Entry requirements for Bachelor’s degrees (e.g. BA, BSc.) programs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are two/ three A-levels (local or British) or equivalent plus English language proficiency (e.g. IELTS).

According to the British Council, Sri Lanka web site, the average costs for undergraduate courses (in 2008) are listed below, but it’s worth bearing in mind that course fees can vary considerably between institutions.
Foundation courses £4,000 to £12,000 per year
Arts courses £7,000 to £9,000 per year
Science courses £7,500 to £12,000 per year
Clinical courses £10,000 to £21,000 per year

Degrees (undergraduate qualification) courses, usually studied over three years in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, or four years in Scotland (where the title Master’s Degree may be awarded). You have the choice of studying a single honours degree where you’ll focus entirely on one subject, or you can study two subjects in what’s called a joint honours or combined honours degree.

There are numerous scholarships available, go to British Council web site for details.

For details:
Meet customer service officers at the Education Services Section of the British Council, Colombo, or join the undergraduate presentation conducted at British Council.
British Council, 49 Alfred House Gardens, Colombo 3
Telephone +94 (0)11 4521521
Fax +94 (0)11 2587079
E-mail: enquiries.cmb@britishcouncil.org

British Council, 88/3 Kotugodella Veediya, Kandy
Telephone +94 (0)81 2222410, 2234634

More details by Janak Gunatilleke, educated in Royal College, Colombo and did medical degree in University of Leicester:

If you are interested in studying in the UK, start researching early. UK Universities normally have only one intake per year and the time may vary according to the institution and the course.

Along with the British Council in Sri Lanka, the best place to start is the Times Online Good University Guide. This is an excellent resource complete with ranking of Universities by individual subjects, reviews, student guides, information to help you choose subjects, and financial advice. For MBA or business orientated courses, the Financial Times website is the best.

When you narrow the search down to a few Universities, visit their websites and have a look around. Navigate to the department that is relevant to your course and read through the methods of teaching, research interests of the lectures and professors, and the rating the department has received. You can also gain a huge amount of information about the University, the City in which it is based, student support, the activities and societies, the accommodation on offer, and the sports facilities.

Finally, email their student support section or their recruitment office and ask for the email of the Sri Lankan Society, the International Society or any student that is willing to chat with you. This is a very good method to gain first-hand experience and also to demonstrate that you have made the effort to really find out about the University and the course.

If you need any help with your applications or have any other questions, please email me studentlanka@themadworld.com

The Science of Parasites

- Alexandra Cheung

We tend to think of parasites as evolutionary cheats, surreptitiously taking advantage of their hosts’ hard work while they sit back and enjoy an easy life. But a closer look reveals that it’s not all sun and sangria…

Biomimetics: Borrowing from Biology

- Becky Poole

Why re-invent the wheel when Nature has already come up with the best solution? Becky Poole explores the field of biomimetics – quite literally how engineers are borrowing from biology…

Bio-plastics: Turning Wheat And Potatoes into Plastics

- Nick Heath

Mention plastics and most people think of polythenes, perspex and other oil-based nasties that never break down. But now there’s a new breed of plastics; they’re biodegradable and based on potatoes and other starchy crops…

Superconductors

- Chris Muirhead

Superconductors are amazing materials whose resistance drops to zero when cooled. Chris looks at how they can be used to detect Pulsars, receive mobile messages, and make trains levitate.

Are we Getting Smarter?

- Emma Jarvis

For the last 75 years the average IQ test score has been increasing in every industrialised country in the world. Are we really more intelligent than our grandparents?

How To Be A Wildlife Photographer

- Tracey Rich

These are revision programs aiming at students who prepare for G.C.E. Advanced Level Students.

Related Links

Download all Biology Podcasts

These are revision programs aiming at students who prepare for G.C.E. Advanced Level 2007 examination in August.

Parts of a Science Project

1. The Research Question

First you should define your research question (what do you hope to figure out)

2. The Hypothesis

The hypothesis is a possible explanation to your problem.

3. The Procedure

The procedure is the plan for how you will conduct your experiment. In an experiment you change a variable and collect results. You should know the experimental methodolgy and decide on the sample size, what results to be taken etc.

4. The Results

Results are the data, or information, that you collected. Your data should be in numbers.

5. The Conclusion

The conclusion is what you learned from doing the experiment. Your conclusion should explain what happened in your experiment and whether it supported your hypothesis.

What if your results do not support your hypothesis? That is perfectly fine. You’re not out to “prove” your hypothesis but to test it.

Presentaion (video) on Science and Engineering Fair projects:

Watch or download the talk on How to conduct a School Science Project presented by Dr Hiran Amarasekera at a Semiar organized by National Science Foundation for Science and Engineering Fair.

Useful links on school science projects:

California State Science Fair: Getting Started with Your Project
Science Buddies: Free Science Projects Ideas

Each program contains discussions on basic concepts that students should learn in each unit, discussion on various questions, Answer to one essay type question and study and examiation tip.

You may also interested in Video educational lessons from Sirasa A3 TV and Jathka Pasala on Rupavahini.





Episode 1 – Core Biology 1

This was conducted on 24 April 2007 by Dr Hiran Amarasekera and Dr Nissanka De Silva.
Download Podcasts- Episode 1 (Core Biology 1)

Episode 2 – Core Biology 2

This was conducted on 27 April 2007 by Dr Hiran Amarasekera and Dr Nissanka De Silva.

Part 1
Length: 31 minutes

Download Podcasts- Episode 2 (Core Biology 2)

Episode 3 – Biodiversity

This was conducted on 17 May 2007 by Dr Hiran Amarasekera and Dr Nissanka De Silva.

Listen or download Episode 3 – Biodiverstiy

Episode 4 – Functioning Plant (part 1 – Plant Physiology)

This was conducted on 24 May 2007 by Dr Hiran Amarasekera and Prof H G Nandadasa.

Listen or download Episode 4 – Functioning Plant (part 1 – Plant Physiology)

Episode 5 – Functioning Plant (part 2 – Plant Diversity)

This was conducted on 7 June 2007 by Dr Hiran Amarasekera and Prof H G Nandadasa.

Listen or download Episode 5 – Functioning Plant (part 2 – Plant Diversity)

Episode 6 – Functioning Animal – 1 (Nervous and Hormonal Coordination, Support and Movement, Reception of Stimuli)

Conducted on 14 June 2007 by Dr Hiran Amarasekera and Dr Nissanka de Silva
Download Episode 6 – Functioning Animal 1

Episode 7 – Functioning Animal – 2 (Nutrition, Gas Exchange, Transport, Homoeostasis, Excretion, Reproduction)

Conducted on 21 June 2007 by Dr Hiran Amarasekera and Dr Nissanka de Silva

Download Episode 7 – Functioning Animal 2

Episode 8 – Continuity of Life (Genetics and Molecular Biology)

Conducted on 28 June 2007 by Dr Hiran Amarasekera and Prof H G Nandadasa

Download Episode 8 – Continuity of Life

Episode 9 – Man and Environment

Conducted on 5 July 2007 by Dr Hiran Amarasekera and Dr Jayantha Watthewidana

Download Episode 9 – Man and Environment

Episode 11 – Applied Biology

Conducted on 19 July 2007 by Dr Hiran Amarasekera and Dr Jayantha Watthewidana
Download Episode 11 – Applied Biology
Related:
Video educational lessons from Sirasa A3 TV, Jathka Pasala on Rupavahini
Download Prototype Model papers for A/L 2011
Download GCE AL teacher guides – Teacher’s Instructional Manuals
Download A/L past papers