As with all the UK, qualifications from England are recognised and respected throughout the world. Your qualification will be a solid foundation for building your future, boosting your career and prospects for a higher salary.

You can choose from a variety of routes through the education and training system, combining different types of course according to your needs and abilities.

English degrees can take only three years and postgraduate master's courses only one year ' compared with four years and two years in most other countries. This means you will save a great deal on both tuition fees and living costs ' and you will be able to start working and earning money sooner. English degree courses are shorter because they are more intensive, and therefore more efficient in terms of your time and money.

Innovative, original and with an amazing history, the UK's courses and qualifications are as varied as its landscape

What information should I check about the institution I want to study at?
UK immigration permission is now granted only for study at institutions which are listed in the Register of Education and Training Providers, compiled by the UK Government Department for Education and Skills (DfES). All institutions listed on the study.england.edu site are listed in the Register.

It is very important that you check whether the institution you want to attend is in the Register before you make your immigration application. If the institution is not in the Register, your application will be refused.

The following education and training providers are automatically included in the Register:
* those that receive public funding;
* institutions that are accredited through the British Council, the British Accreditation Council, or the Association of British Language Schools;

* institutions that have been inspected and approved by government inspection bodies.

All other institutions have to apply to be included in the Register. However, their inclusion provides no guarantee of the quality or standard of their courses.

For more information about the Register of Providers, please see the DfES website at www.dfes.gov.uk/providersregister

How do I know which institutions offer UK degrees?
There is an official list of institutions offering recognised UK degrees on the Department for Education and Skill's website at www.dfes.gov.uk/recognisedukdegrees/

How do I apply for a place on a course at an institution in the UK?
For undergraduate degree level courses, applications to universities must be made through a central admissions system called the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). The UCAS website contains a great deal of information specifically for international students. You can even apply on-line.

When do I need to apply?
You need to check the application dates for your chosen course and make sure you allow plenty of time to complete your application by this date. Depending on the course or institution, you will need to submit your application by the middle of October a full year before you hope to start the course, or by the middle of January nine months before your course begins. It's best to allow at least a month to complete the application form, as you may need to check some of the personal information, find your candidate number for exams you have taken in the past and arrange references. The earliest you can apply is the September of the year before you course begins, and the earlier you apply, the less likely a course is to be full.