Can I apply to only one university?

Hi
So for background I’m 23, starting am acces to course in September, and living alone in a council flat.

Because I live in a council flat I can’t move for university. And the only uni near me to offer Dietetics is Uni of Herts.

So 2 questions

1) is it okay to just apply to 1 university? I know I might not get accepted
2) are there any other courses I could study to become a dietician?

Reply 1

LMas01

Original post by TaeganMae

Hi
So for background I’m 23, starting am acces to course in September, and living alone in a council flat.
Because I live in a council flat I can’t move for university. And the only uni near me to offer Dietetics is Uni of Herts.
So 2 questions
1) is it okay to just apply to 1 university? I know I might not get accepted
2) are there any other courses I could study to become a dietician?

Yes you can just apply to one uni, and I think the application fee is lower if you only apply to one instead of all 5 options.

Reply 2

LMas01

Also for studying dietetics did you know you could get an NHS learning support fund in England? So you'd probably want to check the course is eligible. Its £5000 a year.
https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-learning-support-fund-lsf#:~:text=If%20you're%20starting%20and,dietetics

Reply 3

TaeganMae

Original post by LMas01

I did not know that thank you!

Reply 4

EssexStudentRep

Official Rep

Original post by TaeganMae

Hi
So for background I’m 23, starting am acces to course in September, and living alone in a council flat.
Because I live in a council flat I can’t move for university. And the only uni near me to offer Dietetics is Uni of Herts.
So 2 questions
1) is it okay to just apply to 1 university? I know I might not get accepted
2) are there any other courses I could study to become a dietician?

Hi @TaeganMae

The British Dietetics Association lists the Accredited Degrees on their website, essential if you want to become a registered dietician, and Uni of Herts is one of them :smile:

a Dietician is a protected job title and so falls under the HCPC, a regulatory body that holds some healthcare professions to a specific standard and requires you to meet their standards of proficiency (SoPs) before you can be fully qualified.

I'm training to be a biomedical scientist which also requires HCPC registration. I'm currently on my placement year where I complete a portfolio of evidence during the year to show that I comply with the SoPs. I also applied to uni as a mature student after completing an Access to HE in Science :smile:

It's totally fine to just apply to one uni, I only applied to two unis near to where I live for a similar reason. The good thing is, while you're a full time student and living alone, you're entirely exempt from paying council tax, you just need to let your council know.

As LMas01 said, you can apply for the NHS Learning Support Fund which is a grant that doesn't need to be paid back, unlike a maintenance loan which does eventually need to be paid back after graduating, when you earn above the pay-back threshold.

Best wishes,
Essex Student Rep - Hayley

Reply 5

TaeganMae

Original post by EssexStudentRep

Hi @TaeganMae
The British Dietetics Association lists the Accredited Degrees on their website, essential if you want to become a registered dietician, and Uni of Herts is one of them :smile:

a Dietician is a protected job title and so falls under the HCPC, a regulatory body that holds some healthcare professions to a specific standard and requires you to meet their standards of proficiency (SoPs) before you can be fully qualified.
I'm training to be a biomedical scientist which also requires HCPC registration. I'm currently on my placement year where I complete a portfolio of evidence during the year to show that I comply with the SoPs. I also applied to uni as a mature student after completing an Access to HE in Science :smile:

It's totally fine to just apply to one uni, I only applied to two unis near to where I live for a similar reason. The good thing is, while you're a full time student and living alone, you're entirely exempt from paying council tax, you just need to let your council know.
As LMas01 said, you can apply for the NHS Learning Support Fund which is a grant that doesn't need to be paid back, unlike a maintenance loan which does eventually need to be paid back after graduating, when you earn above the pay-back threshold.
Best wishes,
Essex Student Rep - Hayley

Thank you so much this is really helpful!!!

Reply 6

normaw

Volunteer Section Leader, Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by TaeganMae

Yes it's fine to apply to just one uni and unless you are prepared to commute to a London uni, then there probably aren't any other options for you. Just to note the reduced UCAS fee mentioned above no longer applies - it is now a fixed fee for up to five choices. The NHS course finder is a good tool to search for approved courses if you want to see if any others are within reach:

https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/career-planning/course-finder

Make sure you have everything in place before you apply - shadowing experience with a dietician and public-facing work/volunteering experience. For advice on personal statements, have a look at the following thread - the section on vocational subjects:

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6666418

Reply 7

normaw

Volunteer Section Leader, Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by LMas01

.... I think the application fee is lower if you only apply to one instead of all 5 options.

