NUR-SULTAN – Kazakh students in the United Kingdom are pursuing their degrees in some of Britain’s highest ranked universities, reported Studying-in-UK.org.
Photo credit: studying-in-uk.org.
Approximately 458,490 international students study in the U.K., according to 2017-2018 academic year statistics. Students from Asia make up almost half of the number, with 204,400 individuals enrolled in British universities.
The number of Kazakh students is always above 1,300; the highest was 1,590 in 2014-2015. In addition, 85 students are completing postgraduate research, according to the latest figures from 2018.
“There are 1,330 students from Kazakhstan attending some of the best universities in the U.K., with most of them enrolled in University College London, immediately followed by City, University of London. These are among the most prestigious universities in the U.K., delivering world-class educations through excellent and innovative teaching methods,” reads the release.
The list of schools also includes University of Aberdeen, University of Manchester and University of Warwick. University College London and University of Manchester are ranked among the top 50 and University of Warwick is among the top 150 in the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2019.
The trend is a positive one “when it comes to building bridges between the two countries, both aiming to work towards a better future for the upcoming generations,” Studying-in-UK.org higher education expert Blerina Kelmendi told The Astana Times.
“In addition, there is also the possibility of numerous business relationships between internationals from Kazakhstan and residents of the U.K., which will then reinforce the whole ‘building bridges’ process. For this to happen, it is essential for students to take chances and explore their possibilities to study in the U.K. and then starting in 2020, graduates should make full and efficient use of their post-study work visa,” she added.
The number of Kazakh students in British universities has decreased slightly from the previous two years. Starting in 2020, however, post-study work visas for graduates will particularly and positively affect the number of Kazakh students in the U.K., noted Kelmendi.
“Having a British degree means you will have numerous opportunities to study worldwide, since U.K. degrees are globally recognised. But, having the possibility of working in the country where you studied is also invaluable, especially when it comes to the U.K.,” she said.
The number of Kazakh scholarship applications has decreased in recent years.
“Although there are a number of scholarships offered to international students in the U.K., they are usually quite competitive,” she added. “In addition, it is possible that the decrease in student numbers coming from Kazakhstan is due to the highly competitive scholarships as well as the numerous and challenging visa requirements.”
According to the latest reports by the British government, the U.K. granted 276,889 sponsored study (Tier 4) visas to international students, including dependants, in the year ending in September. The figure is a 16-percent increase compared to the previous year.
For more information about studying in the U.K., visit www.studying-in-uk.org.
