Once you have selected the courses you wish to apply for, you now need to select where you wish to study them.
In most cases there is a very wide choice of universities that will provide your course.
However some select courses will only be available in a limited number of institutions so this will naturally affect your choice of where to study.

Research is essential in order that you select the university which will suit you best both personally and academically. It takes time so prepare yourself accordingly and dedicate time in order to ensure that the next three or four years are the best they can be. There are numerous resources available, both in print and online, that advise potential students of which courses are available where. Some issues for you to think about when selecting a University

- How far away from home do you want to live?
- Would you prefer to be in a big city or rural town?
- Is student accommodation available? If not, where are you going to live?
- What is the standard of university facilities available to you?
- What transport services are available? You should consider traveling to and from home to your university location and   traveling around your university location.
- How does this university perform in published league tables?
- Request a prospectus from every university you are considering.
- Will you be studying on one campus or several? Is this manageable?
- What is the cost of living in your chosen location?
- Does the university have a good reputation?
- Does the university have a good reputation specifically in the course you are considering?
- Is there a good social life at this university? (Come on, we would be naive to ignore this as an issue)

Taking all the above points into account, are you going to be happy at the university in question?

One issue worth mentioning is that many family and friends will give their own opinion as to where you should be studying. Take opinions with a pinch of salt as it is you who will be living and studying there for the next three or four years. Only you can make a decision as to which university is best for you.

Open Days

One of the most important tools available to you when selecting a university will be The Open Day. Open days are crucial in assessing whether a university will be right for you. We strongly recommend that you visit all universities that you are considering as this will allow you to compare them and then make an informed decision.

All universities have open days – to find out more we suggest you visit their websites where such information is readily available.

Getting the most from Open Days

Attending open days will give you an insight into that university which is simply not available in any other way. By visiting the university in question you will get a real feel for the place. You will be shown around the campus and have the opportunity to ask as many questions as you like. It is important to prepare questions prior to visiting although we appreciate that some questions will naturally evolve once you are on site. One of the key advantages to an open day is that you will meet students already studying at that university. The advice and comments they offer is quite often revealing and can be crucial in forming a decision as to where you wish to study.

By attending open days, you will be in a much better position to make an informed choice as to where you wish to study. After all, no-one wants to discover they have made a wrong decision further down the road.

Good Luck!