Studying for a degree in the United Kingdom is a unique opportunity
Undergraduate degrees in the UK usually last three years, though some – such as Medicine and Dentistry – may last longer. The qualification obtained depends on the final marks. The most common classification is as follows (from highest to lowest):
- Honours degree (Class I), also known as a “first” or “first class honours”
- Honours degree (Class II Division 1), also known as a "two one" or “upper second class honours"
- Honours degree (Class II Division 2), also known as a "two two" o "lower second class honours"
- Honours degree (Class III), also known as a "third" o "third class honours"
- Ordinary degree (no sub-classification).
The names of the degrees vary, with the most common being as follows:
- Humanities subjects: BA, or Bachelor of Arts
- Education: BEd or Bachelor of Education
- Law: LLB or Bachelor of Law
- Engineering: BEng or Bachelor of Engineering
- Medicine: MB or Bachelor of Medicine
- Sciences: BSc or Bachelor of Science.
Further or Vocational Education
The equivalents of Venezuela’s “technical” qualifciations (in the area of “Further”, as opposed to “Higher”, Education) are the Vocational Certificates, which can be obtained from technical colleges.
Requirements for undergraduate study
The requirements to enter an undergraduate course in the UK are as follows:
*Foundation Course
Unless you have the International Baccalaureate, as a foreign undergraduate student you will have to take a special one-year programme known as the “Foundation Course” before starting university. This will prepare you for the degree course and reinforce your level of academic English. For further information about the Foundation Course, contact the university of your choice directly.
*Knowledge of English
You will need to prove that you have an Upper Intermediate level of English by taking the IELTS examination (International English Language Testing System). You can do this at the British Council in Caracas. Some universities also accept the TOEFL qualification. You should find out from your university what the minimum required IELTS or TOEFL score is for the degree course of your choice.
Selecting the institution for undergraduate study
You need to find out which universities offer courses in the field which you’re interested in. Any of the following web pages will provide you with this information:
You can also look at the “Undergraduate Directory” in our Information Centre and read the prospectuses we have from various universities.
Applying for an undergraduate degree course
As mentioned above, you will need to take a Foundation Course first (unless you already have the International Baccalaureate). Then identify (from the web pages above) at least six universities which offer the degrre course you want to take. Next, process your application to these universities through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service): you can get the form from our offices or from www.ucas.com. Finally, send the completed form to UCAS by registered post or online. The closing date for sending the form is 15 December of the year before you plan to start your studies – if you send it later, it will reduce your possibilities of finding a place on the degree course you want.
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