Going to university

There are a number of things you should consider before making a decision about exactly what and where you want to study. Some of these are listed below. There is no right or wrong answer to these questions – it’s just a case of what is best for you.

Once you have a better idea about what you’re looking for, there are a number of questions you should ask about your preferred institution and course. These answers will help you make the right decision. A list of these questions can be found at the bottom of this page.

Once you’ve got an idea about what you’d like to do, talk to your parents, teachers and university admission tutors about any questions you have. You should also check out the UCAS or CAO (Republic of Ireland) and individual university websites.

Go to university open days (UK or Republic of Ireland), – these are a great way to get answers to your questions and to find out about the place where you’ll be living and studying for the next few years. It’s important to make the most of open days so preparation is key. 

What if things don’t happen as expected?

Sometimes things do not go quite as expected or hoped. For whatever reason, you may not have secured the university place you wanted and are now unsure of what to do. Make sure not to panic as this is not the end of the world.

There are still several choices open to you:

• if you didn’t quite get the required grades it’s still worth contacting your first choice university as soon as you can, they may still take you onto the course.
• explore clearing with UCAS to find an alternative university or course,
• investigate other options like taking a gap year, studying abroad or an apprenticeship

Whatever you decide make sure to investigate your options fully and consider how they could affect your future. It is important to remember that things are not as bad as they seem and you still have options.