It’s no secret that the UK has some of the best universities and faculties in the world. In fact, we’ve written a comprehensive article that waxes lyrical about the best student cities in the UK. If you are a US or any international student, you may be tempted to pursue your overseas studies in the UK. But what if your SAT scores aren’t as good as you expected? Are there any UK Universities that accept low SAT scores? Are your dreams of studying in the UK over? Certainly not.
A low score doesn’t mean you can’t get into a good college. UK universities, in general, do accept SAT scores and other A Level-equivalent qualifications for entry. Most will outline their minimum scores. If you’re in any doubt, the best thing to do is to get in touch with universities directly.
All About the SAT
First of all, the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) is a college entrance exam that is recognized globally. The SATs can be taken by 11th or 12th Grade students who wish to apply to colleges in the US and abroad. Almost all colleges and universities in the United States and many colleges worldwide use the SAT to make admission decisions.
The SAT test students at reading, writing, and math. A student’s knowledge and skills in these subjects are important for success in college and beyond.
- The critical reading section includes reading passages and sentence completions.
- The writing section includes a short essay and multiple-choice questions on identifying errors and improving grammar and usage.
- The mathematics section includes topics like arithmetic operations, algebra, geometry, statistics, and probability.
Exam Duration
The SAT is a fairly long exam. It takes a total of 3 hours and 45 minutes to complete and has a total of 10 sections –
- One 25-minute essay
- Six 25-minute sections (mathematics, critical reading, and writing)
- Two 20-minute sections (mathematics, critical reading, and writing)
- One 10-minute multiple-choice writing section
Scoring
Each section of the SAT is scored on a 200-800 point scale. The maximum possible total score is 2400. Students also get two ‘subscores’ on the writing section: a multiple-choice score from 20 to 80, and an essay score from 2 to 12.
Some Benefits for US College Students in the UK –
Save Money
We’ll be honest, both the US and the UK are expensive higher education destinations. But if you closely analyse the costs of studying in both countries, you’ll realise that the UK is the cheaper option.
US News reported that the average cost of tuition for private US universities during the 2020-21 school year was $35,087. According to Top Universities, international undergraduate students at UK universities can expect to pay anywhere from £10,000 (~US$12,000) to £38,000 (~US$46,000) a year. For UK and EU students, costs are typically much cheaper. Schools in the UK, for example, have a max tuition rate of £9,250 (~US$11,000) per year for UK/EU “home” students.
This means that if you’re a US student, who’s hellbent on going to the UK for studies, depending on the institution and program you choose, you could end up paying much less than you would for a degree from a private US university.
Additionally, UK undergraduate programs usually last just three years instead of four as they do in the US, which leads to more savings.
Spend Less Time In University
As mentioned earlier, UK universities typically last 3 years as opposed to US universities lasting 4 years. As for master’s programs, these are normally around two years in the US but just one year in the UK. A shorter time at uni means you’ll save a whole year’s worth of tuition fees, accommodation, meals, transportation, travel, and so on.
Experience Different Cultures
Not only will you be able to live in a new country, but also get a chance to meet lots of students and staff from a variety of backgrounds and regions. The top UK universities are known for being globally driven, especially in terms of student diversity. According to StudyinUK, more than 480,000 international students were studying in the UK during the 2018-19 school year.
Get To Your Specialisation Right Away
US universities generally require undergrads to take a broad array of general education classes before they can really begin to zero in on their chosen majors. On the other hand, UK universities require all students to choose and commit to a major during the application process.
Here are some UK Universities that accept low SAT scores
Do not be discouraged if you get low SAT scores. There are many universities in the US and UK that admit students with low SAT scores. Universities in the UK such as Cardiff Metropolitan University and Keele University are some of the top UK Universities that accept low SAT scores. Despite your low SAT scores, you have a realistic chance of getting into the following UK universities.
- Aberystwyth University
- Abertay University
- American Intercontinental University, London
- Bath Spa University Newton Park
- Bolton Institute of Higher Education
- Brunel University London
- Cardiff Metropolitan University
- Cardiff University
- De Montfort University
- Edinburgh Napier University
- ESCP Europe Business School London
- Glasgow School of Art
- Hult International Business School
- Keele University
- Lancaster University
- Leeds Metropolitan University
- Nottingham Trent University
- SOAS – School of Oriental and African Studies
- The University of Derby
- Ulster University
Once you get into your dream UK university, it’s time to think about where you’re going to live. UniAcco is one of the leading student accommodation providers in the UK, that provides students with high-quality accommodation near top universities. Be sure to check out the UniAcco website today. As for student loans, UniCreds offers students the best interest rates and repayment options on education loans.
