<p>What is the difference between universities in the United States and universities in other countries, specifically the UK? How do Oxford and Cambridge differ from the Ivy-Leagues and other colleges in America?</p>
<p>In America, we speak American. In England, they speak English.</p>
<p>Thanks, that cleared it up.</p>
<p>They have a minimum SAT score requirement. If you don’t make the cut, you won’t get in. I believe you only go for three years, and you apply to the college you want to major in, as in to the social science school or whatnot.</p>
<p>There is no single difference, but very many. Do not apply to any foreign univeristy assuming anything will be the same as the US. Such applciations are rejected, or successful applicants end up very unhappy.</p>
<p>In addition to what tiff90 said. you apply for one specific “course” in the UK, which is usually a single subject, say Biology, or a specified combination such as history and politics. It is extremely diffiuclt to change coruse once admitted. Usually you would have to drop out and re-apply.</p>
<p>In order to be admitted they will only consider your achievements in related subjects. eg if you apply to study English, your APs in Calculus and Chemistry will be ignored.</p>
<p>Ditto all ECs unless specifically related to course of study. Totally irrelevant. </p>
<p>Apart from Oxbridge (app deadline 15th October) applications are rolling from 1st September.</p>
<p>Most applicants get a “conditional offer” which states they will be admitted if they achieve certain grades. For US applicants this is usually based on APs, IB or SAT IIs. GPA is considered unreliable so usually discounted. Offers are rescinded if conditions not met (it is A-level results day for UK students Thursday this week. Due to increased number of students in the recession they expect maybe 150,000 will either have offers rescinded or will never have got an ofer in the first place. This is a big political hot potato in the UK which will no doubt go on and on. I suspect foreign students are now more likely to get in because British unis need the money).</p>
<p>Most courses last 3 years</p>
<p>Things like medicine, law and pharmacy are undergraduate courses. Some of these last longer like 5-6 years.</p>
<p>There is one common app, the UCAs form available from [UCAS</a> - Home](<a href=“http://www.ucas.com%5DUCAS”>http://www.ucas.com) Costs about £15. This is relatively simple to fill in as you only need to list SATs/APs/IB you have take (or predicted scores if you plan to take them), get a recomendation and write a personal statement of about 40 lines.</p>
<p>Can only apply to a maximum of 5 schools (or rather “universities”. Actually if you’re 20 and you tell someone British you are “still in school” they will think you’re in remedial or young offenders institution! School ends at age 18 here. After that it is referred to usually as “uni”, sometimes “college”)</p>
<p>No financial aid for foreign undergraduate applicants (and unless your parents have been paying tax in an EU coutnry for at least the last 3 years, you’re a foreign applicant even if technically you’re British. Nationality irrelevant. it’s about tax).</p>
<p>Foreign students pay at least 5x more in tuition compared to EU (sometimes a lot more).</p>
<p>In most cases housing is only provided for one year. After this you rent a house with friends.</p>
<p>Much less contact time with tutors (maybe 10 hours a week for arts students). You’re on your own the the library or lab. You are considered to be a grown up. </p>
<p>Scotland is a bit different to England having usually a more general first year (and all courses last at least 4 years). But still very different from the US.</p>
<p>Go to UK if you are 100% sure of what you want to do for the rest of your life.</p>
<p>cupcake listed the most important differences. I would like to add one point.</p>
<p>If you apply to the top universities, you will probably have to interview. These interviews are not casual conversations like American college interviews but academic interviews conducted by a faculty member in your proposed major. Depending on your major, you might also have to take an internal admission exam which is more challenging and less standardized (i.e. harder to study for) than SAT or AP exams.</p>