They said that the first educational institution on the territory of the modern UK was opened around 597 AD. So it is not surprising that over so many years, British education has become overgrown with a large number of legends and prejudices.

 Read here how to choose the right country to study abroad.

There are a number of fully funded scholarships for international students. Here you can find out which well-known universities offer scholarships, what costs they cover, and for which specialities fully funded scholarships are available.

How to get a work visa in the UK: types of permits and basic requirements.

Unrealistic amounts

One of the most popular myths about education in Britain says about the need for large financial investments because studying there is deemed to be very expensive.

However, if rely on comparisons, the cost of studying in the United Kingdom is obviously among the most affordable ones. Many bachelor's degree programs start from 10,000 GBP (~12,000 USD) per year. Meanwhile studying at relevant programs in the USA can cost from 20,000 USD and will last not 3, but 4 years in general.

The educational system of Great Britain also provides a diverse system of scholarships and grants. Some of them can cover almost all tuition costs. Moreover, scholarship programs are available even at prestigious institutions. 

Read the new UK immigration rules for international students here.

Jet set 

Another widespread prejudice about studying in Britain is that admission requires either having the purest blue blood or being a genius. But nowadays the truth is that: British elitism and prudishness have significantly receded.

Now even prestigious boarding schools and universities are becoming more democratic and open to students from different social strata. For example, as of 2016, almost 60% of Oxford's successful applicants received their secondary education in public schools, while 18% of new students were from ethnic minorities.

Academic performance is not the main criterion for success

Excellent grades are an advantage. And admission to certain institutions in certain directions surely requires them. But even Oxford does not consider solid A+, IQ above 150, and other "signs" of giftedness as the basic reasons for admission. One of the most prestigious universities in the world pays attention to the level of independence and critical thinking, as well as the motivation of potential students along with their academic performance. Admissions fellow to the Jesus College (Oxford) Matthew Williams in an interview with NACE noted that honor roll students often have issues with these aspects.

Additionally, many elite institutions include quotas for foreigners in their recruitment plans. Usually, this is about 10-20% of the total number of future students.

Job VS Study

Many people do not consider an education in the United Kingdom because it is said to be impossible to get a job either during or after tertiary education.

Yet the state law provides the possibility to work up to 20 hours a week. For foreigners, the number of permitted working hours will be specified in the student visa. This document is usually made with a "reserve": a foreign student has at least 2 months to find a job and apply for a work visa after completing the training course.

Restrictions

It is believed that getting a visa to Britain is quite difficult. And for fear of getting a negative answer, most people don't even try to apply. However, official data refutes this prejudice. As of 2018, 97% of Tier 4 student visa requests were accepted.

For successful requests, you should pay attention to institutions with the Tier Sponsor mark, take language tests in accredited centers, make medical insurance, and responsibly approach the collection of the necessary documents and their translation into English. As well as asking our agents for help with getting insurance mentioned.

Bad weather

Finally, the weather myth should be debunked. Mass culture has done its best to make Albion appear Foggy. And from yes - unfriendly, slushy, gloomy. This is also facilitated by the geographical position: the island state with fairly high levels above the sea surface, and also enveloped by the warm Gulf Stream, is often surrounded by clouds. And it rains here throughout the year.

However, the level of precipitation depends on the season and region: the closer to the southeast of the country, the drier and warmer it is. In addition, on average, the United Kingdom receives about 1.4 thousand hours of sunshine per year. This is not too low an indicator: for example, in Germany, the annual number of hours of sunshine is 1.6 thousand.