To that end, UniRoute offers a broad array of services including online assistance with university applications, admissions, accommodations – in short, everything necessary for successful completion of a tertiary degree, a virtual necessity for candidates seeking professional careers and advancement today.

At the core of UniRoute’s offerings is a carefully integrated set of online courses geared not only to admission to the international university of your choice but also to successful academic performance in your chosen area of specialisation. Our time- and classroom-tested courses now online  include a complete, entirely original up-to-date Online IELTS Preparation Course. You won’t find any of this excellent material elsewhere.

Offering a complete guide to the IELTS examination in all four major English skills areas – Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking – it teaches both fundamentals and the less-obvious (some call them “Tricky”) elements of the exam you need to know to get the highest possible IELTS band score. Satisfaction guaranteed!

To make sure that your current level of English skill is adequate for meaningful study of its online IELTS course, UniRoute offers a quick qualifying examination, giving you an immediate “go-ahead” if your skills measure up. UniRoute also offers a unique, more thorough online test that allows you – and, if you wish, university officials — an nearly instantaneous assessment of your current, approximate IELTS band-score status.

UniRoute operates in the conviction that online e-learning is as effective as traditional classroom instruction. It is determined to make top-quality, career-targeted coursework available to candidates whose work or study schedules makes external class schedules problematic – and professionally guided self-learning the best of all options, both financially and time-wise.

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One of the main issues faced when students move to the UK it culture shock – the anxiety felt by students when having to study within a different cultural or social environment. To help you survive it is important to stay in touch with family and friends at home. Email is an obvious choice but can be very impersonal. Calling from the UK on a land line or mobile can be expensive. An option often overlooked by students is that of broadband phones – using the internet to make calls, cheaply and effectively. Broadband ensures that the quality is good and the voice of Internet protocol (VoIP) system keeps the cost down.

There are two types of phones that you can use

* software broadband phones that require the other person to have a similar system on their PC. You use a microphone and speakers connected to you PC or notebook.

*hardware broadband phones that act like you usual fixed line phone.

There are many suppliers in the UK offering broadband services, usually as part of an Internet package. Some examples of providers include O2, BT, Virgin, Talk Talk and so on. Prices and bandwidth do vary so be sure to shop around before choosing a package – you are typically required to sign up for a fixed time so make sure it fits with you study dates and may not be the cheapest. Prices range from about GBP6.00 per month for an 8MB connection to GBP20 per month for 24MB.

Leading suppliers of VoIP services include Skype, Vonage, Plusnet and so on. Each has different deals and you need to carry out your own research to make sure that you select the correct package to suit your needs. Perhaps one of the best sources of information is to ask your fellow students for their advice. Be sure to ask about quality since this can still be an issue – make sure they are getting good reception to your home country.

Keep in mind that mobile broadband is becoming more widely available and this may be an attractive alternative to fixed broadband if you intend to move around. Prices start at about GBP10 per month but prices will rise depending on speed. Currently speeds can reach 7.2MB so the system can be used for a broadband phone set-up.

Finally, look for special offers. Some providers are offering a “free” notebook PC when you sign up – it may not be a top spec computer but it will get you on-line cheaply and easily.

Studying in the UK presents students with many potential problems, perhaps the most significant relating to money and finance. Indeed many students find themselves having to manage their own finances for the first time in their lives.

Do not worry – help is at hand. Usually your student union will be able to help you with general advice, and you will be please to hear that UK banks actively encourage student applicants – they see you as an excellent business opportunity. Most banks provide similar services but try to identify the bank that suits your needs by doing your homework. Students generally choose one of the big five banks: Abbey National, Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds TSB and Natwest. however they all provide different options and different facilities. Often they choose the one with a branc on campus because it is the most convenient.

But be careful, do not be dazzled by all the hype – banks will often offer you free gadgets and cash back which seem very attractive, but you may well be better off finding a bank that offers a good deposit interest rate or low interest loans. Do you sums carefully before deciding.

Students are usually eligible to receive a number of ‘cards’ by the bank they select. These come in two main forms, credit cards and debit cards, and either may act as a cheque guarantee cards that can be used in conjunction with your cheque book. Debit cards take money instantly from your account and rely on you having sufficient funds in your account when you make a payment. Credit cards have a set limit and require that you pay a minimum amount usually within 2-3 weeks of receiving your credit card statement. Be careful not to run up large credit card bill – the interest payments can be expensive and the balance can ‘get out of hand.’

In summary there are many options available to students in the UK. Shop around and choose carefully – look for long term value over short term gifts or promotions. Use credit cards with caution!

You can download these Tips and Tricks for free at ww.web-based-learning.com(link opens in a new window). Simply register for a free account and download the IELTS Tips and Tricks in PDF format. (If you do not have the PFD reader yet you can dowload it here.