Postgraduate studies in the UK Michael Sewell Recruitment and Admissions University of Kent, Brussels

Contents Why the UK? Types of postgraduate courses available in the UK Choosing your university Entry requirements: What do UK universities look for? Application procedure Fees and funding About the University of Kent Useful websites -Why should a Flemish student (who has already an academic bachelor- or masterdegree from KULeuven) do a (postgraduate) study in the UK?  What are the benefits of studying in the UK? - What different postgraduate qualifications do exist in the UK (+ differences between taught & research courses + differences beween postgraduate Diploma, postgraduate Certificate, different Master degrees, PhD) - How to choose the right program (+ resources for searching postgraduate courses).  Rankings?  Quality assurance? - Entrance requirements: the application process, timing, English language requirements, practical tips & tricks - Funding: scholarships! (for Belgian students there is the Belgian Royal Benevolent Society + scholarships from the Research Councils + financial aid from other organisations & funding from the educational institutions), assistentships, combining study and work,.. - what are the possibilities of studentaccomodation in British towns, how to look for accomodation?

Why study in the UK? Excellent reputation Prestigious Excellent reputation Well respected qualifications recognised around the world 31 UK institutions in the 2012/13 Top 200 World University rankings World leading research—the UK has produced more than 44 Nobel prize winners in the last 50 years UK Institutions in the top 200 are: Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, Edinburgh, LSE, Manchester, KCL, Bristol, Durham, York, St Andrews, Sussex, Sheffield, Royal Holloway, Nottingham, Warwick, Southampton, Glasgow, Leeds, Lancaster, Queen Mary, Exeter, Birmingham, Liverpool, UEA, Aberdeen, Reading, Newcastle, Leicester.

Why study in the UK? Quality High quality teaching, small seminar groups – excellent contact time with experts in their field Teaching quality assessed by the UK’s Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Research output measured via the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) and new Research Assessment Framework (REF) Kent was ranked 24th in the UK in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (159 participating institutions): 5 subject areas (Drama, English, History, Law, and Social Policy and Sociology) have had 30% of their research rated 4* (world leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour) 6 subject areas (History, Metallurgy and Metals, Social Policy and Sociology , Law, French, and Statistics and Operational Research) have been ranked in the top 10 of their discipline nationwide 5 subject areas (Drama and Film Studies, Anthropology, Economics, English, and Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Clinical Psychology) are among the UK top 20 A further 10 subjects are in the top 30: Applied Mathematics, Business and Management Studies, Classics and Archaeological Studies, Religious Studies, Computing, Philosophy, Electronics, Spanish, German, and Environmental Studies

Why study in the UK? Employability Better graduate starting salaries Excellent graduate employment rates - over 90% of postgraduates graduating from Kent in 2012 found a job or further study opportunity within 6 months For example at Kent: Transferable Skills Training Programme Global Skills Award training programme Transferable Skills Training Programme: Co-ordinated by the Graduate School and covers a diverse range of topics: research management, personal effectiveness, communication skills, networking and team working, and career management skills. Global Skills Award: For students on taught programmes. Delivered by the Graduate School and designed to enhance graduates’ awareness of current global issues and improve career prospects.

Why study in the UK? Superb facilities Fantastic resources Free access to ultra-modern information services/facilities Excellent laboratories Well-equipped libraries Free Wi-Fi available over most campuses

Why study in the UK? Perfect your English Experience life in the UK Improve your language skills every day Gain confidence in seminar discussions Become competent in ‘academic English’ Learn the language of business Take advantage of extra English language support if needed Support often provided to develop other (non-English) language skills

Why study in the UK? A multicultural experience Mix with students from all around the world; large percentage of student body from overseas In the UK 25% of postgraduate students are international At Kent, 53% of Kent’s postgraduates are from outside the UK International partnerships/exchange agreements bring more international students to the UK

Why study in the UK? Gain the skills employers want Independence Initiative Research skills Project management experience Skills for an international environment Compete better in the international job market

Why study in the UK Choice and flexibility Over 50,000 postgraduate courses to choose from Postgraduate diploma Taught Master’s Master’s by research Doctorate Timely Complete a Master’s degree in just 12 months

Type of Postgraduate qualifications Taught courses Assessed by mixture of coursework and exams Set number of contact hours per week Taught in lectures and seminars Final project or dissertation Research courses In depth study in a specific field Students assigned a research supervisor More independence Teaching opportunities

Postgraduate qualifications Postgraduate certificate/diploma 1 year full time, 2 years part-time Taught Masters (MA, LLM, MSc) 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time Some 2 years full-time Research Masters (MA, LLM MSc) MPhil 2 years full-time, can convert to a doctorate Doctorate (PhD) 3 years full-time MBA (Master of Business Administration) 1 or 2 years, work experience required Study abroad opportunity/double degrees

