How to study at university?
Reply 1
I'll start off with a few basic tips which helped me as a student at Bath:
•
Bath have a huge library - this is a great place to go for study/revision/work sessions because its quiet, there are loads of pods, tables, laptop ports and PCs if you want them (not to mention shedloads of books!) and also, being in this kind of workspace rather than in a cafe or in your room/at home helps you keep focused and minimises distractions.
•
Make yourself a timetable - either on a paper diary, your phone or both. Write in 2-3 study/work sessions of around 2 hours each week for each module you have, and fit them around your lectures. Use them to work on assignments, do any extra reading suggested by your lecturers, and going over lecture content, and finding more recent articles about it on...
•
Google Scholar! Google Scholar is like a google search for published academic articles. You can search for key words and titles on your chosen topic, and can also use date filters so it only turns up articles from the past 5 years etc. This is a fantastic way of learning more modern stances on your lecture content and finding topic rabbit-holes to fall down. These articles will hugely help you find arguments for essays, supplement your learning from lectures and really shows advanced independent research skills (lecturers are also likely to have published papers - read a few of theirs to see what their stances are!)
Hoping this helps a bit, others may have further suggestions to add to the thread! Best of luck with starting uni 🙂
University of Bath
Reply 2
Hi there,
I think there are lots of similarities between studying at A-level to studying at degree level.
Here are my top tips:
Be organised - use a calendar or a diary to help you organise your day-to-day life at uni, as it times it can be super busy.
Make sure you are comfortable with Academic skills, as this is a big part of most uni assignments, e.g., ensuring that you are referencing correctly.
Use your resources - most universities have large libraries and resource centres, which can be crucial to succeeding when it comes to assignments.
I hope this helps,
Matt
Wrexham Uni Reps
Reply 3
Hi @Lettuce272,
Something that I learnt through my time at university was that everyone studies slightly differently. It's okay to explore different ways of revising, making notes and prepping for exams. Are you a visual learner? Visuals helped me with studying a lot, so take the time to find what works for you.
Stay organised. There are many ways to stay organised so again find the one that works for you. It could be a digital calendar or a physical one. Creating timetables helps with time management but don't forget to schedule regular breaks too! Having regular breaks is something that helped me stay focused and motivated to study.
Make the most of the facilities on campus whether that is the library or classroom recourses. Lastly, I would also say make the most of student services available to you. Most universities have career support teams, mental wellbeing teams and much more 🙂
Hope this helps,
^Zac
Reply 4
I'll start off with a few basic tips which helped me as a student at Bath:
•
Bath have a huge library - this is a great place to go for study/revision/work sessions because its quiet, there are loads of pods, tables, laptop ports and PCs if you want them (not to mention shedloads of books!) and also, being in this kind of workspace rather than in a cafe or in your room/at home helps you keep focussed and minimises distractions.
•
Make yourself a timetable - either on a paper diary, your phone or both. Write in 2-3 study/work sessions of around 2 hours each week for each module you have, and fit them around your lectures. Use them to work on assignments, do any extra reading suggested by your lecturers, and going over lecture content, and finding more recent articles about it on...
•
Google Scholar! Google Scholar is like a google search for published academic articles. You can search for key words and titles on your chosen topic, and can also use date filters it only turns up articles from the past 5 years etc. This is a fantastic way of learning more modern stances on your lecture content and finding topic rabbit-holes to fall down. These articles will hugely help you find arguments for essays, supplement your learning from lectures and really shows advanced independent research skills (lecturers are also likely to have published papers - read a few of theirs to see what their stances are!)
Hoping this helps a bit, others may have further suggestions to add to the thread! Best of luck with starting uni 🙂
University of Bath
I have never heard of google scholar and it sounds so helpful! Thabks! And I will definitely be making use of the library
Reply 5
I think there are lots of similarities between studying at A-level to studying at degree level.
Here are my top tips:
Be organised - use a calendar or a diary to help you organise your day-to-day life at uni, as it times it can be super busy.
