At UK Distance Learning we have hundreds of distance learning foreign students from all over the world. It really is a great way for people living and working in other countries to study for UK qualifications without the need to constantly fly back and forth across hundreds of miles. However, we do get a lot of questions from people who are considering becoming distance learning foreign students, but aren’t sure how the process will work for them. So, in this article we have tried to put together a list of all the most common questions and provide the answers as best we can.
Can distance learning foreign students study while abroad?
If you are studying one of UK Distance Learning’s many course options, such as a childcare course, Property Development, Business Admin, or any one of the dozens of other courses we have, you will not need to sit an exam as you are assessed by assignment only, and these can be emailed in to your tutor from anywhere. This is ideal for distance learning foreign students.
Will time difference mean I can’t contact my tutor?
A lot of distance learning foreign students worry that they won’t be able to speak to their tutor because of the time difference. This isn’t a problem with UK Distance Learning. Our tutors operate exclusively by email support, so while foreign students may have to wait a few extra hours for a reply to their queries, they won’t ever have to go through the ridiculous rigmarole of staying up till 3AM to make a call.
Will I have to travel in order to collect my certificate?
Distance learning foreign students shouldn’t ever have to travel in order to collect their certificates. If you study a UK Distance Learning course that is assessed by assignment, we will always post out certificates, and also offer our distance learning foreign students the option of receiving an electronic scan of your Award, Diploma or Certificate. This is always a good option for people who live in countries with less reliable postal services!
Will it cost me more to study from abroad?
Not necessarily. Obviously, if you have to travel in order to take exams this will be an extra expense. Other than this, you can mostly avoid other extra costs. If you study an online course you can avoid paying extra for shipping. As all tutor contact is via email, you won’t need to pay for long distance phone calls. The same thing applies to sending in assignments. As they are sent in by email you won’t need to pay for postage.
Will my qualification be recognised outside the UK?
This one can be tricky. Different countries can have very different standards for what qualifications they recognise. The only way to be sure about this is to do thorough research before-hand. Try ringing up local employers and asking them, or contact your country’s central advice bureau if it has one.
English isn’t my first language. Is this ok?
Distance Learning Foreign students often don’t have English as a first language, and this often causes a bit on worry. Students worry that because their English isn’t perfect that their tutor might reject their assignments. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Unless you are studying a subject like English Language or Literature, tutors will usually be quite tolerant of the odd mistake in a student’s work.
Hopefully this article will have answered some of your questions about being a distance learning foreign student. If you think of anything that we haven’t covered here, please do get in touch. We can be reached by email at any time or telephone by telephone between 9AM and 5PM (British time that is!)
