Researching potential universities

Where to start

Your first step is to find out which universities offer the subject you’re interested in. UCAS has an impartial course search on its website that covers every university in the UK.

To help you decide which universities might be suitable, visit an event where you can see lots of them in one place, such as a UCAS fair. This is your chance to meet staff and students from a range of institutions, ask questions and pick up prospectuses.

Narrowing down your choices

Once you've worked out your potential options, it's time to narrow them down. One of the best ways to do this is to compare course content by looking at programme pages.

Look at how the course is taught in each university: How is it assessed? Are there modules that interest you? Does the course offer work placements? Work out what's important to you and whether this course offers it.

Next, have a think about what you want from your university experience. Some students are really keen to be in a big city. Others want to stay local, or attend a university that offers the chance to join a particular society or sports club. These factors should all be taken into consideration when it comes to deciding where you want to study.

Visiting universities

Ultimately the best way to choose a university is to visit it in person. Open Days are a great way of getting to know the campus, finding out what it will be like to study at that university and getting a chance to speak to current students and academics.

If you're an International student there may be other ways that you can get a sense of the university, including chatting with students online, visiting forums or attending a Virtual open day.

Make sure you leave plenty of time before the application deadline to finish your research, and if you have any questions about making your decision, our admissions team will be happy to speak to you. You can email them at admissions@gold.ac.uk.