Higher Education in UK - Gives Global Edge For Your Career

UK is the second largest study destination after USA and is rapidly growing to become the top destination to study abroad. UK higher education is known around the world as high quality and world class. The cost of education for an international student in the UK is much lower compared to other countries. So study in UK becomes the destination of great diversity with London being the hub for many internationals.

The UK offer students with over 80 universities to choose various undergraduate and post graduate programs for students from the UK and around the world. All universities have made strenuous efforts to promote bursaries to all eligible students. These universities and colleges have long been a magnet for overseas students. Education and training in UK can be very cost-effective for students from overseas. These universities have a wide range of facilities on campus and become the safest place for study in UK.

The British Council puts the total number of overseas students currently studying in UK – at all academic levels – at nearly one million, with two-fifths of post-graduate students hailing from other countries. These universities and colleges are continuously evaluated by professional bodies to ensure world class teaching and research standards. Many international students choose to study in Wales when they study in the UK.

Types of Degrees and Diplomas Awarded by UK Universities:

• Degrees: The highest and most sought-after undergraduate qualification. Degree courses usually last for three years (except in Scotland where the duration is four years) but those in professional subject like medicine and law usually take five years.

• Foundation Degrees: These two-year-long career-related courses are equivalent to the first stages of a degree in areas like media and communications, art and design and hospitality management. True to their name, they lay a foundation for you to pursue a particular career and also provide a basis to move to a degree course.

• Higher National Certificate (HNC)/Diploma (HND): These career-related courses – in areas like sports, media, engineering, art and design – lasting for one or two years are equivalent to the first stages of a degree. These enable you to start a career at junior-management level.

• Diplomas in Higher Education: The Higher Education Diplomas are two-year courses related to social sciences like theology and education.

• Postgraduate Courses: You need an undergraduate degree to pursue these courses which include postgraduate certificate or diploma, master’s degree and doctorate (PhD).

Admission Procedure:
In British universities, the academic year starts from September while the admission procedure commences a year before that. To enroll in an undergraduate course, you do not have to apply individually to each college or university of your choice. Instead, you have to route your application through the Universities & Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) which is the country’s main admissions body.

To submit your application, you have to apply online at the UCAS website (paper forms do not exist any more). The application does not have to be filled at one go. The form you fill is stored at the UCAS website. You can periodically log in and modify it as many times as you want until you finally decide to submit it to the UCAS.

Helpful Guidelines for Prospective International Students of USA

Every year, thousands of students consider studying in USA to pursue a university degree, with the hope of better educational and work opportunities in the future. However, it requires careful planning and research to make sure the experience of studying and living in USA is right for you.

You might have just got the F-1 Visa to live and study in USA and wandering about your survival in the country. USA education offer exciting opportunities for international students in various aspects. But in the initial period many students come across various tribulations. There may be geographical diversity and change in the cultural and environmental differences such as, atmosphere, food, habits and lifestyle. This may increase the risk of illness or injury for the international students.

Guidelines for Prospective International Students of USA:
The following are some of the helpful guidelines for the prospective students of US universities in their adoption process. This enables them to get prepared for their transmission fluently.

• Organize Yourself: You have to be well prepared for several confrontations of US government such as, Social Security Number, Driving License, Bank Account and as such. Since the terrorist attacks in 2001, the US government has set rigid rules and regulations for the immigrants. Therefore you have to be very careful till you receive an identity from USA.

• Carry Only Essential Commodities: As you will be restricted to carry certain limit of baggage (Probably 56 kgs), shorten your belongings and make sure that they are essential to carry along with you. You may not be even allowed carry harmful or bacteria causing substances with you. This helps you to make out the crucial requisites and ensures that you don’t miss any to carry with you.

• Accommodation Arrangements: Before starting to USA, you have to make pre-planned arrangements for your accommodation and other basic requirements like, food, transportation means and departmental stores. Make sure that your residence is nearby to all your requirements.

• Know the Customs and Culture: To study and live in USA and to survive in the US job market, you have to get awareness about the history, culture, politics and customs of the country. Learn as much as you can, it indicates compliance on the part of students to make their effort to convene and communicate with the US citizens.

• Adopt New Elegance's: In certain circumstances like, applying for the job after your studies, you may need to have the capabilities that an American citizen has. Therefore, it is better to develop the required skills in you. These may include the adaptation of American social life, attitude and organizational behavior of the individual and other such qualities.

