When looking for a quality tertiary education, many South Africans dismiss the United Kingdom, thinking that it may not be possible for them to be accepted or that there would not be many benefits to overseas studies compared to studying locally. However, this could not be further from the truth.

Excellence in Teaching

The UK is well-known for its high standard of tertiary education, priding itself on strict standards of quality learning. This is mostly due to the fact that the UK government has strict standards in place for the quality of university education. Because of these standards, even your less prestigious universities are held in high regard, as they too adhere to these guidelines.

No Language Barrier for South Africans

Unlike studying at many other universities in Europe, English is the common teaching language in the UK. This means that by speaking a common language, South African students will not experience the culture shock of studying in a different language, removing a barrier for learning that may be experienced elsewhere.

Pair that with English culture sharing many similarities with that of South Africa, and the UK will not feel as foreign as one may think. This means students will not feel culturally alienated and can rather focus on their learning and enjoying their time in the UK.

More Streamlined Degree Structures

In South Africa, most degrees are 3 to 4 years, with an Honour’s degree adding another 1 to 2 years depending on the faculty. This means that your tertiary journey may take up to 6 years before being able to join the workplace.

However, in the UK, many courses are much shorter, with most faculties offering a combined Bachelor’s and Honour’s program of only 3 years. This does make the courses far more compacted and intense, but means with hard work, you will complete your studies faster and become one step closer to working in your desired field.

Doing your Postgrad in the UK

If you have already studied in South Africa, doing your postgraduate studies in the UK is still a promising opportunity. Your Honour’s would be 1 year long, but you would join an undergraduate class in their final year, as most UK universities do not offer a separate Honour’s program, but rather have it integrated into their undergraduate syllabus.

Alternatively, depending on your academic qualifications, you may be moved directly into a Master’s program in the UK, adding far more prestige to your academic transcript.

From Studying in the UK to Living and Working There

A major benefit of studying in the UK are the opportunities afforded to you after you study. By studying in the UK, students qualify to pursue immigration and citizenship in the country.

After finishing your UK studies, you can apply for a Graduate Visa. This visa will allow you to continue your stay in the UK and find work. The Graduate Visa allows holders to stay looking for work for 2 years (3 years for Doctoral candidates) which is a generous amount of time.

You do not need to be working at all in this period, just looking for work. If you do find work, there are no restrictions in place, allowing you to have any salary or work hours in order to still qualify.

Following the Graduate Visa, you would move onto a Skilled Worker Visa, continuing your stay and work in the UK. If this continues, you would then be eligible for applying for a permanent residence, and later British Citizenship.

The Application Process

The majority of UK undergraduate programs use Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) to process applications. Students will need to prepare a shortlist of up to 5 universities with statements prepared for each, and a testimonial from a teacher or employer evaluating your character.

Applications submitted to UCAS are forwarded to the relevant universities for follow-up questions and interviews.

Postgraduate applications are made directly to the university.

How IBN Immigration Solutions can help you

IBN Immigration Solutions has serviced many visa requests to the UK. We are ready to assist you with any needs or queries you may have. We are familiar with all the requirements for applications, possible red-flags, and hold-ups with the government’s immigration department, meaning that you’ll be in safe hands.

Make your immigration journey an easy one; reach out to us today!