A Levels Going Into Higher Education

Q: What exactly is Higher Education?

A: Higher Education is any education undertaken after A levels. And it doesn't just mean going to university; numerous other types of institution and further education colleges exist, many of which specialise in a particular subject such as art or agriculture. In total there are more than 340 different institutions.

Q: Is HE only for the well off?

A: Definitely not. Over 100,000 people in the 18-21 age group are currently engaged in HE and the government is committed to increasing this figure further. This is the age of mass participation in HE; colleges and universities are full of students of all ages and ethnic origins, from a wide range of backgrounds.

Q: Will I have to pay large amounts for my tuition fees?

A: It's important to realise that most students only pay a proportion of the £1,050 yearly tuition charge; tuition will continue to be free for students from lower income families.

Q: Why bother with HE at all?

A: Whatever you want to do in life, it's highly likely that your career opportunities will be enhanced if you have a degree or diploma. Indeed, some professions (law and medicine, for example) require that all entrants hold a relevant degree. Although a degree or equivalent qualification does not automatically guarantee you will land the job of your choice, statistics show that graduates have a 50% better chance of avoiding unemployment.

Q: If I'm under 16, how can I prepare for HE?

A: Whatever your age, it's never too soon to be thinking about your future. An experienced careers officer, who regularly talks to 14-18 year-olds, says:
"As a youngster, it's perfectly natural to see a TV series about a vet's practice or life in the armed forces, for example, and imagine yourself in that line of work. What's important is to see beyond the media hype and get a real feel for what a particular career is about - what skills are needed, what the working week involves and so on. Ask yourself whether you'll be totally committed to the HE studies that precede it."
Whatever your intended career, you need to choose your school subjects very carefully because some HE courses may require you to have passes in particular pre-16 qualifications - in mathematics and English GCSE or SCE /SQA Standard Grade, for example.

Q: How long will I need to study for?

A: Usually for between two to four years, depending on the qualification. Bear in mind that it is increasingly possible to study for HE courses on a part-time basis over a longer period.

Q: What sort of qualifications will I need to get into HE?

A: A wide range of qualifications is accepted. These include Advanced GNVQ, Edexcel/SQA diplomas, Scottish Highers, GSVQ or Access Certificates and GCE Advanced (formerly referred to as A level).

Q: What kinds of HE courses are available?

A: Britain has the biggest choice of courses in Europe with, at the last count, over 42,000 available through UCAS. For popular subjects, such as business or computing, there are literally hundreds of study options.

Q: What kind of qualifications can I gain?

A: In terms of qualifications, the main categories are as follows:

• Three-year degree courses leading to awards such as Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BSc).
• Four-year degree courses leading to the same awards, including many degree courses in Scotland, sandwich courses involving one year in industry and courses requiring a year abroad.
• Two-year Higher National Diploma or Diploma of Higher Education awards. These are both popular qualifications in their own right; however, some students choose to 'top up' these qualifications into a degree.

In addition, some universities run special foundation courses, commonly known as Year 0 or Zero programmes, targeted at students who wish to enter specific subject areas such as science and engineering but who don't possess the relevant entry qualifications. Students on these courses are also eligible for student loans.

Q: How should I rate different colleges and universities?

A: This is far from straightforward, as priorities will vary enormously from student to student. As a prospective applicant you may be particularly interested in the location of the institution - is it in a big city or a rural location? Another student may be more concerned about the availability of modular degrees or the number of beds in the halls of residence. In all cases, be wary of newspaper rankings; their use of information is usually very selective and, as a result, only tells part of the story. It's true that some UK institutions are better known than others, both in the UK and overseas, but the important thing is to choose the one that's best for you.