Make sure you are comfortable with Academic skills, as this is a big part of most uni assignments, e.g., ensuring that you are referencing correctly.
Use your resources - most universities have large libraries and resource centres, which can be crucial to succeeding when it comes to assignments.
I hope this helps,
Matt
Wrexham Uni Reps
Thank you! Academic skills is something I wouldn’t have thought to familiarise myself with so thabks
Reply 6
Hi there,
This is a great question! Here are my top tips:
Stay organized. This is huge, especially for university level. I've found keeping a planner and making use of different calendars/timetables has helped immensely with keeping on top of things. I keep note of assignment deadlines, class times, designated study time, field trips, extracurriculars, fun activities, and downtime. I think it is super easy to get into creating a routine, and it really does set you up for success!
Make use of the support services at your university. Services provided by many universities, such as academic skills, can be essential to ensure you are hitting every aspect of the requirements of an assignment. They are great with helping to familiarize yourself with things you may not have had to do at A-Level, like referencing, formatting, and submitting/navigating through new platforms.
The final and probably most important piece of advice I have is to be kind to yourself. For many, university can be a big jump personally, socially, and academically. There is a lot going on! You might find that your first few grades don't come out how you are expecting them to, which is absolutely fine and completely normal. Treat them as a learning experience, ask your lecturers for advice, and use these experiences to grow.
I hope this helps, and best of luck to you! 🙂
Isabella
Geography (With a Year Abroad)
Reply 7
Uni-level studying is definitely a step up from A-levels, especially because it’s not just about exams anymore. You’ll also be doing a lot of academic writing and independent research.
Here are a few tips that helped me:
1. Academic Writing & Referencing
At uni, you'll be expected to write essays and reports using a more formal academic style. A really helpful resource is the academic phrasebank by the University of Manchester: https://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/ —it gives loads of examples of how to structure arguments, explain ideas, and link points clearly.
Referencing is also super important. It means properly crediting the sources you’ve used in your work. Different courses use different styles (like APA, Harvard, etc.), and your lecturers will tell you which one to follow. Getting this right is a basic expectation for achieving high grades—citing correctly shows academic integrity and helps support your arguments.
2. Finding Quality Sources
Google Scholar is a great place to start when researching for assignments. You can also try ResearchGate—lots of authors share free versions of their papers there if you create a free account.
Most universities also give access to academic databases like:
•
Taylor & Francis eBooks
•
JSTOR
•
ScienceDirect
•
Sage Journals
•
Wiley Online Library
These are full of peer-reviewed, high-quality sources your lecturers will expect you to use.
3. Taking Notes
Good notes are key—not just for revision, but for understanding and writing assignments. Instead of copying everything from the slides, try:
•
Downloading the slides beforehand and adding your own comments during lectures.
•
Printing slides 3-to-a-page to make space for handwritten notes.
•
Using a tablet with a stylus if you prefer digital handwriting.
I also found using a literature matrix super useful when doing research. It's basically a table where you summarise important points from each paper. For example:
•
Reference (Author, Year)
•
Key Points / Themes
•
Methodology
•
Strengths & Limitations
•
How To Use It (e.g. supports your argument, shows a different view)
This is what really helps push your work into a First. Don’t just describe—analyse. When reading or writing, ask yourself:
•
Who wrote this and why?
•
What’s their main argument?
•
Is their evidence reliable?
•
Do their conclusions actually follow from the data?
•
Are there any weaknesses or missing perspectives?
Each uni gives clear marking criteria—these outline exactly what’s expected for a First. Things like: strong structure, original thinking, good use of evidence, critical analysis, and clear writing. Make sure you refer to these when planning and checking your work. If you can, look at example essays or lab reports to see what top-level work looks like.
Bonus Tip: Check if your uni has an academic skills team. They often offer 1-to-1 help with referencing, writing, critical thinking, and can even give feedback on drafts.
