree course you would like to undertake postgraduate study, you may apply for an extension of stay to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, which is part of the Home Office. You will have to provide evidence that you have a confirmed place on a course of study and that you are able to support yourself financially during the period of study. Provided that you can do this, you should be granted an extension of stay until the end of your proposed course.

Q. Where will I live?
A. All International Students are guaranteed a place in the university accommodation close to their place of study at least for the first year of their course.

Q. What will be the tuition fees and living expenses if I decide to study in a good level British University?
A. Fees for a good level British university will start from GBP 7500 onwards depending upon the university, its location and the course. However, some universities will have certain discount schemes if you pay the fees in full. In addition to this some of the universities will also give a discount of GBP 1000 for Pakistani Students. A minimum of GBP 6500–7000 per year will be required for your living expenses but it really depends on a student’s lifestyle and also the location of the university campus.