how do i choose where to apply?

user204729193745

in year12 currently studying maths, fm, physics and computer science - im pretty sure i want to study maths and computer science at university as i love both of these subjects. (small chance i delve into aerospace engineering as this is what i originally wanted to do but thats a different topic)

i definitely want to apply to oxford as its number 1 in the country (maybe even the world??) for computer science - however i dont know where else to apply and how to even choose where to apply - any thoughts / tips / recommedations? thanks!!

Reply 1

McGinger

You have ages before you have to make a decision about this. Time to go to a range of Uni Open Days in May/June and listen to the subject presentations and get an idea of what each Uni looks and feels like. Much will depend on what your predicted grades are - this will determine if Oxford is achievable or not, and the range of other Unis give you the best chances of offers.

Remember that degree courses that have the title 'Computer Science and Maths' will be different at each University, there is no universal syllabus for any degree subject. Add-ons like Study Abroad and work placements add enormously to your graduate CV, and initial job opportunities.

Start by looking at CS courses on these Uni websites to see what each course includes and what the A level grade requirements are - and how the two subjects balance out. All of these Unis also offer Aero Engineering.
Computer Science | Study at Bristol | University of Bristol
Computer Science Undergraduate Degrees | Newcastle University
Undergraduate degrees in computer science - Department of Computer Science, University of York

Reply 2

Muttley79

Original post

by user204729193745

in year12 currently studying maths, fm, physics and computer science - im pretty sure i want to study maths and computer science at university as i love both of these subjects. (small chance i delve into aerospace engineering as this is what i originally wanted to do but thats a different topic)
i definitely want to apply to oxford as its number 1 in the country (maybe even the world??) for computer science - however i dont know where else to apply and how to even choose where to apply - any thoughts / tips / recommedations? thanks!!

Oxford don't offer a placement year so do look at universities that do.

Bath has one of the best schemes:
https://www.bath.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate-2026/computer-science/bsc-computer-science-and-mathematics-with-professional-placement-or-study-abroad/

Reply 3

LJMUStudentReps

Official Rep

Original post

by user204729193745

in year12 currently studying maths, fm, physics and computer science - im pretty sure i want to study maths and computer science at university as i love both of these subjects. (small chance i delve into aerospace engineering as this is what i originally wanted to do but thats a different topic)
i definitely want to apply to oxford as its number 1 in the country (maybe even the world??) for computer science - however i dont know where else to apply and how to even choose where to apply - any thoughts / tips / recommedations? thanks!!

Hi there!
Any advice that I do give will really depend widely on what specific university you might choose but I hope anything that I say can help you in any way.
When you're looking for potential universities, in regards to the course there's a few things you should consider. Firstly, you can look at if a certain course is accredited or not (for maths/computer science that'll be by the BCS and/or IMA). It's not a guarantee that it's what you want to do exactly but a course that is accredited means that it has been approved by a board that includes industry experts which can be valuable whether or not you might consider getting a chartership. The main other thing that I would say is to look over what modules you will be studying, since these vary between different universities and make sure it's something you know you'll be interested in.
I also just did want to mention that there are also a few universities that offer a one year Masters course in Aerospace Engineering if you were still wanting to do that at a later date, but I would say concentrate for now on deciding your options for post A-Levels first.

If you have any additional questions at all, free feel to ask and I'll answer as best as I can.
Wishing you all the best,
Ams - LJMU Student Rep

Reply 4

‎♡₊˚ ୨୧・₊✧

Original post

by user204729193745

in year12 currently studying maths, fm, physics and computer science - im pretty sure i want to study maths and computer science at university as i love both of these subjects. (small chance i delve into aerospace engineering as this is what i originally wanted to do but thats a different topic)
i definitely want to apply to oxford as its number 1 in the country (maybe even the world??) for computer science - however i dont know where else to apply and how to even choose where to apply - any thoughts / tips / recommedations? thanks!!

hi! i'm in year 13 and just applied to my unis so i hope i can help. i completely changed what i wanted to do throughout year 12 (i actually started out wanting to do maths with cs too, but ended up applying to natural sciences!) so don't stress too much yet as you have plenty of time

that being said, when you do get around to choosing unis, the course itself is my far the most important part. the course is what you're paying for so pay a lot of attention to the specific things you'll be learning, and flexibility to pursue the areas you're interested in. oxbridge tend to offer more theoretical courses whereas places like imperial and bath will give you more of a practical/engineering approach, so it's worth considering which style is more suited to you

for something like cs or engineering, getting experience is important so courses that have an industrial placement are a good idea

i think that visiting unis is a great idea so you can get a feel for the environment you'd be living in. if you apply to oxbridge, i would particularly recommend visiting colleges when making this decision as i ended up applying to a completely different college to the one i previously expected to!

i hope this helps, and good luck :smile:

Reply 5

LSBU

Official Rep

Original post

by user204729193745

in year12 currently studying maths, fm, physics and computer science - im pretty sure i want to study maths and computer science at university as i love both of these subjects. (small chance i delve into aerospace engineering as this is what i originally wanted to do but thats a different topic)
i definitely want to apply to oxford as its number 1 in the country (maybe even the world??) for computer science - however i dont know where else to apply and how to even choose where to apply - any thoughts / tips / recommedations? thanks!!

