THE HIGH EDUCATION SYSTEM

How do Scottish institutions and study differ from those in England, Wales and Northern Ireland?

•they have the Scottish Certificate of Education (SCE), rather than GCSEs and A-levels.

•students go to a university or university sector college a year earlier than in the UK, and stay a year longer.

•students are not committed to the subject they applied to study.

IFURTHER EDUCATION

About forty percent go on to Further Education colleges from the state or independent sector. Students who choose to continue their education want to go to a university or university sector college to do a degree. International students can choose further between a two-year or a one-year program, depending on academic qualifications from their home country and their level of English.

Entry requirements

A-levels and AS-levels are still the most common entrance qualifications for students in the UK though the most universities and university sector colleges now accept the IB and GNVQs as the equivalent of A-level.

If you have not been educated in Britain, you will need to check the level you have reached corresponds to the British system. You may find that you have the equivalent of A-level or that your qualifications are so good that you will be allowed to skip the first year, or even the first two years, of your higher education course (known as advanced entry) - but this is rare.

Another factor that will influence your application will be your level of English. All colleges will require a certain level of English competence, depending on the type of course applied for, and will test for English ability either in your on country or on arrival. Most institutions offer language support to international students alongside their educational course, as well as pre-sessional English programs.

Studying for a degree

•Studying for your first degree can take three years for an honor degree.

•Some degree courses take four years to complete and some even longer than that.

•A course that includes study overseas (e.g. a language course) is likely to take more than three years.

•A course that includes a significant amount of work experience is likely to take more than three years.

The following are examples of first degrees:

•Bachelor of Arts (BA)

•Bachelor of Education (BEd)

•Bachelor of Engineering (BEng)

•Bachelor of Law (LLB)

•Bachelor of Medicine (MB)

•Bachelor of Science (BSc)

Subjects studied can be:

•vocational (medicine and law, for example)