Skip navigation

Latest from the blogs

How your surroundings affect the way you study

Thu 11 July 2024 - 11:16

By Ella Hendrix in Support

Research has found that learning environments play a crucial role in student success. Several factors can affect learning ability, including seating, light, noise, and even colour. Students who study in a positive learning environment have been shown to be more motivated, engaged, and have a higher overall learning ability. On the other hand, students learning in poor environments – those that are uncomfortable, loud, or full of distractions – will find it far more difficult to absorb information and stay engaged. With this in mind, let’s look at how your surroundings affect the way you study, and consider some of the best ways to create your ideal learning environment.

Comfort
No matter where you choose to study, be it your bedroom, a local coffee shop, or your university library, it is vital that you’re comfortable. According to lecture hall seating specialists at Race Furniture, ‘When you are...

The Student Finance Guide for Freshers

Wed 3 July 2024 - 13:37

By money.co.uk in Money

If you are heading to university this autumn, life is about to get interesting! We look at how to make sure you can afford to have fun rather than worrying about the pennies.

Whether you will be living away from your parents for the first time or studying from home, once you start university you will have far more financial independence than ever before.

You will also be offered a bewildering array of accounts, cards and other finance options.
Financial products might sound a little dull, but the freedom they can give you if you choose wisely can be the difference between affording to do what you want and missing out on fun because you are skint!

We look at the new options you'll have, what to go for - and what to avoid.

How to budget

Setting and sticking to a budget will make sure you do not spend more than the money you have coming in - this is especially important if you need to survive off a single student loan...

Get to know the university you could be studying at

Thu 19 December 2019 - 09:45

By UCAS in UCAS advice

Now you’ve accepted a conditional offer, it’s a good idea to get to know your prospective university better, and see where you could be studying in the not-too-distant future. Getting to know the place now will help you to feel more at home if you start studying there, as you’ll already be familiar with the place and the people.
  • Now’s the perfect time to head to an open day at the uni you could be studying at, even if you have already been to one. Open days are a great way to explore the facilities, see where you could be living, and talk to current...

Getting a TV licence

Wed 3 July 2024 - 13:32

By TV Licensing in First year

You need to be covered by a TV licence to watch or record live TV programmes on any channel, or download or watch BBC programmes on iPlayer.

This could be on any device, including a TV, desktop computer, laptop, mobile phone, tablet, games console, digital box, or DVD/VHS recorder. If you do any of the above without a valid licence, you risk prosecution and a maximum penalty of up to £1,000, plus any legal costs and/or compensation you may be ordered to pay. You will also still then have to buy a TV licence if you need one.

To find out more, go to tvlicensing.co.uk/studentinfo.

How can I buy a TV licence?

There are lots of different ways to buy a TV licence. Whether that’s through weekly cash payments, using your nearest PayPoint outlet, spreading the cost with monthly, quarterly, or yearly...

Getting into the classroom – Hannah Taylor

Fri 16 August 2019 - 15:38

By Hannah Taylor in Teacher Training

I’ve always loved learning and education. History has been my passion since I was very young, and I wanted the chance to not only be immersed in a subject I love every day, but also to encourage young people to enjoy it as much as I do.

The application process was fairly straightforward. You apply through UCAS using one of the assigned codes, depending on the route you want to take; you get essentially the same training regardless of which route you take, so it’s about choosing the route that best suits your needs. 

Once my application was sent in, I was called for an interview day where I had to do a basic numeracy and literacy test and teach a 15-minute lesson to a small group of pupils, which was followed by a formal interview. It seemed daunting before I got there, but the staff involved were all very supportive. You also have to take an official literacy and numeracy test, which you have to pass to be accepted onto the course. You get three tries of each,...

Moving from GCSE to A level - what should I know?

Fri 5 July 2024 - 13:21

By Charlotte Stevenson in Applicant

Moving from a school where you have been for a considerable amount of time can be quite intimidating on it's own, but this can be made much easier by visiting and getting to know the new area and environment you are going to be studying in. This, of course, will be how you decide on your new school. But if you want to know more about what it is like in terms of the change in work load, in the long term, this post might provide a little more information. When moving from GCSE to A level, some of the things you should be aware of are...

1. Time
The amount of time you are going to have to put into your studies now is like revision for GCSE's on a regular basis, except on only three or four subjects. It might sound like a lot, but the reason you will have less subjects is because the content is so specialist and detailed that you need to have as much time to balance your life with your work and the work can be really hard at times. I have studied History, Music and...

Wondering what to pack?

Mon 22 July 2024 - 12:24

By UCAS in Applicant

Before you know it, it’ll be time to pack and get on your way to uni. Here’s a quick guide on what to pack.

Must-haves:
  • Clothes – there’s no need to pack your entire wardrobe, especially if you’re going to head home at the end of term!
  • Bedroom bits and pieces – duvet, sheets, pillows, hangers, and towels. You might want to think about ear plugs if you’re going to be in a lively area, or a mini fridge for your room if you’ll be in shared accommodation. 
  • From the bathroom cabinet – toiletries, glasses, contact lenses, medication, and a small first aid kit.
  • Laundry – washing products, laundry bag, and drying rack.
  • Electronics – laptop, tablet, printer, extension leads, and chargers. You may need an adaptor if you’re coming from outside the UK.
  • Kitchen essentials – check what is included at your accommodation. As a minimum, you’ll need enough cutlery, crockery, glasses, pots...

UCAS Clearing: Advice from university staff

Tue 14 January 2025 - 14:04

By UCAS in UCAS advice

If your results weren’t what you expected, you may have found yourself in Clearing. If so, there’s no need to panic. Last year, 67,990 applicants secured a place through Clearing.
 
By now, you’ve probably had a look at our search tool for Clearing vacancies. If you’ve found the ideal course for you, that’s great news! But you shouldn’t rush your decision and add the choice in Track. You should call the uni first to make sure they still have vacancies, discuss your application, and check whether they can accept you.
 
In this blog, we’ve got some valuable advice from university staff on how to approach Clearing. 
 

James Ackroyd, University of Reading...

'The skills learnt will be invaluable'

Mon 10 June 2019 - 11:37

By Jan Morganti in UCAS advice

Throughout my time at school, I was unsure about what I would do afterward. I knew that I wanted to go to university but had no idea as to what I would study, where I would study or what career I would take afterwards – it took three personal statements to determine which course I ultimately chose.

After attending a UCAS event in London, I found out about IBM and their ‘Futures’ gap-year scheme. Although, prior to this, I had very little knowledge of IBM, I did a little research on the company and decided to apply. As I had just been rejected by the University of Oxford – my first-choice university – I felt that this was the perfect opportunity to take a short break from academia and gain invaluable experience in a fast-growing industry, before re-applying to university.

Just over a year later, as I am reaching the end of my gap-year, I stand by this decision 100% and wholeheartedly believe that...

Why pick an internship?

Mon 3 June 2019 - 12:07

By UCAS in UCAS advice

I am an Accounting and Finance student at Leeds Beckett University and I am currently on a placement year as part of my 4-year sandwich course. Amongst other Universities, Leeds Beckett offered the opportunity to take a year out for a placement and this forms part of your final grade as it is classed as a final year module. This really appealed to me as not only will it allow me to gain exposure in a real business environment, but it would also be something different to studying and working in the classroom.

I am on a year’s Finance internship at Dowty Propellers which is a subsidiary of GE Aviation. My role is very versatile as I am involved in all areas of finance, so each day is different depending on what is...

Pages

Sponsored articles
UCAS Media Service