For Indian students looking to study abroad, UK remains a traditional and top destination for decades. This is largely driven by four factors – Britain’s influence on Indian education system, the quality of top universities there, English being the mode of education delivery, and the kind of diversity the country enjoys when it comes to both courses and student cohorts.
The desire to live longer in the UK post their education, by virtue of talent and professional capabilities is an aspiration for many students too.
Here is a look at the top five universities in the UK.
University of Cambridge:
Located in the centre of the ancient city of Cambridge the University of Cambridge is a collegiate public research institution. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the fourth-oldest university in the world and the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world.
It was ranked number two in the world and first in both UK and Europe by the QS World University Rankings earlier this year (2022). Six academic schools – Arts and Humanities, Biological Sciences, Clinical Medicine, Humanities and Social Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Technology – are spread across the university’s colleges. The varsity and its colleges offer 35 undergraduate programs and 131 post graduate programs.
Known for its excellence in education and research, at least 98 Nobel laureates and 15 British prime ministers have affiliations with Cambridge as students, faculty or alumni, including the scientists Francis Crick and Frederick Sange, as per QS data.
University of Oxford:
The University of Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. Known for its excellence, the varsity offers 412 programs including 350 post-graduation programs. While QS has ranked Oxford fourth in the world, in another global ranking by raking agency THE, Oxford has been at the top of the global education league table for the last six years in a row.
There are more than 25,500 students at Oxford including 12,510 undergraduates and 13,044 postgraduates. Located in and around the medieval city center of Oxford, dubbed “the dreaming city of spires” by the 19th century poet Matthew Arnold, it has 44 colleges and halls as well as the largest library system in the UK.
There are four academic divisions within Oxford University: Humanities, Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences; Medical Sciences; and Social Sciences. he university’s particular strength is the sciences, and it is ranked number one in the world for medicine. Its role in developing a vaccine for the Covid-19 pandemic is just one of many examples of its strength.
It has produced dozens of world leaders including Bill Clinton, Aung San Suu Kyi, Indira Gandhi and 26 UK Prime Ministers. The galaxy of Oxford thinkers and scientists include Tim Berners-Lee, Stephen Hawking and Richard Dawkins among many more.
Imperial College London:
Known for its research and innovation, Imperial College, Imperial College London focuses solely on science, engineering, medicine and business. Imperial offers 111 undergraduate courses and 155 post graduate courses to knowledge seekers.
It is one of the most international universities in the world, with 59% of its student body in 2019-20 being non-UK citizens and more than 140 countries are currently represented on campus, as per QS data. Similarly, the College’s staff (54%) too are diverse in their cultural backgrounds, nationalities and experiences.
UCL:
On the landing page of the university, it claims itself as the London’s global university and how its research is impacting human lives. And true to its claim, UCL’s global rank is 8th in the world and 4th in the UK, in the recent QS world university rankings.
With more than 670 post graduate level programs and 422 UG programs, the offerings from UCL for students around the world is diverse. Founded in 1826 in the heart of London, UCL is London's leading multidisciplinary university, with more than 13,000 staff and 42,000 students from 150 different countries.
University of Edinburgh:
Catering to over 45,000 students from some 156 countries, University of Edinburgh is a top draw for students in Europe and outside. With 350 post graduate programs, 180 plus research areas, this university is a citadel of quality in education, research, innovation and entrepreneurship.
The University of Edinburgh's academic structure is based on three Colleges containing a total of 21 Schools and offers programs ranging from astronomy to pure science, from engineering to economics, from divinity to medical science, from business education to law, philosophy and political science.
The varsity has a galaxy of achievers and greats including Joseph Black, who discovered carbon dioxide, and philosopher David Hume, whose ideas laid the foundations of contemporary thought. Edinburgh alumni also include 21st century achievers, such as Harry Potter creator JK Rowling, and Olympians Dame Katherine Grainger among many others. The minimum expense for international students here starts at little over 22000 pounds per year.
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