Education System in UK

British education system is one of the leading and oldest quality education in the world with a history of nearly 800 years. Here is some interesting and useful information related to the British education system for those who are cherishing their dreams of studying abroad in the UK.

1. Education in England

In the British education system, there are more than 100 standard universities, 500 colleges and more than 600 boarding schools. Many famous universities are in the Times Higher Education Ranking of the world's top universities in 2025 such as: Oxford University occupies the first position, Cambridge University occupies the 5th position, Imperial College London and UCL are ranked 9th and 22nd respectively...

With the world's leading teaching quality of the British education system, England is a dream destination for many international students. According to statistics from the UCAS Universities and Colleges Admissions Agency, recently published data shows that the number of international applicants for university courses in the UK as of the January 2023 deadline has increased to 114,910, an increase of 3% compared to the same period in the first cycle in 2022. As of the end of the September 2022 enrollment period, 463,315 sponsored student visas have been issued. This is the highest number of annual student visas issued in history and represents a recovery from a lower number of visas issued during the COVID-19 pandemic but also an increase from pre-pandemic levels.

The UK organizes training in more than 70 fields and thousands of specialties at different levels in the British education system. The most prominent are the following majors: Law, Business, Finance - Accounting, Medicine - Pharmacy, Communication...

The University of Oxford has been in the Top 5 Times Higher Education World Rankings for many years.

You may be interested in Summarizing the reasons why you should choose to study in the UK, you must know!

2. 5 compulsory education levels in the UK in 5 stages

The compulsory British education system is divided into 5 main stages based on age:

2.1. Foundation Stage Early Childhood Program (EYFS)

Children aged 3-4 can attend kindergarten or kindergarten classes at public or private primary schools. During this period, the curriculum typically includes areas such as:

• Language and communication.

• Physical development.

• Develop self, emotions, and social relationships.

• Practice reading, writing, and math.

• Develop creativity through learning to draw.

• Learn about the world around you.

2.2. Primary education

Children from 5 to 11 years old attend primary school in public or private schools. The primary education program is usually divided into 2 stages:

• Stage 1: 5 - 7 years old:

  This is the time when children begin to get acquainted with compulsory subjects such as: Mathematics, English, History, Geography...

• Stage 2: 7 - 11 years old:

  Improve knowledge of compulsory subjects to improve children's acquisition and development.

Children not only learn compulsory subjects in the curriculum but also learn many topics about the environment, nature, wildlife, healthy eating, etc.

Student competence is often assessed through tests and comments from individual teachers throughout the learning process in the British education system.

In addition to compulsory subjects, children also learn about the world around them.

2.3. Secondary education

Students aged 11 to 16 can study secondary school in a public or private school in the British education system. The secondary education program is usually divided into 2 stages:

• Stage 3: 11 – 14 years old:

  An important period of study in preparation for the GCSE General Certificate of Secondary Education.

• Stage 4: 14 – 16 years old:

  The final stage of the compulsory general education system ends with a national assessment test for GCSE certificates.

In the secondary education program, students often have additional citizenship tutoring in the morning and late afternoon. The rest of the day includes compulsory subjects such as Math, English Literature, Informatics, and Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics...) ... In addition, some optional subjects that students can register for depending on each school include Journalism, Digital Technology, Family Economics...

Usually, each student will have a separate schedule for attending classes. Education in the UK allows students to study academic fields earlier than in other countries so that they have more time for the subject they love.

British students learn academic knowledge from a very early age.

At the end of Year 11 (15 or 16 years old), students take the national assessment exam for GCSE certificates or other Level 1, and Level 2 certificates. This is an important qualification equivalent to a diploma in Canada and the United States, or a high school diploma in many countries around the world.

After the age of 16, each student can choose different forms of education such as: continuing to higher education or going to vocational training/working in the British education system.

Below is the curriculum structure for students aged 5 to 16 in the UK:

2.4. Post-secondary education

With British education, 16-17-year-old students who want to pursue a degree will continue to study a 2-year A-level program. Those with a clear future orientation, often choose subjects related to their major in their first year take the AS certification exam, and then move on to study in depth in the British education system. The remaining students will study general subjects by the end of year 1 and take the exam with A levels.