Though these guidelines may be typical for certain people, they are essential to expand your know-how and stand by in USA.

Study in Australia – A Wonderful Experience in the Student Life

Education in Australia is uniquely different and helps a student usher into a creative, innovative and independently thinking professional. Australia is the destination for third largest numbers of English-speaking international students after US and UK. For the students of various countries, Australia is the most preferred destination. There are few reasons that make Australia such a hot destination for higher studies. Six of them are mentioned below:

• Excellent Education and Training: All the universities and institutes in Australia vouch for the excellence in their education and training patterns. The syllabus are inclined to focus on practical and career-developing elements. This inculcates in the students confidence to work for any industry with zeal and panache. To impart excellence to the students in all the spheres, bonafide academic staff has been recruited from across the globe.

• Quality Education: Australian education system is constituted in such a manner that quality has to be its inherent part. For international students, it is firmly committed to provide quality education and training. The most significant feature of Australian education policy for the international students is that it has enacted legislation to guarantee the regulation for providing education services. The Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) and the Australian Quality Training Framework 2007 (AQTF 2007) have been set up by the Government to enhance the quality assurance processes in Australia.

• A Safe and Multicultural Atmosphere: To cater to the natures and diversity in the international students, a multicultural, safe and friendly atmosphere is permanently created in Australia. Moreover, people from more than 200 countries have migrated and settled in Australia and they have made it one of the most multicultural societies of the world. It's a relatively safe country- crime rate is low and political unrests limited.

• Low Expenses and High Value for Money: Studying in Australia is going to be fetching you high value for your money. The living expenses and tuition fees in Australia are significantly less than United Kingdom and and United States and this is guaranteed with high standard of living too.

• Recognized Qualifications: The employers as well as leading educational institutes of the world recognize Australian qualifications. National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR) is an Australian Government organization that assists Australian institutions to recognize qualifications from overseas. It also strives to promote the recognition of Australian qualifications internationally.

• Support and Care: International students are given every kind of support in the Australian continent by means of law as well as human relations. Specialized services to address every concern of the international students are well resourced and assured of quality. Some specialized services are: language tuition, designated international student advisers, application and visa-processing assistance, on-arrival reception and orientation programs and health, counseling, accommodation and employment services.

Computer Science – Most Rewarding Study Program in the World

The fast and extensive usage of computers and information technology has generated the necessity of highly trained workers proficient in almost every business area. These computer professionals include computer scientists, database administrators, and network systems and data communication analysts. Job tasks and occupational titles used to describe these workers evolve rapidly and continually, reflecting new areas of specialization or changes in technology, as well as the preferences and practices of employers.

Computer science is the study and the science of academic fundamentals of implementation and application in computer systems and information technology. Computer science has many sub-fields, some emphasize the computation of specific results (such as computer graphics), while others relate to properties of computational problems (such as computational complexity theory). Still others focus on the challenges in implementing computations. For example, programming language theory studies approaches to describing computations, while computer programming applies specific programming languages to solve specific computational problems. A further sub field, human-computer interaction, focuses on the challenges in making computers and computations useful, usable and universally accessible to people.

Career Scope for Computer Science:

Whether Engineers, Bank Managers or Doctors every one is associated with computer science nowadays. It has become essential in today's life. What ever field you choose you will find people using computer. All the jobs related to this field are white collar jobs and are very respectable and they ensure good salaries combined with perks but that depends on you qualifications and the firm you are working at. Usually once you have gained enough experience and you are highly qualified then the scope for career in computer science for you is very bright. Some of the popular occupations of computer science are,

• Programmer or Software Engineer
• Application Programming
• System Programming
• Computer Scientist
• Computer Engineer, Hardware Designer, Logic Designer
• Systems Engineer, System integrator
• Systems Analyst
• System Administration
• Technical Support, Support Engineer
• Technical Writer
• Consultant
• Chief Technical/Information Officer
• Professor

Loans, Fellowships & Scholarships for Students Studying Abroad

Every student planning to study abroad has to provide the proof of sufficient funds to cover their tuition fee and living expenses in their study destination (at least for first year expenses). Mostly all universities require sufficient proof of financial aid for meeting expenses such as application cost, tuition fees, accommodation and living, health insurance, transportation etc. Therefore unless financial aid can be arranged, studying abroad may not be possible humanly.

