PTE inspiration and advice

Hundreds of new words are added to the dictionary each year, and it often takes months of consideration to decide which ones. But when the pandemic began in 2020, many words we’d never heard of suddenly became part of our day-to-day vocabulary – think words like “furlough”, “stay at home order”, and COVID-19 (which was only invented in February 2020). With this, dictionaries raced to add new entries, and helped us to define our “new normal”. So, what are some of the words that got added last year? Let’s explore 10 new words you’ll need:  

1. Adulting 

Definition: The action of becoming or acting like an adult 

In December 2020, the Oxford English Dictionary added the word “adulting.” It’s often used by young people when they talk about doing tasks that are essential to every-day life – like cooking meals, buying insurance, or paying taxes.  

How to use it: My roommates and I are adulting all the time. We clean the whole house every Saturday! 

2. Awe walk 

Definition: Taking a walk outside and making an effort to look at the things around you 

“Awe walk” hasn’t been added to the Cambridge Dictionary yet – but they have noticed it’s been used quite a bit. The word “awe” means a feeling of respect. So when someone says they will take an awe walk, it means they’ll notice – and feel grateful for – all the small things around them. 

The word was actually coined by the authors of a psychological study, which found older people who took awe walks felt more positive and less stressed over time.  

How to use it: Today on our awe walk we noticed a tree we’d never seen before.  

3. Contactless 

Definition: not having to physically touch or interact with people, or relating to a technological system for payments, where information is transmitted over short distances without physical contact

“Contactless” delivery became a popular option for shoppers during the pandemic. People who choose contactless delivery get their groceries or food delivered to the doorsteps, but don’t have to go out to receive them. Merriam-Webster added the word to their dictionary in April, right at the beginning of the pandemic. Contactless is also referred to when talking about contactless payment technology.

How to use it: Our family started to shop at a new grocery store, because we wanted the option to have contactless delivery.  

The limit on contactless payments has increased. 

4. Doomscrolling 

Definition: the action of constantly scrolling through and reading depressing news on a news site or on social media, especially on a phone  

Dictionary.com added “doomscrolling” in summer 2020. And, we’ve all done it. Doomscrolling is when you become obsessed with staying up to date with bad news. It’s a combination of the noun “doom” and verb “scroll” – and was made popular by the journalist Karen Ho last year.  

How to use it: I was doomscrolling on Twitter today while reading about Covid-19 cases. I think it’s why I feel so anxious now.  

5. PPE

Definition: an abbreviation for personal protective equipment 

Many of us first heard the word “PPE” at the beginning of the pandemic, and the word was added by Merriam-Webster last April. PPE is the abbreviation of personal protective equipment. This is the clothing people wear to protect themselves from danger. Masks, gloves, face shields, and goggles are all examples of PPE. 

How to use it: Many healthcare professionals and essential workers did not have access to PPE at the beginning of the pandemic.  

6. Quarenteen

Definition: a teenager during the COVID-19 pandemic  

Do you know a “quarenteen?” It’s another word that’s been observed by Cambridge Dictionary – but hasn’t been added quite yet. If it is added, quarenteen will be a homophone for the word “quarantine.” It’ll also be a compound noun of “quarantine” and “teenager.”  

How to use it: My sister was a quarenteen and spent a lot of time on TikTok. 

7. Thirsty 

Definition: Having a need for attention or approval  

But doesn’t thirsty mean needing to drink? Well, Merriam-Webster added a new definition of the word last year. “Thirsty” means having a strong desire for attention – especially on social media. Thirsty is informal, and it’s mostly used by young people. 

How to use it: My brother is thirsty. He posts so many photos of our dog Jellybean on Instagram because he wants her to be a dog model.

8. Truthiness 

Definition: something that seems true but isn’t backed up by evidence 

The word “truthiness” became popular after American comedian Stephen Colbert talked about it on his show The Colbert Report back in 2005. It was meant to be a joke, but many dictionaries have now included the word – including Merriam-Webster. With so much disinformation going around right now, we think it’s a great word for today's world.  

How to use it: In this class, you can’t speak truthiness and expect to get away with it.  

9. Unconscious bias 

Definition: unconscious prejudice against people of a certain race, gender, or group 

“Unconscious bias” is a negative term, which was added to the Oxford English Dictionary last year. Everyone has unconscious beliefs about other groups, and these beliefs can cause them to discriminate against others. There is also conscious bias. When people are consciously biased, their discrimination is intentional.   

How to use it: In this day and age, I hope more workplaces will address their conscious and unconscious bias.

10. WFH

Definition:  An abbreviation for work (or working) from home  

The word “WFH” was added to Merriam-Webster in April 2020 when many people were WFH! This is an important word to know if you're part of an English-speaking workplace.  

How to use it: My co-workers say they’re WFH on Slack everyday.

So, what’s your favorite new word? We recommend keeping up on all the new words added to dictionaries throughout the year –  it’s a great way to expand your vocab!  

For more English-learning resources, don’t forget to check out our articles and click on the 'Test tips & advice' filter.

Part 2 of PTE Academic will take 32-41 minutes and will test your reading skills. This single-timed section contains 15-20 questions that test both independent and integrated skills.

The sections within part 2 are designed to test your ability to read and write in English. PTE Academic is an integrated skills test, therefore, one question type in this part of the test also assesses writing skills.

There are five questions types in the reading section. Below, we will break down each part of this section of the test.

Multiple-choice, Choose Single Answer

For the first question type, you will need to complete is Multiple-choice, Choose Single Answer question, which is designed to test your reading skills.

You will be shown a text prompt for this assessment that will be up to 300 words. Possible response options will be given, with only one being correct.

For this question, you need to read the text and answer a multiple-choice question by selecting one response based on the content or tone of the text.

In this question type, you will earn 1 point for correct answers and 0 points for incorrect answers.

Multiple-choice, Choose Multiple Answer

The second question type will be similar to the previous. Multiple-Choice, Choose Multiple Answer will test your reading skills.

In this question type, you will be given a text prompt of up to 300 words. Like the previous questions, you will need to answer the question by selecting the most suitable responses from the list of options, based on the content or tone of the text.

For each correct answer you will earn 1 point, however, you will lose -1 point for each incorrect answer. Don’t worry, you cannot score below 0 in this assessment.

Re-order Paragraphs

The third question type to test reading skills will be to re-order paragraphs.

You will be provided with a text prompt of up to 50 words and will be shown some text boxes on the screen in a random order.

To complete the question, read the paragraph, then drag and drop or click the arrows on the screen to put your chosen responses in the correct order.

You will earn 1 point for every pair of sentences that you place in the correct order and receive full marks if the whole paragraph is in the correct order.

Reading: Fill in the Blanks

Your reading skills will be tested in the fourth question type, Reading: Fill in the Blanks. You will do 4-5 of these questions.

For this question, you will be provided with a text prompt of up to 80 words. There will be 3-5 missing words from the text.

You will need to select a single correct answer from the 6-8 words given to fill the blanks. Not all words in the box will be used.

You will earn 1 point for every blank that is filled in correctly for this question.

Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks

The last question type will test your reading and writing skills. Reading and Writing: Fill in the Blanks is an integrated skills question type.

You will be shown a text prompt of up to 80 words with up to five blank spaces.

To complete the question, select one of the five options in each drop-down list to fill in the blank spaces.

You will earn 1 point for every blank space that is filled in correctly.

To do well in the reading test there are many core skills you will need to learn to ensure a good score.

If you have already attempted PTE Academic, were not happy with your score, and would like to improve, we recommend reviewing your test performance to see where you can improve.

What's next?

You can also read more about Part 3: Listening Test Introduction to learn everything you need for PTE Academic.

Want more prep ideas?

Plus, explore Smart Prep, which combines all our practice materials in one place, so it's easier for you to stay on track with your PTE preparation.

• Smart Prep is a clear path to test day, guiding you through the official paid and free resources available for your test

• It can be accessed whether you’ve booked a test or not – just create, or sign in to your myPTE account

• Preparation materials include guided practice tests, introductory videos, video courses and test tips.

Ready to get started?

As part of the PTE Academic, you must demonstrate a certain set of core English skills to maximize your score.

To help you do your best in Part 1: Writing we’ve put together some tips.

Summarize Written Text

In the Summarize Written Text question type, you will be scored based on the content, formal requirements, grammar, and vocabulary.

When completing this question type you should first quickly scan read the text prompt given to make sure you understand what it is about. If you are unsure what it is about, make a guess based on the context.

