Frequently Asked Questions by Thai Students

Is it expensive?

Top level education is not cheap anywhere. That is guaranteed! However, the quality may not always be so certain. In the UK, you can be very sure that your money will not be wasted. The cost of studying in the UK may actually be cheaper than in other countries; a lot depends on where you study. For example, the one-year Warwick MBA (Ranked No.2 in the UK), costs about US$30,000, but the two-year KATZ MBA (No. 50 in the USA), costs about US$50,000! Add to this one extra year of living expenses in the USA, and you can easily see that the top quality in the UK is actually much cheaper than even low quality in the USA! Also, remember that most master's degree usually take only ONE year to complete in the UK, but often TWO years in other places. Also UK tuition fees are totally inclusive. In Australia, the basic tuition fees look cheaper, but they do not include students' union fees, examination fees, health insurance and other extras. When you add these costs to the basic tuition fees, then the UK and Australian costs are very similar. Another consideration is that in the UK all universities are government universities (with one exception) and thus they are stringently inspected for high quality and high standards. In Australia and the USA, many universities are private and are not subject to the same quality assurance. The UK also has a National Curriculum (the same everywhere in the country), whereas the USA and Australia have a local curriculum in each state.

With regard to food and drink, eating out in some restaurants can be very expensive, but there are many reasonably priced restaurants, pubs, cafes, fast food places and snack bars. Normal food prices in shops are reasonable and quality standards are very high. Beer is often cheaper in the UK than in Thailand, which may be good news for your wallet, but not for your stomach size!

What will the food be like?

There are now many Thai restaurants in the UK, although they are generally quite expensive. Supermarkets and markets in big cities usually stock food from all over the world and some Thai food items will be available. Also, remember that there are large Chinese communities in many UK cities. This means that Chinese food is easily available in specialised restaurants, markets and shops. If you are not sure where you can buy things, ask around! The cheapest way to eat is to prepare food yourself. Food in restaurants and cafeterias (often called refectories) on the university campus is very reasonably priced and is of excellent quality, including a wide variety of traditional British meals as well as pasta and rice dishes, plus healthy salads. The "sandwich" was invented in England and different varieties are available everywhere to "take-away" (Marks & Spencers is great for this!). Pre-prepared and packed (in plastic containers)salads, sandwiches, pies and other snacks are everywhere. Potato chips are called potato "crisps" and tomato ketchup is often called tomato "sauce". If you think that English food is not spicy, you might like to experience real English mustard - you have been warned! Another great British invention is "Fish and Chips" ("chips" are French fries), while a real English Breakfast is a true feast. The UK has a bad international reputation for food, but in fact, it is often of a very good standard. Many of the world's top international chefs are British! American fast food restaurants are everywhere, but you will find that they are considerably more expensive than in Thailand. Chinese and Indian "take-aways" are also everywhere. Who knows, you may become totally addicted to British food!!! - probably not, but you might find that you put on weight if you discover little snacks like "Jaffa Cakes", "Wotsits", "Turkish Delight" and chocolate "Digestive" biscuits!!!

What is "IELTS"? What is "TOEFL"?

"IELTS" stands for International English Language Testing Service. It is used as a basis of entry to higher education and language schools. You can take it at British Council and IDP offices (see The IELTS Test elsewhere in this guide). "TOEFL" stands for Test Of English as a Foreign Language and, like the IELTS, it is used as a way of assessing your English ability. IELTS is strongly preferred above TOEFL by many institutions because it gives a truer indication of real English ability. The main difference is that IELTS does not have a grammar/structure section, but instead has a 10-15 minute interview. TOEFL has recently been computerised, but it may revert to the old paper and pencil test. TOEFL scores are accepted by most places, but a few universities (or specific departments in a university) will not accept them, so check which test to take first! Check out these websites for more information: www.ielts.org, www.toefl.org

How good must my English be?

