Tough Choices? UK Versus US for Higher Education

Tough Choices? UK Versus the US for Higher Education

Confused about whether to go to a UK or a US university? Doing your own research and hearing from other senior students' experiences to determine whether to go to a British or American university, often leaves students overwhelmed and unsure about which country and education system caters to their needs better. In making such a decision it is important to be aware of the difference between UK and USA higher education. As consultants we encourage students to keep their options open and apply to two or more jurisdictions (USA and UK or USA and Canada and vice versa) to keep their options open and mitigates risks associated with political uncertainty and global terrorism.

                           

                                           Figure 1: USA versus UK Higher Education?

The most significant point to note is the time it takes to finish your degree. While an Undergraduate degree in the UK takes 3 years to complete, the US takes 4 years. The reason for this being that the UK offers more focused programs/ courses in comparison to the US where students are allowed to chose an array of subjects to study before declaring their major. Thus the US system offers students the opportunity to experiment and try out various courses thereby offering more breadth in terms of higher education whereas the UK offers more depth within the course students select to study- these courses are very difficult to change once a student begins their studies.

Both systems allow students to explore masters degrees options following the completion of their degree. Additionally the cost of education in the US tends to be higher than the UK, though the overall cost of education varies according to the state the university is located in and whether the university is private or public. In the US, governance of a university subdivisions is more centralized , whereas UK universities tends to be subdivided into colleges that are fairly independent. Further the US system of education requires student's to maintain their performance throughout the marking period by giving students continuous assignments and tests, in contrast to the UK, where general assignments are given and the grade is determined mainly by the final exam.

                      

   

                                   Figure 2; Picking the right study abroad destination

Having highlighted some of the key differences between the US and UK higher education system, it is essential to note that both systems have a distinct way of approaching education. The applicant’s choice of university will most likely to take into account factors such cost, the length of the degree, preference for breadth versus focus and the degree of academic flexibility desired.

Daniya Sardar 

(BSc. U Of Warwick, MSc Imperial College London)

Chief Operating Officer and UK Admissions Head - The Edvisory