STUDY IN THE UK
Primary/secondary
Further/vocational
Access/Foundation courses
Undergraduate
Postgraduate
Traineeships and work in the UK
FAQs - Study in the UK
Study in the UK - FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
The new online-only Education Information system with FAQs, will be your guide to find out about courses, institutions, qualifications and application procedures. On this page you will find Frequently Asked Questions about:
If you cannot find the answers to any of your questions, please contact the UK institutions directly.
Learn English in the UK
- How can I be sure that the centre I wish to attend, or I wish my child to attend, offers a safe and quality learning environment?
- What is the British Council's accreditation scheme?
- I would like to check that a particular centre is accredited. Is there a list I can check?
- How do I choose a course for young learners?
- How do I choose a course for adult learners?
- What do I have to do to enrol?
- General information about the UK
- Education Agencies
Primary and Secondary Education
- How can I get information about pre-school education in the UK?
- How long does compulsory education last in the UK?
- What should I do when choosing a primary or secondary school?
- Should I start by contacting the schools directly?
- What are 'Local Authorities'?
- How do I contact the 'Local Authorities'?
- What school documents are necessary for enrolment at the school?
- My child is attending a school in the UK but wishes to transfer to a school in Portugal. What do I have to do?
- What happens if the documents in English are not accepted?
- How much does the declaration cost?
- What should I do with the declaration?
- Where can I get information about schools that follow the British national curriculum or the international curriculum and where they are found?
- Can I get advice on choosing a school, including special education schools?
- I would like to spend one academic year of my secondary education course in the UK. Where can I find information?
- Other useful websites
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Further / Vocational Education
- What does 'Further Education' mean in the United Kingdom?
- Which vocational qualifications can I obtain upon completion of compulsory schooling?
- How can I obtain information about the area in the UK where I will be studying?
- Which courses can I study in the United Kingdom? And in which institutions?
- Which factors should I take into consideration when choosing my course?
- What are the requirements to enter vocational education?
- Will I need to take an English exam?
- How does the application process take place?
- Which documents will I need to apply?
- Does the British Council translate qualification certificates?
- When should I send the certified translations of my qualifications to the institutions?
- Who should I contact, in Portugal, to obtain information about equivalence to my British vocational qualification?
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Access and Foundation courses
- What is a Foundation course, a Foundation year and an Access or Bridging course?
- Where are the institutions located?
- What are the entry requirements for Foundation, Access or Bridging courses?
- Will I have to take an English test?
- How do I apply for a full-time or part-time Foundation year/course in areas excluding Art and Design?
- How do I apply for a Foundation year/course in Art and Design?
- How much is the annual fee for EU students that attend full-time or part-time Foundation years/courses?
- How much is the annual fee for non-EU students that attend full-time or part-time Foundation years/courses for British degrees?
- How much is the annual fee for non-EU students who attend full-time or part-time preparation courses for post-graduate studies, Master’s degrees and research?
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1: Courses and Qualifications
- What courses are there in the United Kingdom?
- What is a Bachelor’s Degree?
- What is a Foundation Degree?
- What is a Higher National Diploma – HND?
- What is a Higher National Certificate – HNC?
- What is a Diploma of Higher Education - DipHE?
- What is a Foundation course, Foundation year, Access or Bridging course?
- What is a sandwich course?
- Can I obtain a British qualification via Distance Learning?
2: How to choose a course and an institution
- What are the teaching and learning methods like in the United Kingdom?
- What areas can I study in the United Kingdom? And at what institutions?
- Where are the institutions located?
- What factors should I consider when making a choice?
- Are the courses and institutions that I have chosen of a high standard?
- What is the Erasmus Programme? How can I study in the UK as an Erasmus student?
- What support is there for students with special needs?
3: Understanding British qualifications and classifications, and comparing them with Portuguese ones
- What are GCSEs and 'A' levels? How do they compare with my qualifications from Portuguese secondary school?
- How do British classifications compare with Portuguese classifications?
