How to Study in the UK from Kenya?

There are lots of advantages students can have by studying in the United Kingdom. A country plays an important role in a person’s life. But studying abroad plays even a greater role in broadening horizons and gaining global exposure. There are many reasons a Kenyan students have a higher interest in British education. Let’s know about the benefits-

• A British Degree is universally recognised.
• World-class universities are in the United Kingdom.
• Various course opportunities are offered by the British education system.
• Varieties choice of selecting the field of education and institutions.
• Shorter duration of courses.
• Students develop excellent English language skills.
• Diverse and unique culture.
• Part-time job opportunity while studying.
• Post-study work visa.
• Scholarship and financial support.
• A great place to live.

Entry requirements for admission to study in the UK from Kenya.

For an international student, studying in the United Kingdom means a student must meet their eligibility to the entry requirements of the university. Each university and courses have different types of entry requirements. 

Foundation Course

If a student takes the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (5 credits including Mathematics and English Language) they will need to do a foundation year before doing a bachelor’s degree.

Undergraduate Courses

Students will be qualified for the undergraduate course if they have-

• A Diploma with an overall 50% grade C
• An Ordinary Diploma with an overall 50% grade C
• A Higher Diploma with an overall 50%/ grade C

Postgraduate Course

For entry into the Postgraduate courses, a student usually needs an undergraduate degree with good grades from a recognised institution. Entry requirements can be different from course to course. If students don’t match the entry requirements, they can apply for a pre-masters to get the qualification.

English Language Requirements to study in the UK from Kenya

IFP 3 terms: IELTS UKVI overall 4.5 and no less than 4.0 in any band.

IFP 2 terms: IELTS UKVI overall 5.0 and no less than 4.5 in any band.

International Year 1: Overall 5.5 and no less than 5.5 in any band.

Pre-Master: Overall 5.5 and no less than 5.5 in any band.

Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses: IELTS 6.0 and no less than 5.5 in any band.

However, some of the courses ask for a higher score. Besides, If you have an UKVI IELTS but not up to the mark to get a course in the United Kingdom, you can do a pre-sessional English course there.

Study without IELTS from Kenya:

You may be able to study in the UK either a foundation, undergraduate or postgraduate course without an IELTS if you have grade C in English in the KCSE exam. 

What are the course options to study in the UK from Kenya?

The United Kingdom offers 1 year of Master’s degree and 3 years of bachelor’s degree. Besides, there are different types of qualifications or course options also available in the UK. If you are unsure about the degree you want to take, consult with our expert counselors. So, if you want to take a UK higher education, you will have the options like-

• Undergraduate
• Postgraduate
• Two year Accelerated Degree
• PhD/ Research Degree
• Integrated Masters

However, if a student wants to take Pre-University Study, he can take-

• Foundation
• Pre-Masters
• Pre-sessional English courses

Steps for visa application to study in the UK from Kenya.

For an international student getting a visa is mandatory to start their study abroad journey. Before applying for a student visa in the UK, you must get a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies or the CAS letter. You have to follow these three steps to apply for a visa to study in the United Kingdom from Kenya after getting the CAS letter. The steps are-

• Fill up an online application form appropriately and pay the IHS and Visa application fee.
• Visit the UK visa application center and provide the photographs and biometric information.
• Gather all supporting documents and print the application.

Documents required for a visa application to study in the UK from Kenya are-

The earliest you can apply for a visa from outside of the UK is 6 months before you start your course. Usually, you will get a decision within 3 weeks on your visa application.

• Passport.
• All academic certificates and transcripts.
• English proficiency documents.

( Any documents not in English will have to be translated by an official translator).

Eligibility for getting a student visa in the UK from Kenya.

A student must have some eligibility criteria to study in the UK from Kenya. To get the eligibility for a student visa route, a student must-

• Must have an unconditional offer letter from the licensed student sponsor.
• English language proficiency is mandatory in these four criteria- Reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
• Have adequate money to support yourself and your dependents in the UK..
• Parental consent if you are under 18.

However, if you’re 16 or 17, and want to study at an independent school in the United Kingdom, you may need a Child Student Visa instead.

Required visa documents to study in the UK from Kenya.

When you apply for a visa, you must submit some mandatory documents with the student visa application. These documents will be reviewed by the immigration authority. If everything is proper, the authority will issue you a visa. So, the required documents are-

1. You will need an international passport
2. Appropriate funds to provide your living expense for the duration of the course
3. A CAS reference number and documents that were used to obtain the CAS

4. A valid ATAS certificate (if applicable)
5. Written consent for your application from your financial sponsor if you’ve received sponsorship for your course fees and living cost in the last 12 months.
6. CV and work reference ( if they have more than 3 years study gaps)
7. Tuberculosis test report.
8. If you are under 18, provide parental consent.
9. If you are under 18, provide proof of relationship.

