Research the university and study program
Choosing the right course and the right university for you may be one of the most important decisions of your life. Not only can it affect which career options are open to you after graduation, but you’ll have to spend at least three years at this institution, so it’s important to find one that you’ll be happy at.
Don’t let this scare you, however, so long as you do your research, you’ll be fine! Luckily for you, there are so many ways you can research universities.
To start with, you can find a great deal of information on the universities’ websites. Most university websites give you an overview of each course, including optional and compulsory modules, as well as information about typical career paths after graduation. The website will also most likely have information about student life, both in the university and in the surrounding area. To find out more about different courses, take a look at our course guides.
You can compare different universities using the latest QS World University Rankings® and see how the universities compare for your chosen subject using the QS World University Rankings by Subject.
You can also find out more about choosing a university here and if you’re looking for a fun way to help decide which subject to study, take our quiz to find out!
Talk to the university
If you’re looking to find out more about a particular course you’re looking to study, you might want to speak to international admissions staff and alumni, so you can build a picture of what is expected of you when you apply. You can also ask any questions that you may have about the university, as well as specific tips about applying to that course.
In order to find contact details for a university, use a search engine to find their admissions page, and you will get the option to either call them or email them.
If you’re still searching for more information, TopUniversities.com has asked admissions staff to share their advice on what they want to see from applicants.
Have a backup
Although you might be desperate to go to your first-choice university, it’s a good idea to also have a backup option. In the UK, you can choose up to five courses and your universities won’t see where else you’ve applied until after you reply to any offers. If you wish to, you can even apply to more than one course at the same university.
Try applying for a range of different universities with varying entry requirements to give yourself a better chance at being accepted into a university, regardless of your grades. Of course, make sure you’d be happy to go to any of these universities before applying.