The Student Room Group

Going to uni at 17

hello,
I moved schools and it so happened that at the time both year 2 and year 3 were taught in the same class for a while and then split into different classrooms as one of the teachers was on maternity leave.
I was placed in year 3 by accident, by the time the mistake was noticed i was handling my work quite fine and had already made friends in the new school-you can see why i didn't want to go back down a year and as i was coping with the work fine i was allowed to stay a year ahead....

I have gone through secondary to sixth form just fine however university...
My tutor has told me that being that at the start of uni in september i will be 17 therefore a minor there is a possibility that i will not get accepted to my chosen options and further more if i do get accepted then i will have to have a guidance/monitor with me at all times including: lessons;corridors due to health and safety regulations.

-University for me will be becoming more independent and self sufficient, i never imagined my mum will have to be by my side throughout all my lessons when i am on premises.My other option would be to take a gap year however i would really prefer to start my course whilst everything is still fresh.


Just wanted to ask if you knew any 17 year olds at your university and also state that i would only be 17 for 2 months after starting.
Reply 1
If you don't want to take the gap year then I would apply now to the universities you want and maybe contact them directly asking what their standing is on being 17. I imagine a lot of universties have this as there was also a student in my year who went to university fine when he was 17.
If you find the university you would like to attend will not except you at 17, then maybe look at a gap year. Possibly fill it with experience such as volunteering abroad or things that will help you stand out.
Reply 2
Original post by scorpio22

My tutor has told me that being that at the start of uni in september i will be 17 therefore a minor there is a possibility that i will not get accepted to my chosen options and further more if i do get accepted then i will have to have a guidance/monitor with me at all times including: lessons;corridors due to health and safety regulations.

This is completely untrue. Yes, you'll still be a minor at 17 but you won't have anyone 'looking after' you. I was 17 for the first 6 months of uni and I wasn't treated any differently from those who were 18. I also cannot see a university turning you down just for being 17.
I was 17 when I was in my first year, turned 18 in December. I've never heard of being assigned a monitor to follow students around. I just needed my parents to sign a waiver. I wasn't treated any differently from any of the other students and the only thing I couldn't do was drink in the college bar. Even then, if I had wanted to, they wouldn't be able to tell I was 17 (not to say I have done this).

I'd understand if you were much younger, but when you're 17 you're pretty much an adult and at the same level as everyone else.

Which university is this?
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 4
I think it depends on your course,

Possibly Medicine you have to be 18 but I am not entirely sure.

otherwise i would say you've cope well enough until now

Who cares how old you are, it might be weird when everyone goes out drinking though
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that it's quite common for Scottish students to start university when they're 17 because of the education system, so I wouldn't've thought that being 17 will affect your application and chances of getting into university. If you are worried about it though, maybe contact the individual universities just to check and see if there's anything you'd have to do to be able to attend :smile:
Reply 6
Original post by kayleigh.jean
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that it's quite common for Scottish students to start university when they're 17 because of the education system, so I wouldn't've thought that being 17 will affect your application and chances of getting into university.

:yep: Correct. I believe it's because we do one less year at high school but I could be wrong. In fact, we could even go when we're 16 - although I've never known anyone to actually do it.
Reply 7
THANKYOU, for the quick replies.Less pressure of agonizing what i was going to spend a whole year doing.

- i am definitely going to continue to apply and then i will ring/ visit my chosen uni's and ask them on their policy.
Reply 8
Original post by Vitamin D
This is completely untrue. Yes, you'll still be a minor at 17 but you won't have anyone 'looking after' you. I was 17 for the first 6 months of uni and I wasn't treated any differently from those who were 18. I also cannot see a university turning you down just for being 17.




Original post by Hetman Vladislav
I was 17 when I was in my first year, turned 18 in December. I've never heard of being assigned a monitor to follow students around. I just needed my parents to sign a waiver. I wasn't treated any differently from any of the other students and the only thing I couldn't do was drink in the college bar. Even then, if I had wanted to, they wouldn't be able to tell I was 17 (not to say I have done this).

I'd understand if you were much younger, but when you're 17 you're pretty much an adult and at the same level as everyone else.

Which university is this?



You both went when you were 17,
was it to a Scottish university because i live in England incase the rules/regulations change?
I haven't decided on a particular uni as i am keeping my option open including my course as i want to go into biology/chemistry.


and Hetman i don't necessary mind about the drinking just yet lool..i probably will be too excited to be on my own to care lool.. I just wanted to ask did your parents have to sign the waiver through the ucas application?
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 9
Original post by scorpio22
You both went when you were 17,
was it to a Scottish university because i live in England incase the rules/regulations change?
I haven't decided on a particular uni as i am keeping my option open including my course as i want to go into biology/chemistry.


and Hetman i don't necessary mind about the drinking just yet lool..i probably will be too excited to be on my own to care lool.. I just wanted to ask did your parents have to sign the waiver through the ucas application?

Yeah I go to a Scottish university but I could have gone to an English one if I wanted to. I also didn't have to get my parents to sign a waiver like Hetman did.
Original post by scorpio22

and Hetman i don't necessary mind about the drinking just yet lool..i probably will be too excited to be on my own to care lool.. I just wanted to ask did your parents have to sign the waiver through the ucas application?


It was sent to me in the mail by the university after I accepted the offer.

Essentially it states that the university isn't responsible if something were to happen to you.

Quick Reply

Latest