CHOOSING A

POST-18
COURSE
2022

www.ucas.com
Choosing a Post-18 Course
This page on the UCAS website will get you started:
https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/thinking-about-uni

Choosing which university or college to go to is a life-changing decision. There are so many choices that it can be hard to
know where to start. Make sure you're choosing a course for the right reasons. You need to consider…..

 Are you going to be happy studying the course?

 If you have a career in mind, do you need a specific qualification?

 Are you going to be happy at that university or college?

You can apply to any course which interests you, but consider the entry requirements first. Some courses require particular
qualifications, others require an admissions test.

At JCG we start the research process in September of Year 12. This gives you one hour a week, for a year, to research your
choice of course and university. You will have a dedicated Enrichment tutor in addition to Mrs Spiteri, Mrs Curtis and Mr
Sykes who are always available for advice. This is by no means an easy decision and therefore the more research you do
the better informed you will be.

We are all here to help you every step of the way. However, please remember that it is you who will be taking this next
important, exciting step and therefore it is you who will need to make the final decision.

Approximately 7% of students drop out of university in the first year. This is mainly due to not enjoying the course. You need
to do as much research as possible so that you choose the right course for the right reasons.

To help you with your course decisions and the rest of the application process too, please use the UCAS website
www.ucas.com. You should also use information held in the JCG Careers Library.

Do you want to search for courses now?

Go to https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/choosing-course on the UCAS website. You can search by

subject, qualification, location, institution, course code and other options. You'll also find Entry Profiles for most
courses, which include general information about the course (including grades and Tariff points required) and
university, with links to the university's website.

How to choose the right course

You might already know which subject to choose, but there are thousands of students who ask the same question: what
should I study? Below are some points to consider before making that all-important decision.

Find a course which matches your interests, career aspirations and talents

There is no one course that suits everyone, so we know how important it is to find the right one for you. The best way to
decide what you would like to study is to ask yourself the following questions.

 Which subjects interest me?

 What are my talents?
 What job would I like to do after university or college?
 Which academic skills would I like to improve?

Having an answer to any of these questions is a good starting point, but don't worry if you cannot answer them all.
Some professions require specific subjects to be studied at higher education level. If you know what career you would like to
do in the future, research the job in detail to see if any qualifications are essential.

Many courses with the same title are actually very different in terms of content and study methods, so check the entry profiles
in Course Search to help you see which will suit you best.

Choose a qualification that suits you

Most people think that higher education means studying for a degree, but there are many more qualifications that you can
take at university or college.

Consider combination courses if you would like to study more than one subject

If you are interested in more than one subject, you can sometimes choose to study a combination on your course, eg English
literature and psychology. Use Course Search to find out which combinations are available.

You can often decide for yourself how much time you would like to spend on each subject.

Joint: the two subjects are studied equally, ie 50/50

Major/Minor: the time spent is usually 75%/25%

Explore the subjects that you are interested in to discover a wide range of courses

Once you have chosen one or more subjects that you would consider studying, the next step is to choose a course that
includes these subjects. At higher education level, you can study more than just core subjects, such as mathematics,
English, chemistry. These subjects branch out into more creative and varied courses.

For example, if you enjoy chemistry at A level, you could study chemical engineering, environmental chemistry or forensic
science. If you prefer English, you could study English literature, journalism, creative writing or primary school teaching.

Learn a language and build your confidence while studying abroad

With some four-year language courses, you can study abroad in your third year. This allows you to practice the language
while living in that country, which will improve your understanding and is a great experience.

If you study two languages, you may be able to spend time in the two countries.
Entry requirements
 Each university or college has different requirements that their students need to meet before they can start a
course.
 Entry requirements can be particular exam grades or Tariff points, or be non-academic, like having a health check.

Minimum entry requirements

 Minimum entry requirements are a guide to the level of education required to study on each course.
 The universities or colleges you apply to will decide if your qualifications meet their entry requirements when they
consider your application. Remember that a university's or college's decision is likely to be based on your overall
suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.

How do I find entry requirements for a course?

To find the entry requirements for a particular university course you should go to
https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/entry-requirements. Check these before you apply so that you
know what they expect.

Entry requirements will help you decide which universities or colleges and which courses to apply to. Many courses with the
same title are actually very different in terms of content and study methods, so the entry profile will help you sort out which
will suit you best.

This section of the UCAS website should provide the following information:

 courses
 the university or college offering each course
 entry qualifications
 selection criteria
 the admissions policy.

They are compiled by staff at the university or college, who understand what you need to know about their courses, and what
kind of personal qualities, interests and experiences it will be helpful for you to have, so you can be successful on the course
you choose.

