General information about higher education

Information for specific groups

Which subject to choose?

Which course to choose?

Which university or college to choose?

How and when to apply.

Which subject?

Britain has the biggest choice of higher education in Europe so it's worth taking the time to find the right course.

Potential students need to think about:

·         What your academic strengths and weaknesses are. You need to be honest with yourself and ask other people if necessary

·         What type of person you are

·         Why you enjoy particular subjects

·         What interests you

·         What your career ambitions are

·         What you don't like doing

Remember; in any course, there will always be pros and cons. The aim is to get more positive points than negative ones.

How do you choose?

·         You'll study for at least three years so you need to pick something you're interested in!

·         You should find out exactly what the subject involves. Film studies may involve an element of watching films but you will have to write essays as well!

·         If you're interested in a subject, arrange a visit to a local university which teaches a similar subject. Grab hold of some current students while you're there and ask them what they think about it.

·         Talk to careers guidance staff - especially as some career paths prefer graduates with specific degrees.

·         It can be a good idea to get work experience in the area before you commit to a course in that subject.

·         Whatever course you choose, you'll learn key skills like team working, independent thinking, decision making and effective communication that will make you more employable.

What if you chose the wrong subject?

·         If you realise you've made a hideous mistake, it may be possible (although very difficult) to change your subject before you go or while you're at university/college.

·         It's very rare but it does happen, so if you're worried, talk to your university/college to find out your options.

·         You may have to withdraw your application and reapply for the next year as you're only allowed one application each UCAS application year.

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Which course?

You've decided what subject you want to study - now you need to decide which course will suit you. All universities and colleges structure their courses differently and the way the course is run could be the difference between you loving or hating your degree.

Questions to ask to find your perfect match:

• Subjects: What exactly does the course cover? And how much time is spent on each module?

• Course structure: How much time will be spent in lectures, seminars, personal study and assignments? How big are the class sizes?

• Course assessment: How is the course assessed? Is it by final examination, continuous assessment or a bit of both? Which does it focus on and which are you better at? Do you match?

• Practical or theory: Check the balance of theoretical and practical study - is it hands on or more discussion based?

• Accreditation: If you've chosen your degree because you want to work in that field, check the degree is accredited by the relevant professional body - they might only recognise qualifications from certain universities and colleges.

• Destination list: Find out what the previous students on the course did after graduation.

• Facilities: What equipment and resources does the course and the university or college have? Check out the IT and library facilities.

• Work placements: Does the course include work experience? If it does, how is this organised? Will you have to find a placement or is it organised for you? And will it be a sandwich course - i.e. do you take a whole year out of your study to work?

• Grade requirements: Find out what the required grades are. These may be worked out on a UCAS points system. Worked out on a sliding scale, an A at A level is worth 120 points (the same as an A grade in a six-unit Advanced GNVQ), an E is worth 40 points, an A at AS is worth 60 and so on. See the UCAS site for details.

Some universities/colleges will be looking for a points total as the basic requirement for a course. For example, to study Psychology at one university you might need a minimum of 180 points; another might require a minimum of 300 points.

Next Steps:

·         Get hold of a UCAS Handbook - it contains an outline of all courses, or use the UCAS course search.

·         Contact universities and get them to send a prospectus.

·         Keep a note of university, college and course codes.

·         Look at university websites and CD-ROMs to get more information.

·         Create a checklist of questions to ask course leaders at interview, students who are doing the course and careers advisers.

·         Attend open days to find out more about the course and institution.

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Which university or college?

Universities and colleges market themselves. They want students. But students have got to pick the university or college that's right for them.

Find out more

·         Universities and colleges have open days when applicants can talk to students, be shown around the campus, learn more about the course and check out the student accommodation. It's worth visiting the places you're serious about. After all, you'll be spending a few years there.

·         Attend Careers Fairs where you can meet employers and students from different colleges and universities.

·         Look around the town/city as well as the university or college. Are you looking for a party atmosphere, a peaceful place or a somewhere you can hone up your climbing or surfing skills?

·         To find out when a university or college is having an open day, see Opendays.com.

Think about:

·         Location: Do you want to live in a city, on a campus, in the country or on the coast? Also, how close do you want to be to home?

·         Facilities: Visit the college to check out how well equipped they are. You don't want to spend three years fighting over books and computer access.

·         Accommodation: Does the university or college have halls of residence or will you be in shared flats or bedsits? All universities issue information about accommodation and they should also have someone who will help students to find housing.

·         Expense: What will it cost you to live? Can you afford it? Will you have to take a part-time job? If so, is work easy to come by? (Some Students’ Unions have job shops to link students with employers.)

·         Social life: Investigate student clubs and societies, as well as the nightlife. Having a laugh, making friends and trying out new activities are important aspects of university life.

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Applying for higher education: when & how

Once you've figured out which universities and courses you like the look of, it's time to apply.

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) handles all UK full-time undergraduate applications, which is handy as it means you only need to fill in one form to apply for six places. You can get copies of the application forms from schools, colleges and careers officers, and you apply on the UCAS website using their Electronic Application System.

When to apply:

• For most courses, UCAS must receive your application form between 1 September and 15 January in the academic year before university entry.

• Oxford and Cambridge Universities and course in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science must receive your form between 1 September and 15 October in the year before the course begins.

• For Art and Design Route B courses, you must apply between 1 January and 24 March in the same year you plan to start studying.

For step-by-step help on filling out the form, visit the UCAS website.

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