Best Universities in the UK for MS

It is no surprise that London, which is one of the best destinations for overseas education, is situated in the UK. The major reasons for UK’s popularity for higher studies are its top-notch quality of education, healthcare facilities, multiple scholarships, employment opportunities and promotion of global talent. UK’s contribution to research and innovation is also worth mentioning as it provides multiple grants for students to carry out their research; this is a key reason for international students opting to study in the UK.

This article talks about the prerequisites of getting an MS in the UK, best universities in the UK for MS with distinctive program features, employability rate, global partnerships and networking opportunities.

Study in the UK: Things You Need to Know

Cost of Education per annum (Tuition Plus Living)– Tuition fees can range from 22,000 to 24,000 GBP whereas accommodation and living expenses are around- 1,000 to 1,800 GBP per month depending upon the university and the size of the city.

Admission Requirements

• Three-year bachelor’s degree equivalent to a British Bachelor’s degree
• Relevant work experience (depending on universities)
• English language proficiency exam- IELTS or TOEFL

Types of Master’s degree

Taught Master’s

There are four main categories of taught programmes- Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MSc), Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Engineering (MEng), with each lasting for 1-2 years.

 Students need to attend weekly seminars, tutorials and lectures in taught programmes and are assessed on the basis of exams, dissertation or project.

Research Master’s

For a Research Master’s, students are expected to work on a schedule, submit a thesis by the end of their research and work under the supervision of a faculty advisor. PhD, Master of Science (MSc), Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Master of Research (MRes) are some of the research degrees offered in the UK.

Now, let us explore some of the best universities in the UK

University of Oxford

One of the oldest universities in the world, the University of Oxford welcomes 57% international graduate students offering them 350 graduate courses across disciplines, including both taught and research courses.

Consisting of 44 colleges and halls and more than 100 libraries, Oxford boasts of an alumni base of some of the most influential people in the world; 30 world leaders, 27 British prime ministers and 50 Nobel Prize Winners. Also, Oxford has a high employability status; around 95 per cent of Oxford students get placed after their master’s.

Best Features of the University of Oxford:

• Oxford has around 300,000 alumni across the globe, thus providing immense networking opportunities to its students to seek their desired jobs
• The university has international offices in Japan, China and North America in order to build strong foundations and businesses
• The Oxford University Press(OUP) is a department of the University, and the world’s largest university press. Publishing worldwide in 60 languages, it contributes the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship and education. It is globally renowned for its English language learning and teaching resources.
• Oxford’s specialist centres such as the Dickson Poon University of Oxford China Centre, the Latin American Centre, and the African Studies Centre, attract global talent because of the valuable resources they provide for students
• Oxford collaborates with the International Alliance of Research Universities(IARU), the Europaeum, the League of European Research Universities (LERU), the Oxford–Berlin Research Partnership and the Oxford-Princeton alliance, which provide added advantage to students aspiring to build strong networks
• Student Exchange Programs extending the chance to spend time abroad through summer schools, travel, grants, etc. are added advantages of studying at Oxford
• Some of the oldest libraries in the world are in Oxford like The Bodleian Libraries (1602), Radcliffe Science Library, and other department and faculty libraries, etc.
• Employment Opportunities: 12,000 vacancies advertised on CareerConnect each year; 12 careers fairs each year with 600+ exhibitors; more than 200 events run by employers and careers advisers each year

University of Cambridge

With 32 colleges affiliated with the University, Cambridge provides over 300 graduate courses spanning 21 types of qualification, including both taught and research courses.

With more than 100 libraries and a dedicated Graduate Tutor for each student who acts on behalf of the student’s welfare, extending support for both national and international students. Besides, the University has collections of medieval manuscripts, archaeological artefacts and zoological specimens.

Best Features of the University of Cambridge:

• The university has a partnership with other universities such as Babraham Institute, British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre, European Bioinformatics Institute, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Wellcome Sanger Institute. This provides far-ranging opportunities for students to utilise central University and College facilities offered at these Partner Institutions
• The university runs an extensive welfare network in which the University Students’ Union (CUSU) provides an independent, professional and confidential Advice Service, offering information, support and impartial advice by phone, by email or in person at the CUSU Office
• There are several initiatives taken by the University to help students build their careers such as- one-hour ‘Career Essentials’ workshop, 1,500 internships in Vacancies & Opportunities database, over 200 career events, 14 major career fairs, GradLink, more than 50 employment-related skills training sessions, etc.

Did you know that Cambridge has 117 Nobel laureates and some of the most influential people such as Charles Darwin, David Attenborough, Jane Goodall and Olivia Colman?

Imperial College London

Ranked no. 8^th among the top universities of the world, Imperial College of London ranks 23^rd in the world for academic reputation and 20^th in the world as per QS Graduate Employability Rankings.

Known for its remarkable excellence in the fields of science and technology, Imperial College is also among the top universities for engineering and technology subjects as well as natural and environmental sciences.

Diversity is the best feature of Imperial which is evident as it has the 12^th best ratio of international students and the ratio of international faculty members is the 42^nd best.

Best Features of the Imperial College London:

• The university provides an option to tailor your graduate course program according to your interests. Additionally, the university provides opportunities such as online courses and academic and social events which can expand the horizon of expertise and understanding of students and help them build a strong network as well
• There is a dedicated Placement and Internship unit along with Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) opportunities to work while you complete your course.
• Students get involved in various programmes such as the Engineers without Borders– where students showcase their skills and expertise through hands-on projects and training, Global Brigades- via which students travel to Central America and Africa to establish mobile medical clinics in under-resourced communities and Project Nepal – organising annual trips to Nepal to help local communities, etc. Such initiatives help students to build their vision towards Sustainable Developments Goals (SDG).
• Students who aspire to take up teaching careers can enrol in the INSPIRE teaching programme which is a full-time, 10-month Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) for students from a physics, chemistry, maths or engineering background
• The ‘WE Innovate @ Imperial programme’ promotes female students with an enterprising idea through a series of exclusive development and mentoring opportunities with the chance to win £10,000 in funding.

Other Top Universities in the UK along with their rankings by Subject:

With all this information, there is still much more left before you take that flight to your dream university. So, do not waste more time… if you have decided to study in the UK… get in touch with a Manya – The Princeton Review expert and finalise the program, shortlist your university….!! 

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