As 20 top schools from the UK are sending representatives to Vietnam this week and hundreds more eager to expand the number of their Vietnamese students, the opportunities have never been so abundant. DTiNews talks to Le Thi Van Tho, (pictured) ISC-UKEAS' director, about studying in the UK.
ISC-UKEAS is about to organise an education exhibition in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, are there any special features to this exhibition?
Last year we organised a similar event with 11 universities. This number will go up to 20 this year. In addition, there will be more high ranking schools from the UK such as St. Andrews, which is among the top 5 universities. Moreover, there will be special scholarships awarded students who took part in the exhibition and will apply right after the event. For example, Westminster University in London will discount 50% of schooling fees. Some high schools in the UK will also participate in the event.
What opportunities does the exhibition bring to participants?
Participants will have opportunities to access more accurate information about studying courses, examination requirements, application procedures, scholarship requirements as well as be more aware of advantages and challenges when you study in the UK so that you can cope with culture shock and the language barrier. Furthermore, you also have chances to attend interviews of special scholarships for attendees. The organiser will offer a free IELTS course worth USD 400 in Ho Chi Minh City and a pronunciation course worth USD 200 held in Hanoi.
Besides the exhibition, ISC-UKEAS will hold an online exchange on Dan Tri/DTiNews newspaper. What will the online exchange provide for potential students and their families in particular, as well as other readers in general?
All questions from students and their families can be answered right away regarding choosing the right learning programme, examinations of high schools, GCSE, A-level or universities, post graduate programmes, application procedures, accommodation and visa application. The consulting team includes experts with 20 years of experience, representatives from schools and those who studied in the UK previously and are working presently in Vietnam. The exchange will also help students and their families have better insights on overseas studying so that you will be prepared better in terms of psychology and understand of initial challenges as well as what you will have to face with when you come to the UK. Also important are facilities of schools, curriculum, how to study well, making new friends, and networking which students can benefit from in their social life and in the future.
In addition, students and other readers will gain a better understanding about the overseas study consulting business as well as overseas studies and advantages when they can access a high quality system of learning and teaching.
What are some of the advantages and challenges of studying in the UK?
Some of the main advantages are as follows: The studying programme is shorter than in the USA. For example, a master's course lasts only 1 year but in the USA the same course lasts 1.5-2 years. Secondly, the UK has a secure and traditional studying environment with advanced and practical curriculum. Students can choose a programme including 4 studying years and 1 practicing year. In addition, when you study in UK, you need to be self-independent, have skills of working in a group and be well-oganised. Moreover, accommodation prices in the UK are quite reasonable, comparable to destinations such as Singapore. Schools here are well equipped with libraries, laboratories, and self studying rooms.
Besides the many advantages, there are also some challenges such as visa requirements. In 2010, there are some changes in the requirements of issuing visas to students who don’t command strong English ability. They cannot attend long-term programmes. In addition, schools in the UK are requiring higher and higher scores and fees. One more thing is that it’s not easy for international students to get part-time jobs to earn some money or just to support practical experiences.
What do Vietnamese students who studied previously and are studying currently in the UK think?
The UK embassy is issuing an increasing number of student visas which means the UK has become an ideal destination for studying. Overseas students there are very interested in self-studying and broadening their relationship to help them in life and studies. Teachers here are very dedicated and there is no gap between teachers and students however, they need to have a schedule for anything they want to do. Most importantly, after studying, they will be more self confident and take more initiative. Furthermore, they will have internationally recognised degrees so it’s easy for them to get good jobs when they return to Vietnam.
However, the education system in the UK is different from Vietnam. Students face challenges in studying master courses because there is a lack of fundamental and basic knowledge background. Moreover, many students choose the same school, probably because they like its location or there are some schools which many students like to study so it’s difficult for them to find houses to stay in. In addition, students prefer to live in big cities. The cities in the UK are different than in Vietnam and there are more entertainment activities that can distract them from studying and as a result, their studying results can be low.
What should students pay attention to when they want to study in the UK?
Firstly, they need to choose the right major which is suitable to their ability and financial capacity of their families. Secondly, they need to choose the right city which is suitable to their personality. In addition, they need to study English very well while they are in Vietnam. They should attend a short term English course in the UK (for 4-6 weeks) even if their English is good in order to improve listening, speaking and studying skills. One important thing is that they should be friendly and sociable with other students because they will help them a lot in life and studies. Furthermore, they need to take initiative, be independent and active in group work. When they meet any difficulties, they need to find some a way to resolve it.
What can parents do to best support their children?
First, they should help their children to live independently and ask them to attend English courses soon. Moreover, parents should respect their children’s personal decisions and advise them to choose the right degree. Parents need to research thoroughly and apply for their children’s study at the right time to avoid a situation where their children study too early or too late or choose wrong degrees or schools. It depends on a student's personality, abilities and studying levels.