2.5. Higher Education

From the age of 18 and above, British students can apply for pre-university, college, university and postgraduate education programs depending on their orientation and ability.

Students in the UK have many opportunities to choose the education program that suits them.

Read more: High school study abroad in the UK | 5+ must-know

3. Curriculum is not compulsory in the British education system

3.1. Pre-university education program

The UK Foundation education program includes the following programs:

• International Foundation Year (IFY)

• International Year One

3.2. College or vocational education program

In the UK education system, at the end of the general education program, students can choose a vocational training program in parallel with the general education program, or enroll in vocational colleges. Upon completion of the course, students will receive the following types of qualifications:

• BTEC diploma:

  A certificate that reflects a high-quality level, focusing on developing skills and applying knowledge on a practical basis, including fields such as Fine Art Design, Business, Construction, Engineering, etc.

• NVQs: Vocational

  training certificates are practice-based, do not need to be completed in a specific period of time but are carried out by full-time employees, and students working part-time jobs that allow the development of appropriate skills...

• CACHE:

  A professional certificate for those who study in the field of health care, and child psychology.

• Cambridge Nationals:

  Cambridge Nationals are similar to BTECs, training in many fields such as Technology, Healthcare, Engineering, Sports Science...

• College or Advanced College:

  Students take courses from faculty and employers as well as hands-on activities related to the industry.

Vocational training programs usually last from 6 months to 2 years in a variety of fields and can be considered for exemption from part of a higher education program such as an associate or bachelor's degree.

3.3. Undergraduate and postgraduate education programs

The time to complete a higher education program in the education system in the UK depends on each profession, usually lasts 3-4 years, and can be 5-7 years for Medicine - Pharmacy, Law, Architecture, etc.

For postgraduate education programs, it usually takes 1 year to study for a master's degree, and it usually takes 3-5 years to study for a doctorate.

In public schools, the tuition fee for the first degree per year is £9,250 for English, Welsh, and European Union students.

You can learn about studying abroad in the UK at the postgraduate master's level to be able to know detailed information about this study program!

4. 5 reasons why international students should study in the UK

International students choose the UK as a desirable destination for the following reasons:

• Great British education system:

  The UK owns many universities with the best quality of education in the world with a variety of different majors, suitable for each individual's passion.

• Qualifications are highly regarded in many countries:

  Universities in the UK have a rigorous and impartial view of the quality of output. Therefore, the qualifications of British international students often accurately reflect their abilities and are highly valued in many countries around the world.

• Good health care system:

  International students can access the National Health Service (NHS) free of charge for the duration of their studies through the International Health Service (IHS).

• Part-time work opportunities:

  International students in the UK are allowed to work 20 hours/week during their studies and full-time during holidays. This gives students more experience and living expenses.

Ability to find a job and settle down after studying: The opportunity to find a job and settle in the UK after completing your studies is really a big challenge for international students. You must be an extremely outstanding person or pursuing a shortage of talent to be able to work and live in the UK.

The UK is a dream destination for many international students in general and Vietnamese students in particular.

See more: Should you study abroad in the UK? 10 reasons to study in the UK

5. Notes for international students/students studying British education

Students who have completed grade 9 in Vietnam, can use their transcripts or qualifications to apply for a UK student visa and study a GCSE program for 3 years in the UK education system. After that, students are transferred to the university as native speakers without taking an English exam.

For students who have completed 3 years of high school and want to pursue the higher education system in the UK, you need to prepare a transcript and IELTS certificate with the following levels:

If you are cherishing your dream of studying in the ancient UK, contact IDP Education to receive useful advice for your upcoming journey!

IDP Education has more than 50 years of experience in advising students to study abroad, playing an important role in international education when helping more than 450,000 students successfully study abroad at schools in Australia, the UK, the US, Canada, New Zealand, and Ireland.

IDP currently has a network of 80 international admissions offices in 30 different countries and is the official admissions representative of more than 600 prestigious schools in Australia, the US, the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Ireland. Besides, IDP is also the co-founder and organizer of the IELTS test worldwide, which will best support you to have a great study abroad experience!

Hopefully, the above article has given you a glimpse British education system. Since then, international students have been cherishing many plans and ambitions to study abroad in the UK can be more prepared in terms of knowledge and spirit before starting a journey to explore a new land.

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