First of all, let's talk about the current situation of the British society under the epidemic
Through the domestic media reports, we feel that the epidemic in the UK has been so severe that it is almost on the verge of collapse, but in fact, the British people's attitude towards the epidemic is still very calm, and everyone lives a normal life as usual, and there are no shortages of living materials. So if you have friends or family living in the UK, you don't need to worry, and of course you can go through them to find out what's going on.
But the fact that you can live a normal life doesn't mean that the epidemic is not serious, and like the global epidemic situation, the epidemic in the UK is still very serious. According to statistics, more than 50,000 new cases have been reported in the UK every day since Christmas, and a mutated strain of the disease has recently been discovered in the UK, so people in the UK are currently living very cautiously, such as wearing masks when they go out, strictly sterilizing things they buy back, as well as not going out of the house if they don't have to. The good news is that the UK government has started vaccinating the entire population.
Should I take online classes at home or study in the UK?
Next, let's talk about a question that international students are very concerned about and struggling with at the moment: should I stay at home to study or go to the UK to study, given the current trend of fully online classes? There is no absolute correct answer to this question, but we have to objectively analyze the current situation and purpose of international students. Here I will describe the advantages and disadvantages of taking online classes at home and going to the UK respectively, for your reference.
I. Advantages and disadvantages of completing UK studies through online classes in China
The first and most obvious advantage is saving money. The cost of living and tuition in the UK is nearly 1:1, and the cost of living may be a bit more, so if you are completing your studies at home this year, you can save nearly 200,000 RMB. But in this case you have no way to really experience the customs of the United Kingdom, even if you have the opportunity to go back to the United Kingdom in the future, it is difficult to be in the status of permanent residence, more likely to go to the United Kingdom in the capacity of a tourist.
But starting this year, all international graduates in the UK will be able to get an international student visa and stay in the UK for a while after graduation to find a job. However, the current employment situation in the UK is very tough and there are very few opportunities for good jobs, so for students who have not lived in the UK at all, the difficulties may be quite great if they come to the UK directly on a visa to find a job. Another bad point is that, if you are studying online at home, you will not be able to study efficiently, unless you have a very high level of self-discipline.
The advantages and disadvantages of going to the UK to complete your studies
The biggest advantage is, of course, that you can really get a feel for the local customs of the UK. Although the epidemic is still very serious, both the British government and the British people are now taking the epidemic very seriously. Most of the stores and restaurants in the UK are now open for business, so there is no problem in going to the UK now and experiencing local life under the premise of ensuring safety.
But the biggest disadvantage of going to the UK now would be the loneliness, it is hard to find friends in the UK now. So if you choose to go to the UK this year, be prepared to endure loneliness and learn how to get along with yourself.
Writing all this, in short, if you think getting a degree is more important than experiencing life in the UK, then completing your degree by taking online classes at home is the way to go. This is because the course resources you get and the degree you get at the end is exactly the same as what you had to get when you came to the UK, and you can save a ton of money. If your purpose of studying in the UK is to experience local life and broaden your horizons, then you can also choose to come to the UK or wait until next year when the epidemic situation improves before you go to the UK to study.