Application Advice

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Location, location, location!
After all, the university you pick will be your new home-away-from-home, so it’s important you choose a university in area you’d like to be in. Make sure to look round the city on any open/offer holder days you attend and see what’s on offer. Plymouth has some great transport links across the UK and is an amazing coastal location with plenty of nature surrounding the city. It’s a very student-centred area with lots to offer, without the business of a major city!

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Campus facilities and spaces!
Check out what buildings, specialist facilities, equipment, and study spaces each university has to offer you. Are they modern or traditional? High-tech or basic? Depending on what your course requires, Plymouth is a modern university equipped with high-spec equipment and facilities to support your learning. From the marine station to the wave tank, science laboratories, business suites, engineering labs, law clinic, and new health care building, Plymouth has it all!

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Support for you and your studies!
What does each university has to offer you in terms of mental health support, disability support, careers advice, placement teams, and student services? It’s important that you pick a university that can provide what you need to complete your degree with the best support possible. Plymouth has a dedicated student services team based in the library to help with all of the above throughout your degree, as well as a Careers Service to give you relevant advice and guidance with part time jobs, graduate prospects, postgraduate study, and placements! Our UPSU team also offers advice and guidance on accommodation, funding, and learning, as well as our dedicated teams across the university campus.

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Don't panic! 😱
It might seem obvious to state but you are on track to achieve some amazing things and you have so many people around you to support and guide you on your journey to higher education and university. Our teams are always on hand to support you during your application, so if you have any questions, you can contact them here!

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Keep on top of your revision 🕰️
To keep exam season stress to a minimum, remember to keep on top of revision and try not to procrastinate to prevent last-minute revision rush and ensure you are well prepared to ace those exams.

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Think about your accomodation early! 🏠
To prevent any stress around securing accomodation, Plymouth offer their super accomodation guarantee, ensuring everyone who has firmed their offer from us is guaranteed a place in accomodation when applying by 4th July 2024. To find out more and see any t&cs, click here!

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How does it all work?
Click here for a step-by-step guide of the clearing process!

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In what situations can I apply through clearing?
If you: haven’t met the conditions of your offers, haven’t made a UCAS application this year, or haven’t received any offers (or none that you want to accept).

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What's it like to go through clearing?
Click here to read some student experiences of the clearing process!

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Who can I go to with my questions?
You can chat to some students that have been through clearing on our Unibuddy page or chat to our admissions team at [email protected]. We will also have a clearing call centre open for advice, guidance, and applications nearer the time.

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Where can I find advice for parents?
Click here for our parent advice page!

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Have a good routine 🕓️
It's important to ensure you are getting enough sleep around exam season (I always aim for at least 8 hours!) as well as sticking to an effective revision plan that works for you. Try to schedule in revision sessions in your calendar to ensure you have dedicated time to sit down and work, and plan your day to work around when you can concentrate best! I find that my energy dips in the late afternoon so I'll often use this time to do other tasks before coming back to revision later on.

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Absorb some information before bed 🛌
I try to read over my notes/revision materials before I go to bed before an exam day as I've been told this helps to hold information in your head for longer. Make sure you are getting enough sleep though and not revising too late into the evenings!

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Eat and drink well! 🍎
A simple tip but often forgotten! Eating and drinking enough will ensure you retain revision content for longer and ensure your brain is working at top speed ahead of your exams...

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Take time to de-stress 😌
It can be a chaotic and stressful time so taking some moments out of your day to relax and chill out will help you in the long run. Ensure you stick to a good revision timetable and integrate these moments of relaxation throughout, including before bed with a good nighttime routine, where possible!

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Relax! 😮*💨
Easier said than done! But you will have worked super hard in revision and your exams so take the time this summer to take a well earned break from work and enjoy the (hopefully) sunny weather over the coming months!

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Consider all outcomes 🤔
Exam results can be unpredictable and many people will be surprised with how they have done (for both better and less desired outcomes!) Ensure you prepare for these scenarios in advance by considering what you will do if you don't meet the requirements for your chosen universities or if you happen to do much better than expected. Check out our Clearing webpage for information on who can apply through clearing and what to do in these situations!

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Note down our clearing hotline number! 📞
Around results day and the following days/weeks, our clearing hotline will be open for you to ring up and speak to one of our advisors about what to do and how they can help you to move forwards. The number will be shared across our social media pages and website nearer the time, so be sure to note this down so you can chat to our friendly team should you need them.

In the meantime, you can reach our admissions team on +441752585858 and [email protected]

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Be proud of your achievements! 🤩
No matter how well you did in your exams, going through the process and working hard is something to be proud of in itself, let alone what you'll achieve on results day! So take the time to celebrate, be proud of how far you have come, and start getting excited for what next steps you might take...

