We have test centers in over 115 countries. Choose a test to find your nearest test center and next available test slot.
For global study, visa applications to Australia and New Zealand, and professional registration.
For IRCC permanent residency (PR) and citizenship applications in Canada.
A four-skills test for work visas and below non-degree study in the UK.
Two-skills tests for joining family, visa extentions, or citizenship in the UK.
I want to access to...
myPTE account
Book a test or check your existing bookings and scores
or
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).
There technically isn’t one overarching United Kingdom education system. Rather, each nation (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) has its own system.
For simplicity, we’ll just cover the English higher education system, and this is what we’re referring to when we use “British education system” or “the education system of Great Britain” here.
There are four types of schools in England that can provide higher education. These are:
Universities
University colleges
Higher Education (HE) colleges
Private colleges.
Students can usually enter undergraduate courses from age 18. These courses range from certificates of higher education and diplomas to bachelor’s degrees and foundation degrees. These awards are ranked in levels. For example, a diploma of higher education is level 5, whereas a degree in dentistry, medicine, or veterinary science is level 7.
Postgraduate study is available to any student who has completed a degree. These come in a variety of forms including graduate diplomas, postgraduate certificates, and master's degrees.
Many English schools also offer integrated masters degrees, which automatically bridge the gap between undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
Once you have both an undergraduate and postgraduate qualification, you may be able to study a PhD or professional doctorate (the highest level of university education in England).
Other countries in the UK have a similar higher education system to this, but you might notice some slight differences if you study in Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland.
With so many prestigious colleges in the UK, it’s difficult to identify the “best”. But these five universities are consistently ranked among the top schools around the world:
The English-speaking world’s oldest university is perhaps the UK’s most well-known and reputable institution. Over 20,000 students attend Oxford, with around 40% of them being international students.
This storied school caters to over 18,000 students with six academic schools. It has over 100 libraries, more than 80 sports offerings, and a plethora of extracurricular activities and societies.
UCL has a reputation worldwide for high-quality teaching and research. Its location in central London is convenient and ideal for international students who wish to embrace English culture between lessons. The University of London’s international programmes are among the best available in the UK, and this college is commonly regarded as one of the best universities in London.
From industry pioneers to Nobel Prize winners, the University of Edinburgh attracts top talent from around the globe. About 30% of the cohort here is comprised of international students.
This university offers over 1,000 degrees ranging from foundation courses to PhDs. It’s at the forefront of research in several industries including science, engineering, and medicine.
Some universities in the UK have particularly strong offerings in specific fields. Here’s a brief overview of some schools that stand out in certain areas, based primarily on league tables from the Complete University Guide.
Keep in mind that these lists are far from exhaustive. Speaking with an international education agent may help you find the most appropriate institute for your studies.
As the two top-ranked UK universities in general, it’s unsurprising to see Oxford and Cambridge represented in most of these lists. But, as you can see, there’s a wide range of prestigious universities in the UK to consider – no matter what field you’re looking to study.
PTE Academic is completed on a computer, including the speaking part of the test.
So make sure you are prepared by familiarizing yourself with the equipment you will use during your test. Reading these test tips and you will be fully prepared.
There are many ways you can improve your chances of gaining points in Part 2: Reading during PTE Academic.
To improve your reading skills, practice increasing your reading speed and comprehension at the same time. In turn, you will improve your writing, grammar and vocabulary skills.
To do well in this part of the test, you need to be able to read quickly, using effective reading strategies, as there is a limited time to answer all questions.
Speed reading tasks will help improve your reading speed. Practice speed reading every day and:
Aim to be reading at least 220 words per minute
Reading short articles of around 300 words
Read often for short periods of time
You can also try this as a challenge with your friends to help keep motivated. Once you are happy with your comprehension and speed, focus on chunks (groups of words) rather than individual words.
When your reading skills reach a level you are happy with, you will feel more confident to answer the questions.
In the Multiple-Choice, Single Answer question type, some test takers make the mistake of scan reading and matching the words in the text to the words in the answer. Generally, the words in the text are not used in the correct answer, therefore it is important to learn how to use synonyms and paraphrasing as it will be used in the test.
Learn how to improve your grammar in our Reading: Core Skills part 1 article.
In this question type, you will need more time than in the Multiple-Choice, Choose Single Answer question type, as you need to intensively read the stem (the part before the options) as well as the options, then scan read the text on the screen until you find the part of the text that contains information that was in the stem.
Read the options very carefully and match the meaning of the option with the text. Do not match the words – this is something test takers may make errors with.
You should also make sure not to choose all the options since you lose one point for each incorrect choice. However, you cannot score below zero.
To do well in the Re-order Paragraphs questions, you will need to have a strong understanding of cohesive devices and how they work. You will also need to understand how articles work, as well as the logical and chronological order of information.
In this question type, skim-read the text to get the ideas of the topic of the text. From there, you should read all the sentences carefully.
For both Fill in the Blanks and Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks question types, you will need to understand a range of vocabulary, collocations, grammar, pronouns, and cohesive devices, as well as being able to identify when plural nouns are needed.
You will also need to be able to skim read to get an idea of the meaning of the text, then read intensively before and after each blank. If unsure, you should guess based on the context.
Make sure you do not leave any spaces blank. You do not need to correctly fill in all spaces to get points.
To go back and review the question types within the reading test, we suggest learning more about the reading questions.
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?
Do you have your heart set on studying in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland? The UK is a wonderful place to live and learn, but you’ll most likely need to get a UK study visa before you start packing your bags.
This comprehensive guide covers who needs a UK student visa, the requirements for getting one, how to apply, how much it costs, and how long it takes.
If you’re an international student hoping to study in the UK, you’ll most likely need a student visa. The only exceptions are nationals of Switzerland and countries in the European Economic Area (EEA), who don’t need a visa to enter the UK. *
* Please note: The outcome of Brexit may alter this after 2020. Check the UK government’s website for up-to-date information about this.
There are several UK study visa requirements you’ll need to meet to successfully apply. These include:
You’ve been offered a place in a full-time course from an eligible university (i.e. the school must be a licensed Student route visa*Tier 4 sponsors)
You can understand English (both written and spoken)
You have enough funds to support yourself and any dependants, while also paying for the course.
These requirements apply to students from all over the world. This means the UK student visa requirements for Indian students and American students are exactly the same for Chinese students and Australian students (and so on).