You should try to take notes on the Erasable Noteboard Booklet or on the screen as you read. If you do use the screen, remember to delete your notes before clicking ‘next’ or time runs out.

Some quick ways to pick up points include:

• Stick to the topic or purpose of the text. Key points in the text will usually be repeated, developed, and highlighted – try to include these in your writing. If you do not summarize the meaning or purpose you will score zero points.

• Do not include examples or supporting evidence in your summary.

• Use words from the text but try to use synonyms where possible.

• Use noun phrases where possible to show that you can use certain features of academic vocabulary in your writing.

When completing the question type, make sure you write only one sentence. If you write more, points will be lost.

A good sentence for this question type is 20-35 words long. If you write a short sentence, it will not capture all the meaning. Remember to check the word count in the box below your answer.

As you write the sentence, try to think about:

• Have I summarized the key points?

• Does my sentence start with a capital letter and end with a full stop? If you spell everything in capital letters or all of the words are in lower case, you will score zero.

• Did I use run-on sentences? If you have, change them to a compound or complex sentence.

Make sure to use grammatical structures that you feel you can write correctly. Usually, a complex structure is required for summarizing text.

Don’t forget, always take time to check your grammar and vocabulary before clicking “next” or the 10 minutes is up.

When checking your answer, look for articles, especially ‘the’, prepositions, tenses, plurals, and subject-verb agreement as well as your own common errors. Check that you have not written a run-on sentence. If so, turn it into a compound or complex sentence.

Write Essay

The second part of the Writing section contains the Write Essay question type.

This question type will test grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and written discourse skills. It is important to manage time, as you will need enough time to plan, write and proofread the essay, all within 20 minutes.

You will be scored on the content and formal requirements of the question, as well as your grammar, general linguistic range, vocabulary range, and spelling.

Overall your essay should:

• Address the prompt. If not, you will score zero.

• Be well-planned and organized.

• Demonstrate critical thinking to show a logical approach to the essay topic.

• Include 4 paragraphs: an introduction, 2 body paragraphs each developing an idea, and a short conclusion summarizing your ideas.

• Include examples, explanations, and facts to support the point of view you are expressing.

• Be between 200-300 words long. Try to write just over 200 words and use the time to check the quality of your writing. If you write less than 200 or more than 380 words, you will score zero.

Use the same method of taking notes as the Summarize Written Text question type.

Your introduction can be linked to the body paragraphs with an overview. Then, the first body paragraph can be linked to the second body paragraph with a cohesive device.

More information on cohesive devices can be found at the below links:

• GrammarBank

• RMIT English Worldwide Cohesion part 1

• RMIT English Worldwide Cohesion part 2

Then for a conclusion, link it by writing In conclusion, To conclude.. etc.

In your writing, try to use complex sentences as you will score more points. Make sure to vary language by using synonyms, antonyms, and academic vocabulary.

The use of appropriate idiomatic expressions or colloquialisms will help you score well, but do not use too many as your writing will not be entirely academic.

Lastly, when it comes to spelling, make sure to spell each word correctly. Making more than 1 spelling mistake will mean you will score zero for this question.

Always remember to proofread your writing to make sure there are no errors before clicking next.

Want more prep ideas?

Explore Smart Prep, which combines all our practice materials in one place, so it's easier for you to stay on track with your PTE preparation.

• Smart Prep is a clear path to test day, guiding you through the official paid and free resources available for your test

• It can be accessed whether you’ve booked a test or not – just create, or sign in to your myPTE account

• Preparation materials include guided practice tests, introductory videos, video courses and test tips.

Ready to get started?

Part 3: Listening in PTE Academic requires many hours of practice to maximize your score. Whilst practicing other parts of the test you would have learned certain core English skills that are needed in Part 3 that you can further improve.

To do well in the listening questions set a daily goal of listening regularly to authentic English texts. The more you listen, the better you will do in the test.

When choosing recordings to listen to, do not choose examples that are too difficult. Start at a level you are comfortable with and build up to a higher level example as you improve.

If you find the recording too difficult, try to just listen for the content words, such as nouns, adjectives, and verbs so that you can pick up the meaning of the recording.

Always try to listen as many times as you need to fully understand the content. Try to go back and listen to the same recording a few days later to help you remember the content, vocabulary, and pronunciation.

