School and college students received tips about studying in UK at a British Council seminar on Thursday.

Indranil Ghosh, senior manager, education (East India), British Council, Calcutta, talked about the benefits of studying and working in UK, the living condition and the various scholarships offered by UK universities.

Indranil explained what International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is and how students can apply for it. He said: 'IELTS scores have a recommended 2-year validity period and students can send scores to five different universities along with two recommendation letters from the school or college they passed out from. The council is also offering scholarships to students who score well in this exam. Students can get information regarding scholarships offered by British Council on our council website www.britishcouncil.org.in.'

Sujata Sen, director (East India), British Council, said: 'Those who study in UK get a chance to interact with different people, to know different cultures and the history of other countries. Studying in UK will also help the students get global exposure. Over 300 universities come under this IELTS exam, which offers 24,000 courses. So, there is ample opportunity for students to select which course they want.'

Rural development minister Nitish Mishra, who studied in UK, encouraged the students to go abroad and polish their skills.

He said: 'It's a golden opportunity for youths to get recognised by UK universities and get a scholarship. They offer a wide range of courses you may not have heard of before, as these courses are not available in our country. Studying in UK was a turning point of my life.'

Utkarsh Choubey, a Class X student of Don Bosco Academy, said: 'I want to pursue higher education abroad but am a little confused between UK and US universities. The scholarships offered by the UK are more attractive than in the US. And the world's top four colleges are in UK.'

Another student, Divya Stuti from Radiant International School, said: 'Through this interaction session, I got to know a lot I didn't know before. From today, I will start preparing to get enrolled in the best university possible for me. I want to interact with different people and to know their culture and living style.