Shoal is your gateway to UK Universities
On this page, you'll find information about where you can meet us in your region. Also find out what you need to do to apply for a course and the contact details for our team.
Entry requirements for students from the Gulf region
If you're joining us from the Gulf , the entry requirements you need to meet will depend on the course you want to study.
To make sure you get the most out of your time studying in the UK and have the best chance of applying successfully, we recommend the following minimum qualifications:
Foundation courses
If you have a Shahadat-al-thanawia-al-a'ama (General Secondary School Certificate) with a grade of 60% or higher, you'll usually need to do a foundation year before doing an undergraduate course such as a Bachelor's degree.
Bachelor’s Degree
If you've completed a foundation course, Universities will consider you for admission onto a Bachelor's degree.
If you have a two year diploma from a recognised institution you may be considered for first or second year entry, depending on the areas you have covered and the grades you've achieved.
Students with a Higher National Diploma (HND) or Higher Diploma can be considered for advanced entry onto a relevant undergraduate degree programme.
You can also apply with:
A levels
Shoal will check your chosen course requirements to find the exact number of points needed. Your A level grades should equal or exceed the total points required. You can use the UCAS Tariff Calculator to work out your total points.
Some courses will require you to have studied specific subjects at A level. For example, to study a science course you will usually need to have achieved passing grades in scientific subjects at A level.
A level points: A* = 56 A = 48 B = 40 C = 32 D = 24.
International Baccalaureate
Most courses will require between 24 and 31 points in the International Baccalaureate (IB), depending on the degree you apply for.
You must have studied relevant subjects and achieved strong grades.
You may be able to join an undergraduate course with other qualifications. Universities do consider qualifications from a range of sources. Contact us to find out more.
English language requirements
When you join the University, it’s important that you can speak and understand English to the level that your course requires. The specific English language requirements will be on your chosen course page.
Many universities accept IELTS, IGCSE and several other certificates, but don’t worry if you're currently short of the standard required – Universities offer English language courses that will get you to the necessary level.
What to do next
Ready to start your adventure with us? Whether you know which degree course you want to do or not, contact us now to discuss your next steps.
Shoal Consulting are British experts in helping students from Kuwait, like you, to apply to join UK Universities. Whatever you want to know, just ask.
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Shoal - UK Educational Consultants
Applying for studies abroad is a crucial decision and we specialise in getting you the right university choice. Our expert team assist you in shortlisting the options relevant to your profile by taking into consideration your educational background and career objectives. They then suggest programs in UK Universities matching your preferences. Contact us to access these services.
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Shoal - Course Selection
Choosing a course for uni is one of the most important decisions you'll make as a student. More than 30,000 undergraduate courses are offered in the UK, so you need to be sure that what you pick will suit you. When choosing a course, there are lots of things to think about, including:
What subject you want to study
2. How you want to study
3. Where you want to study (choosing a course is linked with choosing a university)
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Shoal - Application
Your application to the university is a deciding factor in getting the admission. It is your first introduction to the admissions committee. As such our admission advisors assist you in filling the applications with precision. They also give you the right guidelines for drafting effective statement of purpose (sop), motivation letter, resume and essays which play a key role in your selection as they reflect your persona. You can make good use of the complete handholding right from screening your application to posting it to the universities
Choosing a university course
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Before choosing a specific course, you need to be sure of the subject area you want to study. The subject is what you study, while the course is the area of that subject you’d like to study, e.g. a marine biology course falls within the wider subject area of biological sciences.
When choosing a subject area, think about what you enjoy and what you’re already studying. You’ll read and write about your subject area and be lectured on it nearly every day of your degree, so you need to pick one you’ll be happy to immerse yourself in.
Don't just choose a course because your friends are taking it or because you think it's the right thing to do.
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After choosing a subject area, you can look at what courses are available. You can also use university league tables to your advantage. We will explain how the tables work and advise you how they can help you pick the right course.
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There are several things to consider before choosing a course to make sure it’s a perfect fit for you.
Think about:
Entry requirements and grades
Course content
The university or college
Subject league tables
Opportunities offered (such as placements, study abroad, industry links)
What you’ll be studying for (such as BA/BSc, master's)
Different study options
Entry requirements
Each university course has its own entry requirements. These often specify the subjects you would’ve already studied and the qualifications and grades you’ll need to get.