It is very important for your English to be good enough for you to do the course work. If your English is nearly, but not quite, good enough, you may have the chance to do pre-sessional courses - sometimes FREE. The following is an example of the entry requirements of one leading UK university: (others may be higher or lower, of course)

* It is very important to get a good IELTS score. However, if a course entry requirement is an IELTS score of, for example, 6.5, many universities will accept 5.5 PROVIDED that you attend pre-sessional English for, usually, 2-3 months. However, some universities, particularly in linguistically demanding courses such as Law, require that you achieve the correct score and will not substitute pre-sessional English. It is very important to carefully check each institution's requirements (note that this is another area where you benefit a lot from using an agent!). It is also important that you plan ahead to ensure that you get to the required English score level BEFORE you start the course. It is usually possible to get from IELTS 5.5 to 6.0/6.5 in 2 or 3 months of hard study, but it is much, much more difficult to get from 6.0 to 7.0/7.5 - it can realistically take as long as 6 months.

REMEMBER: It is not always good to go somewhere just because they accept you!

Some countries accept lower standards of English and the students go there and find that they cannot do the work because of their poor English. If this happens, you have wasted your money and your time. Also, it may make you give up the chance of a good education. In the UK, we do not want this to happen to you! We want your English to be good enough before you start studying. This way you will benefit the most. Also, you will enjoy learning and understanding all that slang (!!) much more easily if you have good English to start with. We strongly recommend that you arrive in the UK at least ONE MONTH BEFORE you start studying (THREE months would be perfect!). In general, required English standards are increasing for both Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels of study - IELTS 7.0 is becoming common and 7.5 is demanded by some top institutions. Also, some universities require not only an overall score, but also minimum scores in each subsection (Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing - see The IELTS Test section elsewhere in this guide). The Writing score is especially important.

Can I get accepted with a low English score?

Universities / Colleges
Yes, and this is very important, you can often get a conditional acceptance at a university when your IELTS or TOEFL score is lower than what is required. The condition will be that you must meet the requirement before the course starts. Very often the requirement is that you do a pre-sessional English course. The university will be very keen to ensure that you are well-prepared for the course. It is very unusual for students not to be allowed to take a bachelor's/master's course provided that they have performed satisfactorily by taking (meaning attended and participated in, not just registered for!) pre-sessional English. However, at some universities you must retake the IELTS at the end of the English course before your main course starts.

Boarding Schools / International Study Centres
Generally, boarding schools and international study centres do not use IELTS / TOEFL as entry requirements. Instead they normally use their own tests and almost always have an interview. However, they do require a fairly high level of English and probably some knowledge of basic science, mathematics, etc. Extra English tuition is almost always available in addition to academic subjects to give students (often called "pupils") more help, confidence and guidance.

Where can I study English in Thailand?

If you have taken studying English seriously since you began (in primary school, or elsewhere) then you will probably have a good knowledge of the basics and understand quite a lot. Production of good English is usually the problem for most Thai students because even though they may know something, they cannot always produce it due to not having enough practice in real life situations. There are some good places to study English in Thailand (including Euro-Education Services!!!), but the best thing that you can do is to go to the UK one, two, three (or more, if necessary) months, BEFORE your main course starts! This way you will become more familiar with not only the English language, but also UK culture and lifestyle before you start studying.

What's the weather like? Will it be too cold for me?

Come on! You want the best education and top-level studying is never easy. Learning to live in a foreign country makes you a better and stronger person - just look at the section in this guide about other Thai students' real life experiences. Surely, you are not going to let a small problem like a little bit of cold weather for a few months of your life affect your chances of getting the very best education!!! Just think how enjoyable a cool climate can be - which do you prefer, Chiang Mai in the cool season or Bangkok in the hot season? The weather in the UK really is not that bad, and every building, taxi, tra in or bus has heating and all bathrooms have lovely, steaming hot water. Sure, during January and February it does get pretty chilly, but as the spring season develops from March through to June, along with all those new fresh green leaves and sweet smelling flowers, together with some glorious clear blue sunny skies, you will soon realise that the climate in the UK is actually very enjoyable. Also, during the summer months, daylight hours are very long (it doesn't get dark until 10.00 p.m.) which is great for doing your studying while you are sitting outside in the garden in the cool, fresh evening air, or relaxing over an ice-cool drink by the river (doing your studying, of course!). Do not let other people tell you the weather is a reason not to study in the UK!

