Considering university

Making decisions about university might seem like a long way off, but it makes sense to give yourself the best possible chance of doing what you want when the time comes.

Think of your GCSEs like the first steps in a journey. In Year 8 or 9, the subjects you choose will influence your A-level choices. In turn, they can affect your options at university.

It is important to get a balance of subjects, as this gives you more choice later on when you to have to decide on future education and careers. There are certain GCSEs everyone has to take, such as English, Maths and Science, but you have a few other options too.

If you are unsure of a future job/career

Choose the GCSE subjects you like most and feel you’re good at, as your future interests and talents will probably follow a similar path. As you work through your GCSEs, your best subjects will become more obvious. This will help when it’s time to choose your A-levels – and when you decide whether uni is for you.

If you are sure of a future job/career

Find out if a university degree is required to do the job you're interested in and find out which A-levels you need to get on your chosen university course. You then need to consider which GCSE subjects and grades you need to study those A-levels.

GCSE Grading

GCSEs are now marked with numerical grades instead, with nine being the highest score. Many universities will be looking for grades four and above, others may be a lot higher. For example, if applying for economics or accounting, then a university may ask for GCSE Maths at grade 8, if Maths A-level is not being studied.

Places to go for GCSE advice

National Careers Service
Talk to your teachers or careers advisers

Performance in GCSE exams can affect future options for study at university. For example, many medical courses will expect students to have very good grades (7/8) in English, maths and science. For some degrees, including business and psychology,a grade 7 in maths is often required. So GCSEs really matter!

In Years 10 and 11, you will also be deciding which subjects you'd like to study at sixth form/college. Generally, university requirements are three A level qualifications but this may vary depending on the course and the university. BTECs, International Baccalaureate (IB) and vocational qualifications are just a few of the alternative qualifications that can be accepted.

How do I pick the right A-levels?

You may not yet have any idea what job or career you’d like – in which case it’s best to choose the subjects you enjoy and feel you’re good at. A-levels involve a lot of hard work and you’re more likely to stay motivated and get strong results if you’re enthusiastic about what you’re studying.

If you’re already interested in a particular career, focus on how to get there:

• Find out if a university degree is required to do the job you’re interested in. The government’s National Careers Service job profiles are very useful for this.
• Find out which A-levels subjects and grades are required to join that university course by looking at course entry requirements.
• Some university courses will only accept a set of A-levels gained at one sitting, so you need to check specific policies concerning re-sits and any other factors affecting your university application.

What if I’m not sure?

That’s okay. It’s normal to feel uncertain when you’re making big decisions. The best way to tackle this is to gather as much information as possible, so you feel more confident about your choices.

• Talk to careers advisers – your school or college may have its own careers adviser, but you could also research careers advice elsewhere to get more than one point of view.
• Talk to teachers – discuss the subjects that interest you the most with those teachers who teach them, and ask their opinions about university requirements.
• Attend university open days – visit your chosen university to find out more about courses, and which A-level subjects and other issues are most important.
• Informed Choices - this website is aimed at pupils aged 14 and upwards who are considering university and want information to help them choose the right subjects to study at sixth form or college. 

In Year 12, most students will take end of year exams. The results of these exams will be used by schools and colleges to predict the grades they think you will achieve at the end of Year 13. Towards the end of Year 12, schools and colleges will begin to prepare you for your application to university.

Choosing a degree course

Picking the right subject can help you discover what you want to do with your life. You’ll be studying your course for at least three years, so choose something you really love!

Think about what you enjoy

Traditional subjects aren’t the only ones on offer – passionate about sports or computing? You can study them too. If you can’t decide on one subject, you could even do a joint honours degree. There are over 50,000 courses you can apply for through UCAS, so get hunting.

Think outside your subject

Doing a history degree doesn’t mean you have to become a historian, for example. You could find a career as an archaeologist, journalist or tour guide instead. The skills you learn while studying at university will be useful in a range of different jobs.

Think about your career

Many careers need a specific degree, but it’s not essential to study a course in that area. Up to up to 70% of graduates find jobs that aren’t related to their degree subject, so don’t worry if you’re not sure where to start.

Starting your application

Take a look at our top tips for your UCAS application.

What if I’m not sure?

• Talk to careers advisers – your school or college may have its own careers adviser, but you could also research careers advice elsewhere to get more than one point of view.
• Talk to teachers – discuss the subjects that interest you the most with those teachers who teach them, and ask their opinions about university requirements.
• Attend university open days – visit your chosen university to find out more about courses and ask students and staff what studying the subject is really like.
• Informed Choices - this website is aimed at pupils aged 14 and upwards who are considering university and want information to help them choose the right subjects to study at sixth form or college.