Use an Online Tone Generator tool to help slow down recordings and keep the original pitch of the speaker. Try not to slow it down so much that you translate the meaning into your own language as this will not help improve your listening skills.

Don’t forget to be an active listener and focus on what you are hearing.

What should I listen to?

As the speakers in PTE Academic have various accents, we recommend listening to a wide range of speakers from different backgrounds to learn the different pronunciations used.

Try to listen to speakers from Britain, America, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as second language speakers from India, China, and Europe.

Some of the below podcasts will help:

• BBC’s (UK)

• Luke’s English Podcast

• English Class 101

• Better at English

• VOA Learning English

• Culips Chatterbox

• Aussie English Podcast

You can also listen to radio around the world at Live Online Radio.

When listening keep a listening diary to write down the titles of recordings along with notes. Listen for stressed words in the recordings as these are usually the most important.

The easiest way to take notes will be to use abbreviations and/or symbols as you will not have enough time in the test to write full words.

From your notes, you should be able to answer the following questions:

• What was the topic and main ideas?

• What accent did the speaker/s use?

• Was it interesting?

• What did you learn from it?

• What vocabulary did you learn?

• Do you want to listen to more texts from that site?

• Did you need to slow the text down? If so, what speed?

• How many times did you listen to the text? Do you want to listen again?

• Do you feel your listening skills are improving?

What's next?

To learn more about how to apply listening skills and improve test results, view our self-improvement strategies:

• Listening: Self-Improvement Part 1

• Listening: Self-Improvement Part 2

Part 1 of PTE Academic includes a variety of speaking and writing question types. For writing questions, you may need to improve your skills, such as grammar, spelling, and vocabulary.

To help practice these skills, we’ve put together some tips on how to improve for this part of the test.

Grammar

To help improve grammar, get into the habit of reading something in English every day.

Create a reading plan and a reading goal to improve your grammar. Start by reading for at least 30 minutes a day.

It’s recommended that you read a range of texts that you find interesting. Also read news articles on English news sites such as:

• CNN

• BBC

• Learning English VOA

• Australia Unlimited

It is hard to use correct grammar in long sentences, so try to keep sentences short: about 18 to 30 words. You should also practice with a variety of short and long sentences.

Always remember to:

• End sentences with a full stop (period)

• Use uppercase and lowercase correctly

Try to avoid run-on sentences. These are sentences which should be cut to make a shorter sentence, or properly joined to make a grammatically correct sentence.

You can avoid run-on sentences by using compound and complex sentences, which will also help improve your score. Use commas when writing complex sentences. Some examples of the compound and complex sentences can be found through the British Council’s Learn English website.

To perform well, learn to proofread your writing so that you can complete the question types as correctly as possible.

If you can identify areas that you often get wrong, you should work on improving these areas. Ask your English teacher for help, or if you don’t have an English teacher, you can look up your common errors on the internet.

Spelling

PTE Academic recognizes and accepts US, UK, Australian and Canadian spelling. However, you should be careful with your spelling. Once you have chosen a spelling convention for one question, keep using it within that question. You can change the spelling format in answers to other questions if you like.

Vocabulary

To do well in the writing test, you need to have a broad vocabulary. You should have a good dictionary to help you. A good dictionary will have the meaning, related forms of the word, and example sentences.

Longman Dictionaries are a great resource to help you improve your vocabulary.

You should expose yourself to new words at least ten times a day to expand your vocabulary. To learn a new word you should read it, write it and listen to it many times over a couple of days so you can understand the word and use the correct pronunciation.

Another way to expand your vocabulary is to learn the word forms of words you already know.

For example, climate (noun), acclimatization (noun), climatic (adjective), acclimatize (verb) etc.

Each of the above word forms mean something slightly different, so try to learn all the meanings of each word.

In PTE Academic you will score higher points for vocabulary if by using academic words in your writing. Try to learn some of the most frequent academic words used in writing.

Also, think about using synonyms in your writing to avoid repetition of words. A thesaurus can help you find synonyms for common academic words.

The other elements of your vocabulary to consider are correct common prefixes and suffixes, which are added to the base words. Prefixes can change the meaning of a word, for example, expensive and inexpensive.

Adding a suffix, however, can change the part of speech of the word. A common suffix used is ly, which can change an adjective into an adverb (quick/quickly), ment can change a verb into a noun (entertain/entertainment).

