Tips for choosing the right uni for you! LJMU showcase

With the UCAS deadline approaching, I thought it would be helpful to give some tips on things to think about when choosing a University! If you’ve already submitted your application, this advice should also be helpful when picking your firm and insurance choices 😊

I’ve also added some info abut LJMU under each section, showcasing what we offer and providing the links to find out more!!

The course (obviously)

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Find unis that offer subjects that really interest you

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Compare courses – even with the same course name, modules and content will vary between the universities so take a look at which modules would interest you the most from each course

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Check assessment types, some unis can be more exam heavy or more coursework heavy, and some have an even split of the two

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Check career pathways – can you work in that field straight after graduating or will you need more training/a further degree?

You can view the LJMU courses here: https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/study/courses?search=true&coursetypes=undergraduate#tab-search-by-keyword

Locations

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Is there any particular region you’d like to go to for uni?

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Would you prefer to stay closer to home or further away?

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Factor in travel costs if you are thinking of commuting

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Do you want to be in a city environment or rural/campus area?

Both LJMU campuses are in the heart of Liverpool city centre, with everything a 10-15 minute walk away. It’s greatly situated for public transport links too, being close to two bus stations as well as Liverpool Lime Street and Liverpool Central train stations!

Facilities

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Look at the quality of the facilities for your own course

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Does the uni have other strong facilities like libraries, study spaces etc?

LJMU has great study facilities, with a library at each campus as well as our relatively new Student Life Building (SLB) positioned between the two. The SLB is open 24/7, 365 days a year and is also home to the student’s union and our wellbeing and careers teams! You can book out private study rooms for group work or just if you need to lock yourself away to finish an assignment, they also have postgraduate only rooms and silent study spaces 😊

Based in our libraries, we also have an Academic Success team, offering drop in sessions, 1-2-1 appointments and classes for writing skills, statistics etc

Accommodation

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Check out the accommodation options and locations of each compared to your campus/uni buildings

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Compare different accommodation types with your budget

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How far are the accommodation buildings from other places (town centre, supermarkets etc)

You can view the LJMU accommodation options here: https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/discover/your-student-experience/accommodation/search

Most of the options are en-suite, with rent including all bills. Most of our accommodations are also within a 10-15 minute walk from both campuses and the city centre, making it really accessible to get to the teaching buildings. As well, when you book accommodation through your LJMU applicant portal, you’re guaranteed to be placed with other first year LJMU students, usually doing similar subjects to you!

+ Did you know that LJMU is ranked 2nd in the UK for accommodation (Uni Compare, 2026)

Campus/student life

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Explore what each student’s union (SU) offers

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See if they offer any societies or sports teams that align with your interests

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What is there to do in your university town/city or on campus?

LJMU has an amazing SU (JMSU) that offer over 100 sports teams and societies, with more being created every year. They also put on great events and pop-ups throughout the year with freebies and free tickets to activities.

You can see what they offer here: https://www.jmsu.co.uk/groups?group_type=societies-991&group_cat=&search=

https://www.jmsu.co.uk/groups?group_type=sports-993&group_cat=&search=

We also have a uni gym at a brilliant membership price of £40 for the full year for students, with over 120 fitness stations, different gym classed ranging from HIIT to yoga. As well, access to the University of Liverpool swimming pool is included in the membership

+ Did you know that LJMU is ranked 3rd in the UK for student life (Uni Compare, 2026)

Support services

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Check what kind of support services each university offers

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What careers support does the uni offer and do they have regular careers fairs, does the uni have good links to industry?

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What support can you get from the uni with personal wellbeing?

LJMU offers amazing support in all areas – we have a dedicated Student Advice and Wellbeing team, with specialists that can help with Money Advice, Disability and Dyslexia support, Counselling and Mental Health services and more.
You can find out more here: https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/discover/student-support

We also have a Student Futures team to help with careers support, who offer CV writing sessions, assistance with personal statements and job applications, 1-2-1 careers advice, and they also host lots of careers and part-time jobs fairs throughout the academic year.
Find out more here: https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures

LJMU events to consider booking on to
Campus tours

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Our campus tours are student-led, and are a great opportunity to see the facilities at LJMU

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You’ll be shown around our libraries, social spaces and visit an accommodation, as well as being shown the facilities relevant to your course/school of study

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It’s worth noting that there is no subject specific talk and academics won’t be available, but you still get a great feel for the uni and Liverpool itself when you come to visit – it’s a great option if you couldn’t make it to an open day but still want to visit us!

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Our next campus tours will take place on January 10th and February 18th – you can get more information here: https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/study/visit-us/campus-tours

Applicant days

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These are like open days but specific to those who have received an offer to study with us! They run in the spring time before the deadline to pick your firm and insurance.

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If you missed an open day, I’d definitely recommend attending an applicant day, as you will have course talks, meet academics and other students that have offers for the same course as you – you’ll also get to see the course facilities and get to view all of our accommodation

LJMU LIVE Event

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The LJMU LIVE event will take place this Thursday (8th Jan) from 4-7pm and is a virtual event which allows you to explore what LJMU has to offer! There will be webinars on accommodation, fees and funding, student life and what it’s like to be an LJMU student.

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You can find out more about the event and book on here: https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/study/undergraduate-students/undergraduate-virtual-events

Hopefully this is useful advice for picking universities, and showcased what we offer here at LJMU! Remember to choose a university that works for YOU 😊