Choosing where to go to university is a really important decision – it's going to be your home for the next three years, after all. Here are some key things to factor into your research.
See which universities offer degrees in your subject area with our course search.
1. The course
Use the course or subject area you want to study as a starting point in your university search. If you're not yet sure about your course choice why not try our A-level explorer tool. You just enter your A-level subjects for some suggestions of relevant university courses.
Once you've found some courses, you can dig deeper into The Uni Guide to check through its course guides. You can get a overview of the courses available, with stats on things such as career prospects and teaching hours. And you can then explore detailed information about each course at each university.
Things to consider:
The course content. Which areas of your subject are you really keen to study? Courses can vary widely between universities, so it’s a good idea to dig into the detail and ask yourself which courses cater best to your interests.
Do all universities offer the course you’re interested in? If you want to study veterinary science, for instance, there are only a handful of UK universities offering it, narrowing your options straight away. On the other hand, if you want to study something like business, there are over 120 universities to pick from, not to mention different types of business degree.
The entry requirements. You'll want to focus your application on courses where you've got a good chance of meeting the essential entry requirements, such as minimum Ucas points or grades in particular subjects.
What other possibilities are available? Find out about what the university has to offer when it comes to:
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Opportunities to study abroad for a year.
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Strong connections with your future industry.
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Sandwich or placement options that'll look great on your CV.
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Modern facilities (labs, studios, specialist equipment) that will help enhance your course experience and learning.
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Read more: what degree, subject or course should I study at university?
2. The location
Another way of narrowing down your options is by deciding where you want to live.
Do you want to stay at home (or close to home), or fancy heading to the other end of the country? Always had your sights set on a big city with buzzing nightlife like London or Manchester, or would you rather be walking distance from the beach or countryside? Our university search page can be helpful for narrowing things down.
Here are some tips on choosing between a campus and a city university which could also help you weigh up the pros and cons of different areas.
3. The open day experience
A really good way to suss out whether it’s the right kind of university for you is to head to an open day. When you're there, ask questions to build up a sense of what the university is like, such as:
- Where will my lectures be based?
- What are the accommodation options and how close are they?
- What are the transport links like? How long does it take to get on campus from halls?
- What’s the local nightlife and culture like in a regular year? Where are the 'studenty' areas?
- What are the university social activities like?
- What are the general facilities like – the library, the cafeteria, the students’ union etc?
Try to speak to both staff and students for a rounded picture of university life there. Going along in person is always best - but if you really can't make it then universities also run virtual open days.
Take a look at The Student Room's forum for your chosen university to see what current students are saying about what it's really like to study there.
4. The environment
University environments vary hugely, from self-contained campuses or ‘student villages’ with everything you need for living and studying in one place, to lecture theatres and student facilities scattered across a large city.
Campus universities may have more of a community feel, while you might feel more independent at a university with its lectures and housing more spread out.
Even if you pick a university based in a city, it doesn’t necessarily mean lectures will be slap bang in the middle of the action – look into where you'll actually be spending most of your time.
5. The cost of living
Tuition fees of up to £9,250 a year may sound like a lot of money, but when you’re actually at university it will be your day-to-day living and accommodation costs where you’ll notice the drain on your bank account. Some places are far pricier than others: here are some questions to consider.
- How much will your accommodation cost each term? That’s private housing costs as well as halls, as this is where you’re likely to be spending your post-fresher years.
- How much will you need for travel? If you’re going to rely on peak-time trains or buses to get to lectures, you’ll need to check out ticket prices. Don’t forget your student discount.
- What extras will you be expected to pay as part of the course? Materials and field trip costs aren't (usually) included as part of your tuition fee and will differ from uni to uni.
What sort of flexible part-time job opportunities are there for students in the area or at the university? The university’s student services team should be able to give you an idea.
6. University reputation
When it comes to universities, everybody's got an opinion. Parents, teachers, careers advisers: they'll all be happy to share their take on the prestige (or otherwise) of your preferred unis. Getting advice from other people can be helpful, but you might sometimes want to take it with a pinch of salt.
It's a similar story with league tables. These can be handy when you're checking details such as subject rankings and graduate employment rates, but take care with how you interpret this data. If the university is ticking all the right boxes for you on the other points listed above, that's a pretty good sign it should go on your application form.
You get to put down several options, so having a mix of requirements is a good idea so you can have some flexibility when it comes to choosing firm and insurance options.
You might try something like this:
One 'risky' choice (above your predicted grades)
Two or three choices at your predicted grades
One or two choices well below your predicted grades
"Imagining your life there and the things you'll do, see and studying is so exciting. Go and visit as many as you can!", says The Student Room community advisor Strawberry Dreams. Remember, you are the person who will go on to experience life at the university that you pick, so ultimately the decision is yours to make.
