There are over 100 universities in the UK but you can only apply to five in your UCAS application. How do you narrow it down and choose the right ones for you? We have some questions you can ask yourself to make the decision a little easier.
1) Will you meet the entry requirements?
Each course and university will most likely have different entry requirements, these will include the grades you need to achieve to be offered a place and some courses will ask you to submit a portfolio or attend an interview.
It’s important that you make sure you have, or are aiming to achieve, the entry requirements for that course. It's okay to aim high but it might also be a good idea to apply to universities with different grade boundaries - so you have a backup if you don't make the higher grades.
Later on in the UCAS application process, you'll be asked to select a firm (first choice) and insurance (second choice), so it's usually a good idea to include universities with higher grade boundaries and universities with slightly lower entry requirements to give you more options when it comes to making this choice.
2) What facilities does the uni have?
You’ll find most universities have the standard IT facilities and study areas so try and focus on the facilities that are specific to your course. Look for the phrase ‘industry standard’ where possible – this means that the facilities at the university are the same as those you’ll be using in the workplace once you graduate.
The best way to see these facilities is to attend an Open Day and have a go for yourself!
3) Do the lecturers know their stuff?
Probably one of the most important aspects of choosing a university is the knowledge your lecturers have. The more experienced lecturers are, the more they can guide you on careers, employability and opportunities within your sector. Our academics often retain their links with industry, meaning they can bring extra opportunities to the course and comment on current events within the subject area.
4) How will you get from A to B?
Have you decided if you want to live close to home or further away? Think carefully about the location of your university and how well-connected it is, good transport links and a central location mean you can visit home often and explore different parts of the UK.
It's also important that you can get around your university city and get to your lectures easily. Make sure your chosen city has plenty of ways to get around, like buses, trams and trains.
5) What support will you receive?
During your time at university, you may have concerns or need support with your mental health, a health condition or disability, your academic work, finances or something else. It's important that you feel like you can rely on your university support services to be there for you in your time of need. Our student support team offer advice on all of these issues and more.
6) Is the city the right fit for you?
Don't forget that university is meant to be fun, so alongside all the serious stuff, remember to look at what the social life is like in your university city of choice. The best way to see if a university is the best fit for you is to go and visit, but there are lots of different ways to see what’s going on, like city culture sites (like Independent Birmingham or our very own Birmingham blog) or TikTok and Instagram. Birmingham is the youngest major city in the UK, our city centre location means you're a the centre of it all.