Where to Study 12 Choosing where to study, just like choosing a course, is very much down to personal preference. Each year students from the South West take up their studies all over the country - be it Bristol or Birmingham, Cirencester or Cardiff, Exeter or Edinburgh, Falmouth or Farnborough, Gloucester or Glamorgan, Plymouth or Portsmouth, Southampton or Swansea. There are well over 300 institutions in the UCAS scheme including universities, colleges of higher education, and further education colleges that offer HE courses. Each has its own distinctive character so when deciding where to study you may want to consider the following: . How far away from home do you want to be - do you want to stay local or go somewhere different? . Would you prefer a large city or small town? By the sea or close to the hills? . What sort of academic reputation does the university have? . What's the social life like in the university and in the town/ city? . How much are living costs going to be? Remember these will vary greatly in different areas, with average weekly rents ranging from £ 60 - £ 80 and around £ 120 in London. . Do you want to live on campus or in private rented accommodation? And what's availability like? . What's public transport like in the town/ city - will you be able to get to university easily and cheaply if you choose to live off campus? . What are the student union and sporting facilities like? A lot to think about, but it is important to choose carefully because it is where you will be spending the next few years of your life. If you don't have a university or other higher education institution near you, you may be able to study towards part or all of a degree, foundation degree or HND at a local college of further education or with the Open University whilst living at home. Could this be a good option for you? Each university and college has a website and produces a prospectus that will help answer some of your questions - make the most of them. Also, have a look at the Unistats website ( www. unistats. com) to compare job prospects, university courses, and feedback from students. Aim to attend open days at the universities/ colleges you are most interested in. You'll get the opportunity to meet students and lecturers, as well as view the facilities and accommodation. It's a great way to get a feel for a place. Use the UCAS Open Days booklet and visit www. opendays. com to find out more. Study abroad If the idea of studying beyond the UK for all or part of your degree appeals, turn to the international opportunities section on pages 28 and 29. Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities ( including dyslexia) If you have a learning difficulty or disability, Skill is a national organisation that can offer you specialist advice and support on where to study. More details can be found on page 30. " Disabled Students Allowances ( DSAs) are not just for wheelchair users. If you are dyslexic you're also eligible but apply early as it takes ages ...." - 1st year student, University of Bath.

How To Apply For Higher Education 13 For the vast majority of full- time higher education courses, application is through UCAS ( Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). For a very few courses you may need to apply to the institutions direct ( if instructed to do so within the prospectus). Making a UCAS application You make your application through Apply- a web- based, online application system. Your school or college will tell you more about this. Applicants who do not attend a school or college ( such as some mature students) also make their application through Apply. On- screen help and advice is provided as you use Apply, and you can also click on ' How to Apply' or watch the UCAS video guide to applying at www. ucas. com You will need to select up to five courses* to which to apply. You can find course information by using Course Search- accessible through the UCAS website, or in the UCAS Big Guide. Universities and colleges to which you apply will onlyreceive details of the courses you have applied to at that particular institution. They will not know your other choices. By using UCAS Apply you can: . work on your application wherever there is access to the internet . use the on- screen help facility to guide you through completing the form . change your form as often as you like, before passing it to your teacher/ adviser. It is important to prepare thoroughly! * Please note: If applying for medicine, veterinary science/ medicine or dentistry you should select no more than four courses in those subjects and consider using the remaining choice for an alternative course. The closing date for applications for medicine, veterinary science/ medicine or dentistry is 15 October - earlier than for other courses ( see page 15). Entry Profiles When using the course search facility of the UCAS website, you will find that many courses carry Entry Profiles. Entry Profiles provide useful additional information about the courses, such as entry qualifications, selection criteria, desirable personal characteristics, course content, employability profiles and bursary/ scholarship opportunities. UCAS Card UCAS Card is aimed at students in year 12, or equivalent. It's free and is designed to help you through the application process, giving you information tailored to your particular needs, expert help from UCAS advisers, personal copies of ' You Can' magazine, as well as discounts at some high street stores and access to yougofurther. co. uk, the UCAS student network website. To register for the scheme access www. ucas. com/ ucascard