No longer do students want to complete a full degree solely in their country. Rather, they want to go abroad to make their skills and knowledge more relevant to the global workplace. There are a lot of countries to choose from for a study abroad program, but one of the best has to be the United Kingdom. Having the opportunity to study abroad in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, or Wales, is the opportunity of a life time. With thousands of students doing it every year, it is clear that there are benefits to this.

Why Study in the United Kingdom?

All over the world, people look towards the United Kingdom for top quality higher education. Each of the four countries that make up the Kingdom is home to a number of world class colleges and universities. Many of those are respected all over the world and registered as centers for academic excellence. The basis of all of the programs that are offered at universities here, is that learning should be based in both teaching and research. This is what attracts students from all over the world, but mainly France, the USA, Germany, India, and China.

Some of the United Kingdom’s best universities include the University of Edinburgh, Queen’s University Belfast, the University of St. Andrews, the University College of London, the Imperial College of London, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Oxford. Cambridge and Oxford are best compared to the Ivy League universities in the United States. However, they are certainly not the only good ones around. For instance, Cardiff University is one of the best universities in the world for its research programs.

Going to University in Northern Ireland

If you want to study abroad anywhere in the United Kingdom, you will have to meet a number of prerequisite requirements. Those include:

• Being proficient in English. You can prove this through the TOEFL or IELTS system, or by completing a GCSE (grade C or higher) in English.
• Prerequisite courses, particularly if you want to enroll in a master’s degree program, in which case you will have to hold a bachelor’s degree.
• You may have to complete the graduate record examination (GRE) or the graduate management admission test (GMAT), particularly if you are in the United States.
• Having the relevant visa requirements in place.

Although most of the UK’s best universities are in England, Scotland, and Wales, Northern Ireland is an equally special place. It is in Northern Ireland that many of the world’s greatest novelists, dramatists, and poets built their skills. Not just that, there has been significant growth in the field of international services, software development, pharmaceuticals, and production. As a result, educational establishments like Queen’s University Belfast are starting to offer programs that are more relevant to tomorrow’s workforce. Whichever university you end up going to in the United Kingdom, you are guaranteed to come away with an excellent education that will be respected all over the world.