Major Sources for Financial Assistance:

For the Indian student planning to study abroad, there are various sources to consider for financial aid apart from your/parents' savings. The following are some of the major alternative options for financial assistance:

• Bank Loans: Several banks such as Bank of India, Andhra Bank, Canara Bank, State Bank of India, Axis Bank, HSBC Bank, Indian Bank etc. are offering education loans for the students willing to study abroad. Based on the loan amount, certain percentage of security (such as NSE shares, house mortgage etc.) is required and interest is charged accordingly. The interest rates would generally not exceed the Prime Lending Rates (PLR). Certain banks also accept a third party guarantee instead of security.

• Trust Loans: Trust loans are either interest-free or charge a lower interest rate (2 to 4 %). The loan amount is variable and is usually up to Rs. 1.5 lacs. However, they generally have a deadline by which you must submit the loan application forms. The following are some of the renowned trusts in India:

1. J.N. Tata Endowment
2. Sahu Jain Trust, Mariwala Trust
3. K.C. Mahindra Education Trust and
4. R.D. Sethna Scholarship Fund

• Fellowships: Fellowships are comparatively difficult to acquire due to stiff competition. The popular ones are - Inlaks Scholarships, Aga Khan Foundation, Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships and AT & T Leadership Awards (only for US). Despite of the above sources, students can also acquire financial support from the University Funding - Scholarship/Fellowships/Assistantships, U.S. Banks Student Loans (for US) and other sources.

Support From The Universities:

Students have to consider that most universities provide financial aid to international students on merit and not on need. It is easier to avail monetary assistance for graduate programs than undergraduate courses. The aid amount varies for different universities and fields of specialization. Also note that it is easier to receive financial assistance from U.S. and U.K. universities than those in Australia, New Zealand or Canada.

• For Undergraduate Students: In case of undergraduates, Aid forms from the institute as well as the Foreign Student's Financial Aid Form has to be submitted along with a bank statement. Forms may ask details about your personal and total (family) annual income, average living expenses, asset details etc.

• For Postgraduate Students: Postgraduate students must mention about financial aid requirement in their application forms. Meritorious students receive financial assistance most commonly in the form of tuition waivers, scholarship or fellowship and assistant ships (a cash stipend to take care of their expenses and in return they work for certain hours a week- either teaching or research based).

Notes:

• Indians usually are able to manage some funding after one or two semesters.
• Ensure that you go through the university information thoroughly and understand the terms and conditions properly.

Migrants Account For Almost All New Jobs

Virtually all the growth in new jobs in the last seven years has been accounted for by migrants, a study revealed.
There are 1.34 million more people in work now than in 2001 but the number of UK-born workers in employment has actually fallen by 62,000 over the same period.
In contrast there has been a significant surge in the number of migrant workers in employment - including almost half a million more Eastern Europeans, the study from Migration watch UK shows.
Critics said the latest figures make a mockery of Gordon Brown's pledge of "British jobs for British workers".
Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migration watch, said: "From an immigration point of view this means that migration from Eastern Europe is moving into balance as we have been predicting but, from the point of view of British born workers, the damage to their prospects has already been done - at a time when jobs of almost all kinds are at a premium.
"This must have been staring the government in the face for a long time yet even last month they described the East European migrants as "helping to fill gaps in the labour market". Rather than come clean about the effect of massive immigration on the prospects of British born workers they have been spinning the statistics and camouflaging the true position with "tough talk" about immigration.
'Now that the cat is out of the bag they cannot possibly lift such restrictions as now exist on Romanian and Bulgarian workers."
In an analysis of the Government's own figures, the study showed between 2001 and 2008, employment in the UK grew by 1.342 million - made up of 253,000 more UK nationals in work and 1,087,000 more foreign workers in jobs.
But the UK nationals figure includes migrants who hold British citizenship. When they are removed, the number of UK-born workers in employment actually fell by 62,000 over the period.
Of the growth in non-UK nationals in jobs, some 469,000 were from the so-called A8 Eastern European countries, including Poland and Slovakia, who joined the EU in 2004 and were granted full access to the British labour market.
Romania and Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007 but the Government imposed restrictions on low-skilled workers. The effective quota is up for review at the end of the year and ministers are expected to announce on Thursday that it will remain in place.
It comes as the Government is this week expected to say it is maintaining restrictions on migrant workers from Romania and Bulgaria which have been in place since the pair join the EU in 2007.

