16-18 Years (Year 11-13) Studying at university

University level study is called higher education (HE) and is offered by universities and some colleges. HE usually involves studying for a degree, although there are other HE qualifications you can do too. You need a degree for many jobs, such as doctor, nurse (and most healthcare jobs), teacher, architect and many engineering jobs. HE is not the right option for everyone, but it is something you might want to consider.

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Most people study HE, full-time, when they are 18, after sixth form or college, but you can study when you are older too.

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There are other ways of studying for HE qualifications. For example, you could:

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• Study part-time and work at the same time. Part-time courses are offered by most universities and colleges, as well as by the Open University.

• Do a higher and degree apprenticeship. This is where you study for HE and professional qualifications, whilst working, and without having to pay tuition fees.
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You usually need qualifications at level 3 (such as A levels, a T level or a BTEC National Extended Diploma) to study at HE level. All universities and colleges have different entry requirements - even for courses with the same name - so it is important to do your research. 

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You apply for HE courses through UCAS. You can apply for up to five courses (there are a few exceptions to this). The UCAS website provides details about all courses, including entry requirements and information about the application process. There are over 35,000 courses to choose from, so you need to research your choices carefully - looking at, for example, course content and entry requirements.

You have to pay tuition fees to study a HE course - the government gives you a loan to cover these. You can also apply for a loan to cover your living costs. The amount of loan you get for living costs depends on a number of different things, such as how much your family earns and where you are going to live when you are studying. The money you get from the government is called ‘student finance’.

It is important to look at the latest information about applying to higher education and student finance as it changes regularly. Check the latest details when you are older and nearer to applying - but you can do some research now into the types of courses available and the subjects and qualifications you might need.

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Useful websites

www.ucas.com
Information about HE courses and how to apply for them.

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www.gov.uk/student-finance
Information about student finance.

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www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/apprentices
Information about apprenticeships, including those at higher and degree level.

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www.amazingapprenticeships.com/higher-degree-listing
A list of higher and degree apprenticeship vacancies, updated twice a year. 

 

Higher education (HE) qualifications

HE qualifications are offered by universities and some colleges. They are available at levels 4-7 and usually you need level 3 qualifications (such as A levels, a T level or a BTEC National) to study them. The HE qualification that is the most widely offered and known about is a degree, but there are other HE qualifications that are available at a lower level and that take less time to complete.

A Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) is a level 4 qualification and is the equivalent of one year of a full-time degree course.

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A Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE) is a level 5 qualification and is the equivalent to the first two years of a full-time degree course.

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A foundation degree (FdA or FdSc) is a level 5 qualification and takes two years of full-time study to complete. It is usually linked to a particular job or profession. 

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A Higher National Diploma (HND) is a level 5 qualification and is the equivalent to the first two years of a full-time degree course. A Higher National Certificate (HNC) is a level 4 qualification and is the equivalent of one year of a full-time degree course. HNDs and HNCs are vocational - that is they are linked to an area of work.

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Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) are level 4 and 5 qualifications that help students gain the relevant training, knowledge and skills for the workplace. They include qualifications such as HNCs, DipHEs, foundation degrees or HNDs. HTQs are available now in Digital - this qualification can lead to jobs such as network engineer and data analyst. From September 2023 Construction and Health and Science HTQs will be available. More subjects will be rolled out over the next few years.

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You can often ‘top-up’ a DipHE, a foundation degree and an HND to a degree, by doing an extra year of study.

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A bachelor’s degree is a level 6 qualification and usually takes three or four years to study full-time. To study some subjects, such as architecture and medicine, takes longer. Some universities and colleges offer fast track two year degrees. You can also study for a ‘sandwich’ degree, where a work placement, usually lasting for a year, is integrated into your degree.

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Degrees have many titles, including:

• BA (Bachelor of Arts)

• BSc (Bachelor of Science)

• BEng (Bachelor of Engineering)

• LLB (Bachelor of Laws)

• MBChB (Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery)
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Degrees are graded as:

• First class honours or a 1st

• Upper second class honours or a 2:1

• Lower second class honours or a 2:2

• Third class honours or a 3rd

• Ordinary degree or a pass 

 

Foundation year

A one year course that is usually linked to a degree. If you want to study a specific subject, but don’t have qualifications in the right subjects or the grades you need, then you can study a foundation year before moving onto the degree. There are qualifications that are available at a higher level than a degree. These include a post-graduate certificate or diploma, a master’s degree and a PhD.