There are also collocations, which help you use the right word combinations, as some English words just don’t work well together. To identify collocations, read the PTE Academic collocation list.

PTE Academic is not very strict about accepting only academic vocabulary. You will not lose points for the use of personal pronouns. You will, however, score more points by using higher-level academic vocabulary in the correct way.

You should try to keep a notebook of new words you learn, their meanings, synonyms, and all the parts of vocabulary that may help you in the test.

The last core skill required for the writing test is written discourse.

Want more prep ideas?

Plus, explore Smart Prep, which combines all our practice materials in one place, so it's easier for you to stay on track with your PTE preparation.

• Smart Prep is a clear path to test day, guiding you through the official paid and free resources available for your test

• It can be accessed whether you’ve booked a test or not – just create, or sign in to your myPTE account

• Preparation materials include guided practice tests, introductory videos, video courses and test tips.

Ready to get started?

Your accent will not stand in the way of success!

Everyone has an accent. You might even be a proficient or fluent English speaker, but with an accent, other people find hard to understand.

So how does your accent affect your score when you take PTE Academic?

Because PTE Academic is marked by a computer, it can cut out potential obstacles, such as a human examiner being unfamiliar with your particular accent.

When the automated scoring program was being designed the computer was trained using candidates from over 126 countries, speaking more than 90 different languages, so it recognizes accents from around the globe. As a result, PTE Academic’s automated scoring technology recognizes and marks everyone’s speech equally and with equal accuracy, regardless of where they are from. What the PTE Academic scoring engine looks for is intelligibility and clarity of response (not which accent you are speaking in) – did you answer in a clear and understandable way that any international speaker of English would understand?

To hear more on this, listen as one of our leading independent advisors, Dr Alistair Van Moere, a member of Pearson’s Technical Advisory Group, explains how it works.

The UK has plenty of respected and renowned universities. Most of these schools are welcoming to foreign students, but some are particularly good at providing a world-class education for students coming from abroad.  

In this article for international students in the UK, we cover: 

• An overview of the British education system

• The best universities in the UK for international students

• Some of the best unis in the UK for specific fields (e.g. law, medicine, business, psychology).

The UK education system: A quick overview 

PTE Academic can help you get there

If you want to migrate to Australia or New Zealand you may be required to sit an English test as part of your visa application. Or you may need to sit a test as part of a  skills assessment or for professional registration.

The question is “which test should I take?”

There are a range of language tests you can choose from. However, the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) is the market leader in computer-based English language testing. PTE Academic is delivered entirely on a computer and then scored by a computer, using Pearson’s automated scoring technology.

The PTE Academic English test is accepted by Australia’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and Immigration New Zealand (INZ) for all visa applications. This includes Permanent Residency, Employer- Sponsored/Work Visas, and Student Visas.

Further, PTE Academic is accepted by most Australian skills assessment authorities and professional registration bodies including:

• Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)

• Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council (ANMAC)

• Certified Practicing Accountants Australia (CPA Australia)

• Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand

• Australian Computer Society (ACS)

• Engineers Australia

How does PTE Academic’s technology help me?

You will sit PTE Academic on a computer in one of Pearson’s secure test centers. Pearson then uses its automated scoring technology to ensure that your English skills are assessed with complete fairness. Your responses are scored objectively and consistently, no matter where in the world the test is taken, so it doesn’t matter where a test taker comes from or what they look like.

The use of the automated scoring technology also allows PTE Academic to deliver test results typically within2 days, in comparison to other English languages tests which take 2-3 weeks.

Where can I take the test?

Booking PTE Academic is a simple online process. Simply choose one of our 240+ test centers in 400+ test centers in 117 countries, then select a convenient test time and date. We test 365 days of the year around the world.

Plus you can also schedule your test up to 24 hours in advance where seats are available.

Interested in studying abroad?

When studying abroad in a course taught in English, you will often need to prove how your English language skills. With PTE Academic you can apply to thousands of universities and colleges around the world including:

• All universities in Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand, including all New Zealand Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics.

• All TAFE and Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics in Australia and New Zealand.

• Prestigious institutions such as Stanford University, Harvard University, and Imperial College London accept PTE Academic scores.

• In the USA, Canada, UK, Singapore, and Europe, PTE Academic is continuing to grow.

