How to Choose a University

There are so many great universities out there – how could you possibly narrow it down to just five choices?

I’ve got you covered! Here are some criteria I used to help me choose which universities to apply for…


Ask yourself: what will I enjoy? What motivates me? What do I have an interest in? What are my hobbies? You will be studying your degree for a few years, so you want to stick with a subject you love.


Have a look at the university campus, the accommodation, the facilities on campus, societies, and opportunities. Although your course choice is very important, you want to be happy with where you’re studying too!



How far away do you want to be from home? Do you want to live in a big city or a smaller one? What are the transport links like? What does the city offer for students? Again, your course is important, but you want to enjoy the place you’re living in. It will be your second home for the next few years, so you want to choose somewhere that’s right for you.

A final top tip is to attend an open day! An open day is a great way to experience the university first hand, to ask lots of questions, and to get a feel for the campus and city. If you can’t attend one – don’t worry – as lots of universities offer virtual online tours too. Or check out the university’s social media pages for some student perspectives!


I hope this helps with choosing your unis! But feel free to ask any questions about choosing which university is right for you!

Emily

Hi!

These are some great points! I just thought I'd add some extra things that really helped me.

1. Links with industry:
Does the university offer good careers services, are there options to do a year in industry if you would like?

2. Course examination style:
While for each subject this will be similar some universities put a heavier emphasis on coursework while others favour exams, do you have a preference?

3. Type of university:
Do you have a strong preference over a city university or a campus university?

That's all I can think of for now

A tip I have is that when researching maybe note down in a word document or on paper what universities you've looked at and what you liked / disliked just to keep everything in one place. I think I spent most of my time re-looking at universities because I had forgotten what I found out and what I thought last time I looked!

However my biggest tip would be to trust yourself and what you think is the right choice for you. It can sometimes be tempting to apply for the same universities as your friends or be swayed by others opinions and while if you both love the same place this is fine and they may have some great advice, just make sure to put yourself first so you end up at a perfect Uni for you!

If you have any questions feel free to ask!

- Jessica
2nd year, Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence)