International students Study in London for many reasons. One of the main attractions for non-native speakers of English is the opportunity to acquire near-native fluency in English. The city of London itself, the high quality of many of the local institutions of higher or further education, and the opportunities for making connection in the vibrant world of international business also attract many international students.
English Language Fluency
The global business, academic, and professional language of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries is English. Although English is widely taught everywhere in the world, acquiring near-native speaker fluency with an idiomatic vocabulary and an accent not markedly "foreign" is most readily done through the sort of complete immersion in the language acquired when a student can study in London or another English-speaking locale.
Students who arrive to study in London with a limited background in English may wish to take advantage of numerous available intensive summer English immersion courses to be prepared for the academic year, as the language of instruction in all their regular academic courses will be English.
Although the multicultural nature of London enables students to find communities of people from their home country, they will not gain as many linguistic and cultural benefits from their study in London if they spend all their time outside their classes speaking their native language and associating with friends from their home country as they would if they spent non-class time speaking English and associating with a more diverse social network.
Choice of Colleges and Universities
Students wishing to study in London can choose from a wide array of educational institutions, both in London itself and nearby. British institutions of higher learning include universities offering three-year undergraduate and a variety of post graduate degrees and institutions of Further Education offering more focused vocational degrees. Of the universities, the members of the "Russell Group" generally adhere to the highest academic standards and have the greatest international prestige. On the other hand, as British university degrees are highly specialized, the quality of a department is as important as the reputation of the university as a whole. The British government publishes online the results of the Research Assessment Exercise and the Teaching Assessment Exercise, which rate, respectively, the quality of research and teaching in each department of every British university.
Cultural Opportunities
The city itself is an educational experience for international students who study in London. The city is home to numerous major museums, theatres, and other cultural venues, many of which offer discounted admission to students. Watching classic plays at the Royal Shakespeare Company or National Theatre or popular hits on the West End or experimental Fringe productions can as much of an educational experience as attending lectures. London also offers world class ballet, opera, and symphonic and chamber music, as well as many free concerts at historic churches. The British Museum and National Gallery contain substantial international holdings of art from all places and periods.
English Language Fluency
The global business, academic, and professional language of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries is English. Although English is widely taught everywhere in the world, acquiring near-native speaker fluency with an idiomatic vocabulary and an accent not markedly "foreign" is most readily done through the sort of complete immersion in the language acquired when a student can study in London or another English-speaking locale.
Students who arrive to study in London with a limited background in English may wish to take advantage of numerous available intensive summer English immersion courses to be prepared for the academic year, as the language of instruction in all their regular academic courses will be English.
Although the multicultural nature of London enables students to find communities of people from their home country, they will not gain as many linguistic and cultural benefits from their study in London if they spend all their time outside their classes speaking their native language and associating with friends from their home country as they would if they spent non-class time speaking English and associating with a more diverse social network.
Choice of Colleges and Universities
Students wishing to study in London can choose from a wide array of educational institutions, both in London itself and nearby. British institutions of higher learning include universities offering three-year undergraduate and a variety of post graduate degrees and institutions of Further Education offering more focused vocational degrees. Of the universities, the members of the "Russell Group" generally adhere to the highest academic standards and have the greatest international prestige. On the other hand, as British university degrees are highly specialized, the quality of a department is as important as the reputation of the university as a whole. The British government publishes online the results of the Research Assessment Exercise and the Teaching Assessment Exercise, which rate, respectively, the quality of research and teaching in each department of every British university.
Cultural Opportunities
The city itself is an educational experience for international students who study in London. The city is home to numerous major museums, theatres, and other cultural venues, many of which offer discounted admission to students. Watching classic plays at the Royal Shakespeare Company or National Theatre or popular hits on the West End or experimental Fringe productions can as much of an educational experience as attending lectures. London also offers world class ballet, opera, and symphonic and chamber music, as well as many free concerts at historic churches. The British Museum and National Gallery contain substantial international holdings of art from all places and periods.
