At university, students will have a much more specialised education than in most other countries. The most common type of first or undergraduate degree at university lasts three or four years. Courses in the UK may be less flexible in their structure than in other countries. Almost all UK students who go on to university after school finish their undergraduate degree by the age of 22 or 23. UK universities also educate many older students.
Students commonly go to a different university than the one attended at 'undergraduate' level.
Many students study at this higher level because they want to get more involved with a subject they enjoyed on their degree, or because they want to learn something new to help with their career. Some postgraduate programmes are very structured, others allow students a wide range of choice of courses. Students are expected to take a high level of responsibility for organising their own study time. Teachers always expect and encourage students to contribute ideas, take the initiative and share opinions, perhaps much more than in some cultures. This style of teaching makes the course more intellectually stimulating.