You may need to submit some extra documents if you are-

1. you are not a citizen of the country you are applying for.
2. a student is under 18.
3. you want to take your dependents.

UK visa application centers in Kenya.

TLS contact is your partner for all the visa applications to the United KIngdom. There are 2 visa application centers available in Kenya. They are- Mombasa and Nairobi where you can submit your application.This should be the same visa application center as your appointment.

Visa processing time and priority services to study in the UK from Kenya.

UKVI-UK Visas and Immigration is experiencing considerable demand for visas. For this reason, the application processing time may take longer. The priority visa services are available for Kenyan students.

Priority Service visa

After verifying your identity at a visa application center, you can choose the priority service when you apply. You may need to pay extra fees for this service. A decision will be made within 5 working days of your appointment at the visa application service.

Super Priority Service

After providing your biometric information , the UK Visas and Immigration aims to make a decision on your application and will contact you to let you know that your passport is ready to be collected by the end of the next business day. But there will be an extra charge for this super priority visa.

Is the study gap acceptable to study in the UK from Kenya?

Yes, the study gap is acceptable to study in the UK from Kenya. A student need not worry if he has any gap years. Rather focusing on the gap year, The British education authority prioritizes more on the student’s eligibility and quality. 2-3 years study gaps for an undergraduate degree are quite acceptable. And a student can enroll in a UK university with a 5-7 years of study gap for the postgraduate degree.

What are the career opportunities available to study in the UK from Kenya?

For an international student, there are several career options available in the United Kingdom. A student never needs to wait for a job after completing an educational phase in the United Kingdom. British education focuses more on practical learning rather than theoretical. To get industry-related education, a student will get many work-placement opportunities also.  After completing a degree in the United Kingdom, a student will easily get 2-3 years of post-study work opportunities through the Graduate route visa. Before starting studying in the UK, you can get career counseling from the expert counselors of AIMS Education.

Eligibility to get the graduate route visa to study in the UK from Kenya

As the graduate route visa allows students to stay in the UK for 2 years after completing education, here are the specific eligibility criteria to apply for it. Such as:

• You’re in the UK.
• Your current visa is a general student visa.
• You have studied a bachelor’s degree, postgraduate, or other eligible courses for a minimum time period.

One of the following courses need to apply for a graduate route visa-

• A UK Bachelor degree
• A UK Postgraduate degree
• A UK PhD or Doctoral degree

You can also apply if you have completed one of the following-

• a law conversion course approved by the Solicitors Regulation Authority
• the Legal Practice Course in England and Wales, the Solicitors Course in Northern Ireland, or a Diploma in Professional Legal Practice in Scotland
• the Bar Practice Course in England and Wales, or the Bar Course in Northern Ireland
• a foundation programme in medicine or dentistry
• a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)
• a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE

Things you can and cannot do with a graduate route visa.

When you get a Graduate Route Visa after studying in the UK from Kenya, here are some things you can and cannot do in the UK.

With a Graduate Route visa you can-

• Work in most jobs.
• Look for work
• Be self employed.
• staying in the UK with your partner and children if they are eligible.
• Do voluntary work.
• Travel abroad and return to the UK.

With a Graduate Route visa you cannot-

• Cannot apply for the state pension or public fund.
• Work as a professional sports person.

Scholarship opportunities in the UK from Kenya.

The scholarship comes as a great opportunity for the international students. It helps students to study in the UK from Kenya. If you are worried about the costs then the good news is that the United Kingdom is quite flexible in offering student loans, grants, scholarships, and many more. A student can find these types of scholarships in the UK.

• GREAT Scholarships 
• Commonwealth Scholarships
• Fulbright Scholarships
• Gates Scholarships
• Chevening Scholarships

Besides, lots of British universities also offer scholarships for international students. 

Accommodation facilities to study in the UK from Kenya.

How to cope in a foreign land is the most popped up question in a student’s mind. As a student, you will get numerous confusion in their mind. You may also often get worried about the accommodation system in the UK. The cost, distance, and the environment become a great concern. In this regard, the UK is considered to be the best place for international students.. Most UK universities offer catered or self-catered accommodation systems. Besides, if you want to take private rental accommodation, you can contact AIMS Education, a student consultancy firm that helps students to study in the UK, USA, and Canada. AIMS Education is directly partnered with amberstudent- a UK private accommodation agency.