Which Uni, Why Uni?

The vast majority of UK courses are on UCAS, where you can filter them by location and course. Once you’ve narrowed it down, see what detailed information is available on university websites. Check out their social media pages. Many universities offer online virtual tours, and they may run web chats with academics or students where you can ask questions. You can also look into student satisfaction data (like the National Student Survey) to see how much students enjoy their time at university.

Find out how you will be taught and assessed, e.g. does a course have a lot of exams, essays, or group work, and also consider the course content. Remember there is no national curriculum in higher education, so courses with the same title could look very different depending which university you go to, because of their academic specialisms and research. Have a look at the course modules to see what areas you will be learning about. For more information see our Choosing a University Course toolkit.

It’s always a good idea to attend university open days either virtually or, when you can, in-person. University open days provide the opportunity for you to find out more about the place of study. You can see the facilities on offer (in-person or though virtual 360 tours - like ours here) and accommodation, as well as hear from academics and chat to current students. Also consider the local area, and what you might do outside your studies, as you could be living there for 3- 4 years.

Think about some questions you would like to ask staff and students. Lots of universities have an 'Ask a Student' function on their website, like ours here, where you can talk to current students. Ask about the university and course you are interested in, but also about life beyond the university too, like what students do in their spare time. You could also ask what previous students have typically gone on to do after they have graduated from their course. Universities are happy to answer your questions so don't be afraid to reach out and get in contact.

Consider the location of the university and the accommodation on offer. Do you want to live at home and commute to a local university, or move further away? Consider the distance you would be happy to go. Would you prefer a busy city or a quieter rural area? Would you prefer a campus university where everything is in one space, or a university where facilities are more spread out, sometimes across multiple sites? Also think about transport links and if you plan to travel home at a weekend, how long would this take and how expensive would it be?

You’ll likely be going to university for at least 3 years, so find out what’s on offer outside the curriculum. What opportunities are there for you to get involved in? What support for students is in place? Are there particular facilities you are interested in? What welcome and social activities are on offer? How active is the Students Union, and what clubs and societies are there to join? These questions give a good guidance but remember if a university doesn’t offer a society you want, you can always start one, so it shouldn’t be a deal-breaker.