- What is equivalent to British qualifications in Portugal?
- Does the British Council translate academic certificates?
- When should I send the authenticated translations of the academic certificates to the institutions?
4: General entry and English language requirements
- I have finished the 12th year. Do I have enough qualifications and are they the right ones to apply for the course that I want to study?
- I am in the 12th year. Are my qualifications enough and are they the right ones to apply for the area I want to study?
- I haven’t completed upper-secondary school. Can I apply for the course I wish to study with the qualifications I have?
- I am currently studying in higher education in Portugal. Can I apply for the course I wish to study with the qualifications I have?
- I have completed a higher education course in Portugal. Can I apply for the course I wish to study with the qualifications I have?
- Will I have to do an English exam?
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5: Additional entry requirements for specific areas
- What are the additional entry requirements for higher education courses in Art and Design?
- What are the additional entry requirements that some universities demand for courses in Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Science?
- What are the additional entry requirements that some universities demand for courses in Law, Modern History, Modern and Medieval Languages, Maths, Computer Science, Natural Science, Engineering and Economics?
6: Selection Criteria for applicants
- Apart from my grades, what other factors are important for British institutions?
- The text that you will have to include in your application – Personal statement
- The letter of recommendation that you will have to include in your application - Reference
7: How and when to apply
- What is the application process?
- Do I fill in the form for each course or just one for all the courses? What about Oxford and Cambridge?
- How do I fill in the form?
- How do I apply for a part-time course?
- How do I apply for a full-time ‘Foundation year/course’ in areas excluding Art and Design?
- How do I apply for a Foundation course in Art and Design?
- Are the deadlines the same for all courses? What about Oxford and Cambridge?
- What is the deadline for courses in the area of Art and Design?
- What is the deadline for courses in the areas of Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Science?
- Can I apply after the stipulated deadlines?
- How do I apply after 01 July for a course starting in the same calendar year? What is 'Clearing'?
- When can I apply for part-time courses?
- When can I apply for a full-time foundation year/course (excluding Art and Design)?
8: Fees, accommodation and other expenses
- How much is the annual fee for EU students that attend full-time, sandwich and part-time courses?
- How much is the annual fee for international students (non-EU)?
- Are there grants for EU students?
- As an EU student, can I apply for funding for full-time and part-time course?
- Do I have to complete a form to request the student loan for EU students?
- Are there grants for international students (non-EU)?
- How much will it cost to live in the UK, per month?
- Some sites dealing with student budgets, including accommodation, in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales
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1: Types and titles of postgraduate courses
- What does postgraduate study mean in the UK?
- Which are the courses at postgraduate level?
- What qualifications do they lead to?
2: Choosing the course and the institution
- What are the teaching and learning methods in the UK?
- In which academic areas can I study in the UK? Which are the institutions?
- Where are the institutions located?
- What factors should I consider when making my choice?
- What support is there for students with special needs?
3: Check the quality of courses and institutions
- How is higher education (teaching and research) evaluated in the UK?
4: Entry requirements
- What are the entry requirements for most courses?
- Are there preparatory courses for postgraduate study in the UK?
- What is the structure of a medical career?
- Do MBAs offered in the UK have a good reputation?
- Will I have to take an English exam?
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5: Understanding British qualifications and classifications, comparing them with the Portuguese system and information on equivalences and certification of translations
- What are British qualifications called?
- Is there a comparative system between UK and Portuguese classifications?
- What is the equivalence granted to UK qualifications in Portugal?
- Does the British Council translate academic qualifications?
- When should I send the certified translations of my qualifications to the institutions?
6: How and when to apply
- How do I apply for postgraduate courses, master degrees and research programmes?
- When do I apply for postgraduate courses, master degrees and research programmes?
7: Fees, accommodation and other expenses
- What are the annual fees for European Union students?
- What are the annual fees for international students (non-EU)?
- How can I obtain information about sources of funding for EU and international (non-EU) students?
- How much will it cost per month to live in the UK?
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