Study in the UK STUDY UK

The education system in the United Kingdom differs slightly from the United States and the Philippines. After completing compulsory education at the age of 16, students can choose to pursue Further Education (FE) through A-levels, IB, or other pathways to continue their academic development and enter university; alternatively, they can opt for vocational education, obtain a degree, and enter the workforce. Obtaining a Bachelor's degree in the UK typically takes only three years, but some programs, including those with internships, and degrees in Scotland, follow a four-year structure similar to Taiwan and the United States.

Since Further Education includes some university preparatory courses, Taiwanese high school students who wish to study at a regular UK university usually need to separately enroll in International Foundation Courses or International Year One to bridge the knowledge gap in their field of study and allow time for adapting to the UK education environment.

The education system in the United Kingdom starts relatively early, with compulsory education beginning at the age of five. Students complete six years of primary school, three years of secondary school, and two years of high school before taking the GCSE exams at the age of 16, marking the end of compulsory education. After this, students can choose between vocational education based on their career plans or pursue academic studies. Students opting for academic studies need to complete an additional two years of A-level courses, which is equivalent to the basic higher education in the Philippines. This allows students to choose subjects of interest to study and take the A-level exams in those subjects upon completion of the courses, qualifying them for university admission.

Most UK applications do not have set deadlines and follow a rolling admissions process. Typically, applications can be submitted starting from September each year until spots are filled or just before the start of the academic year (slight variations exist for universities and research institutes). Unlike many other countries, the UK does not require English proficiency test scores (such as IELTS/TOEFL) during the application process. Schools will review the application materials and make admission decisions directly. If accepted, students only need to submit their final grades before the start of the academic year or attend pre-sessional courses at the school to meet language requirements. Additionally, most UK master's programs do not require GRE/GMAT scores and place more emphasis on students' academic records and relevant experiences.