UK varsity explores potential Indian entrance tests for admission

Indian students planning to study abroad may soon get admitted to UK’s Belfast University by cracking entrance exams in their homeland.

A team from the varsity is working on identifying entrance tests conducted in India whose scores can be accepted by it in its admission criteria, its Vice-Chancellor Ian Greer has said.

Earlier this year, the varsity had announced the inclusion of Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) scores in its admission criteria for engineering programmes.

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“We are open to accepting scores of entrance exams which are credible and attract quality students. We have not zeroed down on any other courses or exams yet, but we have a team which is working on identifying the potential entrance exams for their respective courses,” Greer told PTI.

He was in Delhi earlier this month, leading a delegation from the varsity to engage with Indian stakeholders and explore the potential university and industry partners.

The Vice-Chancellor said the recent decision by the UK government to ease visa norms by granting two-year post-study work visa was a positive development for both potential students and the country.

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“For the past few years, we did not have a post-study work visa and students had to return home soon. The new visa norms will not only allow students to stay longer in the country but also gain experience in the discipline they have studied in,” he said.

The Queen’s University, situated in Northern Ireland’s Belfast, currently has over 200 Indian students enrolled in various programmes.

It has launched a five-year engagement plan to attract more Indian students by partnering with Indian institutions and bringing in several outreach programmes.

The varsity, which is part of the prestigious Russell Group research-intensive universities in UK, is organising a summer school in June next year for students planning to pursue management programmes.