Hey there,

At LSBU, our BSc (Hons) Computer Science course is designed for students who enjoy problem-solving, logical thinking, and technology — just like you. It’s very practical, with a strong focus on programming, software development, and systems design, while also giving you a solid mathematical foundation.

You’ll study modules such as Programming Fundamentals, Algorithms and Data Structures, Artificial Intelligence, and Cyber Security, and in later years, you can specialise in areas that interest you most, such as Data Science, Cloud Computing, or Software Engineering. There’s also the option to complete a placement year to gain real industry experience, which many students find invaluable when it comes to graduate employment.

If you’re thinking long-term, LSBU also offers a Master’s pathway — for example, you could progress from the BSc Computer Science into the MSc Data Science or MSc Artificial Intelligence, depending on your goals. These advanced degrees can open doors to roles in software development, research, or even aerospace-related tech if you decide to merge those interests later on.

Being in central London also gives you access to one of the biggest tech hubs in Europe, so you’re surrounded by companies, networking events, and opportunities to apply what you learn in the real world.

You can also chat with our current students on Unibuddy if you’d like to ask about their experiences or what studying at LSBU is really like https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/student-life/chat

I’d really encourage you to join us at our Open Day https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/study/study-at-lsbu/open-days on the 15th November as you’ll be able to chat with our lecturers, current students, and admissions team to get a real feel for the course and career path.

LSBU Admissions Ambassador

Reply 6

StaffsRep Aura

Official Rep

Original post

by user204729193745

in year12 currently studying maths, fm, physics and computer science - im pretty sure i want to study maths and computer science at university as i love both of these subjects. (small chance i delve into aerospace engineering as this is what i originally wanted to do but thats a different topic)
i definitely want to apply to oxford as its number 1 in the country (maybe even the world??) for computer science - however i dont know where else to apply and how to even choose where to apply - any thoughts / tips / recommedations? thanks!!

Hi!
I'm a rep from the University of Staffordshire studying Computer Science. When I was choosing my UCAS options I focused on a couple different variables to help me decide. Hopefully these help you in your decision!

1. Course Accreditation:
I wanted a course that was accredited by professional bodies to prove that my degree was relevant to the industry, contained up-to-date content and that my degree was favoured by companies when looking for roles. Staffs courses are accredited gold by TechSkills and also the BCS, which was a bonus for me! When looking at your favoured courses, check what they are accredited by!

2. League Tables - Student Satisfaction and Support:
This was quite important for me when choosing a degree as I wanted to make sure that teaching quality was top-tier! I checked websites like The Complete University Guide, WhatUni, The Daily Mail and The Guardian University Guide to view student support services, satisfaction ratings and further stats to support my choices. Is your option in the top 10 for Gen-z students? Is that important to you? If so, check who's on the list!

3. Student Culture:
Check out student testimonials from graduates direct from University websites. See their social media such as their Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and LinkedIn to see what's on at campus. Do you like any student societies on show, any conferences hosted at that University of perhaps the labs? If so, that University might be higher on your list.

4. Pricing!
Have a look at which campus you would be studying at. How are the living costs in that location including rent, food and student life? This was quite important to me, for some it's no issue.

5. Employability:
Are placements on offer? Is there a dedicated careers team? What is the employment rate for your course at your chosen University? These are questions that I also researched into.

Would love to hear what else everyone has used to decide on their top 5 options for UCAS!

Hope this helps,
Aura (Uni of Staffs Rep)

Reply 7

De Montfort University

Official Rep

Original post

by user204729193745

in year12 currently studying maths, fm, physics and computer science - im pretty sure i want to study maths and computer science at university as i love both of these subjects. (small chance i delve into aerospace engineering as this is what i originally wanted to do but thats a different topic)
i definitely want to apply to oxford as its number 1 in the country (maybe even the world??) for computer science - however i dont know where else to apply and how to even choose where to apply - any thoughts / tips / recommedations? thanks!!

Hiya lovely
Sounds like you’ve got a really strong mix of subjects and a clear idea of what you enjoy. Maths and Computer Science is a great combo, especially if you’re already doing FM and CS. Oxford is definitely a top choice, but it’s smart to think about a good range of unis too.

When you’re choosing where else to apply, it helps to think about a few things such as course content as some unis focus more on theoretical computer science/maths, others on practical programming or AI. So depending what you want to do it's important to research that.

You should also look into what teaching style the university has, Oxford’s tutorial system is quite unique, so you might want to look for places with different teaching styles if that’s what you like. For example here at DMU we have something called block teaching.

It’s also a great idea to go to open days and get a feel for the atmosphere. We are having our Open day , and i believe it yout be very helpful — we've got some solid computing and maths options, and seeing the facilities in person can give you a much better idea of what'd you would enjoy. Definitely worth checking out if you can!

Good luck with your applications — sounds like you’re in a great position already, especially when thinking about uni so early

Kind regards Aneta PhD Chemistry