Studying outside your country can be fun, exciting, and adventurous. However, there is some noteworthy information you should know before sending applications to these foreign institutions. For example, to study in a college in London, it is quite necessary to know if its tuition is free. Let’s find Is College Free in London?
However, there are many opportunities for students who are willing to study in London. These opportunities will be discussed below in detail. You should know that obtaining a degree or certification from any college in London is NOT TUITION-FREE. Prior to 1998, it was free, but because of the decline in the standard of their education system, there was a need to introduce a tuition-based system.
“In the UK, higher education tuition fees were first introduced in 1998. New entrants to full-time Undergraduate degree courses were charged up to £1,000 per annum, based on parental income. In Addition, in 1999, maintenance grants were abolished and replaced with maintenance loans”. (Huisman, 2013)
Opportunities Available for Foreign Students
- Discounts – Some colleges offer deductions in the usual cost of tuition fees to international students to make it more affordable for individuals of different incomes to study and learn.
Furthermore, most colleges in London offer a discount on tuition fees to international students if their set criteria are met. This information can be gotten from the various schools’ website portals.
- Scholarships – Grants are awarded to international students with good academic results or other achievements to study and earn a good quality education. It can be in the form of a full or partial scholarship. Below are the different types of scholarships offered by the UK government to international students;
- The Chevening Scholarship;
The Chevening scholarship is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, and partner organizations. This scholarship is awarded to international students who want to pursue a master’s degree course. The duration of the scholarship is a year and it is a fully funded scholarship.
- Euraxess UK;
This is a research-based scholarship for Master’s students, it’s fully funded and the duration is up to two years. Euraxess UK is managed by the British Council to aid prospective researchers in their career development, supporting mobility and acting as a support mechanism for researchers moving to the UK. More information can be accessed on euraxess.org.uk.
- The Commonwealth Scholarships;
This scholarship is awarded to skilled individuals who have shown extraordinary attitudes, plus the potential to make a constructive or confident impact on the global stage. This scholarship is only eligible to students who want to pursue postgraduate studies from across the commonwealth nations, and who cannot afford the high tuition fees in the UK. To apply for this scholarship, you must be;
- A citizen or permanent resident of a commonwealth country;
- Must have an undergraduate honors degree of at least (2:1) second class upper for a master’s degree, and an appropriate master’s degree to study for a Ph.D.;
- Lastly, you must be unable to afford the tuition fees and living expenses in the UK without the given scholarships.
- Scholarships from UK Universities;
Asides from the three aforementioned scholarships offered by the UK government, we should also be aware that different colleges in London offer some sort of scholarships or funding for their prospective students. For example, Imperial College Business School at the Imperial College of London offers fully funded studentships for their Doctoral program, which includes a full tuition waiver plus a living stipend for the duration of the years enrolled. These universities below also offer financial aid programs and scholarships to students using their official website.
- The University of Cambridge.
- The University of Oxford.
- King’s College London. and
- University College London.
- In addition, there are also grants awarded to international students to pay a percentage of their tuition fees as long they do not go below a set CGPA.
- The Royal Society Grants;
This particular grant is a fellowship of several of the continent’s most distinguished scientists and researchers. Grants and awards of various types are awarded; you can check the official royal society website portal for more information.
- This grant promotes science excellence.
- To make the importance of science known to all individuals.
- Provides support at the international level for global collaboration.
Differences between University and College
This is rather important because one needs to understand a country’s education system before applying for admission. The education system in the United Kingdom is divided into five major stages, namely;
- Early years (Kindergarten years)
- Primary years (Mostly 5 – 12 years)
- Secondary School (High school years (Mostly 11 – 18 years)
- Further Education
- Higher Education
- The first three stages (Early years, Primary years, and Secondary school) are equally mandatory in the development of the student child. The third stage is where the UK students prepare and sit for GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) except for students in Scotland, thereafter, each student will decide their future, either by going to College or University.
- The last two stages (Further Education and Higher Education) come directly after the compulsory GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education). This is literally where the difference comes into action.
Tabular Representation of the Difference between University and College in the United Kingdom
| University | College |
| A study program in the university offers two degrees, that is, Undergraduate and Postgraduate degrees. | Colleges offer further education courses, which qualify to specific degrees and qualifications. For instance, Diploma, Foundational degrees, GCSE, Higher National Certificate (HNC), Higher National Diploma (HND), and International Baccalaureate. |
| The university is focused on theory and practice. | Colleges are more into tutoring the students and imbibing in them practical skills, which makes them more employable in a short time. |
| Duration of study is usually up to (3 – 4 years) for undergraduate study, while (1 – 2 years) for a post-graduate degree. | Duration of study is usually (1 – 2 years). |
Conclusion
Students pursuing higher education in UK colleges now realize that it isn’t tuition-free to study, but there are opportunities/benefits available to them, such as; Scholarships, Discounts on tuition fees, and Flexible programs which will enable them to study and work simultaneously. It was not always like that until there was a need to improve the country’s education system in 1998, Although there are no tuition-free colleges in London, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is a London college degree accepted in American universities?
Degrees in London colleges are accredited and accepted in the United States of America. However, depending on the university applied to, there would be a need to pay for an education evaluation company for result verification purposes.
- Does a London college accept students with disabilities?
In fact, there are laws guiding disabled students in the United Kingdom. The fundamental rights of any disabled international students would be guaranteed and protected by the law in the state.
- How to apply for colleges in London?
- Firstly, you need to register with “UCAS”.
- Secondly, choose a degree and a college.
- Thirdly, check the entry requirements and follow the guidelines.
