Should You Attend University in the UK or US?

— Daniela Alvarez is a current Oxford undergraduate student who also considered going to university in the US. She did all the research, so you don’t have to!

The UK might be right for you, if…

…you know exactly what you want to study.

When applying for UK universities, you have to choose your undergraduate course from the moment you make your application. So, if you already know you want to study Politics or Biology or Economics, the application process will be easier and tailored to your course.

…you want to be done with university quickly.

Most undergraduate courses (except some, like Medicine or Law) are only 3 years long, as opposed to 4 or 5 years in the US.

…you don’t have a big budget for university.

While most universities in the UK charge international fees that are higher the fees for British or European students, these are much cheaper than fees for US universities, which can be as high as $50,000 USD per year.

…you want an easy (and cheap!) application system.

Most US university applications must be done individually and cost from $30 — $50 USD per application. The UK has a standard application system called UCAS, which lets you apply to 5 universities with the same application and costs only £24 ($30 USD).

…you want freedom in your everyday university life.

UK universities have less contact hours (hours of lectures, seminars, etc.) than US universities, so if you study better on your own or want more time to explore the city or take extra-curricular activities like music or sport, the UK might be best for you.

…you want to travel while you study.

The UK has an extensive train network which allows you to travel quickly up and down the country. Additionally, the Eurostar can take you from London to Paris in around 2 hours, and there are many short cheap flights to countries around Europe.

So, then, why should you consider studying anywhere else? Well, the US offers its own advantages. Consider heading to ‘college’ there, if…

…you’re not sure of what you want to study.

Perhaps the best feature of US universities over UK universities is that you can take a range of different classes before declaring what you want to study — so you can take classes in astronomy, Chinese, Introduction to Psychology and Mathematics to find out what you really love.

…you love sports and school spirit.

Sports are a big deal in US universities, and so is everything related to them — big rallies for the university team, parties to celebrate sporting events and even cheerleading. While university sport teams are also competitive in UK universities, they are not as popular or well known among students.

…you want to study two different things.

In most US universities, you can take a ‘Major’ and a ’Minor’ — which are two simultaneous courses that you study in your undergraduate years. So if you want to study Chemistry, but also really love Music, a US university can allow you to study both.

…you want to apply to a lot of universities to ensure you get in.

While the UK application system (UCAS) only allows you to apply to 5 universities, you can apply to as many universities in the US as you want, which can increase your chances that one will accept you!

…you want to get a scholarship.

Most UK universities only offer scholarships to UK citizens — but most US universities offer scholarships that are academic or need based, as well as others such as Music and Sports scholarships.

…you don’t like the pressure of exams.

Most UK universities place a big emphasis on end of year or semester exams, with some universities basing your entire grade only on exams. In the US, grades are usually based on a range of assignments, such as homework, group projects, essays and only partly on the final exam.

While these are only some things to consider, there might be many other factors that will influence your choice — but what’s true for both is that they will expect you to have a high level of written and spoken English! To improve your English skills and successfully pass your IELTS and other English exams, schedule a free trial lesson with a professional English teacher.

Originally published at heylangu.com on September 7, 2017.