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Chat to others about any worries or if you have questions! 😬
If you are unsure about anything or are anxious about results day, it's best to speak to others instead of bottling these feelings up. You can speak to our Unibuddy ambassadors to hear from likeminded students, chat to friends and family, reach out to our admissions team, or myself on TSR, for any questions, queries and advice! Everyone is always happy to help and you certainly aren't alone...

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Check for any reading lists/preparation work 📚
These will be sent out in advance of the course starting so it’s best to check what’s required before starting the semester. I’d suggest completing as soon as possible to prevent falling behind and giving you a more chilled out summer!

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Check what equipment you’ll need 🖊️
Some courses might require you to provide certain equipment or items so check beforehand to ensure you aren’t missing anything. Don’t worry about buying textbooks or other unnecessary materials unless advised as oftentimes they are available to use in the library, online, or with discounts. If in doubt, ask your academic staff!

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Get to know the modules and material 📖
The handy course pages on our website give you information on each of the modules you’ll be taking, including those in the first semester. Check them out to prepare in advance and know what’s in store!

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Ensure your accommodation is sorted and you have everything you’ll need! 🏡
An important one! This will prevent any stresses on the move in day and reduce unwanted surprises! Check online to find out what your accommodation comes with and what you’ll need to bring yourself. Don’t panic as Plymouth has plenty of supermarkets and retailers for everything you might need though!

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Enjoy your summer! ☀️
You’ve deserved a well earned break so make sure to spend some time in the sun and doing what you enjoy before starting up with some studying again from September.

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Attend UPSU and University events and activities! The university and SU put on year-round events, from Welcome Week, to the Summer Ball, check out the UPSU events page and university activities on the website to meet new people, get involved, and try some new things!

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Join a society! Societies are student-run clubs and teams that host socials, activities, events and more. There are so so many at Plymouth and there's something for everyone, from marine biology to dance and swimming. Why not check out the full list on the UPSU website!

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Explore your local area! It's easy to get caught up in studies and forget to venture outside the campus and city centre. Check out some of the fun days out you could have exploring Cornwall, Mount Batten, Mount Edgcumbe, the Eden Project, Dartmoor, or the National Marine Park!

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Study around the campus! There are great study spots hidden all over campus, from the library, to Roland Levinsky, Sherwell, Babbage, and the SU. Get out and explore some of these spaces if you like studying with a bit of scenery away from your home desk!

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What has your personal experience been like studying here at Plymouth?

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What support is available to students on both a personal and academic level?

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What facilities can I expect to be using on campus when studying the course?

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What modules are available to choose from as I progress through the degree?

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What are the assessments/coursework/exams like?

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How can I make the best start for the course in advance before starting?

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Are you currently applying for university?

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Looking for some advice or guidance?

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Have any questions that need answering?

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Think outside the box! 🧠

It's easy to think you might not have enough experience or knowledge to apply for your dream course. But the chances are, if you're passionate about it, you do! Think outside the box and write about how your extra-curricular experiences and enthusiasm links to how prepared you are for your course and university in general. Completed DofE? Volunteered for a local group? Read a book about the course? Had a part time job? These are all great things to write about which could relate heavily to skills and knowledge required for the course and university. Link them to how prepared this makes you, your passion for the course, and why it would make you a great fit!

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Get ahead of the game! 🏃*♂️

Want to make a head start with your application and have some time to gain additional experience to enhance that personal statement? Why not read a few books, listen to a podcast series, or review some academic papers on the course you are applying for? This will make you stand out from other applicants as you'll be seen as having a strong enthusiasm for the subject area and some pre-existing knowledge and experience prior to starting the course, which will definitely be beneficial. Be sure to link this to your personal statement and how it reflects your passion, skillset, and knowledge!

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Get creative! 🎓️

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Be honest and authentic! 🤩

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Get cracking with revision! 🤓

If you're sitting exams this summer and your offer is conditional, make sure you start revising as early as possible to allow for plenty of time for information to sink in and be best prepared for your assessments. Remember to use active techniques to revise and cover all content that could come up!

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Book onto Offer Holder Days 🏙️

These will start to pop up in the new year and are different to open days so I'd recommend booking onto one! They are a good chance to speak to students and staff, tour facilities, and get involved in subject specific activities exclusive to those with an offer to give you a flavour of what it's like to study that course!

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Start thinking about your firm and insurance choices 📚️

Now you have an offer, it's a good time to start early and think about which universities will be your firm and insurance choices. Ensure you look at all aspects of the courses/universities/cities as well as considering entry requirements.

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Think about accommodation! 🏡