The islands comprising the United Kingdom includes the countries of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. More precisely, the United Kingdom encompasses the Western Europe islands, including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France.
Every year, many students travel from around the world to study in the UK. Quality standards for UK institutions are among the best in the world. Universities, colleges and schools continually have to prove that their courses meet strict criteria. UK scientists and institutions have won almost 100 Nobel Prizes for their scientific achievements. The UK's creative brains 'artists, fashion designers, film and television stars, and leisure software designers' are regarded as among the best in the world.
The UK is a cosmopolitan place to live. Many thousands of families from around the world have made the UK their home, creating a richly diverse, open-minded, multicultural society. There are also more than a quarter of a million international students in the UK at any one time.
