The United Kingdom
Country Overview for International Students
17 UK universities are on the list of the world’s top universities according to the QS ranking!
On this page you will find the following information:
Important facts for international applicants
Country interesting facts
Main UK Industries
Fun facts about the UK you probably didn’t know
Do you want to learn more about studies and life in the UK from ex-international students and experts? Check out these pages:
Important facts for international applicants
Population
Very competitive and business-driven, the country is home to almost 68 mln people!
Post-study work Rights
International students pay higher fees than locals. However, upon graduation, international students get post-study work visas for 2-3 years, making it possible to stay and look for jobs in the UK.
Unemployment rate
The current unemployment rate ranges between 4 and 6%, which indicates a healthy economy!
Scholarships
The country offers several good scholarships covering tuition fees and living expenses.
Work while studying
Both international and local students can work part-time while studying in a full-time higher ed programme. Partners of international students might work full-time in certain cases. 8.91 GBP per hour is the minimum hourly wage for people over 23.
How expensive is it?
900 GBP per month is what you can expect to spend in the UK as an international student.
Main UK industries
As an international student in a higher ed programme in the UK, you can usually work part-time. Also, if you study in a Master’s or Ph.D. level programme, your partner might be able to work full time! Below you can see the top-paying industries in 2020 and their median annual earnings for full-time employees, according to the Office for National Statistics:
| Financial and insurance activities | £43,821 |
|---|---|
| Electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply | £42,450 |
| Mining and quarrying | £42,386 |
| Information and communication | £42,267 |
| Professional, scientific and technical activities | £37,484 |
Fun facts about the UK you probably didn’t know
In the United Kingdom, you can never be more than 70 miles from the sea