UK education is all about giving you inspiration to develop your knowledge and skills, freedom to be creative, and support to help you achieve your best.
UK schools, colleges and universities offer you a world-class education – the chance to follow your passion for learning and gain qualifications that are respected by employers and academics worldwide.
On a UK course you’ll benefit from excellent teaching and facilities. In order to accept students, UK education centres must meet strict quality standards set by the UK government and education bodies.
UK colleges and universities
With a strong reputation for research, innovation and creativity, UK universities and colleges attract some of the world’s leading academics and industry professionals. You will be encouraged to express your own ideas and think for yourself. UK degree courses develop your critical thinking, decision-making and creativity – skills that are valued by employers worldwide.
This attention to quality is reflected in the UK’s excellent results:
1.Four of the top eight universities in the world are in the UK (World Rankings, QS).
2.The UK ranks in the top five in the world for university-industry collaboration (World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report 2014-15).
3.Student satisfaction in the UK is higher than ever, with 86% of students satisfied overall with their course (National Student Survey).
4.International undergraduate satisfaction in the UK is very high, at 91% overall. Meanwhile, 85% of international undergraduates would recommend or actively recommend their UK study experience, higher than any major English-speaking study destinations. (UK International Unit, December 2015).
5.The UK is a world-leading research nation. Researchers in the UK gain more citations and usage per article, and write more articles individually, than anywhere else in the world (International Comparative Performance of the UK Research Base, BIS).
6.The UK ranks second in the world for the quality of its scientific and research institutions (World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report 2014-15).
7.54% of the research conducted by UK universities and colleges is classed as 'world-leading' (Research Assessment Exercise).
8.93% of UK postgraduate students rated the quality of teaching positively (HE Academy Postgraduate Taught Experience).
9.The UK has the lowest student drop-out rate in Europe (Analysis for University of Southampton and IZA).
10.UK universities and research institutions have produced 107 Nobel Prize winners (Nobel Media AB).
Find out more about the UK’s strengths in Business, IT, Engineering, Arts and many other subjects in ourSubject profiles section.
Vocational (career-focused) courses
If you want to train directly for a career or prepare for higher education, you will find excellent courses on offer at UK further education colleges. These colleges are known for offering lots of teaching support, to help you develop your skills.
English language courses
The UK is the number one destination worldwide for English language study (Study Travel Magazine, December 2012).
The UK has long been at the forefront of language teaching, and pioneered many of the techniques now used around the world. The emphasis is on learning through fun and participation – instead of just listening to your teacher, your classes will involve games, problem-solving and discussions. You might also listen to songs, watch television or read magazines to practise your comprehension skills… in fact, it might not feel like work at all!
Many English language courses are also offered by universities and colleges to help international students prepare for a degree course in the UK.
Boarding schools
The UK’s boarding schools, for pupils aged up to 18, offer excellent teaching standards, facilities and support. At UK independent schools (most boarding schools are independent), there are on average just 9.2 pupils to every one teacher, so teachers have more time to give you individual support. 92% of students from UK independent schools go on to higher education (Independent Schools Council Census 2015).
