The education system in Britain has three main levels: school education from ages 5-16, further education from 16-18 to prepare for university or a vocation, and higher education offered at over 200 universities. School education follows the National Curriculum. Further education involves exams like A-Levels or Scottish Highers. University degrees include Bachelor's (3 years), Master's (1-2 years), and Doctorates (3-5 years). In 2000, more student visas were awarded to Chinese citizens than any other country.

1. Studying in
Britain

2. The Education System
 School Education
 Further Education
 Higher Education

3. School Education
 Compulsory education from 5 to 16
 Soon to be extended to 18
 Students follow the National
Curriculum

4. Further Education
 Usually for students between 16 and
18
 Prepares for university or for a
vocation
 A wide variety of examinations,
including ‘A’ levels, baccalaureate,
Scottish Highers

6. Primary School Subjects
 One teacher teaches:
 Art
 Analysis
 Drama
 English
 Geography
 History
 Mathematics
 Scottish Gaelic (in Scotland)

7. Secondary School Subjects
 Mathematics  History
 Science  Social Education
 Technology and  Religion
design  Cooking
 Information  Music
Technology  Physical education
 English  Greek and Latin
 Modern Languages (grammar and
(French, German, independent schools)
Spanish)
 Geography

8. GCSEs
 Taken at age 16, after 5 years in
secondary education
 General Certificate of Secondary
Education
 Minimum 5 subjects
 As many as twelve

9. Further education
 England, Wales, Northern Ireland
 3 or more ‘A’ levels taken at age 18
 Scotland
 Highers
 Alternative
 International Baccalaureate

10. Higher Education
 There are more than 200
universities in Britain
 Mostly teach a broad range of
subjects

11. Undergraduate Courses
 Usually only three years
 Specialise in one subject
 Entrance requirements
 Good English profieciency
 Previous examinations

12. Postgraduate courses
 Masters
 Can be teaching or research based
 Usually examined by dissertation
 One or two years
 Doctorate
 Always research, never taught

13. University degrees
 Bachelor’s degrees
 B.A., B.Sc., B.Ed.
 Usually three years
 Note Scottish and Oxbridge M.A.s
 Master’s degrees
 M.A., M.Sc., M.Phil.
 One or two years
 Doctorates
 Ph.D., D.Mus, etc.
 Three to five years

14. Classification of degrees
 Bachelors:
 1 (first class honours)
 2.i (second class honours, first division)
 2.ii (second class honours, second division)
 3 (third class honours)
 Pass (ordinary degree)
 Masters:
 Distinction
 Pass
 Doctorate
 Pass

15. Chinese students in Britain
 In 2000 nearly 19,000 student visas
were awarded to Chinese citizens,
more than to any other visa-
requiring country
 The next most represented country
was Russia, with about 9,000
student visas
Source: United Kingdom Government, Foreign and
Commonwealth Office