UK Higher Education System
Higher Education in the UK involves the final and highest phase of education.
Higher education providers are most frequently known as universities, but may also include private education providers and colleges, as well as other types of publicly and privately funded institutes.
Courses and degrees are usually aligned to two levels:
- Undergraduate (Bachelor Awards, BA, BSc – pitched at Level 6 of the National Qualifications Framework for England, Wales and Northern Ireland)
- Postgraduate (e.g. Master of Art, MA; Master of Science, MSc; Master of Education, MEd; Certificate of Education, PGCE; Diploma, PGDip Master of Philosophy, MPhil – all pitched at Level 7)
- The highest available award is the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), which is a research-based degree pitched at Level 8.
Most students start Higher Education at the age of 18, studying for an undergraduate degree. The average Bachelor’s degree usually takes three years to complete, although some programs include or offer a fourth year. Tuition fees are currently capped at £9,535 per year for British and EU students, whereas fees for international students are likely to be significantly higher, sometimes reaching £30,000 per year or more.
Undergraduate courses are focused on the acquisition of knowledge, the development of critical thinking skills, and – particularly for technically- oriented programmes – work-related skills. Upon graduating from their first degree, many students continue their studies by enrolling in a postgraduate programme. The average postgraduate programme lasts one year, although longer courses are also available.
Such programmes emphasise research and critical thinking: the student is considered an advanced learner, capable of pursuing their study and research interests independently and creatively. Postgraduate tuition fees for British and EU students are usually around £6,000 per year, though they may be significantly higher. Fees for international students are usually significantly higher, sometimes reaching £30,000 per year or more.
In 2024/25, 2.86 million students were enrolled on undergraduate courses and postgraduate qualifications in the UK. Read more on Higher Education Statistics Agency’s report.
Additional information
For further information on studying and on international student recruitment in the UK, please refer to the following sources:
