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You can apply to any course which interests you, but the requirements for entry onto a course must be considered before making your application. Some courses require particular qualifications, others require an admissions test. The advice and guidance in this section can help you to choose the course and university or college that is right for you, as well as help you to prepare for any additional requirements.

Where will I be happy?

Deciding where to study can seem like a difficult task because there are so many universities and colleges to choose from. You may wish to remain close to home or decide to live in a different part of the country: your choice may depend upon the facilities offered by a university and college, or the local nightlife. Whatever your criteria, it is important that you research the institution and its location before applying.

Friends, family and advisers may offer different advice: whilst it's useful to have varied perspectives, you will be attending the university, so the final decision must be yours. Researching universities or colleges which will suit you academically and personally can take time, but it is well worth the effort if you are to find the perfect one for you.

UK Map of universities and colleges

How can I find out more?

Each university and college will have a prospectus that provides information about the institution and the courses available, but be aware that they may be biased. Attending open days can help you discover the good and bad points of a place as well as give you an idea about whether you will feel comfortable spending three or four years there. You can ask almost anything at an open day, but it's also a good idea to ring the institution about any enquiries you may have.

To find out more about individual universities and colleges, use UCAS institution guide. This provides links to the universities' and colleges' websites, where you can learn about the services offered, as well as course information, so that you can make a fully informed decision.

Which is the best university or college?

There is no one university or college which is perfect for everyone: different places suit different people, so it depends upon your preferences. There is no national curriculum for higher education courses, but the Quality Assurance Agency carries out external reviews and the Unistats website contains statistics and reports from students about the quality of teaching.

There are different guides and league tables that can help you come to a conclusion, but it is important to check the source: some universities post league tables on their websites which show their courses at number one. For information and impartial advice check the Times Online or The Complete University Guide, an interactive site which allows you to alter the weightings of the different measures to suit your own requirements and so create your own unique table.

Advice and information that can help you to find the right course

Choosing a subject and course to study can seem a daunting task. There are so many choices to make that you may feel overwhelmed by it all. Deciding upon a course which will suit you requires plenty of research. You may be lucky enough to know which subject you would like to study, but there are thousands of students who ask the same question: what should I study? Below are some points to consider before making that all-important decision.

Find a course which matches your interests, career aspirations and talents

There is no one course which suits everyone, so we know how important it is to find the right one for you. The best way to decide what you would like to study is to ask yourself the following questions.

• Which subjects interest me?
• What are my talents?
• What job would I like to do after attending university or college?
• Which academic skills would I like to improve?

Having an answer to any of these questions is a good starting point, but do not worry if you cannot answer them all. The Stamford Test is a short questionnaire which can help to match your interests and abilities to possible higher education subjects. Many students find this extremely helpful when trying to make up their minds.

Unistats is a website that can help you to research subjects and universities before deciding where to apply. You can compare subjects, universities, colleges and UCAS points as well as look at student satisfaction ratings and explore the figures about getting a graduate job after completing a course.

Unistats has the results of the National Student Survey and also statistical information on universities, colleges, subjects and teaching style.
Some professions require specific subjects to be studied at higher education level. If you know what career you would like to do in the future, research the job in detail to see if any qualifications are essential.

Choose the type of qualification that suits you

When people consider higher education, they tend to think of degree courses. There are, however, several other qualifications that can be gained at university or college. The main courses offered are:

• Certificate of higher education: the first year of a degree course;
• Diploma in health: a three-year course specialising in health-related courses, for example, midwifery and nursing;
• Higher National Diploma (HND): a two-year course, which, if completed with high grades, can lead to the third year of a degree;
• Foundation degree: the equivalent of the first two years of an Honours degree, may be studied full- or part-time, and consist of academic study integrated with relevant work-based learning undertaken with an employer. It may be studied as a stand-alone qualification or upon completion you may progress to the final year of an Honours degree;
• Degree: a three- or four-year course where graduates obtain a bachelor's degree. There are different titles and levels of degree, such as:
  BA - Bachelor of Arts
  BSc - Bachelor of Science
  BEd - Bachelor of Education
  BEng - Bachelor of Engineering
  Ordinary/Honours - this can vary between universities and colleges, although generally an 'Ordinary' or 'unclassified' degree may be awarded if a student has completed a full degree course but hasn't obtained the total required passes sufficient to merit a third-class Honours degree. In Scotland, an 'Ordinary' degree is usually a three-year full-time course, whereas an 'Honours' degree is usually a four-year full-time course.
• Postgraduate: courses for graduates, which involve one or two years' additional work after a degree and lead to a master's degree. A longer period of postgraduate study is required for specialist degrees, for example, graduate entry to medicine.

Consider combination courses if you would like to study more than one subject

If you are interested in more than one subject, you may be able to study a combination as part of your course, e.g. English literature and psychology. You can use the Course Search section of the UCAS website to find out which combinations are available.

You can often decide for yourself how much time you would like to spend on each subject.

Joint: the two subjects are studied equally, ie 50/50

Major/Minor: the time spent is usually 75%/25%

Explore the subjects that you are interested in to discover a wide range of courses

Once you have chosen one or more subjects that you would consider studying, the next step is to choose a course that includes these subjects. At this point, choosing a course becomes more exciting, because at the higher education level, you can study more than just core subjects, such as mathematics, English, chemistry. These subjects branch out into more creative and varied courses.

For example, if you enjoy chemistry at A level, you may want to look into studying chemical engineering, environmental chemistry or forensic science. If you prefer English, you could study English literature, journalism, creative writing or primary school teaching.

There is much more to choose from: find out how much using Course Search.

Combine work in industry with study on a sandwich course

Certain vocational courses include a year of working within the industry as part of the course. This will usually be for the third year of a degree course or the second year of an HND and, depending on the employer, may be full-time paid employment. The purpose of this is to introduce you to the world of work, whilst gaining valuable experience in a profession you might consider after completing your higher education course.

Learn a language and build your confidence while studying abroad

With some four-year language courses, you get the opportunity to study abroad in your third year. This allows you to learn the language of another country while living in that country, which will improve your understanding and is a great experience.

Whilst studying abroad, you would probably work within a school, teaching English. You would be assigned to a teacher who would help you throughout the year. Not only does this strengthen your language skills, it can also improve your confidence and independence. If you study two languages, you may be able to spend time in each of the two countries.

For further information visit the UCAS website at http://www.ucas.ac.uk