Necessity of Education Consultants For Studying Abroad in United States

As it is a universal truth that USA is the largest study destination in the world with more than half a million international students every year go for pursuing their higher education. Its pleasant atmosphere and geographical conditions, strong economy, multiculturalism, and its commitments and dedication to the latest technologies make United States an ideal country for international students. Moreover most of the top education providers in the world are from USA, where you can find a liberalized education system.
Studying in USA is desirous for many students and many of them find it’s processing a tedious task. This is because there are several dos and donts involved in the entire process, which are oblivious for you. One wrong step in the process can shatter your entire process and crush your dreams. However, overseas education consultants will always there to help you in assisting at every pace and provide proper guidance to make you take the right decisions. The consultants have years of professional experience and could show their expertise. These experts facilitate various services that make your processing unfussy. The following are some of them:

Proper Selection of Course/University:

Education system in United States is quite different from Indian education system. In United States there would be no federal or central education system. All the degree programs in USA are offered either in the Universities, colleges, schools or other institutions. You may get confused in choosing the right study program and may stuck in the wrong one. The professional counselors guide you in finding the suitable course from the right university that best matches your profile and your desires.
Typically, all the undergraduate programs in United States will be offered by the colleges and the graduate, doctorate and few undergraduate programs will be offered by the universities.

Assistance in Documentation:

Your application for studying in a US university involves various hassles in the process and will be much time consuming course of action. It requires much backend work prior to the final application.
An overseas education consultant will have complete awareness of the processing and can assist you in preparation of documentation precisely. You will be given proper guidance in preparation of SoP (Statement of Purpose), Recommendation Letters, Resume, and other required documents, which are essential for the admissions in USA.

Make You Prepared For Visa Interview:

An overseas education consultant gets you well prepared to face the embassy visa interview. You will be guided to present the visa file professionally and face the consulate with confidence. You will be allowed to take as many mock interviews as you can, so that you shouldn’t find any trouble while facing the real interview.
Certain things in life should not be made through trail and there shouldn’t be any error, especially when it is the matter of your career and education. Thus it is vital for every student willing to study abroad to take the assistance of the consultants, who can make your dreams come true. Impel is one such consultant, which provides various distinctive and unique services.

Global Education Gets The Nod

With the worldwide integration of economic and financial sectors due to globalization, it becomes important to equip students with international education. Recognizing this need, principals of over 250 Times NIE member schools gathered at the Times NIE Knowledge Meet in the Capital on Wednesday.

Focusing on "International Education: Growing significance in a global environment'', the meet was held in association with Deakin University, Australia.

One of Australia's largest universities, it has made its presence felt in India for over 10 years and has established relationships with leading institutes like the IITs in Mumbai, Kanpur and Roorkee, IISc Bangalore, the Manipal Academy for Higher Education, Delhi University, Symbiosis University, Pune, and St Xavier's College, Mumbai, in the fields of arts and business.

Speaking at the meet, Professor Philip Clarke, pro vice chancellor (International), Deakin University, said, "Today's theme has never been more important than now. The significance of international education lies in promoting international peace and prosperity.''

Prof Nava Subramaniam, senior faculty member, Faculty of Business and Law at Deakin University spoke of accountancy as a lucrative career option in today's world.

Ashish Rajpal, MD and founder, Idiscoveri, spoke of drawing out from students what already exists within them. He said, "In the nineties, we were completely webbed with what's happening. It was difficult then to thrive in such a society.''

Film director Imtiaz Ali, referring to his childhood influences, said, "I have little of what I learnt in the classroom. But what I have imbibed greatly are the little things my teachers said to me, be it an advice or a small comment. That's what I will always remember.''

Importance Of Study Abroad

Nowadays it seems like all Indian students want to go abroad for their studies. What do they get out of an opportunity like this? Well there are, actually, many advantages that the Indian youth perceive in a foreign school experience.