Things to Do

 First, read the information about the course. Ask yourself if it will cover subjects that interest you and what career
opportunities would be open to you. Find out about the personal qualities the university or college is looking for in its
students, or the experience that would be beneficial. See if it sounds like you.
 Check the academic entry requirements. Are you studying the right subjects to be accepted onto this course? Will
you meet the grades or Tariff points required?
 Make sure that you know where the course will be taught - sometimes it is not at the main campus. Check that you
could travel to lectures and tutorials easily, if you live some distance away.
 Some courses require you to take an admissions test. If this is the case, you need to find out how to apply for it.
 Look for comments written by current or former students. What they have to say will help you imagine what it will be
like to be a student at that university or on that course.
Choosing a university or college
There are lots of universities and colleges to choose from, so think about where you'll be happy.

 Would you like to be close to home or live in a different part of the country? Think about what you want - each place
will offer something different. Does getting back to Jersey matter to you? If so, check where the nearest
airport/port is.
 Before applying research the university and its location.
 Speak to friends, family, advisers and the university itself for advice, but make sure the final decision is yours.

Which is the best university or college?

 Different places suit different people, so it depends what you're looking for.
 There is no national curriculum for higher education courses, but http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Pages/default.aspx carries
out external reviews of standards and quality. Another helpful site is:
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/institutionreports/Pages/default.aspx.
 The http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/ website contains statistics and reports about students' views on the quality of
teaching. Unistats is a website that can help you to research subjects and universities before deciding where to
apply. You can compare subjects, compare universities and colleges, look at student satisfaction ratings and
explore the figures about getting a graduate job after completing a course.

League tables

 League tables can be a good starting point but need to come with a bit of a health warning! Different tables put
different universities in different places.
 There are different guides and league tables that can help you, but check the source as it may be biased: some
universities post league tables on their websites which show their courses at number one.
 For information and impartial advice check the Times on-line (you'll need to subscribe to the site) or see The Times
University Guide in the JCG LRC (this must not be removed).

University and college map

There is a useful map showing UK universities at http://www.studyin-uk.com/uk-study-info/uk-university-map/. (Warning -
This site should only be used for viewing the map as it is for international students applying to the UK and not relevant to
Island students).

Open days
How to find out when university open days are being held at https://www.ucas.com/events/exploring-university/find-open-day.
Specific subjects
Some subjects are managed slightly differently to the rest, so read the sections below for detailed advice.

Medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or veterinary science courses

When to apply - There is an early application deadline of 15 October for the receipt at UCAS of applications for all
medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and veterinary science courses.

Admissions tests - For most medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine/science courses you will be required to take
an admissions test. Please check the Entry Profiles for your chosen course(s), contact your chosen universities and colleges
or check their websites.

Interviews - You will normally be interviewed by the university or college before they decide whether to offer you a place
or not. If they want to invite you for an interview, this will usually be displayed in Track. You can accept the invitation in Track,
or if you are unable to attend, you can request that the university or college offer you a different date.

Nursing courses
Nursing courses vary between universities and colleges, but all higher education courses help to prepare candidates for
admission to a relevant part of the NMC Professional Register. The degree courses, whilst covering the standard nursing
practice and education, also incorporate areas of academic discipline such as psychology, sociology, biology and physiology
not included in the diploma curriculum. Contact individual universities and colleges for further details.

Find out more about degrees and diplomas on the http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explore-by-career/nursing/training-to-be-a-

nurse/.

It is important to check if you meet the requirements for funding before you apply for any medical course (e.g. nursing,
physiotherapy). Some universities may not be willing to make you an offer as you are not covered by the NHS grant system.
Call the admissions office of the universities you are considering applying to to check this before you submit your application
form.

Music courses
There are two ways to apply for music courses. The route you take depends upon the type of course you would like to study.

For full-time undergraduate degree courses, you apply through the UCAS process and use the online application system
Apply at http://www.ucas.com/students/apply/. If you'd like to study a practice-based music course, you apply through
CUKAS at http://www.cukas.ac.uk/, an admissions service for practice-based music courses taught at UK conservatoires.

The courses offered by conservatoires are creative and varied. You can choose to study full or part-time.

If you cannot make up your mind, why not apply through both systems? You can apply through both UCAS and CUKAS, then
decide which course to take later in the year.

For more information about CUKAS, please visit the CUKAS website to find a detailed list of available courses and the online
application. You can access the range of courses available by clicking on the Course Search link and searching by various
criteria, such as type of study (eg undergraduate, postgraduate) or by instruments and study areas.

Art and Design courses

Interviews - For most art and design courses, you'll be asked to attend an interview or submit your portfolio. Please check
the Entry Profiles for your chosen course(s) on Course Search, contact your chosen universities and colleges or check their
websites. If they want to invite you for an interview, this will usually be displayed in Track. You can accept the invitation in
Track, or if you are unable to attend, you can request that the university or college offers you a different date.
Art and design foundation courses - Many students complete a one-year art foundation course after their sixth
form studies to help them progress to higher education. You apply direct to the university or college (the institution will supply
its own application form). This is in addition to the 5 courses that you can apply to through UCAS. UCAS have a list of
universities and colleges offering these foundation courses.

