Choosing your course
You may already know which subject you want to study. Students at school or college might want to continue a subject they currently enjoy. For others, it will be a harder decision. There are degrees in traditional academic subjects, vocational degrees, courses that have placements in industry or other workplaces and those that combine different topics in a modular degree.
The Higher Education & Research Opportunities (Hero) web site contains advice about the things to think about when choosing your course. If you are interested in a specific subject and want to know what's available, Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) has a full directory of every course in the UK.
If you want to go to university to prepare for a particular career, have a look at the DirectGov website for further information on higher education. It might be worth getting a tutor or someone else who you trust to give you advice. If you need to contact a careers adviser, try LearnDirect for guidance.
Choosing your University
Once you have decided the subject area you wish to pursue in your degree course, you need to choose where you want to study. Your choice might depend purely on the course in which you are interested. Alternatively, you might want to study in a particular part of the country, you may be restricted by work or family commitments, or you might simply like the sound of a certain institution.
You can get a feel for the location of all the universities in the UK are by looking at this map, produced by the University of Wolverhampton. It will lead you to each institution's web site. From there, you will be able to find information about the university and the courses it offers. There may also be details about open days, so if you are really interested, you can pay a visit and see the place for yourself.
Many universities have their prospectuses on line. You can either look at each institution's web site for these, or search the Hero database. Hero also offers background details about all universities.
Applying
While you are drawing up a shortlist of universities and courses that interest you, you will need to think about the application process. Ucas has details of the admissions policies of each institution.
Advice is also available from Hero for lifelong learners who want to enter university from a different educational background. Access courses are available in some instances for people who do not have formal qualifications, and many universities also offer part-time options for those who don't want to study full-time.
Ucas has all the information and advice you will need to complete an application. You can request the paper application form from their web site, and download a sample form on which to practice. In some circumstances, you can apply on line. This system is not open to individuals, but has to be done on a computer at a school or college that uses the Electronic Application System.
Preparing for student life
As well as making choices about where and what to study, you might like to consider what life as a student will be like. For many young people, going to university is the first time they will live away from home. Hero gives advice on different types of accommodation and how to live on a small budget. The National Union of Students (contains advertising) also offers support and advice.
You can find out about the different options for applying for financial help from the Student Finance Team, which includes information about applying for a student loan. You can also keep up to date with the latest on the issue of tuition fees in the Guardian's Higher Education Advice section.
