How to choose a course

Once you know roughly what you want to do and the type of study you're looking for, you might still find lots of courses to choose from in the subject you want to study.

  • Check the entry requirements for the courses you apply for. They should be used as a guide to the academic standard the university expects from applicants.

  • These are often quite specific so make sure you check them.
  • Other than that, how you choose depends on what's most important to you.

Choosing courses

There's a lot to consider when choosing a course, so our guide gives you hints on what you should be thinking about.

Different subjects to choose from

There are so many subjects you can study – here are just some of them.

Compare course content

Take a look at how courses are delivered, search for different courses in the subject you want to do and check out the details.

  • What are the modules like? Which are most interesting, or most relevant to your career direction?
  • How's the course assessed? Exams, coursework, presentations etc – what do you prefer?
  • What are the tutors like? Are they experts in areas you want to learn about?

Compare course providers and locations

Read prospectuses and websites, or speak to course providers in person by visiting their open days or by coming to UCAS events.

  • What do they offer? Do they have sports facilities or societies you'd want to join?
  • What extras can they provide? Can you study abroad or get help with work placements?
  • Where are they in the country? How near home or a city centre are they?

See what other people think

Talk through your ideas with family, friends, teachers or advisers. See what you find online.

  • Get the student viewpoint – Unistats for subject and course provider reviews, and icould for people talking about how they found their ideal job.
  • Read course provider reviews on The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education website.
  • Check league tables that rank course providers. Make sure you check the sources though – some are biased. (The Guardian, The Times and The Complete University Guide are more impartial places to take a look.)