Number of inhabitants: 59.5 million in 1999; 52.7 million in England and Wales, 5.1 in Scotland and 1.7 in Northern Ireland.
Capital: London
Main cities: Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh
Main university cities: London, Cambridge, Oxford, Leeds, Manchester
Student population: 1.3 million in 1999
Foreign student population: around 200,000 per year from 180 countries. 70,000 arrive from EU countries and over 90,000 come from outside the EU (mainly the U.S. and Asian countries.)

The Welsh countryside, the Scottish high and low lands, the big industrial cities, Liverpool, the Beatles, the red brick Victorian houses of London, the football clubs and even the sea (but not for swimming- it is better to take walks on the beach or hike the cliffs) give just a taste of British history and culture.
In the English daily life, it is almost obligatory to stop at a nearby pub around five o’clock. Pubs are places where everybody can socialize, relax, get out of the bad weather and have a satisfying pint of beer. Although pubs close early, the night is not over. One can go to a club and enjoy all types of music, many originally from England: drum and bass, London house, trip hop or punk (for the more nostalgic ones).
Climate and seasons:
The climate is typically ocean European, meaning it rains a lot, resulting in lots of greenery. The summer months are from July to September and are very pleasant, and the winter months are from November to March but are not as harsh as in the continental countries of Europe. During the winter the barometer in England rarely goes below zero, while Scotland is often covered with snow.
Distance:
The United Kingdom is not a big country and is easily accessible from all sides. Traveling around the country can be a very pleasant experience (that is if you are accustomed to driving on the left side) and easily feasible. If you want to travel out of the UK, the continent is not far at all: Paris is only three hours by Eurostar through the Chunnel.
Currency:
Pound sterling (£)
£1=1.5 € = 2 US$
There is a Scottish pound but no need to worry if you are given this, it has the same rate and value of a British pound, but with a different appearance on the paper money.
Telephone:
The country code for the UK is 44. In addition each county has its own city code starting with a 0; for example Leeds is 0113, Edinburgh is 0131 etc...
If you call the UK from abroad you would dial +44 + city code(without the 0) + number.
If you were within the UK and making a local call you would include the 0 of the city code 0113 xxx xxxx.

Beware ! England (especially in London) is one of the most expensive countries in Europe.
Leeds University suggests that a medium range budget for a UK or EU student for one academic year (including all expenses except application and tuition fees) would be between £ 5,500-6,800 (US$ 8,250-10,200).
The University of London suggests that for the same budget standard for an academic year for a UK or EU student (including all expenses except application and tuition fees) would be around £ 8,000 (US$ 12,000).
Here are some other examples of accommodation costs:
Accommodation on a university campus in a smaller city for an academic year would be between £1682-2667 ($2,523-4,000) for Halls of Residence and £1,243-2,275 ($1,865-3,412) for self-catering accomodation.
In London, one of the cheaper options for accommodation is finding a flatmate. If this is your prefered option expect to spend around £3900 per academic year to rent a three bedroom apartment, and around £750 for deposits and other possible charges.
Some typical costs:
One month bus pass excluding the London area: £30 ($ 45) .
Metro tickets in London: £1.50-3.60 ($ 2.25-5.40), prices depend on the length of the ride.
Pint of beer: £1 ($1.50) in a student bar; £2.50-3 ($3.75-4.50) in other bars and pubs.
English meal in London (two meals and a coffee): £10 ($15)
Beef burger: £2.90 ($4.35)
Coca Cola (large): £0.90 ($1.35)
Movies: £4.90 ($ 7.35) (plain rate)
Clubbing: £10 ($15) in ‘hip’ clubs! (with reduction ticket for students in general). Drinks are expensive in the clubs except if it is student night.
Newspaper: around £0.50 ($.75)
Jeans: £30 ($45)

Educational institutions in the UK are public and autonomous, under the authority and guidance of the Department of Education and Employment. This department assures the validity and level of education and recognizes diplomas within the country and world.
Four major types of institutions divided into two categories can be found in the UK:
Long studies: Universities (there are 103 in the UK) and ‘open universities’ offering technical vocation.
Short studies: Colleges and higher education institutions, ‘open colleges’ and ‘art and music colleges’.
Since 1992, universities in the UK offer a number of disciplines which are divided and taught by specialized faculties and departments. Study options are numerous such as humanities, sciences, medicine and pharmacy, as well as agronomy, veterinary, engineering, architecture and business, just to name a few. Studies are full-time or in alterations with internships, known as sandwich courses, or with a study year abroad.
University calendar: The academic term is from October to July, summer vacation is from July 1st to September 30th. Some insitutions offer courses during the summer vacation.

