Well-known for the quality of education and breadth of opportunity they provide to graduates, UK universities constitute just under 25% of the top 100 QS world-ranked universities. As a result, applications to study at many UK universities are competitive due to the wide variety of excellent candidates who apply from the world over.

To support students applying to UK universities, we are publishing a series of articles on the preparation and work required during the application and admissions process in order to secure a university place. In this article, we discuss choosing the universities that you want to apply for.

Evaluation Criteria

Below are several key points that you will want to check for each university to review and understand before deciding.

• The university’s UK ranking and world ranking.

• The university’s reputation and any particular focus.

• The facilities available, particularly the library and careers service.

• The surrounding area of the university and whether you would prefer a campus university with a stronger community or a city university with more opportunity.

• Any sports and societies available for students to join.

• The quality of student accommodation - particularly how affordable, accessible and convenient it is.

• The university’s size - e.g. a large student community with a broad range of courses or a small, specialist academic institution of only a few hundred people.

• How many other international students or students from your country will be studying at the university.

How to research Universities

Below are several methods that will help you to further research and understand what different universities have to offer you.

• Research student viewpoints at Discover Uni for course provider reviews. You can also speak to current undergraduate students on Unibuddy.

• Attend university open days (physically or virtually) to explore the university and surrounding area.

• Search online for information via university websites, online blogs, or social media of societies and individuals at the university.

• Speak to admissions officers at the school if you have more specific questions.

• Speak to your school teachers to seek their opinion and advice.

• Research using league tables that rank universities. These can provide much useful data. These can include The Complete University Guide (UK focused), the Times Higher Education and the QS rankings (both with a global focus).

• You can access university reviews from the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education as well as check the government’s Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) for ratings on teaching quality, learning environment, as well as student outcomes.

For more advice or for a free personalised university application plan, contact our team at info@libraeducation.co.uk.

We hope that this article will provide you with greater preparation for your applications to study at university in the UK and help portray you as a prime candidate for your intended course and university. We wish you success in this next exciting stage of your academic career.