As the US-or-UK debate goes on, students must weigh their options before applying for universities at these two main global centres. While the US believes in friendlier multi-disciplinary courses, UK focuses on single subject higher studies. ADARSH KHANDElWAl tells you more
An estimated 1,80,000 undergraduate and post-graduate students from across India fly abroad every year to pursue higher education in universities abroad. The great majority (over 54 per cent percent) enroll at American universities while 11 per cent preferring to enroll in British universities.
With xenophobia on the rise after the June 23 Brexit referendum, and the difficulties caused by the current student visa system in the UK, the flow of Indian students, which has been falling steadily in recent years, is likely to ebb further. Despite this, the UK remains the third most favoured destination of students who are ready or compelled due to the astonishingly high cut-offs demanded by the few top-ranked colleges and universities in India to pay an arm and leg for higher education abroad.
For adventurous students prepared to invest a fortune in higher education abroad, the first point to note is that the higher education system in the US is markedly different from Britain. Before you choose your university or higher education institution, you should choose the country in which you want to study.
The higher education system you opt for should be able to fulfill your academic objectives and enhance your skills-set. It may be useful to get an overview of the higher education systems of the US and the UK to aid the decision-making process in this regard.
The concept of inter-disciplinary learning is a common thread in the curriculum of America’s colleges and universities. The flexible US higher education system encourages students to customise study programmes to suit individual interests. For instance, you could combine religious studies with sociology, or pursue your love of music alongside your penchant for mathematics, or even learn art history and business management studies simultaneously. Moreover, in addition to the primary curriculum, you are free to attend lectures, study, write examinations and obtain credits in other subjects of your choice in wholly unrelated disciplines. For instance, legendary Apple Computers founder, the late Steve Jobs, studied calligraphy conterminously with his major in Science at Reed College, a combination which ultimately translated into the sleek designs of Apple products.
Similarly, for students inclined towards research, the extensive lab facilities which are a standard feature of universities abroad, are easily accessible and professors will welcome offers of assistance with their work and research studies.
In short, in American universities, students have unparalleled opportunities to customise their education to fulfill all their interests, in order to widen their horizons and acquire a well-rounded academic experience.
Furthermore, the insistence of almost all universities that foreign students reside on campus for at least the first two years, enables them to acclimatise to life in the US and optimally leverage their academic experience when searching for employment opportunities.
US admission process
The admission process for US colleges/universities is thorough and extensive. For undergraduate students, writing prescribed tests-SAT/ACT and language tests (as TOEFl/IElTS is mandatory. In addition, application essays, letters of recommendation from school principals, class teachers and respected academics, a well-rounded profile furnishing proof community service, internships and extracurricular activities are also required to be submitted to colleges/universities.
It is recommended to start working on applications a year in advance. Once the admissions committee of your chosen undergrad college reviews your application and finds you suitable for admission, you will receive a letter of acceptance even before you receive your class XII board exam results.
Graduates of Indian universities applying for admission into postgraduate programmes of US universities will need to write the GRE or GMAT exams, plus an English proficiency test (TOEFl/IElTS). Admission applications are judged on the basis of academics, professional exam scores and co-curricular and extra-curricular records of applicants during their undergraduate education and work experience.
Besides, it is important to demonstrate a strong interest in the chosen field of study through a well-crafted resume and Statement of Purpose. After submitting your application, you may also receive an interview call. The decision on your admission is made after evaluating all these factors.
On the other hand, unlike the longer four-year undergraduate and two-year Masters programmes offered by US universities, the shorter three-year undergraduate and 10- or 12-months Masters programmes of British universities provide a much more focused system of education, while offering arts, science and commerce and professional degree programmes.
As in India, courses at British universities focus on a single discipline. There are also similarities between the British and Indian school systems, both of which encourage early division into streams, making it easier for Indian students to adapt to the British tertiary education system.
The shorter duration of British degree programmes is also a great advantage because of the lower overall cost of higher education, while the quality of education dispensed by the UK’s reputed universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, lSE and Imperial College, which routinely rank among the Top 10 in the annual World University Rankings league tables published by QS and Times Higher Education, is on par with the very best US universities.
UK admission process
The application procedure for British universities is simpler than the usual American process. For undergrad admissions, standardised tests like SAT and ACT are not required, although IElTS scores for proof of English competency are often mandatory. Moreover, applications to all British universities is centralised through the University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) which requires only one letter of recommendation and a single Statement of Purpose for all UK applications (there is a limit of 5 universities one can apply to).
Of course, a strong profile with good academic scores and a record of co-curricular and/or extra-curricular activities is very helpful here as well.
For graduate students, GRE or GMAT scores are optional for specific universities and courses. Applications are judged on the basis of school and college academic performance and experience in the professional and extracurricular realms. Essays, Statements of Purpose, references and a well-drafted resume along with a standard IElTS score are sufficient for applications to graduate programmes in the UK. Students can apply to as many universities as they wish, unlike the undergraduate system, and applications are no longer centralised. The universities tend to handle graduate admissions directly.
Although scholarships for overseas students are rare and less generous than in the US and admissions are fiercely competitive, the chances of school-leavers from Indian schools offering CIE and IB curriculums getting offers are very favourable.
Top-ranked Oxbridge and other universities apart, the UK has numerous other universities spread across England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland which provide high quality, globally respected education.
Unlike the US where Class XII exam results are not of great importance, UK universities give conditional offers dependent upon securing a certain score in school, leaving board exams to secure a place.
(The writer is co-founder of studies consulting firm Collegify)