Hope that helps and best of luck with starting uni! 🙂
Megan (LJMU Rep)
Reply 8
Hi @Lettuce272
My biggest advice would be to make notes and interact with all the lecture material - it makes it much easier to remember when exams come around. At a minimum it's useful to annotate a slide with connections you're making, highlight key points, and note down follow up questions to look into after the lecture.
Outside of lectures, in my experience, workshops and practicals tend to be full of information that's really helpful for coursework. In my chemistry workshops we'd work through example questions which would be very similar to the questions that came up in coursework and exams, so having a very clear notes from the workshop was incredibly useful.
Rebecca (Lancaster Student Ambassador)
Reply 9
Study skills | OpenLearn - Open University - lots of helpful stuff - all free.
Reply 10
You’re right that studying at uni is quite different to A-levels. There’s a bigger focus on independent learning, so while your lectures and seminars will give you a strong foundation, a lot of your success comes from how you build on that with your own study and practice.
Some tips that students aiming for a first often swear by:
•
Be consistent from the start - regular reviewing of notes, even setting aside a quiet spot like the library or a café near campus, can help you stay on top of things.
•
Practise active recall and past papers - especially for Chemistry, applying what you learn in different contexts is key. In Bournemouth we have plenty of quiet spaces to study, from our two libraries to spots like our main buildings or even the beach.
•
Make the most of feedback and office hours - your lecturers really want to help, and building those connections early on can give you a real advantage.
•
Get involved with your course community - whether it’s study groups, academic societies, or networking events, being part of that student community can make a big difference, both for your studies and your uni experience.
Reply 11
You’re right that studying at uni is quite different to A-levels. There’s a bigger focus on independent learning, so while your lectures and seminars will give you a strong foundation, a lot of your success comes from how you build on that with your own study and practice.
Some tips that students aiming for a first often swear by:
•
Be consistent from the start - regular reviewing of notes, even setting aside a quiet spot like the library or a café near campus, can help you stay on top of things.
•
Practise active recall and past papers - especially for Chemistry, applying what you learn in different contexts is key. In Bournemouth we have plenty of quiet spaces to study, from our two libraries to spots like our main buildings or even the beach.
•
Make the most of feedback and office hours - your lecturers really want to help, and building those connections early on can give you a real advantage.
•
Get involved with your course community - whether it’s study groups, academic societies, or networking events, being part of that student community can make a big difference, both for your studies and your uni experience.
Thank you!
Reply 12
Hi @Lettuce272 ,
It's good that you are thinking about this already! I thought I could add some of my tips as someone who has just finished their degree and is going onto their masters now:
•
Firstly, ask your tutor to clarify anything you don't understand straight away. There is no point waiting and worrying about how you don't understand it, you might as well just ask and get the answers straight away! Your tutors are there to help you and will answer your questions whenever you have them. If you don't understand something in a lecture, make a note of it and you can either email the lecturer about it, or ask your tutor the next time you have a seminar. This will make it so much easier when it comes to writing assignments or revising for exams.
•
With writing assignments, make sure you start as early as you can so you have time to revise the work and make a couple of drafts. I know this might be easier said than done but it will really help you out if you start as soon as you can so you can make any changes.
•
Take any opportunity for formative feedback. If there is a chance to show your tutor some work, take it! You might as well take the chance to show them anything you have done as they can then help you out with it and make any improvements.
•
Make the most of the resources you have on offer. Often you will have support staff and people who can help you out if you are ever struggling. It's important to make the most of this and take any help you can get!
•
As others have said, making sure little things in your work are correct is good too. Make sure your referencing is correct, you format your work correctly etc. You will learn about this in your first year so don't worry too much and your tutors will clearly tell you which referencing style to use, so just make sure you use this!
•
For exams, find a revision technique that works for you. You probably have one from your A Levels but you can switch this up too if you feel it isn't working as well for you any more! Have a look and find a good one for you.
