Applying to university

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) handles all UK full-time undergraduate applications, which is handy as it means you only need to fill in one form to apply to up to six institutions. Application forms are available from schools, colleges and careers officers or you can apply on the UCAS website using their Electronic Application System. For help completing your UCAS form and with writing the personal statement, which university admissions tutors will review in considering your application, there is a handy guide available:

How to Complete Your UCAS Application 2010 Entry "This guide aims to help make filling in the UCAS application a lot easier for the applicant. It includes clear information on each section of the UCAS form as well as advice on how to pick a course and what to look for if you already have career in mind. This guide helps you to plan one of the biggest decisions of your life so far by making the process a lot more manageable and calming your nerves with direct advice. It also contains tables that clearly define the UCAS points tariff for students studying a variety of qualifications including Scottish Highers and the International Baccalaureate."

When to apply
For most courses, UCAS must receive your application form between 1st September and 15th January in the academic year before university entry. Deadlines for Oxbridge colleges are slightly earlier and generally it is recommended that you get your application in as soon as possible.

Where to apply?!
Probably the most important factor to consider when choosing a university is to make sure they offer a course which you will be most interested in and which is suited to you. The next important thing to look at is the entry requirements for the course. By the time it comes around to applying to universities you should have a set of predicted A-level grades, the entry requirements to the courses you apply to should be based on your predicted grades. Be aware however that if you apply for a course which has significantly higher entry grades to your predictions, then the chances are that they will look most favourably at the candidates who do meet their entry requirements.

When filling in your UCAS form you will be asked to select your top six courses. The best plan is to choose a couple of courses whose entry requirements match, or even slightly excede your predicted grades. Then choose a couple more courses around your predicted grades, then a couple whose entry requirements are lower than your predicted grades. Therefore ideally, after you've received your responses from the universities, you'll be able to put your first choice course, usually the one with the highest entry requirements, as first choice - then a course with lower entry requirements as your 'insurance' choice.

As well as choosing an appropriate course to do at university, deciding which actual university you want to go to is an equally important decision. Often geography is a main deciding factor - with students deciding which university to go to based on its location around the country. A university's reputation is an important factor, as the very top graduate recruiters tend to focus on the more established 'redbrick' universities. One thing to take note of is that the standard of courses varies greatly between universities, it can by no means be guaranteed that a top five university would be the best choice for a specific course.

The majority of universities in the UK are campus based which means that accommodation, lectures and entertainment may all be based in the same area. You need to decide whether you'd be more suited to a relaxing, more country style campus - such as Exeter, or a bustling city university such as UCL in London. This decision can be another important factor in choosing which university would be suitable for you. For more advice the following books provide an excellent resource of research:

	The "Times" Good University Guide 2010 "How do you find the best university for the subject you wish to study? You need a guide that evaluates the quality of what is available, giving facts, figures and comparative assessments of universities. Since 1992, The Times has produced the most widely respected and used university league tables. The Guide takes the key measures of quality as its focus, so you can make informed choices of university and subjects. Still unique and still controversial, the rankings provide hard data, analysed, interpreted and presented by a team of experts. The 2010 edition of the best-selling Good University Guide has been further extended, now offering: Unique league table ranking to Britain's universities, which enables readers to assess strengths and weaknesses of each university. Over 60 tables giving the best universities for particular subjects. Advice on how to select a course and a university. Details of government changes to higher education. Guidance on how to apply and pay your way through university. Advice on finding and paying for accommodation while you are there. Two pages of information on each university. Detailed coverage of Oxford and Cambridge colleges. Information specifically designed for international students."
	The "Guardian" University Guide 2010 "Which university should I apply for? What are the courses on offer? When will I need to start filling out my application? How much will my degree cost? If you're thinking of applying to university and have more questions than answers, then this is the book for you. It contains profiles of more than 150 universities and higher education colleges. It features unique Guardian subject ratings that take into account data from the National Student Survey so that you can consider not only what results the institutions get but also what students think of their time there. It includes no-nonsense advice on the whole process, from requesting your first prospectus to meeting UCAS deadlines. It presents a fully updated chapter on finance, along with details of all the bursaries and awards available at each institution. Compiled by the team from the Guardian's highly regarded 'Education' section, this new edition of "The Guardian University Guide" contains more information than ever before and is guaranteed to help you find the right course at the right university."
	The Virgin Guide to British Universities 2010 "The Virgin 2011" guide is the only university guide to offer a uniquely students' eye view of what it's like to study at a particular university. As well as hard facts and practical information on every UK university - such as official ratings for teaching, statistics on where graduates end up and employment prospects by subject - the guide is also packed with useful information such as what the social scene is like, how much living costs are likely to be and what the student profile at a particular university is really like. With a comprehensive entry on every UK university, the Virgin guide contains all the information and advice potential undergraduates will need to choose the best university for them. With average student debt topping GBP12,000, choosing the right university has never been more crucial. The Virgin guide will make the choice easy.

Open Days list open days for every UK higher education institution in the UK.

Or if you're not sure on whether university is for you check out Not going to uni for advice on alternative career paths for school leavers including apprenticeships and further training.

Here is a list of other recommended books:

	The Virgin University Survival Guide "The Virgin University Survival Guide is full of indispensable advice and information which will see you through the whole of your student life, from freshers' week to finals, and beyond. With advice on money and debt, housing, studying and exams, health and stress, work and careers and what to do when you graduate, this guide contains everything, including the kitchen sink (and how to unblock it)."
	Getting into Oxford and Cambridge 2010 entry: The best guide to applying to Oxbridge "This is a practical and informative guide that leads the potential candidate through the long and sometimes stressful application to Oxford and Cambridge. Starting with advice on early preparation (before GCSE level) it gives the reader the opportunity to assess whether they are completely committed to the application. Then the book fully prepares the reader for the process ahead offering detailed advice on preparing a strong UCAS application with a shining personal statement as well as how to prepare for the college admissions tests. The interview process is then extensively covered; discussing good techniques and possible questions, what to wear and maps showing how to get to the colleges. The MPW Guides explain the complex procedures for getting into higher education, going beyond the official publications to give would-be students straightforward practical advice on how to secure a place on the course of their choice."
	MPW: GETTING INTO MEDICAL SCHOOL 12E (MPW 'Getting Into' Guides) "This guide approaches the process of application to Medical School in a realistic and logical way. It starts by helping would-be applicants decide if this is the right choice for them and whether they have a good chance of success with their application. Current medical issues that can come up in interviews are also discussed as well as how to handle interview questions. Other chapters include information on procedures for non-standard applications and what to do if made an offer. Finally, the book offers some examples of personal statements and advice from members of staff at UK medical schools. MPW Guides explain the complex procedures for getting into higher education. Written by acknowledged experts in a clear, concise format, they go beyond the official publications to give would-be students straightforward and practical advice on how to secure a place on the course of their choice."
	Medical School Interviews: A Practical Guide to Help You Get That Place at Medical School - Over 150 Questions Analysed "This book presents an in-depth look at over 150 medical school interview questions. It provides you with techniques to address the various types of questions, analyses good and bad examples of answers, teaches you how to add depth to your answers and how to answer those difficult ethical scenarios and lateral thinking questions."