It's no longer the case - one fee applies for up to 5 choices. :smile:

Reply 8

YSJstudents

Official Rep

Original post by TaeganMae

Hi
So for background I’m 23, starting am acces to course in September, and living alone in a council flat.
Because I live in a council flat I can’t move for university. And the only uni near me to offer Dietetics is Uni of Herts.
So 2 questions
1) is it okay to just apply to 1 university? I know I might not get accepted
2) are there any other courses I could study to become a dietician?

Hi there,

As others above have mentioned it is absolutely fine to only apply to one university as you don't have to apply to five different places to use all the options. I would also say double check that the access course you are doing will give you the qualifications need for the Dietetics degree. The degree at Uni of Herts is accredited by The British Dietetics Association meaning that it is in line with their standards.

Again as others have mentioned the Dietetics degree is eligible for the £5000 NHS bursary to help you throughout your studies with different costs throughout your degree which you don't need to pay back.

I hope this helps and good luck with your studies 😊
Katie - Student Ambassador

Reply 9

Herts UG Student

Original post by TaeganMae

Hi
So for background I’m 23, starting am acces to course in September, and living alone in a council flat.
Because I live in a council flat I can’t move for university. And the only uni near me to offer Dietetics is Uni of Herts.
So 2 questions
1) is it okay to just apply to 1 university? I know I might not get accepted
2) are there any other courses I could study to become a dietician?

Hi @TaeganMae

I'm a student dietitian at the University of Hertfordshire, and I'm happy to help you with your questions.

1. Applying to One University: It's definitely okay to apply to just one university, especially if it's the only one within a reasonable distance for you. However, it’s important to have a backup plan in case you’re not accepted. Make sure your application is strong by gaining relevant experience, writing a compelling personal statement, and preparing well for any interviews.

2. Alternative Routes: If you're set on becoming a dietitian but want to keep your options open, you could consider applying for an apprenticeship in the healthcare or nutrition field. Apprenticeships offer hands-on experience and often lead to qualifications that can help you progress toward becoming a dietitian. Additionally, you could study a related course like Nutrition or Health Sciences and later pursue a postgraduate diploma or master’s in Dietetics. This path might take a bit longer, but it could provide more flexibility in your studies.

Good luck with your application and studies! Feel free to reach out if you have any more questions.

Best wishes,
Natacha 🙂

Reply 10

TaeganMae

Original post by Herts UG Student

Hi @TaeganMae
I'm a student dietitian at the University of Hertfordshire, and I'm happy to help you with your questions.
1. Applying to One University: It's definitely okay to apply to just one university, especially if it's the only one within a reasonable distance for you. However, it’s important to have a backup plan in case you’re not accepted. Make sure your application is strong by gaining relevant experience, writing a compelling personal statement, and preparing well for any interviews.
2. Alternative Routes: If you're set on becoming a dietitian but want to keep your options open, you could consider applying for an apprenticeship in the healthcare or nutrition field. Apprenticeships offer hands-on experience and often lead to qualifications that can help you progress toward becoming a dietitian. Additionally, you could study a related course like Nutrition or Health Sciences and later pursue a postgraduate diploma or master’s in Dietetics. This path might take a bit longer, but it could provide more flexibility in your studies.
Good luck with your application and studies! Feel free to reach out if you have any more questions.
Best wishes,
Natacha 🙂

Hi
Thank you so much! So I looked into it and created my back up plan in the end. And if both plans fail then I just strengthen my application and try again the next year. I’m persistent haha

Reply 11

University of Hertfordshire

Original post by TaeganMae

Hi
Thank you so much! So I looked into it and created my back up plan in the end. And if both plans fail then I just strengthen my application and try again the next year. I’m persistent haha

Brilliant!

Best of luck, @TaeganMae 🙂

Reply 12

EssexStudentRep

Official Rep

Original post by TaeganMae

Hi
Thank you so much! So I looked into it and created my back up plan in the end. And if both plans fail then I just strengthen my application and try again the next year. I’m persistent haha

Hey @TaeganMae

Thats great you've got a back up plan but like you said, if it doesn't work this year, there's always next year. Better to take the time and strengthen your application for something you really want.

Not everyone goes to uni knowing what they want to do afterwards, but it's so rewarding when you really want something and you get to follow your goals 😊

Best of luck and let us know how it goes!

Essex Student Rep - Hayley