INTERVIEW WITH A STUDENT FUNDED BY CREDILA

PRATIK T. MASTER OF SCIENCE (FINANCE), UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK(UK)

1. Other than academics, what else did you learn from the country UK?
The culture of the people living here is noteworthy. The working day begins at sharp
7.30 am and finishes on schedule in the evenings. This gives us enough time to pursue our personal interests and social life. A lot of people hang out together watching football or cricket matches giving a nice variation to a work day.

2. How are the studies in the UK different than the studies in India?
The professors don’t provide spoon feeding. The student has to understand and learn on
his own but guidance is provided and this is good. The faculty motivates students to put in personal effort and pass the grades.

3. Is it worth spending so much money to get a degree from the UK as compared to similar degree in India with lower costs?
It is good to spend because the knowledge and the experienced gained is different.

4. What’s your advice to parents of aspiring students?
Parents should concentrate on bigger universities not only ranking but also by program value.

5. Key things to remember for parents and students while planning for the studies in the UK.
Finance is the most important factor for studies in UK based on university. They should figure out important things before time.

6. How should students select UK Universities? What are the important things to look at and compare among various Universities?
Students should look at research material like the Times of India Ranking.

Campus life in Europe

Europe provides an international, exhilarating experience for students and for a student the opportunity to meet students from all over the world is one of the most exciting factors about studying in Europe. In some cases nearly 90 countries are represented on campus and each student brings a unique contribution to campus life both academically and culturally. Student unions based on geography, religion provide opportunities to belong to niche groups within the overall structure. Europe campuses also have international officers to provide support for international students and it is their job to advise and help students in every possible way. European institutions have orientation programmes for international students at the beginning of the academic session to orient them on life on the campus, course timings, life in Europe, food, extra curricular activities etc. This advice and involvement does not end there but continues throughout the course as, qualified counselors and advisors continue to take active roles in each student’s life on campus. This personal touch makes studying in Europe exciting and exhilarating for international students.

Cost of Higher Education in Europe

In UK there are more than 7500 students studying in universities and colleges and every year the number is consistently increasing. Indian students who study in UK prefer Business & Management courses, sometimes engineering, medicine, technology, art and design.

The cost of an education in the UK consists of two areas: course fees and living costs.

It is not easy to compare costs between countries, but since the courses in UK are shorter, the total cost works out less. And since the courses are shorter, the student can start working sooner and start generating income. University education costs can range anywhere between £6,000 and £16,000 depending on the course. Cost of living varies and while living in London is expensive, living in North England, Scotland and other similar places is more cost effective. But to compensate for these expenses, UK offers international students several benefits including

• NUS Discounts

The National Union of Students which offers up to 50% discount on anything from books, stationery and food to clothes, travel and entertainment.

• Free Healthcare

All international students staying in the UK for a period of six months or more qualify for free healthcare through theNational Health Service.

• Part-time Work

If you want to earn extra money, you can work for up to twenty hours per week during term and full-time in your vacations.

“I took the entire loan amount from Credila. I was sanctioned Rs.20 lakhs. I have chosen to take partial amount with me to fund for the first and second semester and initial living. “

HIGHER EDUCATION IN U.K.

Please share some of your experiences of the UK for aspiring students
“UK is a very good place to live in from the job perspective but it also depends on the grades that you get. I have a few friends who were my seniors and they have got good jobs. After completing the course we have two years post study work i.e. we have permission to work for two years
and according to the rules if we get a good job with a salary above 22,000 pounds p.a. then we can get the work permit easily. This is applicable for those who are below 22 yrs old by age, and for those who are above 22 the salary cap they should have is 27,000 pounds p.a. Here the salary depends on the age and the salary increases with age. Even for part time jobs those who are below 22 yrs get maximum 4 pounds and 83 pence /hr and for those above 22 yrs old they get around 5 pounds and 83 pence / hr.”

Rahul.S, Master of Science (Management), University of Glasgow, U.K.

How are the studies in the UK different than the studies in India?
“In Indian education system, students read book, mug up and write their exams. But abroad, software’s are available which does not allow copying and actually tracks answers – their uniqueness and similarity. If for example there is more than 25% similarity between two papers, then the software rejects and the person gets zero grades. One has to think and write. The preparation should be good enough. Not only reading but understanding is really important.”
Thakarshi.B. M.BA (Information Technology).

Please share some of your experiences for aspiring students.
“I will speak about my personal experiences. University Of Leicester is very good. There are lab facilities here, people are ready to help you out anytime even for small things. They help you out for job and for future plans and they guide really well. As compared to other location in UK the living expense is not much.”
Abirami.P. M.Sc. (Infection & Immunity), University of Leicester – UK

Higher Education in Canada

Canada offers a wide choice for international students including more than 89
universities, nearly 175 community colleges and several other technical and
vocational institutions. With a large choice of graduate and under graduate
degree programs, the faculty in Canada can be compared to the best in the
world.