When can I study? When is the Academic Year?

The academic year at most schools, study centres, colleges and universities starts inSeptember and finishes in June/July. Most schools prefer students to start in September, but entry can be at the beginning of any term by special arrangement. One-day holidays are called Bank Holidays (there are two Bank Holiday Mondays during term in May). English courses can be taken at almost any time (not over Christmas / New Year). Only two universities offer January entry to bachelor's degree courses, but a quite a few others offer January/February entry for postgraduate courses (*see January Start elsewhere in this guide). In general, only new universities offer January/February starts and only for the most popular courses such as Business. It is thus usually possible only to start courses in subjects like Law, Economics and Politics in September/October. Currently, no university offers an April start in taught Undergraduate or Postgraduate courses. However, it is often possible to start a Doctoral PhD/MPhil programme at the start of any term. There are three terms (semesters), which are as follows:

The Academic Year in the UK

Can I work in the UK?

Yes, you can. In the UK, students from Thailand (and other countries outside the European Union) can work 20 hours a week during term time, and you can work full-time during vacations when you are registered on a course that is longer than 6 months. Part-time jobs are quite easy to find. A part-time job gives you some valuable work experience and it is a great way to make new friends and contacts outside where you study. The extra money is useful, too! (But do remember that a part-time job should only be to top up your funds - you still need to have enough funds to cover your studying and living expenses) Also, it is not a good idea to work more than 15 hours a week during term time. In fact, any part-time job might affect your studies, especially if you are doing a master's course when you will have a very heavy workload of assignments and projects. Make extra money, but do not let it affect your studies!

Can I work in the UK after I graduate?

Yes, you can. Under the Training and Work Experience (TWE) programme, you may stay in the UK for up to 2 years to work. However, it must be relevant to your degree. If you have a Law degree, you would, for example, be expected to work in the field of Law and not at McDonald's! A work permit is granted automatically if your application satisfies the authorities - ask for more specific details in the UK; there will be a lot of help if you need it. The UK is a very international-thinking country and employers often welcome foreign staff. They sometimes prefer foreign staff because they are better and work harder than local staff! There is no difference in pay for men and women who do the same job and employers are legally bound to provide equality in the workplace. Work or any job you get will depend a lot on you, and on how you present yourself. Working in the UK after you graduated would be wonderful for your CV (hopefully, you will have stopped calling it a Resume by then!) and it might even give you more chance to find a husband or wife!!!

Should I take a computer with me?

There is no need to take a PC or a laptop, but if you already have a laptop, take it with you if you want to. It is very cheap and easy to buy a good quality second hand or used PC in the UK. There are many advertisements for used PCs in the students' union offices. Typically, you can get a PC for 150 to 200 pounds, then use it for a year and sell it when you leave! Do remember that it is illegal in the UK to sell something that does not work, so if there is a problem with anything you buy that is used, you have the law with you. Other students and any university staff would probably help you if you had a problem. Many bedrooms have computer points, so it is convenient to have your own PC. Most universities have computers available for students to use all over the campus in libraries, labs, etc.

Can I get a scholarship?

This is a very popular question, but it is very difficult to answer quickly and easily in a short space! In general, scholarships are given for outstanding academic ability; they are much sought after and the competition from the best students around the world is extremely fierce. The possibility of getting a scholarship depends a lot on both the type of institution - college/language school, boarding school, university - and the level of study - undergraduate, postgraduate (taught or research) - as well as the subject being studied. Another factor is the source and size of the scholarship. At university postgraduate level, there is a fairly wide availability of small, partial scholarships of 1,000 to 2,000 pounds, deducted from the tuition fees. Full scholarships are much rarer and almost always only for research programmes. The following gives a brief idea of what scholarships may be available, but for more comprehensive and up-to-date information you should consult in depth data on wwww…INSERT

Language Schools / Colleges
Scholarships rarely exist. However, special offers, discounts and reduced fees for long courses can help to reduce costs.

