British Students Invited to the Best US Universities

More British students attend universities in the US than in any other country for two reasons: American universities are the most popular choice for British students seeking to study abroad. Also, American schools are keen to enroll students from the UK and they’re supported in doing so by programmes such as those of the Fulbright Commission. The organisation’s mission is to create opportunities for top British and American students to study in both countries as part of a global exchange programme. The Fulbright Commission offers supportive advice for both students and professors who want to learn more about how to apply to US universities. They also supply scholarships and summer programmess for secondary students who can get a taste of what an American university offers them before applying. Currently, over 9,000 UK students are studying at US universities and the number is expected to continue rising. Quantity and quality of education opportunities are a pair of reasons fueling the trend, as the US offers over 3,500 universities with more of them, than any other country, rated the world’s best universities. The US is home to six of the top ten rated universities, with four UK universities also ranked amongst the world’s very best places to study.

QS Universities 

Savvy international students can tell you that the world’s best universities are ranked annually by British publisher Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). This international ranking system came about in 2003 to allow UK universities to compare their institutions with others around the world. The QS ranking is calculated by assessing the results of six categories of which academic peer review accounts for 40% of the measurement. And 20% of the rate is based on having a high ratio of faculty to students, which is seen as a measure of higher teaching commitment. Another 20% is based on the number of citations per faculty, which QS considers a measurement of research impact. Employer reputation accounts for 10% of the rank and another 10% is shared between the international student and staff ratio. Since having students from abroad helps to raise a university’s standing, they’re welcomed at the world’s best universities.

The top three ranked universities are in the US

The QS ranks The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as the world’s best university, an honour that had belonged to the University of Cambridge until 2012. Cambridge has now slipped down to 5th on the coveted list. Stanford University comes second, after having worked its way up from being 15th in the 2012 ranking.  Harvard University has remained a stable fixture in second or third place, only once sliding down to fourth place in recent QS reviews. 

Four UK universities are also ranked in the top ten worldwide. Cambridge University fell to second and then third in recent years and this trend has deepened as the prestigious university was rated the fourth best last year and currently sits at fifth place. The University of Oxford and University College London have held their positions at sixth and seventh place, respectively, for the past three years. Imperial College London is in eighth place. It remains to be seen what effect Brexit may have on UK universities which might face what has been termed “a brain drain” if it becomes more difficult for European professors and students to live in the UK. A University and College Union (UCU) survey of over 1,000 lecturers and professors revealed that nearly three-quarters of EU academics in the country say they’re more likely to leave the UK as a result of the Brexit vote. Also, British universities might start charging higher tuition fees for students who are EU nationals, which could decrease the UK’s international student population, and consequently, would reduce many UK universities’ QS standing. 

Mighty MIT

For the last six years, the top-rated university in the world has been the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Of the 11,376 students enrolled in the 2016-2017 academic year, 430 are international. The prestigious school is expensive, with tuition fees costing $48,452 a year and room and board running to an additional $14,210. Since the university wants the brightest students, regardless of their ability to pay such high fees, they offer generous scholarships that permit 33% of those attending MIT to study without paying any tuition. A further 56% of students who aren’t able to pay the full fees are also awarded scholarships so they can afford to attend.

The university is known for providing a challenging workload, especially in science and technology courses, with the pace of learning compared to “drinking from a firehose”.  It’s not easy to be accepted, either. According to MIT, over 4,000 international students apply to MIT every year and less than 150 are accepted. The process focuses on more than just the highest test scores, seeking students who also show an aptitude for collaboration. There’s been a steady increase of 45% in UK students that have been accepted by MIT, and former students have created the MIT club of Great Britain to serve the more than 1,200 alumni residing in the UK. 

The Fulbright Commission offers an extensive list of helpful suggestions for British students hoping to study in the states. Their first tip is to start the application process as early as possible. Don’t be put off by the high sticker price of higher education fees in the US, they insist. Over 600 US universities offer international students scholarships worth $20,000 (£15,700). 250 of these universities will provide all the necessary funding required. There are also other scholarships available to make it easier to attend university as well as student loan programs. Also, international students may work 20 hours a week during the term and 40 hours a week on holidays. After graduation, there’s the opportunity to work on practical training in the US for a year on an F-1 Visa, which universities help facilitate. If you’re the parent of a child that’s dreaming of studying in the US, don’t be put off by high tuition fees (like Harvard’s which is around £30,000 a year). Focus instead on the scholarships that are available in the US as well as travel grants that are available from the UK government.