• The good news is the UK is considered one of the safest countries in the world with low crime rates and a trustworthy police force. There are strict laws on gun ownership and gun crime is very rare.

    Most universities and colleges employ private security services to patrol their campuses. Your institution will usually provide you with information on staying safe on campus, and in Welcome Week many of them run specific sessions for new students on being vigilant in all areas of their lives in the UK (The British Council)

    1. Different Application Processes

    Undergraduate applications to UK universities are usually made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), the UK equivalent of the Common App.

    UCAS Applications:

    • Students apply to a specific course at a university e.g. Engineering at University College London, Law at the University of Edinburgh etc.

    • Students can apply to a maximum of five courses (but only four if applying for medicine, veterinary, or dentistry). These 5 courses can all be at different universities or a student can choose multiple courses at one university.

    • UCAS rules state you can only apply to Oxford or Cambridge within an application cycle, not both.

    • The UCAS ‘Personal Statement’ is the only essay required. This is completely different from a US style application essay with the focus almost entirely being on the student’s academic suitability for their chosen degree course.

    • The total UCAS application fee for 2025 is £28.50

    • There are no legacy admissions.

      In most cases, US students will apply for UK undergraduate degree courses via UCAS. However, there are some UK universities listed on the Common App and others allow for direct applications. Postgraduate degree applications are normally all made directly to the university.

    Application Timeline

    Offers

    2. Differences in Cost and Duration

    • Under-graduate degree courses take 3 years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, they usually take 4 years.

    • Postgraduate degrees are also shorter in the UK. Masters degrees take 1 year (2 years in the US) and a PhD can be completed in as little as 3-4 years (generally 5-7 years in the US)

    • Tuition can be significantly lower in the UK, however, costs do vary by university and by course.

      The average annual tuition cost for an international student in the UK is approximately £22k, but prices range from £11k to £38k.

    • Scholarships are available but these are rarely full-ride.

    3. Differences in Course Structure and Grading

    • When students apply, they select both a university and a specific course within that university. They will study this course from the start of their undergraduate studies. This includes vocational subjects such as veterinary science, medicine and law.

    • There are no general education requirements in the UK. You will only study subjects related to your major(s).

    • There are no grades given for participation.

    • Attendance does not impact your grade. Your final grade is determined by your academic performance.

    • Each unit of study in your UK degree course can be assessed in different ways:

      A) 100% exam: a 2-3 hour exam at the end of the semester determines your grade (no graded assignments throughout the course).

      B) 100% coursework: There is no final exam. Instead, multiple coursework projects will determine your final grade for that unit of study

      C) Combination of exam and coursework (e.g. 80% exam, 20% coursework): A final exam together with a few coursework projects together determine your final grade.

    • Grade boundaries are very different in the UK. 40-49% is the basic pass grade (known as a ‘3rd’). 50-59% is a solid/average pass (known as a ‘Lower 2nd’). 60-69% is a good pass (known as an ‘Upper 2nd’). 70% and above is the highest grade (known as a ‘First’).

      UK university exams and tests are set with these lower grade boundaries in mind, so expect exams to include challenging questions.

    • Students usually take 3 - 6 units of study in each semester.

    • Grades for the first year of a 3 year degree and the first 2 years of the 4 year Scottish degree do not count towards your final grade.

    4. Differences in Student Accommodation and Housing

    Halls of Residence (Dorms)

    • In the first year, students usually live on campus in student housing known in the UK as Halls of Residence or simply Halls.

    • Rooms in Halls are generally single occupancy, it is quite unusual to have shared dorm rooms.

    • Bathroom facilities in Halls may be shared with other students or, for an additional fee, you can choose to have a private ensuite bathroom.

    • Students may choose to be fully catered with all meals provided or self catered where they will share a kitchen with other students and cook for themselves. Students in catered dorms may also have the use of a smaller shared kitchen.

    • Halls of Residence generally have a common room or lounge of some kind where students can get-together and socialize. The common room may have games such as ping pong and pool, a TV and speakers to play music. Many Halls of Residence also have their own bar and a store for student use.

    • Halls of Residence are fun, safe and secure places to live, with 24 hour security and wardens on duty.

    • Social activities and student events are regularly planned though the Halls, especially during Welcome Week when the aim is to help students get to know each other and have a good time.

    Accommodation after Freshman year

    • After freshman year, UK students usually move into shared privately rented accommodation with their friends. Student flats or houses are generally off-campus but located close to the university. Students tend to rent in groups from 2-8 people.

    • Rental prices vary significantly by geographic area. London and the southeast of England tend to be more expensive and areas in northern England, Wales and Scotland can be less expensive.

    5. Differences in Student Life

    • Student life in the UK is a lot of fun and universities emphasize the importance of a healthy academic / social life balance.

    • All UK universities offer hundreds of student clubs and societies, most of which are student led. The is literally something for everyone! The emphasis is on participation so there is no problem if you want to try something new.

    • There are sports clubs of all types and for all levels, from beginner to elite athlete. Students can play recreationally or may want to join a competitive club team.

    • The legal drinking age in the UK is 18 and student events are often held in pubs and nightclubs. However, there is no pressure to drink and, if you do not wish to take part in these activities, there are always hundreds of others on offer.

    • There is no Greek system equivalent in the UK

  • There are approximately 23,000 American students studying in the UK right now and increasing rapidly.

    UK universities with the most US students

    1. The University of St Andrews

    2. The University of Edinburgh

    3. The University of Oxford

    4. University College London

    5. The University of Glasgow

    6. The University of Cambridge

    7. London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

    8. King's College London

    9. The University of Westminster (London)

    10. University of the Arts, London

    11. The Royal Veterinary College (London)

    12. University of Durham

    13. The University of Aberdeen

    14. The University of Stirling

    15. Goldsmiths College

    16. City University of London

    17. London Business School

    18. The University of York

    19. Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine (London)

    20. The University of Manchester

    21. The University of Exeter

    22. The University of Strathclyde

    23. Queen's University Belfast

    24. Richmond, The American International University in London

    25. The University of Birmingham

      (Source: HESA)

  • The acceptance rate for Oxford and Cambridge hovers around 16%. This seems incredibly high when compared to acceptance rates for elite colleges in the US which can be as low as 2%.

    However, these Oxbridge acceptance rates are not quite as peachy as they may at first appear and are largely explained by lower application numbers.

    UCAS permits a maximum of 5 UK university course choices per application and students can choose to apply to either Oxford or Cambridge but are not permitted to apply to both.

    These UCAS limits mean students must be very strategic when making their 5 university course choices. Oxford or Cambridge are both highly selective institutions with extremely rigorous academic entry requirements and intense application processes which involve months (sometimes years) of preparation. As such, fewer students take the chance to apply. Very different from the US where there are no application limits and students are definitely less constrained and more likely to give applications to many elite universities a shot.

    The application process for Oxford and Cambridge is challenging and requires very careful planning and preparation. Not only is the October 15th application deadline months earlier than other UK universities but you will also need to prepare for a stringent entrance test and interviews.

    Ideally, preparation for an Oxford or Cambridge application* starts many months in advance of the deadline.