How to help students choose a university and course

Suggest that they choose the course, before the place

It’s important that your students go on to study something that they really enjoy. There’s no point going to a university with the best sports facilities, or biggest social scene, if they aren’t interested in the courses on offer.

Your students should research which courses match their interests, and then look at which universities offer this. They’ll be studying the subject for a long time, so it’s important they are passionate about their chosen course.

Encourage them to research the course content

Once they have found a subject area they’re interested in, encourage your students to look at the modules and extras on offer on each specific course. Although many universities have degrees with similar titles, modules can vary massively.

Looking at course content can help your students to see whether one course has more interesting content for them. Maybe there are extra things your students may want, like study abroad, work placements or language classes

Get them thinking about their learning preferences

Some students prefer a really practical course. Others may prefer to be in a classroom-based environment.

Looking at the different modules and facilities available at each university can help students to get a sense of whether the course would fit their preferred learning style.

It’s also a good idea for students to think about how they like to be assessed. For example, if they excel at exams, but the course is assessed mostly through coursework, that might not be an ideal choice.

Use league tables with a critical eye

There are numerous league tables that your students can look at, each with a different assessment criteria. So students will find that a university’s ranking will change depending on which league table they’re looking at.

Make sure your students are comparing universities according to the subject they want to study, and not its overall ranking as an institution.

Each university has specialist disciplines, so they shouldn’t assume that a university will be highly ranked for all subjects, even if it's well positioned in the main league table.

And some universities in the main league table may not even offer the subject, depending on what your students choose.

Ask them what type of uni they want to go to

Once your students have decided on a course, get them to think about what type of university would suit them, and how far away from home they want to go.

They’ve got two types of uni to choose from: city or campus. Campus unis are great for having everything in one place, but can sometimes be a distance from the city centre.

While city universities are renowned for their student experience, the university buildings might be further apart.

As for location, get your students to think about how far they want to be from home. Ten minutes down the road or a few hours away?

Remind them that it's their decision

Ultimately it’s their choice – advise them to talk to friends or family if they’re unsure, but to not be influenced too much.

We know there's lots for your students to think about when choosing the best university and course, but the decision about 'what' and 'where' should be their own.

And while these are big decisions to make, they should make the right personal choice for them.

Encourage them to go to Open Days

Once your students have a few courses and universities in mind, encourage them to book onto Open Days or subject taster days. They’ll be able to get a feel for the uni, talk to current students, and join a taster lecture for their chosen course.

This can really help them to decide which uni to put as their firm and insurance choices, especially if they are looking at moving somewhere they’ve never visited before.