Application fee: varies depending on the institution
Average price range:
For ‘Home students’ (British residents and EU residents, refugees, individuals granted political asylum, etc.) from £1,000 ($1,500) for undergraduate studies and from £2900 ($4,350) for postgraduate studies. All other students will pay from £6,000 ($9,000) for undergraduate studies and from £7,000 ($10,500) for postgraduate studies.
The best ranked and recognized universities and schools are respectively the most expensive ones:
For example Oxford and Cambridge have supplementary ‘college fees’ of around £2,800 per year ($4,200).
Reputable schools and universities
Informations : http://www.scit.wlv.ac.uk/ukinfo/uk.map.html/
Art History : Royal college of Arts, London.
Design : Saint-Martins College of Art and Design, London.
Theater : Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA), London.
Law: Oxford University
Economics : London School of Economics (LES), London.
Humanities and Literature: Oxford University
Medicine: University College, London.
Sciences : Cambridge University
Engineering : Imperial College of London
Geology: Imperial College of London
Selection of five top MBA programs in the UK (according to Financial Times 2001 ranking):

Here is a list of some of the more popular educational insitutions in the UK that offer full time MBA programs:
Aberdeen Business School
School of Management and Business, University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Aston Business School (Public Sector Management MBA)
University of Bath, School of Management
The Birmingham Business School
Bradford Management Center
Bristol Business School, University of the West of England
The University of Cambridge - The Judge Institute of Management Studies
City University Business School Engineering Management MBA
Cranfield School of Management
The Royal Military College of Science, Cranfield University Full-time Master of Defence Administration
De Montfort University, School of Business
Durham University Business School
Edinburgh University Management School
University of Exeter, School of Business and Economics
University of Glasgow Business School
Imperial College Management School
Kingston Business School
Leeds University Business School
Leicester University Management Center
London Business School
Manchester Business School
The Manchester Metropolitan University
Middlesex University Business School
University of Nottingham Business School Full-time Financial MBA
Said Business School, Oxford University
Warwick Business School
University of Westminster, Westminster Business School and Harrow Business School

For details and other programs accredited by the Association of MBAs visit: www.mba.org.uk

In order to apply for undergraduate studies, international students must submit a proof of a diploma that is equivalent to a UK diploma(secondary school diploma). They must also be fluent in English.
Language Level
Foreign students who wish to study in the UK must have a high level of English proficiency. They must take an English test if they do not already possess an English language certification like the "Certificate of Proficiency" or the "Certificate of Advanced English" from Cambridge University(Grade A).
The most frequently required English test is the International English Language Testing Service(IELTS).
American tests that may be accepted and/or required are the TOEFL for English proficiency, the GMAT for MBA programs and the GRE for certain Master's programs.
Information on these tests can be found at:
IELTS site- www.ielts.org
TOEFL site- www.toefl.org
GMAT site- www.gmac.com
Diploma Equivalency
For candidates who have already obtained a diploma of secondary or post-secondary studies in their home country and who wish to pursue their studies in the UK, there is no official system of equivalences or credential translations. The choice of accepting a student or not is at the discretion of the institution, and is made after the schools have looked over the candidate's portfolio and sometimes require an oral interview. Places are limited and the demand usually exceeds the availability.

Information : http://www.fco.gov.uk/
http://www.brithighcomm.org.nz/travel/pdfs/inf1.pdf
Student Visa:
For all students who wish to study in the UK, you must have a valid passport and a visa, if necessary. Visas are not needed if you are a student from the EU or USA. To obtain a visa, students must contact the British embassy, the Consulate in their home country or the country in which they hold a passport. The fee for a single entry visa is £33 ($49.50) and £80 ($120) for a multiple entry visa that's valid for five years. The fees are all payable in domestic currency. The student must also present the appropriate documents that have been provided by the university proving that he/she has been accepted, a document that proves that he/she has a sufficient amount of money required for the tuition and living expenses (this sum may be provided by the university from the admissions office and excludes any scholarships that have been granted), and two recent photographs. In certain cases, a medical examination will be required.