Universities in Canada range from urban colleges, to multi campus and
research focussed universities to smaller campuses each offering specialised
education in fields as diverse as business and agriculture!

Being a bilingual country, Canada’s medium of education is English as well as
French. Universities take an active role in community enhancing activities and
students conduct concerts and plays regularly.

Being a highly academic country nearly 25% of Canada’s research happens in
Universities and students are encouraged to indulge in research projects.
Canada has given the world several innovative contributions including Insulin
(treatment for diabetes), Pablum, the artificial pacemaker, improved strains of
wheat, and the identification of the genetic causes of diseases such as cystic
fibrosis, muscular dystrophy and Lou Gehrig's disease. Canadian researchers
are world leaders in areas such as helping people cope with pain and stress,
improving human memory, pulp and paper chemistry, dealing with the impact
of technology in the workplace, and finding new treatments for cancer,
osteoporosis and arthritis.

There are currently 500,000 full-time undergraduates at Canadian
universities, 200,000 part-time undergraduates, 75,000 full-time and 40,000
part-time graduate students. Social sciences remain by far the largest field of
study in Canada, followed by education and the humanities. Biochemistry and
computer science have been among the fastest growing disciplines at the
bachelor's level in the last five years, closely followed by nursing, sociology
and psychology.

Several universities support students with special needs, including single
parents, women, physical/sensory/ learning disability students, aboriginal
students and even part time students. Some universities offer for-credit
courses aimed at integrating students to university life and studies. Many
universities provide such assistance on an on-going basis throughout the
academic year, with workshops in areas such as essay and exam writing,
study and research skills.

US Education System

The US educational system is totally different from India’s educational
system. US has more than 3300 accredited colleges and universities.

The typical types of programs offered are:

Undergraduate Programs (Bachelors Degree)

First level of post secondary education after twelve years of primary and
Secondary schooling includes four years of education resulting in a
bachelor’s degree. This is different from India where the bachelor’s
program is for three years. Two year programs called Associate degrees
are available for those who do not want to put in four years.

Graduate Programs (Master’s and Doctorate Degree)

Similar to post graduation programs in India, the duration is for a year and
the minimum age for admission is 16 years which includes 12 years of
primary and secondary schooling and four years of college education.

Types of Institutions

There is no central ministry and each institution determines its own
program and has its own admission standards. There are several private
and state funded colleges.

Universities include undergraduate colleges as well as graduate and
professional schools.

Four year colleges are undergraduate institutions offering academic
programs leading to a bachelor’s degree. Community colleges or junior
colleges are undergraduate institutions offering upto two years of
academic instruction beyond secondary school at a relatively low cost.
These offer certificate programs that last for a few months to a year as
well as associate degrees.

Institutes of technology or polytechnic institutes offer specialized
programs in sciences and engineering, in addition to basic sciences,
humanities and the social sciences, at both the graduate and
undergraduate levels.

Accreditation

This is very important as it provides recognition for the concerned
university or program for its performance and quality. This is normally
conducted by non governmental agencies which are called accreditation
bodies.

Semesters

Fall Semester (September/October):
This is the main intake and almost all programs are offered at this times.
More financial aid is also available for this semester and as funds are
allocated for the entire year during this time.

Spring Semester (January/February):
This is the mid-year intake. There is limited financial assistance available
for this semester as most universities allocate funds to projects in the Fall
semester.

Visa & Immigration Center

International students require a visa to enter the USA and for students the
category is F1. These visas are regulated by USCIS, the United States
Citizenship and Immigration Service and the whole process is rather
complicated.

Some of the general requirements to enter USA are:
Health –While no special inoculations are required, unless you recently
visited a country where there was an epidemic. HIV- positive people are not
allowed entry into USA.
Law is important and criminal behavior can result in immediate deportation.
Proof of finance is a must.

The three main student visa categories for USA are:

F1 Student Visa
The F1 Visa is the most popular/ common visa that is issued to incoming
students into the USA. Generally it is issued to students who are coming to the
USA to study on an academic program or to come to learn English as a Second
Language.

J1 Student Visa
The J1 Visa is issued to students who need to have practical training as part of
the academic program, however there is also a large program called the
"Work/ Travel Program" under the J1 Visa where students can come to the
USA for three to four months to gain employment and travel the USA.

M1 Student Visa
An M1 visa is issued to a student who is going to attend a non-academic or
vocational school.