You can view a complete list of institutions that accept PTE Academic on the website.

Learn more

• PTE Academic

• Australian DHA

• Immigration New Zealand

You should always check with government bodies and institutions for the latest score requirements and tests accepted.

The United Kingdom is a cornucopia of leading education facilities and employment opportunities – but such world-class education comes at a cost. With university courses quite easily exceeding £20,000 (US$24,830), studying in the UK is known to be costly (and that’s not even taking into account rent and other costs of living!).

It’s understandable then that many students in the UK require some financial help to see them to the end of their education. Working while studying can be an option – but what about UK education loans for international students? 

Can international students get loans in the UK? 

The answer to this question is quite simple, and it lies in your citizenship. It is also set to change once the UK leaves the EU.  

EU citizens/Student loans UK

If you’re a student from a European Union country – such as Italy, Germany, France, Spain or Sweden – your education costs will be capped as though you were a UK student. This means that you won’t pay more than £9,250 a year for your university degree. 

You will also be eligible for a government student loan. This will cover your tuition fees, as well as your living costs if you’re studying an undergraduate course. This UK education loan for international students is not paid directly to you; instead, it will be paid to your university, and you will be required to pay it off in increments once you graduate. 

A wide number of degree types will allow you to access student financial assistance. These include (according to gov.uk): 

• A first degree, for example BA, BSc or BEd

• A Foundation Degree

• A Certificate of Higher Education

• A Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)

• A Higher National Certificate (HNC)

• A Higher National Diploma (HND)

• An Initial Teacher Training course

• An integrated master’s degree

• A pre-registration postgraduate healthcare course.

Interestingly, if you are an EU student and plan to study in Scotland, you might not pay any tuition fees. The costs are covered by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) for first degrees and PGDE courses. 

International student loans UK 

We wish that there was good news on this front – but unfortunately, UK education loans for international students (excluding students from the EU) are not available. Additionally, the cost of your tuition fees can potentially be far more than home students, with laboratory-based degrees set to cost up to £30,000. 

If you plan to study in the UK as an international student, it’s also worth remembering that you’ll need to prove that you have £1,015 in your international student bank for each month of study up to nine months in order to be eligible for your visa. This number increases to £1,265 if you’re studying within London. This means that you’ll need to have saved between £9,135 and £11,385 in your bank account (depending on your university’s location) before you can obtain your student visa. 

So, what can international students do to support themselves while studying in the UK? 

Working while studying in the UK 

While it can be difficult to balance work and study – especially if you’re studying in a country that is not your home – it is one of the best ways to ensure a steady income if you cannot apply for an international student loan. Your visa may restrict you to a set number of hours, but that doesn’t mean you can’t work to get a little extra cash into your bank account. 

An international student visa (Student route visa, formerly known as Tier 4), will allow you to work up to 20 hours per week during the term. A number of casual jobs will grant short shifts that do not exceed this limit, including: 

• Retail worker

• Receptionist

• Waiter/barista/bartender

• Shelf packer

• Mystery shopper.

When UK vacation periods come into effect, however, you are able to work full-time hours. This means you could potentially undertake higher-paying jobs such as: 

• Private tutor

• Sales representative

• Event assistant

• Call center operator

• Amusement park staff member.

Students should check out Indeed, Reed, or Monster to apply for part-time work.

Apply for an international student loan 

Depending on your country of origin, you can still apply for a loan to study abroad. The USA and Australia have such loans in place, but these may be restricted to particular countries, courses and universities. This is likely the closest equivalent to an international student loan in the UK. 

Consider an exchange program 

Although these may not be as extensive as full-time study in the UK, it can be a chance to test out the experience for up to a year. You will have to check that your university in your home country has an exchange program set up with a university in the UK, but it could be an excellent experience if you can partake in it. 

Apply for a scholarship 

This is likely your best chance for getting a foot in the door if you’re an international student looking for a loan to study in the UK. There are many scholarships open to international students, with varying levels of criteria to meet. They also tend to differ depending on the country in which you live. Some examples of these include: 

• Commonwealth Scholarship

• Saltire Scholarships

• Chevening Scholarships

If you have your heart set on studying in the UK, it’s best to explore every avenue available to you to ensure you end up studying in the country and university you love.

Learn more about PTE Academic if you need to undertake an English language proficiency test before you depart.