Pros and Cons of Getting your Master’s in the U.K.

Hi all! In 2017 I moved to London and completed my M.A. in Hispanic Studies at University College London. There is so, so much I wish I would have known before moving to the U.K. to get my degree. There are definitely tons of pros to getting your Master’s in the U.K., but there are also some important cons to keep in mind. Keep reading to learn more about the pros and cons of getting a Master’s in the U.K.! These are all pieces of information that I wish I would have known before embarking on my Master’s degree journey. I hope this post helps you determine if a U.K. Master’s is the right decision for you!

First, the Pros

1: One Year Programs

Many Master’s Programs in the U.K. are only a year long, whereas most in the U.S. are two years. Studying in the U.K. is a great way to get a Master’s quickly.

2: Fewer Classes

I did a research M.A. at UCL. This means that my Master’s Dissertation was worth 18 credits (with the U.S. equivalency.) I didn’t need to take a dissertation course, and I completed all of my dissertation work independently, with email communication with my advisor. Because I chose to do the research pathway, I only had to take three courses to get my MA. This is absolutely crazy. For comparison, in the USA you usually need between 12-18 courses for the same degree. I only took 3…

If I had planned better, I could have taken all three of my courses in my first semester. This would have meant that all I needed to do during the spring semester was write my dissertation. A piece of advice – take all three classes in the same semester. Then, use the remaining spring semester to travel around Europe and write your dissertation.

3: Shorter school terms

In general, classes start about a month later at U.K. universities than at U.S. universities. For example, classes at Georgetown in Fall 2021 start on August 25th, and at UCL they start on September 27th. Classes also end about a month earlier in the spring. At Georgetown the last day of classes for the 2021 academic year is May 3rd, and exams end on May 13th. At UCL, classes end on March 25th. This all adds up to the academic year being a little more than 2 months shorter in the U.K. than in the U.S.

4: More Independence

At UCL, in the Hispanic Studies Department, classes met once a week for two hours. This means that I only had to be on campus for four hours each week in the Fall, and two hours each week in the Spring. The classes were discussion based, and the only homework was completing the readings so you’d be prepared to take part in the discussion. This class structure is pretty common throughout the U.K.

Additionally, you’re not expected to spend a ton of time on campus like in U.S. universities. A ton of people came for their two hour class, and that was the only time they spent on campus the whole week.

Finally, usually (in humanities Departments) there aren’t any assignments to hand in besides a final essay, worth 100% of your grade. There are pros and cons to this that I will get into later. Basically, this lack of assignments means that all of your graded work is done independently. Class is a time for professor lectures and group discussions.

5: Tuition Cost

Tuition is generally cheaper in the U.K. For reference, a Master’s in the U.S., at a top-ranked university, has a yearly tuition rate of around $40,000+. Keep in mind, that most U.S. university’s have two year Master’s Programs, so the Master’s will cost you about $80,000.

In the U.K., on the other hand, yearly tuition for top universities is around £22,500 ($28,000). Since U.K. universities offer mostly one year programs, you end up paying about 1/3 of the price that you’d pay in the USA.

6: Language

If you’re coming from the U.S. or other English speaking countries, this is obviously a huge plus. As opposed to studying in other countries in Europe, in the U.K., there is no language barrier. This will also help when you transfer your Master’s back to the U.S. – you won’t need any transcript translations.

Cons

1: Less interaction with your cohort

Maybe it’s just that my major wasn’t super popular, but my program only had two students. This made it very difficult to make friends in my program. There were no Department activities, groups, or even study spaces. I’m not sure if this is the case with all Departments, but it did seem to be the norm. Although I did have classes with students from other programs, I found that classrooms are not really a place to make friends in U.K. universities.

This is extremely different than my graduate program at Georgetown, where there is constant interaction among students. We have events, sports teams, study spaces, etc. This lack of a Department cohesiveness, and very little interaction with other students, was something I did not like at all about UCL.

2: Less of a college-experience feel

As I mentioned earlier, graduate students (at UCL specifically), did not spend much time on campus during the week. The norm was to come for the two hour class, and immediately leave. Undergraduates seemed to make use of campus spaces more often, but there were no graduate specific study areas, clubs or groups.

