Study in the UK – Guide for Sri Lankan students on Degree programs in British Universities

UK Higher Education institutions offer internationally recognised Bachelor’s degrees (also called undergraduate or first degrees) on various subjects.

Entry requirements for Bachelor’s degrees (e.g. BA, BSc.) programs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are two/ three A-levels (local or British) or equivalent plus English language proficiency (e.g. IELTS).

According to the British Council, Sri Lanka web site, the average costs for undergraduate courses (in 2008) are listed below, but it’s worth bearing in mind that course fees can vary considerably between institutions.
Foundation courses £4,000 to £12,000 per year
Arts courses £7,000 to £9,000 per year
Science courses £7,500 to £12,000 per year
Clinical courses £10,000 to £21,000 per year

Degrees (undergraduate qualification) courses, usually studied over three years in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, or four years in Scotland (where the title Master’s Degree may be awarded). You have the choice of studying a single honours degree where you’ll focus entirely on one subject, or you can study two subjects in what’s called a joint honours or combined honours degree.

There are numerous scholarships available, go to British Council web site for details.

For details:
Meet customer service officers at the Education Services Section of the British Council, Colombo, or join the undergraduate presentation conducted at British Council.
British Council, 49 Alfred House Gardens, Colombo 3
Telephone +94 (0)11 4521521
Fax +94 (0)11 2587079
E-mail: [email protected]

British Council, 88/3 Kotugodella Veediya, Kandy
Telephone +94 (0)81 2222410, 2234634

More details by Janak Gunatilleke, educated in Royal College, Colombo and did medical degree in University of Leicester:

If you are interested in studying in the UK, start researching early. UK Universities normally have only one intake per year and the time may vary according to the institution and the course.

Along with the British Council in Sri Lanka, the best place to start is the Times Online Good University Guide. This is an excellent resource complete with ranking of Universities by individual subjects, reviews, student guides, information to help you choose subjects, and financial advice. For MBA or business orientated courses, the Financial Times website is the best.

When you narrow the search down to a few Universities, visit their websites and have a look around. Navigate to the department that is relevant to your course and read through the methods of teaching, research interests of the lectures and professors, and the rating the department has received. You can also gain a huge amount of information about the University, the City in which it is based, student support, the activities and societies, the accommodation on offer, and the sports facilities.

Finally, email their student support section or their recruitment office and ask for the email of the Sri Lankan Society, the International Society or any student that is willing to chat with you. This is a very good method to gain first-hand experience and also to demonstrate that you have made the effort to really find out about the University and the course.

If you need any help with your applications or have any other questions, please email me [email protected]