Mentoring Programme

🎓 How the system works

• Foundation year: an optional preparatory year before the bachelor's for those needing additional preparation
• Bachelor's (BA/BSc): usually 3 years in England/Wales/N. Ireland; often 4 years in Scotland
• Master's (MA/MSc): often 1 year (full-time), part-time options available
• Integrated Master (e.g. MEng/MSci): usually 4 years in a single programme
• Placement year / year abroad: on many courses a year of paid work placement or study abroad is possible, usually before the final year – often a major plus for your CV and job search

Undergraduate: applications are made through UCAS: in a single application you select courses (usually up to 5), fill in your details, enter achieved or predicted grades, add a personal statement and a teacher's reference.

Postgraduate: for master's programmes, you typically apply directly through the university website. Many programmes operate on rolling admissions (decisions made continuously, intake closes when places run out), while some universities use application rounds or specific deadlines – especially where funding/scholarships are involved.

🗣️ Language and requirements

Teaching is in English, so universities usually require proof of English proficiency. Commonly accepted certificates include IELTS / TOEFL / PTE (sometimes others, depending on the university). Required level varies by course – often B2–C1.

📄 Required documents

Undergraduate (UCAS):

• Achieved or predicted grades
• Personal statement
• Teacher's reference

Master's (typically required):

• Bachelor's degree
• CV
• Motivation letter (personal statement)
• References (sometimes)
• Portfolio (on some courses)

📅 Key deadlines

Planning usually starts in advance.

🛂 Visa

• Student Visa: people from Poland (EU) planning to study for longer than 6 months need a Student Visa, which can be applied for at the earliest 6 months before the course starts; the application includes the standard visa fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) – approx. £776 per year of the visa, providing access to UK healthcare (NHS).

💶 Tuition

Following Brexit, EU students without settled or pre-settled status are usually classified as "international/overseas" and pay higher tuition fees, whereas those with valid status (meeting certain criteria) may qualify for the lower home fee.

• Undergraduate fees for international students typically range from approx. £11,000–£38,000+ (≈ 56,500–195,000 PLN) per year, depending on university and course.
• Master's fees for international students often cost approx. £16,000–£35,000 (≈ 82,200–180,000 PLN) per year, though prestigious programmes (e.g. MBA or certain top business school courses) may be more expensive.

🏠 Living costs

Amounts in brackets are estimates.

⭐ Why study here

The United Kingdom has been one of the most popular study destinations in the world for years. UK universities are globally recognised, and many programmes have strong academic and research foundations. A major advantage is the international environment – many courses include students from various countries, which fosters exchange of experiences and building networks. In the British model, universities compete for candidates, so great emphasis is placed on teaching quality, course organisation and student support.

🏛️ Example universities

• University of Oxford – Russell Group
• University of Cambridge – Russell Group
• Imperial College London – Russell Group
• University College London – Russell Group
• University of Edinburgh – Russell Group
• King's College London – Russell Group
• London School of Economics – Russell Group
• University of Sheffield – Russell Group
• University of Bath – outside Russell Group
• University of St Andrews – outside Russell Group

📌 Good to know

• What is the Russell Group? The Russell Group is an association of 24 British universities particularly focused on research (research-intensive). Membership is often associated with prestige, but this doesn't mean only these universities offer high-quality education.