Choosing your university Choose the right course for you Search for courses at www.educationuk.org www.prospects.ac.uk and www.postgrad.com Postgraduate qualification for your career? Academic quality Quality Assurance Agency Visit www.qaa.ac.uk University rankings No official ranking lists but for a general guide look at www.timesonline.co.uk,www.independent.co.uk/education and www.guardian.co.uk/education National Student Survey 2011 (survey of final year undergraduates at HE institutions across the UK) Kent is ranked 3rd in London and the South East for overall student satisfaction Kent scored 88% - the 6th highest national score The majority of subjects are in a Top 20 position, 14 subjects are in the Top 10 Canterbury also rated the safest university city in England and Wales (Complete University Guide 2012)

Choosing your university Location Campus vs non campus Transport links Facilities – Library, laboratories, sports centre etc Accommodation Off-campus housing advice www.accommodationforstudents.com www.landlordlaw.co.uk University accommodation is available for Master’s students Images are of Woolf College (Canterbury) and Liberty Quays (Medway)

Choosing your university What support services are available? At Kent we have: Personal Academic Support System (PASS) Centre for European and World Languages: free English language classes for all international students Study Skills Centre: advice on essay writing, time management, exams University Jobshop for part-time work Careers Advisory Service Disability and Dyslexia Support Service Medical Centre and Pharmacy Campus Watch - 24 hour security Students’ Union (including the Student Advice and Information Service) Campus nursery Medical Centre and Pharmacy is on the Canterbury campus. PASS provides the following: General academic guidance Assistance with academic problems or difficulties Individual progress monitoring Information about progression routes Support and guidance Personal development

Entry requirements University qualifications Bachelor’s degree/ Licenciaat met grote (grotste) onderscheiding in an appropriate subject English language qualifications IELTS 6.5 (6.0 in reading and writing) Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English: grade C Cambridge Advanced Certificate in English: grade B TOEFL internet: 90 (22 reading, 21 writing) Other requirements Academic references Transcripts Research proposal (if research application) Academic ability, commitment, enthusiasm, dedication!

Application Check deadline dates, best to apply by February/March There may be deadlines for accommodation or scholarships If research, contact the appropriate academic first Online application form Supporting statement Research proposal (research degrees only) Academic references, normally two English test (TOEFL/IELTS/Cambridge) Translated and verified transcripts (summary of marks) A ‘conditional’ offer will be made subject to degree result, when the conditions are met, you will get an unconditional offer (formal acceptance).

Fees, living costs and funding Universities set their fees Can range from £4,500 to £20,000 Living costs are likely to vary Financial support for research students includes: University awards Research Council funding (open to EU students, fees only) Sponsored studentships Charities / foundations Financial support for taught postgraduate students more difficult Check websites for extra information

Possible fees and monthly living costs Fees at Kent for UK and EU students (2013/14): £3,900 – Research courses £4,950 – Taught courses Kent’s Brussels centre: €16,500 (full-time) €8,250 (part-time) standard fee in the UK (some courses will vary)

Weekly living costs Weekly estimated costs From To Accommodation (self catered) - Woolf College (51 week contract, Canterbury campus) £104.00 £154.00 - Hothe Court (51 week contract, Canterbury campus) £98.00 £116.00 - Liberty Quays (39 week contract, Medway campus) £125.50 Additional study costs £43.00 £108.00 Food £30.00 £60.00 Clothing and laundry £15.00 £45.00 Socialising £25.00 £65.00 Mobile phone £5.00 Television licence (required by law) £2.80 Unexpected costs These are estimated costs and mirror the figures on the Kent student funding pages: http://www.kent.ac.uk/finance-student/livingcosts.html. They are primarily for undergraduate, but it can give an idea of general living costs.

Funding Scholarships Research council scholarships cover tuition fees (www.educationuk.org) Up to £13,290 University postgraduate research scholarships Departmental research or teaching scholarships Graduate Teaching Assistantships Sports scholarships (Kent: £250-£5000 p.a.) Music scholarships (Kent: £350-£5000 p.a.) Overseas fee paying scholarships (non-EU) (Kent: £5000) Other funding options Funding within your country - check with the British Council Royal Belgian Benevolent Society (RBBS) 75% of students have a part-time job at some point – use the University Jobshop to find the latest vacancies

University of Kent, the UK’s European University South East England Closest UK university to mainland Europe Canterbury, Medway, Tonbridge, Brussels, Paris, Athens Excellent train/Eurostar links: 60 mins from London 60 mins from Lille 90 mins from Brussels 110 mins from Paris Nearest airport : Gatwick

University top selling points World-leading research Strong academic community Graduate School External lectures Global outlook Strong focus on internationalisation Partnerships with prestigious European universities

The Canterbury campus…

Summary of useful websites Education UK (British Council) www.education.org Prospects (lists postgraduate courses) www.prospects.ac.uk Department for Children, Families and Schools (DCSF) www.dcsf.gov.uk or www.direct.gov.uk Research Assessment Exercise 2008 www.rae.ac.uk The Times world rankings www.thes.co.uk The Times Good University Guide www.timesonline.co.uk National Student Survey www.unistats.com The Guardian University Guide www.guardian.co.uk/education

For further information contact: Questions? For further information contact: Recruitment and Admissions Office The Registry, University of Kent Canterbury Kent CT2 7NZ E: eurec@kent.ac.uk T: + 44 1227 827272