What is higher education?

Higher education offers a diverse range of institutions and courses such as first degrees, higher national diplomas or foundation degrees, amongst others. Many courses take place in universities, but plenty are also taught at higher education colleges, specialist art institutions and agricultural colleges. You can choose to study different courses depending on your preferences: the variety of courses available is constantly increasing.students in classroom

Why choose higher education?

  • Many higher education courses provide a vocational programme of study directly related to particular work areas, such as accountancy, sports science and teaching.
  • A higher education qualification is essential for initial entry to some careers - medicine, chartered engineering and architecture, for example.
  • A degree or HND usually improves your chances of obtaining a fulfilling job and your financial potential.
  • Universities and colleges bring together students from a variety of backgrounds. This interaction can strengthen your understanding of different cultures and beliefs.
  • Higher education develops important transferable skills, such as numeracy, communication and information technology, which can give you an edge in the fast-changing world of employment.
  • If the course includes seminars, you can use this time to challenge each others' views in a neutral and stimulating environment.
  • You may be at a stage in life when you can study a subject for the sake of personal satisfaction.

Finding what you want from higher education and choosing where you want to be requires thorough research and planning, from starting to think about what you want to study, through to making your application and planning what to take with you. We aim to help you make your decisions by providing the advice and services you need to apply.

What Do Graduates Do?
If you have studied, or are planning to study, in Scotland, you may find the What Do Graduates Do? publication on the HESCU website useful. Find out what happened to graduates and postgraduates six months after completing a course in a Scottish higher education institution in 2005. The information is based on the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey, conducted for the Higher Education Statistics Agency and interpreted by the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services [Scotland].

The What Do Graduates Do? publication for UK- and EU-domiciled students is available to purchase from the UCAS bookstore.