Starting Uni at 26

No - and I speak from experience!

Hi! I originally went to uni at 18, but unfortunately had to leave for health reasons. I am now in a much better place health-wise and would like to go to uni again. However, I would be 26 when I start and am wondering if realistically the age gap between myself and the majority of students would prevent me from making friends? Thanks in advance!

Hi! I originally went to uni at 18, but unfortunately had to leave for health reasons. I am now in a much better place health-wise and would like to go to uni again. However, I would be 26 when I start and am wondering if realistically the age gap between myself and the majority of students would prevent me from making friends? Thanks in advance!

Hi @Anonymous
There will probably be more mature students (21+ at the start of the course) than you expect! I have found that my course has a mixture of ages, from people who are fresh out of college to people who have already had a different career and are now returning to study. From what I have seen, age does not seem to be a barrier for people making friends as you all have the course in common. The most important thing is to go in with an open mind and try to talk to as many different people as possible as this will help you to find the people you want to be friends with.
Hope that helps!
Sophie.
BCU Student Rep.

Hi,
I’m a student rep at LJMU and I just want to reassure you that starting uni at 26 is really normal and you definitely would not be out of place.
LJMU has a very mixed student community with lots of mature students career changers and people coming back to education after some time out. Because of this the uni runs its own support and transition programmes for mature and non traditional students especially during induction and the first semester to help people settle in and meet others early on.
Most friendships at LJMU form through your course group work societies and shared interests rather than age. Being a bit older can actually be a positive as you usually come in more confident and focused which a lot of students appreciate.
If you get involved in induction events societies or rep led activities you will have plenty of chances to meet people and find your group. Age really is not a barrier here at all.
Hope that helps and good luck with everything 🙂
Anthony
Student rep

Hi! I originally went to uni at 18, but unfortunately had to leave for health reasons. I am now in a much better place health-wise and would like to go to uni again. However, I would be 26 when I start and am wondering if realistically the age gap between myself and the majority of students would prevent me from making friends? Thanks in advance!

Hi! I originally went to uni at 18, but unfortunately had to leave for health reasons. I am now in a much better place health-wise and would like to go to uni again. However, I would be 26 when I start and am wondering if realistically the age gap between myself and the majority of students would prevent me from making friends? Thanks in advance!

Hi there, I was also a mature student when I started uni 🙂 Although you may face some challenges in connecting with your younger peers at first, you may be surprised at the number of mature students you meet at university ☺️
Take some time to consider joining societies as they are a great way to expand your social circle among people with a common interest (eg. sports, hobby...). There are also students pursuing their Masters who made closer in age to you 🤗
Zhi En
(Kingston Student Rep.)

Hey, just wanted to reply because this is such a common worry and I completely get it!
It is absolutely not too late to start uni… but I totally understand the age fear. I was 28 when I started university, and honestly that worry about being “too old” is one of the main reasons I put it off for several years. I kept thinking I’d stand out, struggle to make friends, or feel out of place.
Now that I’ve graduated, the only regret I have is that I didn’t go for it sooner!! It’s genuinely one of the best things I’ve ever done.
One thing that really surprised me when I started was the age range. I went in expecting everyone to be 18–21, but there were loads of students my age and much older… not just on my course, but across the uni in general. Mature students are way more common than you think.
I also found that I enjoyed studying so much more as an adult. I was more focused, more confident asking questions, better at managing my time, and actually there because I wanted to be there. I appreciated the experience more and didn’t take it for granted in the same way I probably would have at 18.
Age definitely didn’t hold me back socially either. I made a conscious effort in classes to chat to people, work with different groups, and suggest grabbing a coffee or hanging out after uni. I’ll be honest… I definitely wasn’t into the clubbing scene anymore, but that didn’t matter at all. There are so many other ways people socialise at uni.
My two closest friends ended up being 22 and 38, and our ages never once felt like an issue. If anything, it made things more interesting. What I realised pretty quickly is that uni friendships are based way more on shared experiences, stress, humour, and mutual support than on age.
What I also found is that this is a really common worry for mature students… but in reality, no one actually cares how old you are. Everyone is too busy worrying about themselves, deadlines, and life in general.
If going back to uni is something you want to do, I’d honestly say go for it. You’ve already dealt with so much, and starting again when you’re healthier and more settled could actually make the experience even better.
You’ve got this… and you definitely won’t be alone! Good luck! Sophie 🙂

Hi! I originally went to uni at 18, but unfortunately had to leave for health reasons. I am now in a much better place health-wise and would like to go to uni again. However, I would be 26 when I start and am wondering if realistically the age gap between myself and the majority of students would prevent me from making friends? Thanks in advance!

That’s not going to be a problem at all, I went to uni at 19 and there were people who were in their 30s doing the same course it really doesn’t matter if your open to making friends you will make friends regardless of the age group

Hi! I originally went to uni at 18, but unfortunately had to leave for health reasons. I am now in a much better place health-wise and would like to go to uni again. However, I would be 26 when I start and am wondering if realistically the age gap between myself and the majority of students would prevent me from making friends? Thanks in advance!

Hey!
First of all, it is fantastic to hear that you’re in a better place health-wise and ready to head back to university.
I can promise you that being 26 will not stop you from making friends at all. As someone who has met students of all ages at uni, I’ve realised that age is honestly a non-issue once you’re there. You’ll find that "mature" students (anyone over 21!) are a much bigger group than you might think, and we all come from different aspects of life.
Here is why:
Focus on joining societies that actually interest you, whether that’s a sport, a hobby, or an academic club. That’s where you’ll find your group, regardless of how old you are.
Hope this helps!😊
Rachel
(Third Year)
Undergraduate Multimedia Journalism

Hi! I originally went to uni at 18, but unfortunately had to leave for health reasons. I am now in a much better place health-wise and would like to go to uni again. However, I would be 26 when I start and am wondering if realistically the age gap between myself and the majority of students would prevent me from making friends? Thanks in advance!

I hope the uni life reassures you! The age difference is not a great deal.

Hi! I originally went to uni at 18, but unfortunately had to leave for health reasons. I am now in a much better place health-wise and would like to go to uni again. However, I would be 26 when I start and am wondering if realistically the age gap between myself and the majority of students would prevent me from making friends? Thanks in advance!

Hi! I originally went to uni at 18, but unfortunately had to leave for health reasons. I am now in a much better place health-wise and would like to go to uni again. However, I would be 26 when I start and am wondering if realistically the age gap between myself and the majority of students would prevent me from making friends? Thanks in advance!