At all of the Universities I’ve attended in the U.S. (GWU, Georgetown and NYU) there are always graduate-specific spaces. Additionally, most all U.S. universities have graduate clubs, events and groups. This is something UCL and other U.K. universities seem to lack.

3: The grading system is bizarre

The grading system really threw me for a loop. I’m linking it here because it is so confusing if you’re used to the U.S. grading system. Basically, a 40% or above is a pass. If you get above a 70% average that is considered amazing and you get first class honors. It is nearly impossible to get a grade in the 90s, or even the 80s. If you get in the 50s, you’re pretty much getting around a B by U.S. standards, according to my ECE transcript evaluation.

Don’t panic if you get a 60% on an assignment, you’re doing great!

4: The grading system is anonymous

I am not 100% sure if this is the case at all U.K. universities, but at UCL all graduate work was graded without students’ names. For example, when I handed in my final essay I only wrote my student number for identification, not my name. The graders/professors do not know your student number, and therefore, the grading is pretty much anonymous.

Of course, if you’ve talked to your professor about your essay topic, they can probably figure out which paper is yours, but it’s not guaranteed. This system is supposed to be more equitable for students, as grades are based entirely on performance and not on if the professor likes you or not. This grading system is not something I’m a big fan of, but some students may see this as a pro.

5: One assignment is 100% of your grade

In all of my three graduate courses at UCL my final class grade was based off of one 25-30 page essay. You have very limited communication with the professor during the writing process, and since you only have one assignment it is impossible to know how the professor grades or what s/he wants in an essay. Of course, there will be guidelines, but they are not enough to really tell how a professor will grade a paper.

6: You will need to use a transcript evaluation service

When applying to universities in the U.S., for PhDs or other MA/MSs, you’ll need to provide a copy of your U.K. transcript (obviously). However, U.S. universities will not accept your U.K. transcript directly from your U.K. university. You will need to send your transcript through a transcript evaluation service to be evaluated and then transcribed into the U.S. system. Your grades, courses and credit hours will all be given a U.S. equivalent and mailed back to you to provide to the U.S. universities you are applying to. I used ECE and they were great. This process is only a small hassle, but it’s a tad bit stressful to wait and see what your grade equivalents will be in the U.S.

Luckily, since the U.K. is English speaking you do not need to go through the added hassle of getting your entire transcript translated as well.

7: Not all degrees will be accepted in the U.S.

This is super important when getting an international degree. In general, U.K. universities have great reputations worldwide, and therefore your degree will most likely be accepted when you return to the U.S. This is especially true in humanities, but I am not sure how degrees in medicine or law would work.

This being said, the higher ranked your university and degree program is, the easier it will transfer back to the U.S. This was one of the main reasons I chose UCL. I knew it was highly ranked in the world rankings, and that this would allow me to transfer my degree back to the U.S. with no issues.

8: It is not a replacement for study abroad

This is less of a con, per say, and more of a fact. However, for me, personally, it was a big con.

I graduated a year early from undergrad. Because of this, I didn’t get to study abroad. I thought that getting my Master’s in London would be similar to study abroad, but it wasn’t. With study abroad there is a huge focus on group bonding with others who are in your program. You’ll easily make friends with other study abroad students. Additionally, you’ll also likely live in campus. Graduate degrees, on the other hand, don’t work this way, so you should expect a very different experience. You are far more independent in a Master’s program. You’ll basically be living your own individual life in the U.K.

I was 21 when I moved to London to get my MA. Since I was the same age as most college juniors, I think I would have enjoyed a study abroad program much more than I enjoyed my MA program.

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Final thoughts:

Overall, I personally I think the pros outweigh the cons. I do believe I was too young to move to London and get my Master’s. At that point in my life I was still wanting more of a study abroad experience. However, I am still happy that I did the program. As long as you know exactly what you’re signing up for, and are completely prepared, a Master’s in the U.K. is a great way to pursue higher education with lower tuition fees and fewer requirements.

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Thanks for reading my Pros and Cons of Getting your Master’s in the U.K. – I hope it’s helpful for you!

Be sure to share with your friends/family who are considering studying in the U.K.!

For more information about university life in London, check out my 12 Essential Tips for Moving to London as a Student and my 8 Tips for Getting your Master’s at UCL!

♡Kate