K M Enayet Hossain
05 January, 2023

5 min read

Guide

Apply to Study in the UK from China

Currently UK is Number 1 choice by Chinese students for overseas higher studies as UK degrees boost better employment prospects in China and studying in the UK cost less than USA and Australia.

China being a ‘low risk’ country, UKVI has ‘differential evidence requirements’ provisions for students from the country - Chinese students applying for student visa in China do not need to provide education certificates or bank statements with their visa applications. Besides, universities in the UK have dedicated team and special arrangements to serve Chinese students and give them the best welcoming experience.

Admissions are open at our partner universities in the UK – submit your initial application to commence your Study UK journey.

Study in the UK – Key Information

Academic level
Level 3 to Level 8

Qualification type
Foundation, Undergraduate, Postgraduate & Doctorate

Study mode
Full-time, part-time or on-line

Duration
0.5 year to 4 years*

Intakes
Throughout the year*

Scholarship
Yes*

Study in the UK – submit admission inquiry

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Why choose Total Student Care (TSC) to study in the UK

Total Student Care is an award winning education agent and UK university admission expert. We take your stress to make you happy and we are widely known for providing total student care.

  1. Offering 15,000+ courses at 100+ study locations
  2. Availing almost any subject and year-round intakes
  3. Helping students from any country, on-line and off-line
  4. Providing end-to-end services, almost 24/7
  5. Maintaining 99% visa success rate
  6. Equipping 15+ years accumulative admission experience

Cost of Studying in the UK for Chinese Students

The cost breakdowns below are average figures of expenses that a typical Chinese student will spend on commonly studied subjects at commonly chosen universities in the UK while living a UK life like other international students. However, these costs may vary for certain courses at top universities. For living and maintenance costs, students are in control and can choose to spend more or less as per their financial ability or necessity. This is a general guideline for Chinese students to prepare for their budget to study in the UK.

Tuition Fee

Course Level Average Cost (GBP) Average Cost (CNY)
Foundation courses (Full fees) 10000 to 15000 84202 to 126302
Undergraduate courses (per year) 11000 to 15000 92622 to 126302
Postgraduate courses (Full fees) 11000 to 16000 92622 to 134722
Doctorate courses (per year) 14000 to 16000 117882 to 134722

Most of the universities offer some scholarship ranging from GBP 500 to GBP 5000 which will reduce tuition fee cost.

Living cost and Maintenance costs per month

Details Average Cost (GBP) Average Cost (CNY)
Accommodation 600 to 1000 5052 to 8420
Utility bills 50 to 100 421 to 842
Travel 200 to 400 1684 to 3368
Food 300 to 600 2526 to 5052
Mobile phone 30 to 50 252 to 421
Entertainment 100 to 300 842 to 2526
Other casual irregular costs 100 to 200 842 to 1684

Students get 30% discount on travel card and different types of discount on shopping.

You can control most of the living and maintenance costs and spend as per the luxury you want. Elements of travel, entertainment and other casual costs do not occur regularly and hence may not feature in each month’s budget.

Visa application and IHS (International Health Surcharge) fee

Details Cost (GBP) Cost (CNY)
Student visa application (One-off) 348 2930
IHS (per year) 470 3957

Visa application and IHS (International Health Surcharge) fee may change per year by Home Office. Please check visa application fees calculator & IHS fees calculator to find out how much you will have to pay for your application.

For up-to-date currency rate, please check oanda.com.

Earnings from working in the UK on student visa

Students will have the right to work while continuing their studies in the UK i.e. 10 hours per week if they are studying foundation course, 20 hours per week studying a bachelor, masters or PhD course. Students will be able to work full time per week during holiday period in between your course.

Student earning in the UK per month

Details Average earning from student job (GBP) Average earning student job (CNY)
Part-time work 460 to 800 3873 to 6736
Full-time work 1600 to 2000 13472 to 16840

Popular subjects Chinese Students choose to study in the UK

The most popular subjects Chinese students choose to study at UK universities include:

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Electronic Engineering
  • Automation
  • Big Data Technology
  • Food Science and Engineering
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Robotic Engineering
  • Cloud Computing
  • Energy Engineering
  • Psychology
  • Mathematics
  • Art and Design
  • Accounting
  • Finance
  • Biomedical Science
  • Economics
  • International Trade
  • Computer Science and Technology
  • Cyber Security
  • Business and Management
  • Civil Engineering
  • Architecture
  • Medicine
  • Nursing
  • Public Health
  • Project management
  • Digital Marketing
  • Liberal Arts
  • Law
  • Education
  • Social Science
  • Media Studies
  • Teaching

Documents required for admission application

In general, initially students are required to provide the following documents for university admission applications:

  • All final official academic certificates and transcripts
  • Two academic reference letters
  • Up-to-date CV
  • Passport
  • English Language proficiency certificate i.e. IELTS
  • Personal statement of purpose
  • Research proposal (for MPhil, PhD course)
  • Portfolio of works (for art/design/architecture/film etc. course)
  • ACCA registration confirmation for ACCA course
  • Past visa refusal documents (if applicable)

Why choose to study in the UK from China?