There could be hundreds of reasons why a student would want to study abroad and we have listed one of the most important ones here

• Gain a global perspective and broaden your horizons by experiencing the various cultures of the world.
• Cultivate a global network of social contacts.
• Improve your social and communication skills.
• Develop independence and acquire proficient problem- solving skills.
• Learn new technology and explore new concepts and ideas.
• Become a more well- rounded individual primed for better prospects.
• Become a global citizen

Academically Speaking

Students are attracted to technological nations such as USA, UK and Australia, where they look forward to a different experience as well as better job prospects. The academic programs that these nations offer are excellent and you will benefit from any one of them immensely. Here are some attractive qualities of these academic programs that you should take into consideration.

• Some programs give you the opportunity to interact directly with some of the finest minds in their chosen traditional/professional disciplines.
• Others may give you a chance to gain work experience thereby improving your job prospects for example sandwich program etc.
• Different universities will have different teaching styles. While some focus more on exams, others may consist of lots of group work and module assignments. You can choose the university that best suits your learning style.
• There are universities that are flexible in their courses and in their modules. If you are one of those people who is not sure this would be a great option for you. The university will allow you to change in the first month.
• You will have the opportunity to develop strong relationships with your faculty and fellow students as you work and learn from both.
• There is an emphasis on imparting practice-oriented education. This generates valuable employment-related skills in you as a student.
• The avenues for interdisciplinary research and training are better explored in the west than in India.
• The predominant principles and practices of the system for higher education abroad have something for everyone from even the most diverse walks of life.

The points mentioned above are just some benefits of the academic opportunities abroad. There are, in fact, many more.

Our Technological World

We are living in a world where information is accessed and shared in nanoseconds. The better connectivity translates directly into a competitive edge. Whatever your field of study, most universities abroad equip you with the latest technology. You will use their technology to obtain and process both subject-specific and general information. On these lines, many universities abroad remain unmatched. The technological skills that you obtain will open doors for you in the job market.

Your Social Life

Most universities abroad provide you with a whole list of extra curricular activities that you can choose to do. If you are a person who is very interested in sports, for example, you will find that some universities have excellent sport facilities that you can benefit from, other people may be attracted to theater, or music facilities. Some of you may want to join a university in an urban area which will provide you with eating, entertainment, shopping and cultural facilities whereas others may be attracted to a rural area university. All in all universities abroad provide a rich variety of activities as part of their campus life. These factors add a unique dimension to your educational and cross-cultural experience.

The Value of Adapting

As a foreigner in a different nation you will learn to adapt to a culture that is completely different from yours. As globalization is on the rise companies are looking to be established internationally. They will value the skills that you gain from having to adapt to a different culture.

Choosing Your University

Here are some factors that will affect your choice in universities

• Academic experience
• Tuition expenditure
• Cost of living
• Cultural encounters
• Internship opportunities
• Work Permit access in the study destination you choose after completing the studies
• Career aspirations
• Available options for study
• Permanent residency options upon graduation

Difference in Education in India and Abroad

IN INDIA	IN ABROAD
Protected and Supportive Environment Children have protected and supportive environment from parents till the time of completing graduation and gaining employment	Confident and Independent Children have a higher level of freedom and discretion to decide from an early age. So they learn quickly to be confident and independent
Employment on Completion Children get to start earning on gaining employment on completion of studies and learn the applied job oriented skills quiet late	Independent Thinking Children are encouraged to work on their own and have independent thinking and learn practical applied job oriented skills very early
Emphasis on Theoretical Skills The qualifications emphasis on the theoretical aspects of knowledge	Emphasis on Practical Skills The qualifications emphasis on the Practical and applied skills
Low Profile Indian qualifications are still low profile in terms of global recognition and reputation	Global Recognition Qualifications from these Countries are well known for their quality and highly reputed and globally recognized
Lack of Opportunity to Socialize Being close to the family – do not give an opportunity to socialize and get to meet different people and culture	Opportunity to Socialize Gives a lot of opportunity to get to know people from different Multicultural societies and Countries – that helps to improve interpersonal people handling skills and communication skills
Lack of Employable Skills Fresh graduates find difficulty in getting a professional employment due to lack of employable skills	Gain of Practical Knowledge Qualifications have high employ ability throughout the world with the practical knowledge and employable skills
Learning based on Academic Knowledge Learning in India – basically develops only the academic knowledge of the Child	Learning based on Practical Knowledge Learning abroad – Children develop overall skills like academic, practical job skills and independent thought and learn to respect the Services available