An independent website allowing international students to search and compare the UK’s top universities, pathway programmes and boarding schools has been launched this month.
UK Education Guide offers international students filtered search options based on metrics including tuition price, accommodation price, percentage of international students in the total student body and employability statistics.
Co-founder Pat Moores said the site was created to help international students make more informed decisions when choosing to study in the UK.
“Our aim is not to provide information about every provider-there are many sources that offer that- our aim has been to independently review the market”
“The complexity of the decision making process for international families is staggering,” she told The PIE News. “Deciding on educational options living in the UK is quite a challenge, but from a distance of possibly several thousand miles, with fragmented sources of information, it is so much harder.”
The site has independently created profiles for 51 universities, all featured in the top 500 of the latest THE and Shanghai Jaio Tong rankings, 21 foundation programmes and 37 boarding schools, pre-selected because of their focus on international students.
Profiles include information on courses based on the Research Excellence Framework, the institution’s location, history and accommodation providers.
Students can search for business management courses and sort the results by lowest tuition fees, for example.
Education providers can edit their profile free of charge, said Moores, but information will be edited for accuracy and transparency. Students can also request more information directly from universities via the site.
It also aims to provide students with crucial information about visa applications and the UK university application process.
Trinity College London, an approved UK exam board, has advised the site to help provide a comprehensive guide comparing the UK government’s Secure English Language Tests.
“International students bring several billion pounds’ worth of revenue to boost the UK economy each year and yet so often the information available to them is fragmented, hard to find and not relevant,” said Moores.
“Our aim is not to provide information about every provider – there are many sources that offer that –our aim has been to independently review the market and make it easier to access and compare relevant information, between providers, quickly and easily.”