Boarding Schools / International Study Centres
Scholarships are usually in the form of reduced fees, but in a few cases full scholarships are available. Also, there may be bursaries (another formal word for "money given") for outstanding ability in non-academic areas (e.g. sports, music, art & design, etc.). However, competition for academic awards is very strong - you will also be competing against British children unless an award is specific - so generally only the most outstandingly able students will win scholarships.

Undergraduate Study
Academic scholarships are seldom available for undergraduate study at UK universities. Many universities do have small scholarships for exceptional ability in music, sports or drama, but, in general, partial ones have limited availability and are only for students in special subject areas, usually in Science or Engineering; popular subjects like Business rarely have scholarships look out for special offers!

Postgraduate Taught
Partial Scholarships for very able students are available in some universities. They may be specific to one country (for example, the University of Nottingham gives all Thai students an automatic 1,000 pound scholarship), or may be very competitive (such as the University of Warwick, which gives 5 awards of 3,000 pound scholarships for outstanding academic ability. Full scholarships are usually only available from external organisations and bodies (like the British Council, The Royal Thai Government, Shell Scholarships, the Chevening Scholarships, etc.), but, again, competition is very fierce.

Postgraduate Research
Most scholarships from universities and external organisations are for research. They range from partial to full and, again, are almost always for students with the highest academic qualifications and most relevant experience. Fierce competition is normal, but especially so in areas such as Business and Law. Subjects like Science and Engineering offer a much higher chance of getting a scholarship, particularly if the research area is something really unusual, useful and maybe unique.

Scholarships Available in Thailand
Scholarships administered by the Royal Thai Civil Service Commission (Kor Por) are the largest source of full funding for undergraduate, taught master's and research degrees. They are, of course (sorry, again!!) competitive, but they do cover a very wide range of subjects. The standard condition is that the scholarship recipient works for the Royal Thai Government on a "2 for 1" basis - for instance, if you get a scholarship for 4 years, you must work for the Government for 8 years. However, the 1 year master's scholarships are very good, covering full fees, flights and a generous living allowance of 710 pounds a month. Other sources include the King's Scholarships, Shell Scholarships and the Chevening Scholarships, details of which are as follows:

The British Chevening Scholarship Programe
• It is for a one-year Master's degree or diploma, either taught or research
• 20 + are awarded annually
• Covers tuition fees, books, living expenses and return airfares
• Must have a bachelor's degree with a GPA of 3.0 and at least 2 years relevant work experience, plus a very high standard of written and spoken English (IELTS 6.5/7+)
• Applications must be made 1st August to 15th September (deadline) for a course starting the following September. Interviews November / December.
More information: www.britishemb.or.th/political/scholar.htm or www.chevening.com

Scholarships Available in the UK
University, Department, Faculty or International Office Country-Specific Scholarships are sometimes available; these can vary from 500 pounds, to 50%, to full funding. Research Councils, Overseas Research Scholarships and Corporate Scholarships are also available on a competitive basis - keep your eyes and ears open for offers!

An example of a Country-Specific 2002 / 2003 Scholarship was this:

Liverpool John Moores University
50% Tuition Fee Scholarships for 2 Thai Students
Covers 50% tuition fee of any 1-year full-time undergraduate or postgraduate course (including an MBA)
Selection is based on Academic Achievement, English Language Proficiency, plus other things such as work experience, social service activities, etc.

Finally, whatever scholarship you aim for, be sure to APPLY EARLY and PLAN AHEAD - most have a specific closing date, which is not negotiable! GOOD LUCK!