Masters degree for UK visa

Strictly from a visa perspective, and a bit of learning interest

Last 2 months I was desperately searching for a Master s course. It has become a mandatory degree for UK visa. The search took me through different options.

Full - time courses were out of the equation as a break from employment was difficult at this time of recession. Also my visa did not allow me such a luxury.

The cost alone made me search in Indian Universities first. There are many Universities which offer Masters through distance education. The cost factor alone makes them attractive. Even travelling to India for writing the exams was not a problem, even with the travel cost they were much cheaper in India. But the villian was the attendance percentage needed for contact classes. 75 % or more is demanded by almost all Unis. Computer masters need labs too.

Example
http://www.keralauniversity.edu/ide/ide_prof.htm#prog

Now as this option was closed, I was looking in UK Unis. The main issue here is the course fee. You need to be a permanant resident, with at least 3 years of permanant address in UK at the momemt of application, to get good fee options in UK Unis. The fee structure is different even for Ireland, Europe and the rest of the world. In short we will end up paying 2 times the UK fees.

There was one University where I found a good part time course with a scholarship for Indians. But it is part time and you may have classes on weekdays. People not based in Preston may find it very difficult. Course length is 3 years, a bit long and repeating any module may become an issue (with application for visa in mind).

http://www.uclan.ac.uk/information/courses/index.php?discipline=Computing&level=Postgraduate&study_mode=Part+Time

I was looking at UK open university next.
http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?Q01F26

The modules are too many and it looks a tedious path to get a Masters. You have to do 8 - 9 modules and a dissertation, in 4 years and have to pay in the range of 12 K pounds. Installments are not there and funding will need a loan which may cost upto 8 % interest.

Anyway if you are inetersted,
http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?Q01F56
looks the most attractive as only 4 modules + dissertation is there. But as it is a Cisco course, contact classes and labs are mandatory :(

Then I started looking at complete online courses.
University of Liverpool was a good option. But the course fee was too high for comfort.
http://www.uol.ohecampus.com/index.php?mod=dcp&act=navigationindex&navigationid=6

Finally I struck upon this site.
http://www.rdi.co.uk/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=70&category_id=1&lang=en&page=shop.browse1

Advantages (I am going to try it, these are from what I have searhed in net)

1. Full online courses.
2. No fee difference for overseas students.
3. Less time period (2 years compared to 3 years in most unis)
4. Fleaxible.
5. Better payment options.

You can check out the University rating for each course at (Thanks to my friend Kiran for this link)
http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/single.htm?ipg=8726

Check also points at
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/pointscalculator