A complete guide to choose Public or Private Universities in UK

Studying abroad can be as exciting as it can be anxious, especially if it’s your first time on the foreign land in a foreign learning environment. Also, the numerous choices of public and private universities can get overwhelming if you don’t know how to navigate when choosing one among the crowd.

Campus life, living quarters, and educational quality are just a few elements of study abroad to consider. Quite frankly, deciding on whether to attend a public or private university is the first step to getting into the entire planning procedure wisely.

There are two types of universities in the UK- Public and Private. While private universities are funded and regulated by private organisations, public universities in the UK are funded by the states.

What is Public University 

The expression “public” indicates that these universities are owned by the state. A significant aspect of public universities is that it is state-financed. The fund provided by the state is aimed at developing the infrastructure of the university, provide better educational opportunities and increase the exposure of the students enrolled. Listed below are some of the best public universities of the world that offer top-class education at par with the requirements of the modern professional world.

What is Private University

 A private university is an educational institution whose financing originates from educational costs obtained from the students, ventures from donators, and private helpers. Many renowned institutions of the world are private colleges including the prestigious Ivy schools. Listed below are some of the most popular private universities of the world students throughout the globe opt for. 

Since they depend on students for their income, private universities tend to work harder to enhance the student experience. They have fewer students in smaller classes, and many operate Oxbridge style tutorial teaching rather than large scale lectures. Furthermore, they tend to be less research orientated, with staff focussing their efforts and energy on their teaching duties instead.

Key Differences Between Public And Private Universities

Talking about Public vs Private Universities, there are many factors that can be used to distinguish between the two. Tabulated below are the major differences in public vs private universities at a glance.

Point of Distinction

Public University

 

Private University

 

Funded by

Public Universities are funded
by the state government and
the subsidies it offers.

Private Universities are funded
by private ventures, investors
and tuition fees

 

Tution Fees

Due to government funding,
they have a low tuition fee.
Moreover, every state has
a public university with a
reasonable educational cost.

Private universities have a higher
tuition fee which is used to fund
the various requirements
of the college

Scholarships Offered

Financial aid offered but
lesser than private universities

Private universities offer more
lucrative scholarship options than
public universities in order to help
students cover the high tuition fees.

 

Accreditation

Public universities are accredited
with the state
or national government.

Private universities have to get
accredited nationally.

Admission

Public universities generally
offer more seats with less
strict selection criteria.

Private universities only enrol
a limited number of students
whom they admit based on
stringent criteria and thorough evaluation

Teachers’ Selection

Professors are evaluated
based on their teaching skills

Professors are evaluated on their
research activity before selection

Majors Available

A larger number of majors
are available to students to
choose from

A smaller number of majors are available
to opt from

 

Final Thoughts:

Ultimately, only you can decide which you would prefer—public or private. Consider an expense, location, campus, and other factors. Discuss options with your parents and your education counsellor, and do your research to make an informed decision.