Higher Education in the UK

Higher Education in the UK!
Higher Education
Students who wish to enter higher education must do either Advanced Level in England or Highers in Scotland. Students typically enter the university at ages seventeen in Scotland and eighteen in England, respectively.

Most students must use the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service to apply the universities, however for some subjects there are different admissions services, such as NMAS for Nursing and Midwifery Diplomas. Many students in Scotland opt to remain in School for a 6th Year, and take Advanced Highers (Previously Certificate of Sixth Year Studies (CSYS) as the Scottish system uses the End of February for determining admission age many students are 17 when they start University despite staying for the 6th year)
For people who wish to enter higher education after some time out of education, who do not have the normal academic qualifications required for entry may study on an Access course, which is a course designed to prepare students for higher educations, typically offering a mix of modules at level 2 (equivalent to GCSE) and level 3 (equivalent to A level), normally including math’s and English, as well as other modules related to the degree programme the student wishes to undertake.
In Scotland, Scottish nationals do not need to pay for university tuition fees, it is paid for on their behalf by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland.
Nowadays, students often take a gap year after leaving sixth form college. Many students go to work, thus the universities in the United Kingdom generally welcome this phenomenon, and as a result, universities would accept a deferred entry.
Education in the four countries began with church organising schooling.
In England and Wales, between the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the 19th century most schools were established by private benefactors and operated as educational charities.
Universal education in Scotland began in 1561, with state funding from the outset, a tax to fund schools in 1633 and the Education Act 1696 aiming to establish a school and a schoolmaster in every parish. The state became involved in construction of schools in England and Wales in 1833, with the Elementary Education Act of 1870 setting the framework for universal education. Compulsory education was introduced in 1872 in Scotland along with the formation of the Scotch Education Department, and in 1888 in England and Wales. The "Balfour" Education Act of 1902 brought most schools in England and Wales under Local Education Authority control.
The "Butler" Education Act of 1944 changed the education system for secondary schools in England and Wales. Initially schools were separated into primary schools (infant schools age 5 to 7 and junior schools age 7 to 11), and secondary schools (split into more academic grammar schools and more vocational secondary modern schools). Under both Labour and Conservative governments of the 1960s and 1970s most secondary modern and grammar schools were reorganised as comprehensive schools.
Students normally enter University from 18 onwards and study for an Academic Degree. Apart from a single private university, all undergraduate education is largely state financed (with tuition fees set at a maximum index-linked £3,000 per year, repayable after graduation contingent on attaining a certain level of income, and with the state paying all fees for students from the poorest backgrounds), and UK students are generally entitled to student loans for maintenance. The state does not control syllabi, but it does influence admission procedures.The typical first degree offered at British universities is the Bachelor's degree (typically three years). Many institutions now offer an undergraduate Master's degree as a first degree, typically lasting four years. During a first degree students are known as undergraduates. The difference in fees between undergraduate and traditional postgraduate Master's degrees (and the possibility of securing LEA funding for the former) makes taking an undergraduate Master's degree as a first degree a more attractive option, although the novelty of undergraduate Master's degrees means that the relative educational merit of the two is currently unclear.
Some universities offer a Foundation degree, typically between one and two years in length for those students who hope to continue to take a first degree but are not academically strong enough.
Postgraduate education
Students who have completed a first degree are eligible to undertake a postgraduate degree, which includes:
· Master's degree (typically taken in one year)
· Doctorate degree (typically taken in three years)
Postgraduate education is not automatically financed by the State, and so admission is in practice highly competitive.
Specialist qualifications
· Education: Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), Certificate in Education (Cert Ed), C&G 7407, most of which also incorporate Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
· Law: Bachelor of Laws LL.B.
· Medicine: Bachelors of Medicine and Surgery studied at Medical school (United Kingdom)
· Business: Master of Business Administration MBA.
Adult education
Adult education, Continuing education or Lifelong learning is offered to students of all ages. These can include the vocational qualifications mentioned above and also:
· Access programme one or two year courses to allow adults access to university.
· Open University a distance learning program which can result in a Degree.
· Workers' Educational Association
A large number of semi-recreational courses, with or without qualifications, are made available by Local Education Authorities under the guise of Adult Education, such as holiday languages, crafts and yacht navigation.
Costs
The costs for a normal education in England and Wales are as follows:
· Primary: no charge
· Secondary: no charge
· Further (Secondary) Education in either a sixth form or college: no charge if under 19 years of age in that particular academic year or on a low income.
· Undergraduate Higher Education for those who started in or prior to October 2005: up to £1175 per annum (Oct 2005) depending on income, rising £25 every year.
· Undergraduate Higher Education starting October 2006 or later: up to £3000 per annum (capped) - this is due to the introduction of controversial top-up fees
· Postgraduate Higher Education: Typically £3000 per annum; however some institutions charge a larger amount.