Some universities and courses have a general entrance requirement. This could be a basic set of qualifications that’s necessary for all students, for example:
English language proficiency
Criminal record check or equivalent
Fitness to practise check – for courses such as medicine
Grades
When choosing a course, we will guide you to look at the grade requirements and compare them with your predicted grades. Be realistic with what you can achieve – if a course’s requirements are much higher than what you’re predicted, look at a different university or a similar course with lower grade requirements.
Some universities use the UCAS tariff while others don’t. You can check how flexible universities can be and if they may make unconditional or contextual offers before you get your final results.
We will help you making your five UCAS choices, it’s advised to choose courses with a range of entry requirements so you’ll have different options if you don’t meet – or, conversely, exceed – your predicted grades.
The general rule for picking five courses is to have:
One or two ‘stretch’ options – these are courses with grade requirements that are higher than your predicted grades, e.g. if you’re predicted ABB you can apply for courses asking for AAB or AAA
Two or three courses that have the same entry requirements as your predicted grades
One or two ‘safety nets’ – these are courses with grade requirements lower than your predicted grades, e.g. if you’re predicted ABB, apply to a course asking for BBB or BBC as a backup option if you don’t get the grades you were hoping for
How we will help in making your choices:
Make a basic table of entry requirements or typical offers for around 20–30 universities with courses you like and narrow them down for your UCAS application
Consult advisers and teachers at your school or college about your predicted grades and options
Some UK universities let direct applications – this means you can have five UCAS choices along with a range of other choices. We will manage this with you
UCAS Extra provides an alternative if you get five rejections from your UCAS application or decide to change direction (you can also apply to some universities directly at this point)
The university
Found the perfect course but not at a university you like (or vice versa)? Think about what’s more important: what you study, or where you study. Do enough research so you’re sure both the course and university are right for you. It’s hard to switch universities if you change your mind after starting a course.
Opportunities – what else is included?
Shoal will guide you about the extras a course may offer. Does it include work experience placements? Guest lectures from industry professionals? What about a sandwich year or studying abroad? All this can add to your university experience and potentially better prepare you for life after studies.
What you’ll be studying for
Do you want a BA or BSc qualification? Are you interested in joint honours? Do you need to study a foundation year or access course first? How about an integrated master’s, a placement year, or a year studying abroad? There’s a huge variety of courses available.
Most courses in Scotland last four years rather than three, with some students (not from Scotland) having to pay an extra year’s tuition fees.
Undergraduate qualifications
After finishing your undergraduate studies you’ll graduate with one of these following degrees, often with ‘honours’ (Hons):
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Bachelor of Science (BSc)
Bachelor of Engineering (BEng)
Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
Some subjects can be taught as either a BA or BSc, including archaeology and economics. There are differences in the teaching and assessment of BA and BSc degrees, even if the course name and subject areas are similar. The emphasis of the course will likely be reflected in the entry requirements.
Joint honours
Also known as combined or dual honours, joint honours degrees let you study two separate subjects instead of one. Courses are just as long as a single honours course but offer a wider variety of modules to choose from. This can mean an increased workload and you may have to learn different writing and teaching styles.
Joint honours aren’t as popular as single honours degrees, which makes them a good option if you use UCAS Clearing. You can choose to specialise in your preferred area of the course further into your studies.
Foundation year
A foundation year, sometimes referred to as ‘year zero’, is an additional preliminary year at the beginning of a degree course. They can be studied at university or college as either a single course or part of a degree.
There are several types of foundation years that target different groups:
Students without the right subject – the foundation year acts as a conversion course, giving you a grounding in a subject before you start your degree properly
Students who didn’t meet entry requirements – this type of foundation year is to make sure you’re ready to make the step up from A Level to degree study
Mature students – if you took a break from education and are looking to start university, a foundation year is an excellent way of getting used to studying again
International students – some university courses will need you to take a foundation year combining academic study with English language classes to prepare you for studying in the UK
Foundation years vary in content. Some cover a broad range of subjects and others are specific to the course you want to eventually study. Look at the details such as modules, assessment and teaching methods before choosing a foundation year course.