University/Higher Education

How to choose a university and course

Choosing a university and a course is a big decision. Luckily, we can signpost you to the best resources to help you explore your options and make an informed choice.

UCAS should be your first point of contact for any information about higher education and they have a whole section dedicated to how to choose a university and course: What University Course Should You Study?

Many universities produce their own recourses to help you choose a university and course. The University of Manchester has this interactive guide to help you decide what to study and where. Make sure you research other universities' resources to see what advice they can offer when deciding where and what to study.

Discover Uni Home | Discover Uni is the official source of information and guidance on higher education in the UK. The site allows users to search for and compare information and data for individual undergraduate courses across the UK, alongside researching other sources of advice they may need such as application and funding information.

It's also really important to attend their open days where possible to get a feel for their environment and meet current students and staff. Have a look at Opendays.com website for details of University Open Days.

UniTasterDays hosted this webinar with the University of Lancaster and Newman University, where they discuss how to choose a university and how to choose a course. They have also produced a handy 'Student Guide to University' for 2025, which aims to support students to make informed university decisions, such as whether to attend university, what to study, and where to study it.

If you want to explore what you can do with a particular degree subject after you graduate, see Prospects for a list of career options. Knowing what you want to do in the future can help you narrow down your subject choice. This document is a handy guide to how to choose your degree.

In addition, here is a list of UCAS key dates to help you keep on track. If you have your sights set on Oxbridge, the process is a little different, so take a look at the Getting into Oxford and Cambridge guide.

There is some advice here for getting into medical school, and also into art and design, which may be helpful to read.

Finally The Careers Team have put together a checklist of things you need to do to get ready to send your UCAS application off. See here

Destination - Higher Education Checklist.docx

Personal Statements

Everything you need to know to start writing a personal statement can be found here on the UCAS website.

Universities can offer you help with writing your personal statement. We always advise you to check with them regarding the content of your personal statement, particularly if you are applying for a professional course such as Teaching, Nursing, Midwifery or Social Work etc. Many produce their own "Personal Statement Guides"

This presentation will take you through what to put in your personal statement and how to start structuring it, using the new 3 question prompts. Personal Statement Intro

When you register for UCAS, in your UCAS Hub, you will find the Personal Statement Builder tool. Introducing the personal statement builder | UCAS This will help you with drafting and refining your personal statement.

Interviews, Portfolios and Auditions

For some courses, especially professional and creative ones, you will be asked to attend an interview. Click here for advice from Prospects about how to prepare for a university interview.

Many universities provide information and advice regarding interview expectations. The University of Manchester has produced this handy resource for preparing for interviews. Middlesex University London has designed this booklet to prepare students for Midwifery and Nursing interviews. Middlesex University also offer some tips for creating a standout portfolio for all Art & Design related courses including graphics, fashion, illustration, photography and fine art etc. Watch the quick video here.

We advise you to check with the university you are applying to in order to find out more about their interview requirements and expectations.

Whether you are applying to a university or conservatoire, you will be asked to audition for performance related courses. Read this handy guide from UCAS about m aking the most of your audition.

Starting University

There are lots of considerations when starting university including what to bring with you, how to budget, how to develop study skills and navigating making friends, to name a few. This booklet from Higher Horizons tackles some of those subjects.

If you're aged 21 or over, take a look at the Adult Learners' Guide to University produced by Higher Horizons.

UCAS have lots of information on their website to help you get ready for university, from preparing to study, staying healthy, making friends and tackling your finances.

Martin Lewis, AKA The Money Saving Expert, has dedicated an entire section of his website to students offering advice about the best student bank accounts, money saving tips, discounted student travel and excellent student finance explanations. It's worth saving to your favourites!

Higher Technical Qualifications / HNC / HND

BTEC Higher National (HN) qualifications, including Higher National Certificates (HNCs) and Higher National Diplomas (HNDs), are equivalent to the first two years of a UK undergraduate degree. HNC is level 4 and HND is level 5. They can be studied both full or part time and are offered by many colleges, universities and training providers throughout the UK.

There are over 40 subjects to choose from in this suite of qualifications, across eight sectors, including Business, Computing, Construction, Digital Technologies, Early Years, Engineering, Healthcare and Sport. The HTQ quality mark signifies that they provide high-quality technical education, developed with employers.

If you would like to find out more about HTQs see the Pearson HTQ website where you can download a student guide. You can also explore the reasons you may choose to study a HTQ, and search for HTQ providers.

We offer HTQs at Warrington and Vale Royal College. HNCs and HNDs can be found here Discover All Courses | Warrington & Vale Royal College (wvr.ac.uk)

Care Experienced Students

If you are a Care Experienced student who is thinking about applying to university or have already secured a place to start this year, have a look at this guide produced by The Children's Commissioner, offering practical tips and links to further support.

The UCAS website outlines support available for Care Experienced Students, signposting to websites where you can get more information about financial and wellbeing support when starting university.

Universities' own websites will have information about the support they provide for Care Experienced students. Remember to check and get in touch with the team.

Propel by Become is a charity that offers support and answers Frequently Asked Questions about Higher Education to Care Experienced Students.

Super-curricular Activities

'Super-curricular' activities are educational activities which go above and beyond the college curriculum. By completing these activities, students can enhance personal statements, and make their HE applications stand out from the crowd! Examples of super-curricular activities can be found below:

Reading books, journals, articles, newspapers, magazines related to your subject
Attending conferences, exhibitions, shows, events, competitions related to your subject

Following people on social media who are influential in your industry

Having your own business / website / portfolio related to the subject and reflecting on what you have learnt

Listening to podcasts related to your subject

Studying a MOOC / online courses / self-study course

Looking at websites related to your subject / career of interest

Engaging with professional bodies in the subject to keep up to date with the sector

Attending webinars, online lectures, watching videos online

Visiting museums or galleries

Listening to TED talks related to your subject

Struggling to think of super-curricular activities for your subject area? Take a look at the links and resources below for more ideas:

FutureLearn - specialise in MOOC's and online courses. Try using the 'Course Search' option to find relevant courses to your subject area.
Coursera - specialise in MOOC's and online courses. Try using the 'What do you want to learn?' tool to find relevant courses to your subject area.
BBC Sounds - search the BBC website to access a wide range of podcasts, covering a variety of subject areas.
TED Talks - the TED Talks website provides access a wide range of international talks and conferences. The 'Topics' tool allows you to filter the talks to your subject of interest.
International Conference Alerts - the ICA keeps track of all the large conferences taking place across the UK. By using their filter tools, you can search for conferences taking place in your chosen subject, or for those taking place in the local area.
Approved Learned Societies and Professional Organisations - GOV.UK's list of approved professional bodies can help you find and engage with the organisation in overseeing your sector. Such organisations often offer discounted memberships for students, and provide access to conferences and training.

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