Application Procedure for Postgraduate Programmes
(Masters' & Doctoral Degree Courses)
|
This section
explains the process of applying to universities in England & Scotland for Postgraduate (Masters’
& Doctorate Degree) courses. For details on how to select a university that matches
your interests, needs and academic background, go to the Selecting Universities section.
|
|
|
| Application Requirements |
- Academic
Records
- Standardized
Tests
- Work
Experience Details
- Letters
of Recommendation
- Statement
of Purpose (SOP)
|
If you have any doubts or require any further information,
please use our Helpline service. |
|
|
| Send enquiries at least
12 to 18 months before the proposed date of admission. There are two ways to get
application forms. |
Requesting Application
Forms : You can request application forms from the universities website. Most
universities have a form on their website which can be completed online to request
application material.
Downloading from the
university website : Many universities have a downloadable and ready to print
version of their application form on the net. These can be used for applying just as
regular forms.
|
|
Most UK universities accept
the Indian graduation system of three years for entry into most postgraduate courses. An
Indian bachelor degree like B.A., B.Com. or B.Sc. is equivalent to a British Bachelor
(Ordinary) Degree.
However, some courses and universities may require a qualification equivalent to British
Bachelor (Honours) Degree, which requires 16 years of formal education, which would mean
another year after graduation or a four year degree course like B.E., B.Tech or other such
courses.
For most Universities, a good first degree from a leading university in India or its
equivalent is essential.
For more details on British Degrees and their Indian equivalent, check out the table
below: |
British Degree |
Indian Equivalent Degree |
British Bachelor (Ordinary) Degree |
A three-year Indian
Graduation Degree like B.A. or B.Sc. and other such courses. |
British Bachelor (Honours) Degree |
A four-year Indian
graduation course like B.E. or B.Tech. or other such
courses.
OR
A post graduate degree, from Indian university, like M.A., M.Sc. or other such courses. |
British Master’s Degree |
A post graduate
degree like M.Tech. or M.E. from I.I.T. or I.I.Sc. and other such colleges |
|
|
| Application Requirements |
Full details of your
education including your course subjects and grades are required in the applications.
Transcripts or official records of your previous academic qualifications are crucial for
your application.
Students applying for admission are required to submit an official transcript from each
college or university that they have attended after secondary school with complete details
of the subjects, credits involved and other details like correspondence courses, diplomas
etc. Most universities ask for the transcript to be sealed in an envelope and signed and
attested across the seal by the registrar. This procedure is to be done for each and every
college that you have attended. Some universities may ask for more than one transcript but
most require only one.
If the originals are not in English, copies and a good English translation must be
enclosed. If your undergraduate qualification or university is unknown to the admissions
tutor, the British Council would be able to advise. |
|
| Standardized Tests |
Top |
IELTS : For most courses and
universities, International students are required to take IELTS (International
English Language Test) which is regularly administered by the British Council. Some
universities may accept TOEFL as an alternative.
Note : Some Universities may waive IELTS if you have been studying in
English medium throughout and they are convinced that you are proficient in English.
GMAT : For most management courses,
International students are required to take GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test). |
|
Note:
1) Most British Universities do not require the GRE for admission to post graduate
courses.
2) Some Universities may waive IELTS / TOEFL if you have been studying in English medium
throughout and they are convinced that you are proficient in English. |
|
| Work Experience Details |
Top |
A number of professional and vocational courses require
relevant work experience. For instance, many MBAs or master’s courses in information
studies require at least a couple of years’ work experience. Most Australian
universities are pretty strict about this.
A detailed R�sum� is an important part of your application. It should include all
information of professional work experience along with the details like positions held,
achievements and range of work. |
|
| Find Resumes a
problem? Check out our Resume section for tips. |
|
| Letter of Recommendation |
Top |
Letters of reference or recommendation letters play a very important part
in your admission especially in courses that earn you a master’s or doctoral degree.
A recommendation letter is a signed statement from a person who knows you well
professionally or has taught you in a subject that is related to the course you are
applying to. It should list your positive and negative qualities, strengths and other such
information.
The author or teacher must indicate his position, how long he/she has known the applicant
and in what capacity. He/she should briefly discuss the need, importance and usefulness of
the study the applicant proposes to undertake. Authors are usually asked to rank
applicants in their letters of recommendation, which helps admission officers to interpret
the academic credentials of foreign students. Students should obtain letters of
recommendation (often on the prescribed forms sent by the institutions) from teachers who
know them as a person as well as a student. You may like to request your author to give
concrete examples that may show your qualities and help your case.
Many universities have their own format and questions that have to be answered by the
person who is giving the letter of recommendation on your behalf. Letters, which do not
give enough information, can jeopardize a candidate’s chances of selection. |
|
Note :
Even if not mentioned, it is advisable to include at least two letters of recommendation
in your applications as they increase your chances of getting admissions.
|
| For more details on
letters of recommendation, formats and tips, check out Letters of Recommendation |
|
| Statement of Purpose |
Top |
The personal essays, and/or statement of purpose, play a very important
role in the process of evaluating your application for both admission as well as financial
aid because it gives the faculty assessing your application their most significant
impression of you as an individual. This section is the key to distinguish your
application from other suitable candidates and a chance to market yourself.
A personal statement should include your reasons for choosing a particular course, the
suitability of your education and experience for the chosen course, your personal
interests and career goals. |
|
| For more details on various essay
topics, tips, sample essays, check out our Essays/Statement of Purpose section. |
|