Other subjects

For all subjects:

 Check UCAS at http://www.ucas.com/students/coursesearch/ for deadline dates, entry requirements and course
information.
 visit http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/ to review and compare subjects and different universities to find the right one for
you.

Make sure you know if you need to take an admissions test

Some universities and colleges require you to pass an admissions test as well as hold standard qualifications if you are
applying for courses in certain subjects. The details for some of these tests are provided below. Click on the test name to find
out which universities and colleges are using the test.

Other admissions tests may be required which are not listed on this page. We have drawn up a list of the most popular
but you should also check the Entry Profiles for your chosen course(s), contact your chosen universities and colleges, or
check their websites

Please speak to the JCG Exams Officer if you need to be registered for any admissions tests to be administered at JCG. All
admissions tests are sat at JCG except the UKCAT and LNAT for which you need to register yourself on-line and these will
be sat at Highlands College.

Biomedical Admissions Test (BMAT) - http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/for-test-takers/bmat/about-bmat/

For entry to medicine, veterinary medicine and biomedical science courses.

UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) - http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/

For entry to medical and dental schools. (You need to register for this yourself on-line).

English Literature Admissions Test (ELAT)- http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/for-test-takers/elat/about-elat/

For entry to English courses at the University of Oxford.

History Aptitude Test (HAT) - http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/for-test-takers/hat/about-hat/

For entry to all degrees involving history at the University of Oxford.

The National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT) - http://www.lnat.ac.uk/

For entry to law. (You need to register for this yourself on-line).

Mathematics Aptitude Test (MAT) - http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/for-test-takers/mat/about-mat/

For entry to mathematics or computer science, or a joint honours degree involving mathematics at the University of Oxford.

Modern and Medieval Languages Test (MML) - http://www.mml.cam.ac.uk/applying/involve

For entry to modern and medieval languages at the University of Cambridge.

Modern Languages Admissions Tests (MLAT) - http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/for-test-takers/mlat/about-mlat/

For entry to any course including a modern language at the University of Oxford.

Physics Aptitude Test (PAT) - http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/for-test-takers/pat/about-pat/

For entry to physics, or a joint degree involving physics at the University of Oxford.

Sixth Term Examination Papers (STEP) - http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/for-test-takers/step/about-step/

For entry to mathematics at the University of Cambridge, Univerity College London and University of Warwick.

Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA Cambridge) - http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/for-test-takers/thinking-skills-

assessment/tsa-cambridge/about-tsa-cambridge/

For entry to computer science, natural sciences, engineering, economics, land economy and politics, psychology and
sociology (PPS) at a number of University of Cambridge colleges.

Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA Oxford) - http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/for-test-takers/thinking-skills-

assessment/tsa-oxford/about-tsa-oxford/

For entry to philosophy, politics and economics (PPE), economics and management (E&M), experimental psychology (EP) or
psychology and philosophy at the University of Oxford.

Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA UCL) - http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/for-test-takers/thinking-skills-assessment/

tsa-ucl/about-tsa-ucl/

For entry to European social and political studies at University College London (UCL).

Institutions’ own tests - https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/entry-requirements/admissions-tests

A list of admissions tests which have been declared to us by universities and colleges.

FAQs
Will I be classed as a home or international student?

You will be classed as an ‘Island’ student if your permanent residence is in Jersey. If you are not sure about this you should
speak to your enrichment tutor, Mrs Spiteri or Mrs Curtis.

I want to study at a university in another country. How do I start?

UCAS only process applications for universities and colleges within the UK. Each country has its own way of applying. If you
know which country you want, its embassy is often a good source of information.

Useful leads:

The Fulbright Commission: the United States Educational Advisory Service - tel 0901 488 0162 www.fulbright.co.uk

Australia/New Zealand – ‘Study Options’ at www.studyoptions.com/, tel 020 7353 7200.

Ireland - Central Applications Office - tel (from UK) +353 91 509 800 www.cao.ie

Association of Commonwealth Universities - tel 020 7380 6700 www.acu.ac.uk

Other things you may need to know

What is Extra? - Extra is a way of making a further choice after you have applied. You are eligible for Extra if you have used all
five choices on your application and have either been unsuccessful at all of them, or have declined all offers you have
received.
You can apply for another choice on Track at http://www.ucas.com/students/track/, providing that it is available in Extra (you
can check this on Course Search). The Extra service operates from the end of February until the end of June. You can find
out more about Extra on the UCAS website.

What is Clearing? - Clearing is a service that is available towards the end of the application cycle which helps people find
vacancies on higher education courses. If you have applied this year but have not gained a place or have declined your
offers, you may be eligible for Clearing. Courses with vacancies will be listed on this site once Clearing has started. You can
find out more about Clearing on the UCAS website.

What is adjustment? - Adjustment is a service which allows you to ‘trade up’ on results day should you get grades that are
higher than those required by your firm choice institution. You can find out more about Adjustment on the UCAS website.