How to Study Abroad in the UK

Five easy-to-follow steps to help you start the adventure of a lifetime studying in the United Kingdom.

Have you dreamed of seeing coastal mountains, celebrating St. Patrick's Day in Ireland, going to a professional rugby game, visiting the many castles, riding the infamous red double-decker buses, or traveling effortlessly between countries?

Then it sounds like studying in the United Kingdom is a great option for you! Combine earning a degree with exploring the world. Not sure how to make your dream a reality? Read on for five steps to applying to study in the UK.

1. Where to begin

The best way to start your school search is to reflect on what you're most interested in. These are important questions to ask yourself when considering where to go to school:

• What kind of courses do you like?
• What job do you want out of school?
• Where would you like to live? Do you prefer the city, country, or seaside?
• What activities would you want to be involved in?
• Do you want your program to have co-op or other experiential learning options?

So, with these questions in mind, you should have a better idea of where you want to go to school.

Now what?

2. How to apply

The simplest method is the most effective. Here are two easy ways to keep track of your applications.

• Apply to your desired school directly
• Apply to up to five schools using UCAS.com

3. What do you need to apply?

Typically, applications for schools in the UK will ask for your personal information, secondary education information, written references, and a personal statement. In your application phase, it's important to know if your desired school is a licensed student sponsor so you know that it can accommodate international students. A licensed student sponsor is a school registered with the government to enrol international students.

4. When do you apply?

Schools in the UK all have similar deadlines for when you can apply, but it's always a good idea to check with the school you're interested in to make sure they don't have any additional deadlines.

Important deadlines to know:

• October 15: any course at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, or for most courses in medicine, veterinary medicine, and science and dentistry
• January 15: applications for the majority of undergraduate courses
• June 30: the last day to apply!
• July 5: Clearing opens

What is Clearing?

If you’re interested in applying to schools in the UK, then you may come across this term “Clearing” every now and again. But what does this have to do with you? Clearing is a system that matches applicants to university courses that aren’t full. Clearing begins after the typical deadline of June 30 passes and runs from July 5 to mid-October. This means that if you haven’t gotten a spot in a university or college in the UK, you change your mind on where or what you want to study, or your grades changed, then Clearing is a good option for you!

You can be eligible for Clearing if:

• You’re applying after June 30
• You don’t have an offer from a UK university or college
• You didn’t meet the conditions of your offers
• You got the grades you needed, but want to change course

5. You've been accepted! Now, how do you get a visa?

Once you're accepted to the school, you can apply for a student visa six months before you start your courses. But don't worry, it usually only takes about three weeks for a decision to be made!

There are many requirements for international students to receive a student visa, but luckily, since we're in Canada, these requirements are simple.

To apply for a visa, you need the following:

• To pay a fee of €490 (approx. $727 CAD), as well as a healthcare surcharge.
• To be able to pay for your course for one academic year (nine months)
• A Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) reference number
• To be able to speak, read, write and understand English
• Must be 16 years of age or older
  • Must have consent from your parents or guardians if you’re under 18 — you'll need a copy of your birth certificate (or similar government documents) showing their names, too
• Must have a current passport or other valid travel documentation
• If you've received sponsorship for your course fees and living costs in the last 12 months, you'll also need written consent for your application from your financial sponsor

There you have it! Applying to study abroad in the United Kingdom is not as scary as it sounds. In fact, it’s fairly similar to applying to schools in Canada. Make sure you follow this simple guide so you don’t miss any key steps or miss out on any important information.

Best of luck on your journey studying in the UK!