Outside the US

[Ms. S.J. Rickard]

Well, I don't know what the eqivalent of Grad school is here in the UK.
We do a 3 year degree after school and I think that British Universities 
are far more selective than US ones, in that only a small % of people 
actually get in (although the government (spit) have increased numbers in 
the past few years). It used to be 2-4% of the population, now it is more 
as they have expanded the system. The British degree is "harder" than a US 
degree to 
my knowledge which is why a British Phd takes only 3 years. British Phds 
don't usually have lectures or seminars as an undergraduate degree student 
would, although help is provided, but less formally. A British Phd must 
take a minimum of 2 years, but funding is provided for 3 years (a measly 
sum of around 6,000 pounds a year). Undergraduates studying for a 3 year 
degree get a derisory 2,000 pounds a year and have to take out vast 
loans, but that's another political story!!!!!
Hmmmmmmm....I think I have outlined the British higher education system 
briefly for our American cousins. Speaking from a molecular biology point 
of view it is fairly easy to get funding and a place for a Phd if you 
have a 2i degree classification in Britain (our classification system 
goes something like this: 1st bloody clever/genius 5%, 2i reasonably 
clever 30%, 2ii average kind of cleverness 50%, 3rd dim 10%, pass very 
dim 5%, Fail lobotomy/dead 5%).
Clear as mud eh!!?????
Sarah