1. Why to make the choice?

Further study in the UK boosts your employability at international firms through postgraduate study in English. Boasting some of the most respected institutions of further education in the world, the UK is a country worth considering for your postgraduate study – for home and international students alike. The international element to postgraduate qualifications achieved in the UK is a definite plus. English is the language of business, and conducting your studies in this language will boost your employability at international firms. If English is not your native tongue, a year spent speaking it in and out of lectures will develop your language skills to a high level. The international recognition of a qualification is an important consideration before starting a postgraduate course, and you can rest assured that most courses available at universities in the UK will be recognised throughout Europe. Particularly pertinent to building a career in Europe, the UK has excellent courses in business, finance, management, engineering, IT and computer science, law and property.

2. What are my options?

There are a variety of types of postgraduate course for you to choose from in the UK. The most popular is perhaps the one-year masters degree. While some universities will offer excellent school/college students a four-year course including a masters after their exam results, most require you to wait until at least the final year of your undergraduate degree to apply. PhDs are another popular choice, and may pay you a salary rather than charging fees in return for the significant contribution to the university’s research you will make.

3. What is student life like?

There are well over two million students in the UK and more than 330,000 of them fall under the international umbrella, so you won’t be alone. Universities are seldom campus based in the UK but most cities have a considerable student presence so you needn’t worry about feeling lost in a new community. As students make up a substantial proportion of the population, there are several student discount schemes in place – for the best discounts you will need to pay an annual fee of around £10 for a membership card. You will get discounts in popular clothes and music shops, cinemas, theatres and clubs. You may also be offered reduced prices for travel, meals, haircuts and tourist attractions. Not all establishments explicitly offer their student discounts, so it’s worth asking whenever you’re about to hand over money for something if you are entitled to some money off. The most popular discount card is available from the National Union of Students (NUS) and you will probably be given an application form when you start your course. International Student Identification cards (ISIC) are not recognised in as many places in the UK as NUS cards, but they have the benefit of being accepted throughout the rest of Europe, too.