All of these activities may contribute to learning, but in different academic cultures some are seen as more important than others.

On many university courses in the UK, discussion in seminars and study groups is seen as playing an important role in the learning process. The aim is to encourage students to develop their critical thinking skills as well as to learn by dealing with some challenging issues in their own subject area.

In the UK, the precise balance of lectures, seminars and tutorials etc. is likely to depend very much on the type of course that you are doing. Some courses may rely heavily on lectures as a means of communicating information. Others may use seminars much more, particularly because they allow scope for discussion and critical thinking about the subject.

University courses in Britain vary in this respect. However, generally speaking you are likely to have a personal tutor, with whom you have occasional contact, and a number of course tutors, each of whom you might see twice or three times a week.

You are very, very unlikely to spend all day with a single tutor and be personally guided by them in your studies at university level. In fact, you will be expected to take some responsibility for your own studies and progress, particularly in the area of independent study, which you will need to include in your daily timetable at times when you are not attending classes or lectures.

University tutors in Britain are often very busy teaching on many courses so they have limited time available to see students individually. They will usually operate an appointment system for individual students who need to speak to them outside class time.

Some international students say that tutors at British universities are less distant in the classroom than those in their home country. This may be because the way of teaching in British universities often involves whole group discussion, and a more informal style is used to encourage students to take part in the discussion and not be afraid of offering their own views.

How you are assessed and graded at university in Britain will depend on the kind of course you are following.

Examinations are still widely used but final grades on many courses will also depend on the assessment of your work throughout the course. This will include submitted course assignments, which will be written in many cases but oral presentations, for example, may also be assessed and graded. Portfolios of course work and projects may count too, and you may even be assessed on how active a part you have taken in seminar discussions on your course.