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Why the UK?
	Many students from all over the world come to the UK to study. There are 5 main reasons for choosing the UK as the country to study English. 1. The country famous for "Queen's English" where English language originated. 2. A large choice of private and state schools. 3. Well respected accreditation bodies such as the British Council checks the standard and quality of the schools. 4. Availability of well qualified teachers with high quality lessons with the latest teaching techniques. 5. An international environment with varied nationalities. TOP

School type - Differences between, private schools, public colleges and universities
	There are pros and cons for choosing the three different types of educational institutions to study English. For more information, please refer to School types explained. TOP

Accreditation bodies
	Many language schools in the UK are accredited by the British Council which checks the standard and quality of its member schools. The areas assessed are the teaching staff, teaching methods, facilities and school management. Besides the British Council, other bodies such as English UK, EAQUALS (The European Association for Quality Language Services), BALEAP (British Association of State English Language Teaching) and Quality English are well known. For students requiring the entrance clearance to enter the UK, the school must be recognised by DfES(Department for Education and Skills). This can be checked by DfES accreditation site. TOP

Types of English course
	There are various types of English courses available. For more information, please refer to English courses explained. TOP

Social activities and excursions
	Most private schools offer social activities for the students to enjoy after school. Excursions are usually organised during weekends to visit cities and nearby countries. These can be either included within the course fees or taken at an extra cost. The common activities are visiting pubs, nightclubs, cinemas, theatres, museums, galleries and playing sports. Public colleges and universities may also organise activities and excursions but this is not as common as in the private schools. However, the long term students may be able to join the student union and many clubs of the college/university. TOP

Regions
	The United Kingdom is made up of four regions, each of which has its own history and culture. Depending on the location, the lifestyle, safety, climate and living costs vary significantly. The students may need to assess the pros and cons of studying in large cities, resort towns or countryside. Explanations of UK regions. TOP

Durations, periods and number of lessons
	Majority of private schools are open except for 1 week Easter, 2 weeks Christmas and public holidays. There are some schools which run special courses during Easter and Christmas holidays as well. Most schools accept students to start on every Monday, except for those Mondays which are public holidays. In such a case, students may start on Tuesday. Durations of courses can vary between the types. Some courses are flexible while others are fixed in the number of weeks. Most public colleges and universities run their courses on a term basis. The minimum length of stay tends to be longer than private schools and starting dates are often fixed. However, some of them have started to accept students on every Monday during term times. A lesson length may differ between schools, Typically, a lesson is 45 to 50 minutes with 10 to 15 minutes break time, but some schools use a full hour per lesson to maximise the use of time. TOP

Student Visa
	It is important to check if you require an entrance clearance to enter the UK as a student. Unless you are a citizen of EU, you will require the entrance clearance which could take some time to obtain. It is vital to gather the correct set of documents and allow enough time to obtain the visa before leaving your country. In the UK, it is no longer possible to change visitor to student visa while staying in the UK. More information TOP

Accommodation
	There are different types of accommodation available to students. It is important to find a suitable accommodation to enjoy study abroad. For more information, please refer to Accommodation explained. TOP

Costs
	Budget The costs can vary greatly depending which school, course chosen, accommodation and your life style. It is important to work out the budget beforehand. What are the main costs? Aeroplane ticket, travelling fares, course fees, books, accommodation, food, insurance, pocket money, agent fees and visa application fees are the major costs. How much are they? The school, course, location and lifestyle will affect the costs greatly. On average in the UK, course fees are between £100 and £150 and the living cost is between £120 and £160 a week. Private vs Public college vs Universities The price difference is huge between private schools. Some schools are very cheap while others are very expensive. As a rule of thumb, the fees reflect the quality. Public colleges and Universities usually cost the same as average private schools. Countryside vs Cities Usually, the general living cost is less in the countryside when compared to large cities such as London, Edinburgh, Oxford and Cambridge. However, it is easier to find work in larger cities so if you are thinking of working part time, it may be better to choose a large city. The course fees are not cheaper in the countryside as commonly believed. On the contrary, most of the cheapest language schools in the UK are in London. Part time work If you have a British student visa longer than 6 months which allows part time work, you can work up to 20 hours a week. It is vital to check the stamp to make sure you are allowed to work beforehand to avoid any legal problems. British immigration does not encourage you to include the money to be earned during your study to work out the budget. Students from EU countries are free to work in the UK. TOP

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