The UK is one of the most appropriate countries to study interior design. Thirty of the UK’s institutes have been ranked among the world’s best 230 Art & design universities as mentioned by the QS World University Ranking 2022. The country offers both short courses and degree courses in the field of interior design. The country also welcomes a lot of international students every year because it is able to provide academically enriching studies and experiences to all its students. all students are required to be fluent in the English language. The country has multiple arts and design schools which provides rigorous training and helps develop a student to their best.
The main idea of the internal designing course is to improve ideas on spatial awareness in many areas like residential, hotels, hospitals, stores, commercial areas, and other places. This course helps professionals to be more creative, imaginative, and artistic so that they can manage and successfully execute the designing of complex projects.
Some of the top universities of interior design in the UK are:
Getting admission to these universities is comparatively tougher than other renowned universities. Most of the admissions take place based on academic excellence and other important English proficiency test scores like the TOEFL and the IELTS.
The most popular internal design courses in the UK are:
MDes Interior Design – this is the Master in Design degree which is a postgraduate level degree
MA Interior Design – this is a post-graduate level degree that is provided for the course of interior designing.
BA (Hons) Interior and Spatial Design – It covers a range of disciplines like art architecture, furniture, interior, and spatial practices. It is a three years course that is provided by the most renowned universities in the UK.
BA (Hons) Design – it is also a three years course that aims to cover strategic design thinking and the hands-on development of ideas.
Undergraduate Students – the diploma courses provided in this course are usually for two years. Some universities also provide online courses which are usually 8 to 10 months.
Graduate Students – the bachelor’s programme in interior designing is three years long.
Postgraduate Students – the master in interior design course is of the time period of one to three years. The duration varies depending upon the disciplines that are present in the course of different students.
Undergraduate Students - No fixed amount is mentioned for the diploma courses in interior design. It varies from university and the cost of studying abroad varies on various factors like the mode of a course (online or in class), and the time span of the course. However, the cost of diploma courses is less than that of graduation or post-graduation.
Graduate Students - Tuition fees for a bachelor’s degree in interior design in the UK cost about 14,000 to 24,000 GBP which is about 14 to 24 lakhs per year. The variation of the cost depends on how renowned the university is and what is its place in the rank of universities all around the world.
Post-graduate Students - Depending on the university, the tuition fee for a master in interior design in the UK costs about 16,500 to 19,000 GBP which is about 16.39 lakhs to 18.87 lakhs in INR. On average, the masters degree in the UK costs 8740 pounds.
The cost of living is one of the biggest concerns in the UK. London is considered one of the costliest cities to live in. The biggest issue that most students and people working in the UK face is housing rents. Most of the people living there for employment or students living there take half of their salary on scholarships to pay their rent. The average rent in the UK as observed in 2021 is 1007 pounds per month. This is not a fixed rent. It mainly varies depending on the type of house being rented and the number of people living. For example, for a single person, the average cost is 725 pounds which is still less than for those living with families. Single people sharing rooms are still pocket friendly compared to single living.
For international students, the average cost of living single person is about 859 pounds which are about 10,308 pounds per year on average. In Edinburg, this cost 684 pounds and 8,208 pounds respectively. In Cardiff, it is 662 pounds and 7,944 pounds respectively. The most affordable cities in the UK are considered Durham, Belfast, Leicester, Stirling, Lancaster, Cardiff, Newcastle, Coventry, Warwick, and Lincoln. In order to pay rent and afford other vital daily requirements, most students indulge themselves in part-time jobs like in restaurants and cafes.
Transportation cost is also fairly high. In the UK, all transportation is owned by a private organization and the government has no control over them. Thus, there are no passes for students. A public bus ride in London costs up to 1.50 pounds per hour. On average, the monthly commuting cost in London is about 186 dollars which are considered higher than all cities in the world. Trains are also owned by private organizations thus, are costly. Thus, overall all students must try to stay near universities or try to maintain cards and passes to save money.
The average cost of electricity in the UK is about 34 pounds per month. The water bill varies with the place but it is also high. However, the estimated cost of water and sewage bill is about 400 pounds per year. Thus, students are bound to save on water and avoid unnecessary spending on electricity to save money. The average cost of broadband in the UK is 27.50 pounds, including internet services as TV services.
Since the living cost of the UK is overall very high, the common practices that should be adapted by international students are sharing and renting since sharing apartments have very high rent. The transaction becomes easier with a local bank account. Thus, they should open one after settling there for studies. Students should try to minimize their extra money wastage by saving electricity, saving water, eating home cooer foods rather than ordering from outside daily, and creating a sustainable living system. they should also practice some smart commuting services like developing various cards like the contactless card and oyster card. Uber is cheaper compared to taxis.
The most economical way of travelling long distances is by coaches in the UK. If travelling by plane, the students should plan earlier and try to book tickets as early as possible since the price of flight tickets tends to rise higher with time. Many students often plan to stay in the outskirts rather than stay in the main city like London and Edinburg. This saves them the cost of high rents which are lower in the outskirt areas compared to the cities.
|
Scholarship Name |
Eligibility |
Funding |
|
E Fellows Scholarship Programme |
Applicable only to those who are members of e-fellows.net |
Academic fees |
|
Post Graduate Scholarship at Manchester Metropolitan University |
Post Graduate |
10,000 pounds |
|
John Henry Brookes Scholarship |
Masters |
Partial Funding of about 1000-2000 GBP |
|
Vice Chancellor’s International Scholarship |
Undergraduate and postgraduate |
17,200 pounds |
|
Liverpool John Moores Scholarship |
PhD |
Annually 500 pounds |
|
Nottingham Trent University International Undergraduate Scholarships |
Undergraduate and postgraduate |
50% or 25% waive of tuition fees based on academic excellence |
|
INTO UEA Foundation Scholarship |
undergraduate |
Tuition fees, value ranging from 1500 to 5000 pounds |
|
London South Bank University International Merit Scholarship |
Undergraduate and postgraduate |
Fee reduction of 3000 pounds on each academic year |
|
Government of Ireland Scholarships |
Postgraduate |
10,000 euros per year, a full waiver of all tuition fees. |
|
Solent University International Academic Merit Scholarships |
undergraduate |
250 to 500 pounds |
Getting a scholarship is important for international students mainly those from India. As mentioned, studying in the UK is costly and many students of high academic excellence may not be able to afford the amount. Thus, all students who wish to study in the UK must try to look for scholarships that best suits them based on their abilities and use them. The country has also taken various steps to welcome foreign students to their universities. Many master courses also provide placement just after completion of the course. Apart from that, the young generation also gets various part-time well-paid jobs in the country which ensures they can continue with their education. In this manner, they can earn money to pay their rent and manage their living along with continuing their education.
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Whether going to the UK for interior design is worth it depends on various factors, such as your goals, budget, and personal circumstances. Here are some things to consider:
There is a demand for interior designers in the UK, but the level of demand can vary depending on factors such as location, industry trends, and economic conditions.
In general, there are opportunities for interior designers in large cities such as London, Manchester, and Birmingham, where there is a high concentration of design firms and clients. The hospitality and residential sectors are also known to have strong demand for interior designers in the UK.
However, competition for jobs can be high, as the industry is highly competitive, and there are many talented designers vying for positions. Therefore, it's important to have a strong portfolio and network, as well as to stay current on industry trends and developments.