•
Make sure you have lots of fun things to do too. You can't spend all of your time working so make sure you have fun things planned to motivate you to get your work done as well as you can do!
I hope some of this helps,
Lucy -SHU student ambassador🙂
Reply 13
Hi there!
I am happy to see that you are getting ready for your university journey! Two years ago we wrote a big post about the first year at university with tips and insights into student life: A Guide to Your First Year: Tips for Success and Peace of Mind - The Student Room by my colleague Julia.
I will try to add on top of her advice some of my own personal experience
Starting university with the goal of a first-class degree requires a different approach than A-levels, focusing on academic independence, engaging with challenging knowledge, and adapting to varied learning and assessment styles.
University demands significant self-directed learning. Your grades will heavily depend on research, readings, and assignments completed outside of class. This means you gain freedom in managing your time, but it also necessitates setting clear goals and developing strong study habits. For precise organisation, use Google Calendar to track all your tasks and classes daily, allocating dedicated study time for each module. This helps avoid procrastination.
The academic content will be more challenging and in-depth, requiring higher-level critical thinking. To truly grasp the material, regularly attend lectures and actively participate. Attend office hours and ask specific questions about concepts you find difficult or want to explore further. If lectures are recorded, watch lecture replays to reinforce understanding or catch anything you missed. Experiment with different study methods; for note-taking, consider tools like Notion or Obsidian for their organisational and linking capabilities, which can help manage complex information. Pay close attention to your course syllabuses at the start of term for assessment details and deadlines, and mark these in your calendar.
Beyond academics, effectively utilise the support systems available. Proactively engage with the careers team from your first year; attend all possible career events and workshops to explore opportunities like internships, placements, and volunteering. Networking with professors and professionals at these events can open doors to future prospects. Always stay informed by consistently checking university emails, announcements, and online platforms for important updates.
Let me know if you have any questions and good luck in your first year!
Ilya
Cyber Security student at De Montfort University
Reply 14
Hey @Lettuce272
It's great to see that you are already thinking ahead about study tips for university. You're absolutely right, I found studying at university different to A-levels in many ways. It might build on similar topics but at a much deeper and more detailed level, and it also requires you to apply a wider range of approaches and skills. Here are a few things that really helped me:
• Stay organised - One of the most important things is staying organised to avoid any last-minute stress or delays. Personally, I tried to go through my lecture readings and slides in advance of the class to make notes and prepare any questions. After the lecture, I would review the topic and practice any relevant questions.
With coursework and assignments, I always tried to start as early as possible. I would also highly recommend using a planner diary or digital calender as it was a game changer for me. It helped me to keep a track of all my lectures, seminars, assignment deadlines, and other personal tasks. Breaking work into manageable chunks, like doing research in one week and writing the next, really helped reduce pressure and made things more achievable.
• Engage during lectures - I noticed that staying engaged during lectures and seminars helps a lot when it’s time to write essays or work on coursework. Don’t just sit back, ask questions, take notes, and try to get involved in discussions. It makes reviewing for assessments much easier because you already have a solid understanding of the material.
• Balance study with downtime - Lastly, don’t forget to take breaks and enjoy university life! Whether it’s joining societies, going for a run, or chilling with friends, balancing study with downtime is essential to avoid burnout. I play badminton as part of the university’s Be Active program, and it really helps me recharge between assignments.
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Akshita
(University of Southampton Student Rep)
Reply 15
Hey @Lettuce272,
The biggest difference I observed between studying at A-Level and studying at university was the importance of citing/referencing. A good 20-30% of any time I spend completing an assignment is spent looking for sources and making sure I'm citing them correctly in the style approved by the university (I use CiteThemRight to double-check). At A-Level, I rarely had to cite anything. At university, I found having a comprehensive list of references and in-text citations is key to achieving a good grade.
Make sure to use any available library resources as well - it's amazing the sheer volume of books and resources you now have access to! 🙂
Hope this helps and best of luck at university!
Eve (Kingston Rep).
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