18 top reasons Chinese students choose to study in the UK

  • UK Degrees creates better employment prospects home and abroad
  • Teaching in the UK is designed to prepare students with soft skills
  • UK education integrates personal growth with academic depth
  • Support from university career service to become ‘career-ready’
  • Students are able to enrich life experience from diverse culture
  • A great platform to practice and improve proficiency in English language
  • Admission in universities fairly straightforward and is less competitive
  • Student visa application and decision process is easier and quicker
  • UK offers amazing personal safety, social harmony & high quality living
  • Chinese students being majority in the UK, it is a home to them
  • Presence of large Chinese community in the UK is there for more support
  • UK has world-famous art, culture, music, theatre, history
  • UK is gateway to the Europe & well-connected to the world
  • UK is a global hub to explore and expand international horizons
  • Students get free access to world-class NHS health services
  • Students can learn course and earn money at the same time
  • Make money & take work experience during Graduate visa
  • Switch to skilled worker visa to build international career

 
 
 
 
 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)s

Q What are the UK undergraduate course entry requirements for Chinese students?

A Applicants with the following quali?cations will be considered for entry on a year 1 undergraduate degree:

  • Chinese university / college entrance examination (Gaokao) with an overall average 65% or higher
  • Diploma from specialised college (zhongzhuan) with an overall average of 65% or higher
  • Graduation Certificate awarded at ‘Zhuanke” / ‘Dazhuan’ level from universities / colleges with an overall 65% or higher
  • Graduation Certificate - Sub degree (Gaozhi) with an overall 65% or above
  • British/International A Levels (from a minimum 112 UCAS tariff points depending on course)
  • IB Diploma (from a minimum 25 points depending on course)
  • A recognised foundation course from a UK institution or a Chinese institution following a validated UK syllabus. Entry requirements vary but we normally ask for between 60% and 65%

To be considered for entry into Year 2 of undergraduate degree, you will typically need to have one of the following:

  • Bachelor Degree Year Two completed from a recognised university in China with an overall average of 70% (GPA 2.0/4) or above
  • Dazhuan three year Diploma in a relevant subject area with 70% (GPA 2.0/4) or above
  • UK Higher National Diploma (HND) with grades CCC

To be considered for entry into Year 3 of undergraduate degree, you will typically need to have one of the following:

  • Dazhuan three year Diploma in a closely related subject area with 70% (GPA 2.0/4) or above
  • UK Higher National Diploma (HND) with grades BBB if studying a 3 Grade Unit SQA HND or BB if studying a 2 Grade Unit SQA HND

Applicants with the following qualifications will be considered for entry on a degree with an integrated foundation year:

  • Senior Secondary School Certificate with a minimum of 60%
  • Vocational Secondary School Diploma (Zhixiao) with a minimum of 60%
Gaokao - percentage Gaokao - overall grade Gaokao - GPA A level UCAS tariff
90 – 100 A 4.0 AAA 144
78-81 B 3.0 BBB 120
70-71 C 2.0 CCC 96
Q What are the UK postgraduate course entry requirements for Chinese students?

A Applicants with the following quali?cations will be considered for entry on a postgraduate course:

  • Bachelor’s degree with a GPA 2.6/4.0 or an overall average of 65% or higher
  • Honours degree from any university in the UK or Republic of Ireland with a minimum of 2:2 or above
  • A recognised UK-based or China-based Pre-Master's qualification
  • To study a PhD: a research proposal is required in addition to a Masters qualification in a related subject area
Chinese degree classification - prestigious institution Chinese degree classification - non-prestigious institution Chinese degree classification - college institution UK degree equivalent
80% 85% 90% 1st
75% 80% 85% 2:1
70% 75% 80% 2:2
Q Is it mandatory to apply for undergraduate courses via UCAS?

A No, it is not mandatory to apply for undergraduate courses via UCAS, many UK universities accept direct applications via online application portal for undergraduate courses. You do not need to apply for postgraduate courses via UCAS.

Q Is there any fee for UK university application?

A Most of the UK universities do not charge any application fee. However, there are a few universities that charge a non-refundable admission application fee, you will need to pay it at the time of application submission.

Q If my documents are not in English, will those be accepted for admission by UK universities?

A No, documents that are not in English will not be accepted. If any of your documents are not in English, you will need those to be translated in English by official translator confirming accurate translation of the original document, the date of the translation, the translator’s full name and signature, contact details. You must submit copies of both documents, original and the translated one.

Q What is academic reference? How many academic references do I need to provide with admission application?

A An academic reference is a testimonial to confirm facts and to provide relevant opinions of a student’s academic accomplishments, characteristics, aptitude, and an academic evaluation of your research, intellectual qualities, ability and potential. The reference is written by an academic of your current or former education intuition. You will need to provide 2 academic references/reference letters with your admission applications to UK universities.

Q What are the benefits of UK Graduate Visa (Post Study Work Visa) to Chinese students?

A Graduate visa is an UK Immigration route that allows international students to get 2/3 years Post Study Work (PSW) visa after their graduation. Chinese students graduating with UK undergraduate or postgraduate degree courses can seize the opportunity and benefit from UK graduate visa hugely.

Q How to prepare for UK University admission/pre-CAS credibility interviews?

A Most of the UK Universities/Colleges take credibility interviews to assess suitability and credibility of candidates for admission. They may conduct the interview over the phone or skype or via a video link. You will have to satisfy the interviewer to get unconditional offer/CAS from the interviewer university/college. Prepare your answers well for these credibility interview questions to avoid any disappointment. Contact our team for further help and support with these

Q What British etiquette & customs I should be aware of as an international student in the UK?

A UK has its unique etiquette and customs representing British value, it would be very useful and handy to go through our international student guide to British etiquette & customs and make your student life pleasing and enjoyable in the UK.

Q I have more questions and need more information, can you help?

A Yes, you can ask any relevant valid question to us via our ‘Ask us a question’ link – our team of experienced student consultants will be happy to answer and provide further information.

Need more information?

If you are not sure about your admission needs and want to consult us before making your decision, get in touch with our student counsellors –

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