A time to study…

As you may have spotted on the Embassy’s front page today, applications are now being accepted for the next round of the Chevening Programme – a prestigious full scholarship for a year’s Master’s degree study in the UK.

We’re privileged to have sent a number of excellent students on this programme in the past, and to have seen how UK studies have contributed to their future careers and the benefit of their home countries. We look forward to some quality applications from Guatemala and Honduras this year too!

Applications for undergraduate courses in the UK are now also underway, for the start of the academic year in autumn 2013. Whilst we don’t have any specific scholarship opportunities at the Embassy for undergraduate students, the British Council has a good website for exploring courses and universities, and the international office of each UK University has contacts and information on funding opportunities available.

To support our promotion of the excellent education opportunities in the UK, we’ve also just produced this short report on Education in Guatemala, to give some background on the education systems and opportunities in Guatemala for UK Universities or educational investors.

We believe that the UK has great teaching and research – proven by our notable presence in external world university rankings – and that educational collaboration with Guatemala and Honduras can help benefit growth and development both here and in the UK.

For those contemplating study in the UK, I’d single out that one of the benefits of a UK education is its holistic nature, and the mix of extra-curricular activities alongside your studies.

At the moment, a group of UK students are in Honduras, working with local communities on health, education, women’s and agricultural projects. These volunteers from around the UK have travelled to the region as part of a UK Government citizenship programme, with the basis of a good UK education having given them the skills and interest to take part in the scheme.

You can read more about their experiences so far on the group’s tumblr site – it’s good to see that they’re having a great time and receiving a warm welcome!