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Why you shouldn’t press pause on advancing your education in the UK

Following the onset of Covid-19, universities in the UK are providing students with a safe learning environment, delivering “blended” courses, and rolling-out intensive on-campus cleaning and welfare support for students

UK universities are working to support students to ensure they don’t have to press pause on their education. PHOTOS: BRITISH COUNCIL AND JADE OH

Furthering one's tertiary studies abroad is a significant milestone that promises opportunities to broaden your horizons. However, with global travel and movement restrictions sparked by the Covid-19 pandemic, committing to this undertaking has prompted many concerns among students over the past eight months.

Nonetheless, with proper planning and preparation, pursuing an overseas education is still within reach - especially in the United Kingdom.

As Mr Leighton Ernsberger, British Council Director Education and English East Asia, commented: "Starting a university course and moving overseas is a significant undertaking, and Covid-19 has understandably led to uncertainty among students - and their parents - about whether it's the right time to pursue further studies. But, although the last eight months have been very unsettling, it's important that students don't put their futures on hold for too long; delaying hard-earned study plans, sometimes years in the making. Now, more than ever, is the time to continue to hope, and grow, and to take careful steps towards achieving your goals."

UK universities are working tirelessly to support students to ensure they don't have to press pause on their education.

Placing the well-being of students first

To facilitate a smoother start to the semester, universities are working closely with the UK government to ensure that entry processes are flexible. The UK government has confirmed that new international students starting their degrees in the 2020-21 academic year will be able to begin their studies through distance learning and remain eligible for their Tier 4 student visa.

And, with mounting health and safety concerns, UK universities are going above and beyond to ensure that students' physical and mental health and well-being are prioritised.

Many UK universities will deliver some in-person teaching this autumn term and will blend face-to-face learning with online technology and tools to support students' education. This will be regularly reviewed in line with current and local guidance to ensure that teaching is delivered in a safe environment, and that student safety remains a top priority. In many cases, there will be online lectures for students on campus and those working remotely. Only where safe to do so will face-to-face lectures, practical sessions and tutorials in small groups take place; adhering to social distancing measures and through creating "bubbles" to bring groups together.

Ms Taja Leah Barber, 22, a recent graduate of the Master of Science in Wild Animal Biology programme at the Royal Veterinary College in London, adapted well to blended learning. She says: "I had a lot more flexibility around when I could work. For example, I preferred to do my pre-recorded lecture sessions in the mornings when I felt more productive, and I used the kitchen as my study space so that I could separate my study and relaxation areas."

Universities are also rolling out significant protective measures, such as intensive on-campus cleaning regimes and social distancing procedures. Many universities, recognising the additional pressure on students far from home, are offering Covid-19 support services for international students specifically. These include providing college accommodation or welfare support for those who are required to self-isolate upon arrival, and free counselling and mental health support services. These preventive measures should ease the parental concerns of prospective students.

Ms Barber adds: "The students' union has been accommodating and have supported us by hosting a lot of online events, and they even trialled a buddy system for people who wanted to talk to someone new."

Despite the uncertainties, new measures to receive students for this autumn term - and beyond - are in place, and universities are excited to open their doors to a new cohort of young, innovative minds.

To enhance the employability of international students in the UK, a new Graduate Route scheme will be launched next year. It will enable them to seek post-study work opportunities in the country after graduation. PHOTO: BRITISH COUNCIL

An internationally renowned education hub

Regardless of lesson formats, one can be assured of a quality education in the UK, which is renowned as a world-class, multicultural education hub. In fact, UK universities are ranked among the top around the world. According to The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020, three of the top 10 universities - the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and Imperial College London - are in the UK. In addition, 26 of its other universities and colleges are among the world's 200 best institutions for learning.

It comes as no surprise then that the UK is one of the most popular study destinations in the world. According to 2018/19 data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency, more than 7,500 Singaporean students chose to study in the UK - of these, more than 70 per cent were undergraduates.

One of them is Ms Jade Oh, 21, a Biological Sciences undergraduate at the University of Warwick, who was attracted by "the culture, prestige, independence and general life experience of studying abroad". Her top tip to prospective students? "Join lots of different societies, make friends with people from all over the world, volunteer for competitions and conferences, and make lots of memories that would last well after graduation," she says.

Over the decades, thousands of graduates around the world have benefited from a robust British education and have been equipped with in-demand skills in a competitive economic landscape. According to the Universities UK International (UUKi), 83 per cent of international graduates surveyed last year said their degree helped them get their job, while close to seven in 10 respondents said they progressed more quickly in their careers than peers educated elsewhere.

Work in the UK with the new Graduate Route

Enhancing the employability of international students in the UK is a key driving factor behind the new Graduate Route. This new scheme, which will be launched in summer 2021, allows international students to seek post-study work opportunities in the country for two years after graduation.

Students starting their UK studies between now and December will be among the first to benefit from the Graduate Route. They will face less disruption entering the workforce, enrich their resumes with an overseas working stint, and establish international connections.

Mr Ernsberger added: "With industries across the world changed irreversibly by the impacts of Covid-19, we now collectively face the challenge to 'build back better.' With a global reputation for research and academic excellence, the UK is the perfect place for Singaporean students to discover their talents and see them flourish, to cultivate and sharpen their skills, and be ready for a world that needs them."

Follow the British Council Singapore on Twitter and Facebook to stay up-to-date with the latest UK study news, student guidance and opportunities, and visit the Study UK hub for more information about studying in the UK.

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