Faster than anywhere
A bachelor's โ 3 years, a master's โ 1 year: fewer years means lower costs.
๐ฌ๐ง Study in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom.
A bachelor's in three years, a master's in one, centuries-old traditions and degrees known the world over.
4
UK universities in the world's top 10QS World University Rankings 2027
3 years
for a bachelor's, a master's โ just 1 yearBritish Council
685565
international students study in the United KingdomHESA, 2024/25
18 mo
of work after graduation on the Graduate Route โ for applications from 2027gov.uk
Why United Kingdom
Why the United Kingdom.
Short, intensive programmes, a strong academic tradition and the English language in its native setting.
A world brand
Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL and LSE โ British universities at the top of the world rankings.
Foundation
A preparatory year after the 11th grade opens the door to strong universities.
Work after studies
The Graduate Route lets you stay and work in the country after graduation.
Scholarships
Chevening for a master's and university grants for strong students.
A direct flight
Air Astana flies from Almaty to London Heathrow non-stop โ about 9.5 hours.
Traditions hundreds of years old.
Study where Nobel laureates studied โ and earn a degree that will open any door.
Education system
How education works.
A Kazakhstani school certificate usually requires a preparatory stage โ a foundation or the first year of a university in Kazakhstan.
Foundation
1year
Preparation for a bachelor's after the 11th grade โ with a guaranteed transfer to a partner university.
Bachelor's
3years
In Scotland โ 4 years; there are programmes with a placement year.
Master's
1year
Intensive programmes with a dissertation.
Pre-sessional
up to 6mo.
Language courses at the university if you're short on IELTS points.
Cost
How much it costs to study in the United Kingdom.
Expensive but short: thanks to the three-year bachelor's and one-year master's, the total budget is comparable with other countries.
Tuition per year
Bachelor'sa year, British Council guideยฃ11,400โ38,000
Top universitiese.g. engineering and Computing at Imperial, 2026/27up to ยฃ45,500
Master'sper programme (usually 1 year)ยฃ9,000โ30,000
Medicinea year (Imperial, 2026/27)up to ยฃ58,600
Visa and IHSthe visa fee (from 8.04.2026) and the health surchargeยฃ558 + ยฃ776/year
Living per month
British Council estimate. For the visa you prove ยฃ1,529/mo in London and ยฃ1,171 outside London (up to 9 mo.); for applications from 30.11.2026 โ ยฃ1,570 and ยฃ1,203.
Approximate for the 2026/27 academic year, per British Council, universities and gov.uk. UKVI rates are revised โ we check before applying.
Admission
Admission โ step by step and on schedule.
Applications for a bachelor's go through the UCAS system. For top universities and medicine the deadline falls in autumn โ a year before the start.
1From 1 September
Strategy and UCAS
Choosing a foundation or university, IELTS; the application โ up to 5 programmes.
215 October 2026
Oxford, Cambridge, medicine
The early UCAS deadline โ by 18:00 London time.
313 January 2027
The main deadline
Equal consideration for most programmes.
4February โ June
Offers
Conditional and unconditional offers, choosing a university.
5June โ August
CAS and visa
Deposit, CAS document, Student visa application.
6September
Studies begin
Freshers' week and the start of classes.
What you'll need
Requirements depend on the university; below is a typical package for foundation and bachelor's.
- School certificate and transcriptWith translation; for a bachelor's โ plus foundation, A-levels, IB or 1 year of university.
- EnglishUsually IELTS 4.5โ5.5 for foundation and 6.0โ7.0 for a bachelor's; many universities accept TOEFL, PTE, Duolingo.
- Personal statementA motivation essay in the UCAS application; for medicine โ UCAT, for Oxbridge โ tests and interviews.
- ReferenceOne academic reference from a teacher.
- FinancesFunds for tuition and living โ for the visa.
Visa & documents
Student visa.
The basis for the visa is the CAS document from the university. The application is online and at a visa centre.
For citizens of Kazakhstan
UK Student visa
You can apply no earlier than 6 months before the course starts; a decision usually takes about three weeks. The money must sit in the account for 28 days in a row.
- Basis
- CAS from the university
- Finances
- ยฃ1,529/mo in London, ยฃ1,171 โ outside (up to 9 mo.)
- Fees
- ยฃ558 + IHS ยฃ776 a year
- Work
- up to 20 h/wk during the semester
- Unconditional offerWe meet the offer conditions and pay the deposit.
- CASThe university issues the confirmation for the visa.
- Online applicationForm, payment of the visa fee and IHS.
- BiometricsA visit to the visa centre; a decision โ usually within three weeks.
UKVI rules are updated regularly: from 30.11.2026 the financial requirements rise, from 1.01.2027 the Graduate Route is cut to 18 months. We check the current terms at gov.uk.
Universities & cities
Well-known universities in the United Kingdom.
Russell Group universities and strong universities with good chances and scholarships.
OXUniversity of OxfordOxford
CAMUniversity of CambridgeCambridge
ICLImperial College LondonLondon
UCLUniversity College LondonLondon
LSELondon School of EconomicsLondon
KCLKing's College LondonLondon
EDUniversity of EdinburghEdinburgh
MANUniversity of ManchesterManchester
WARUniversity of WarwickCoventry
We don't claim direct partnerships with UK universities โ we help you get in through foundation and pathway programmes at universities and put together a competitive UCAS application.
Cities
The capital
London
UCL, LSE, Imperial, King's โ and all the world's culture in one city.
A university town
Oxford
Colleges, libraries and the traditions of the oldest English-language university.
A university town
Cambridge
Science, innovation and famous colleges by the River Cam.
Scotland
Edinburgh
An ancient city, a strong university and a 4-year bachelor's.
Scholarships & discounts
Scholarships.
Competition is high, but strong candidates from Kazakhstan regularly receive grants.
Chevening
A master's funded by the UK government; requires at least 2 years of work experience.
Intake for 2027/28 โ until 6 October 2026University grants
Discounts for academic achievement for international students.
Together with the applicationBolashak
Master's, doctoral studies, internships; a bachelor's โ only for winners of international olympiads.
Intake 2026 โ until 16 OctoberWork
Working during and after studies.
The student visa lets you work part-time, and the Graduate Route โ work after graduation.
20 h/wk
During the semester
For bachelor's and master's students; during holidays โ full-time.
18 mo
Graduate Route
Work after graduation without a sponsor: 18 months for applications from 1.01.2027, for PhD โ 3 years.
FAQ
FAQ about the United Kingdom
Do I need a foundation after school?
For most universities โ yes: a Kazakhstani 11-year school certificate usually requires a preparatory year or 1 year of university. You can apply directly with A-levels, IB or a NIS Grade 12 certificate.
What IELTS do I need?
Usually 4.5โ5.5 for foundation and 6.0โ7.0 for a bachelor's and master's. For the visa you need a B2 level; on degree-level programmes the university itself assesses the language.
When to apply?
Through UCAS: by 15 October 2026 โ Oxford, Cambridge and medicine, by 13 January 2027 โ the main deadline for other programmes.
Can I stay and work?
Yes, on the Graduate Route: for applications from 1 January 2027 โ 18 months, for PhD graduates โ 3 years.
Is it very expensive?
Tuition is expensive but short. Scholarships and choosing a city outside London help cut the budget.
Free consultation
Get into the United Kingdom โ with Al Ma Dei.
Foundation, UCAS, IELTS, CAS and the visa โ we'll guide you through every step.