choices

Higher education

Higher education  (HE) is the next step in learning after school or college.

There are four types of HE:

• An Honours degree – for example  a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BSc).
• A Foundation degree – a newer type of qualification for a variety of work-related subjects.
• A sandwich course – a degree which includes time  in industry or a year abroad.
• A Higher National Diploma (HND) or a Diploma of Higher Education – these can be topped up into a full degree later.

Courses range from familiar subjects such as  History and  Maths   to courses like Sports Science  and Multimedia Programming which may be new to you.

You can do HE courses at:

• Universities and  colleges
• Specialist colleges of art and music
• Some Further Education colleges

Applying to HE is all about making major decisions for your future – deciding what you want to study, where you want to study, and how to learn.

Why should I do it?

•Higher Education qualifications widen your choice of career and most graduates have better salaries than non-graduates.
• It's fun. The social life is great.
•Your confidence should improve. You'll be more independent.
•You’re treated like an adult and are expected to motivate yourself.

For more information about Higher Education check the Aim Higher website.

How do I apply?

Look at the UCAS website http://www.ucas.com for all the information you need.

What do graduates do?

The Prospects website http://www.prospects.ac.uk contains lots of useful information about the range of possibilities open to students after graduation. Find out more about the career destinations of recent graduates according to the subject they studied.

Disabled students at university

Extra help is available for students with disabilities. Check the Directgov website for further information on Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs).

What’s it like at university?

Visit your Connexions Centre for books and other resources about university life. You can also find out what it’s like at university by looking at these websites:

http://www.studentuk.com/
http://www.ucas.com/
http://www.uni4me.com/