Skip navigation
Search

Not sure what to do?

Browse subject guides

Explore subjects

Popular topics

Popular subjects

 

Latest from the blogs

How to make the most of an open day in four simple steps

Wed 1 May 2019 - 10:26

By UCAS in UCAS advice

Open days are a great opportunity for you to get to know a conservatoire better. You get to see the facilities and they give you the chance to meet current students and staff so you can ask any burning questions. Before you attend one, make the most of your visit by following these four simple steps:

1. Make a shortlist – visiting every conservatoire might be a bit ambitious, so choose the ones that offer the course you’re interested in. There are eight conservatoires and all open days are listed on their website:

• Birmingham Conservatoire
• Leeds College of Music
• Royal Academy of Music
• Royal...

SQA qualifications and your UCAS application

Fri 26 April 2019 - 16:42

By UCAS in UCAS advice

When filling in your application, one part you may need a little extra help with is entering your Nationals, Highers, and Advanced Highers. In this blog post, we’ve compiled some of your frequently asked questions, to help you complete this section!

Where do I find the option for SQA qualifications on the application?

Once you've added your school/college in the Education section, you'll have the option to ‘add qualifications'.

Type the name of your qualification into the search box, or select it from the shortlist if your school/college has created one. Advanced Highers and Highers also include the curriculum code, so you should be able to find the exact subject you’re taking.

Do I need to add my Highers on the UCAS application, even if I am taking Advanced Highers?

Yes, if you’ve taken a Higher, the unis want to see the grade you received. Even if Highers are not included in the course entry requirements, they will still add value to...

Finding the right course

Sun 21 April 2019 - 15:29

By UCAS in UCAS advice

With thousands of courses available in our search tool, it can be quite tough to narrow your choices down to just five. But don’t worry, we’ve got plenty of suggestions on where you can do some research to find the right course for you.

Check out the different types of course
There are different course types to think about. We have lots of advice to help you get an idea of which one would be right for you. Also make sure you check out the entry requirements before you apply, to make sure they’re at an achievable level for you.

Sign up for our updates
Explore your career options, from university, to higher or degree-level apprenticeships, to gap year ideas. Sign up and you’ll get everything you need delivered direct to your inbox. Just be sure to...

Thinking Ahead to the Summer!

Wed 17 April 2019 - 14:14

By Chloe Brewster in First year

It might seem somewhat early to cast our minds ahead and think about the (hopefully!) glorious summer which awaits us, especially when assignments are due and upcoming exams occupy our thoughts. Last Easter was a blur of exam revision, countless essay plans and Lindt chocolate (Easter would not be the same without a Lindt bunny!) for me as I prepared for my then-upcoming A-level exams, which began even earlier than for most students because I had to sit my French oral exam at the end of April.

Although the pressure of being a university student is remarkably less than being a prospective student reaching the end of Year 13, coping with the last few weeks and months of the academic year at university is still stressful. OK, I might be slightly procrastinating by writing this post instead of writing another essay, but there is nothing wrong with stepping away from your books and revision notes to dive into a more pleasant subject – your plans for the summer...

‘I’ve enjoyed every single minute of it’

Wed 17 April 2019 - 10:04

By Framestore in UCAS advice

Apprenticeships offer the chance to earn while you learn, and get a qualification at the same time. You’ll also gain valuable work experience at some of the biggest companies!
 
Want to learn more? Check out the story of an apprentice at Framestore, an organisation who create scenes for some of Hollywood’s biggest pictures, such as Captain Marvel, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Avengers: Infinity War, and the record breaking sequel, Avengers: Endgame.
 

‘When I was 11, I went and saw ‘The Avengers’ for the first time in the cinema with my brother. I was inspired so much by how things were created behind the scenes. From then I knew I always wanted to get into film, but more specifically visual effects.

‘Not being very academic and coming out of school with only two GCSEs (luckily, they were my English and maths), I stayed on at sixth form, unsure with what I...

Dropping out of university

Fri 12 April 2019 - 11:10

By Jasmine Bahra in UCAS advice

So, as you can see from the title, I dropped out of university.

The one thing I found hardest about it was telling people that I was leaving. In fact, I still haven’t told all my friends that I’ve left, and this is 4 months afterwards. But why not?

The thing is, I think many people view dropping out of university as such a negative thing, like ‘Wow! You’ve left, how awful’, when actually for me it was one of the best decisions, I think I’ve ever made.

One friend who I bumped into recently and didn’t know I had left said to me ‘I’m proud of you for leaving’ and this really resonated with me. It is human nature to not want to admit to being wrong or making a mistake, but the weird thing is that we all do. Yes, some may be bigger mistakes like picking the wrong course but it’s still fixable. My friend was pointing out that it takes guts to admit you’ve made a wrong choice and correct yourself.

Personally, the main reason I left was that I didn’t like my...

Thinking about apprenticeships?

Sun 7 April 2019 - 17:01

By Lucy Ackland in UCAS advice

Apprenticeships offer the chance to earn while you learn and get a qualification at the same time. You’ll also gain valuable work experience, which can help when you come to apply for jobs in the future.
 
So what does it mean to be an apprentice? Get the inside view from Lucy Ackland from Renishaw, as she shares her journey from GCSEs to award winning engineer.
 
Lucy Ackland from Renishaw
“When I was 13 I decided I wanted to be an engineer because I enjoyed maths and science, and I liked building and fixing things. I was determined to get good GCSE grades and my school had already pinned their hopes on me continuing on to 6th...

Different path, same destination

Wed 3 April 2019 - 15:45

By UCAS in UCAS advice

It’s an exciting time as you consider your future, but don’t forget to consider all your options. Higher and degree apprenticeships are a different pathway to following the traditional route of going to university as a full-time student. They offer all the benefits of higher education, as well as the competitive advantage of gaining valuable work experience while completing your degree. You will not only be learning, but earning a salary, from day one. Your tuition fees are paid for by your employer and the government, so you will not be expected to pay any tuition fees or apply for a student loan.
 
Universities work in partnership with employers to develop and deliver these apprenticeships, which combine university study and on-the-job training...

Moving in with strangers isn’t as scary as it sounds!

Mon 1 April 2019 - 16:46

By UCAS in First year

Once you’ve replied to your offers the next step is getting ready to start your studies. One of the key things you’ll need to do if you’re moving away from home is sort your accommodation. 
Living away from home with other students can be great experience and a way to make lifelong friends. 
 
There are no hard and fast ways for getting the move right – but it can help to hear from students who have been through themselves. Here, third year student, Lisa, from the University of Gloucestershire shares her tips…
 
...

Get to know universities as an international applicant

Wed 27 March 2019 - 12:09

By Coral Kim in Applicant

You’ve decided to apply for a university in the UK. You’ve figured out (hopefully) the UCAS application system, you’ve chosen a course, and you’ve stumbled upon the various university rankings. But now you need to pick a university, where you’re probably going to spend three (or more) years of your life. How? How can you tell which one suits you best? Which one has the student life that fits you?

'Come to our open day.'

Sadly, that’s not an option. As much as you want to visit, you simply cannot afford (either in terms of time or money, or both) to do so. It’s a situation most international students face — I did, too. Then how on earth did I choose five universities, out of the countless options that the UK offers, without even being able to visit them?

1. Vlogs or blogs

Many universities have students that are active as either vloggers or bloggers — all five of my choices did! Lots of them...

Pages

Sponsored articles