As if achieving top notch A Level grades wasn’t hard enough, some universities will also require you to take university admissions tests to gain access to your favourite courses. No one said it would be easy!

Admissions tests are designed to challenge you in a way that your A Levels haven’t, and sometimes even test your critical thinking and problem solving. These tests ensure that universities are getting the creme de la creme of applicants.

Some admissions tests are fairly well known and adopted by lots of universities, whilst some are lesser known with only one or two using them in the recruitment process. Most universities will state in their admission requirements which tests are relevant for the course you are applying for, but if you’re not sure make sure you contact the admissions department for more details.

The tests are usually held right at the beginning of the academic year with some completion deadlines being as early as the 15th October. If you’re applying to Oxford or Cambridge then it’s more than likely you’ll need to take some form of aptitude test as part of your application. It’s also likely that you’ll need to take a test if you’re hoping to study law, mathematics or medical courses.

So, before you leave it too late read all about the types of admissions tests you are likely to come across and see which universities and courses use them…

Jump to:       LNAT      |     MAT      |      STEP      |      BMAT      |      UKCAT     |     GAMSAT

LNAT

What is the LNAT?

The LNAT is a computer based test used by universities to check that you’ll succeed on a law course. The test is also useful to help ensure that law is the right course for you. The LNAT stands for “Law National Aptitude Test”. To help you decide if studying law is right for you, we have pulled together everything you need to know about a law course in our Law Degree Guide.

What does the LNAT test?

In the LNAT test you will be tested on your verbal reasoning skills, your ability to interpret information, inductive and deductive reasoning, and your analytical skills. Note that the LNAT test does not test your intelligence or your knowledge of law.

When do I take the LNAT test?

It is advised that you take the LNAT as soon as possible in the academic year so that you can maximise your chances of getting the test venue that you want, and to make sure it’s before your admissions deadlines.

How much does the LNAT cost?

In the UK it costs £50 to take the LNAT test, however, you may be exempt from this payment and you are advised to visit the LNAT website for more information. For example, if you receive the 16-19 Bursary you will be eligible for a free LNAT test.

LNAT Preparation

It is virtually impossible to prepare for the LNAT, however students can familiarise themselves with the style of the test for free using the LNAT website. The test takes 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete and is split into two sections.
Section A is made up of 42 multiple choice questions based on argumentative passages, with 95 minutes being allocated to this section of the test. Section B consists of three essay questions which require you to demonstrate your abilities to argue cases and come to conclusions.

LNAT Results

Your results will be seen by the university before you see them and they will be used variously depending on the university that you are applying to. The LNAT scores will work cohesively with other entry requirements such as A Level Grades and a personal statement, but each university will use the LNAT differently.

You will see your LNAT tests either in February if you have completed the test before the 20th January, or August if you completed the test after January.

Which universities use the LNAT?

The following universities offer courses that may require you to take the LNAT as part of your entry requirements*:

• University of Cambridge
• University of Oxford
• The University of Kent

*This data was gathered in September 2017 and may be subject to change. You are advised to visit your chosen university’s website for more details.

MAT

What is the MAT?

MAT stands for Mathematics Admissions Test and is a paper based test used to test subject specific knowledge of potential students on courses that require a mathematical input. This could include mathematics degrees or engineering based subjects. For both degrees you will be faced with other entry requirements and you can find out more details about mathematics entry requirements with our mathematics degree guide.

When do I take the MAT test?

The MAT usually takes place in early November with this years test date being Thursday 2nd November 2017. The test starts at 9am and lasts for 2 hours and 30 minutes. You will normally be required to take this test at your own school or college. You will be required to submit your entry to the test by the 15th October.

Cost of MAT

Depending on the MAT centre that you use, the cost may vary. If you are using the University of Oxford, Imperial College London or the University of Warwick you will not be required to provide payment for the test. You may be required to pay an administration fee for other MAT centres so you are advised to visit the MAT website for more details.

MAT Preparation

To prepare for the MAT test you are advised to familiarise yourself with the syllabus and test format and you can do this by downloading past papers from the MAT section of the University of Cambridge website. Most universities that require the test will also feature further information and preparation tips on their website.

MAT Results

Your MAT results will be shared with the university you are applying to as part of your application and if you wish to see your results you are advised to contact the mathematical department/ faculty at your chosen university.

Which universities use the MAT?

The following universities offer courses that may require you to take the MAT as part of your entry requirements*:

• University of Cambridge
• University of Oxford
• Imperial College London
• University of Warwick

*This data was gathered in September 2017 and may be subject to change. You are advised to visit your chosen university’s website for more details.

STEP Test

What is the STEP?

The STEP test is a mathematics aptitude test which stands for “Sixth Term Examination Paper”. The test consists of three separate papers, each taking three hours to complete. Depending on the university you are applying to you may only be required to take one or two of the three examination papers. The STEP test may be used for other subjects than just mathematics, with engineering related subjects also requiring a mathematical input.

You are reminded that other entry requirements will be considered as part of your education, and you can check out a breakdown of mathematics entry requirements using our handy degree guide.

When do I take the STEP test?

Unlike the MAT test, the STEP test is taken later in the UCAS cycle. Entries for the STEP test do not open until the end of February, with the tests being taken in June. This year test 1, 2 and 3 were taken on the 8th, 12th and 22nd June.  

Cost of STEP

The cost of the STEP may vary depending on the time in which you apply for the test. If you enter on time (before the end of April) your standard entry price will be £49. If you apply via late entry your cost will be £18 more expensive than the standard paper.

STEP Preparation

You are advised to familiarise yourself with the test’s format and style before taking the test. Mathematics tests 1 and 2 both consist of 13 questions (8 pure mathematics, 3 mechanics and 2 probability and statistics). These questions are based on A Level Mathematics content and you are only required to choose 6 questions in total to answer.

The third mathematics paper is also made up of 13 questions of the same topics, however, they are based on A Level further mathematics content. This test also requires you to choose 6 questions to answer.  

To fully prepare for the STEP test you can refer to the Admissions Testing Service website where you will find past papers, further resources, and marking schemes.

STEP Results

Grading for the STEP follows these five possible grades:

S – Outstanding

1 – Very Good

2 – Good

3 – Satisfactory

U – Unclassified

The results of the STEP will be provided to the university as part of the admissions process and the university will use the results as they seem suitable. Students will not receive their results until the A Level results day where you can view your results on the candidate online system.

Which universities use the STEP?

The following universities offer courses that may require you to take the MAT as part of your entry requirements*:

• University of Cambridge
• University of Warwick
• University of Bath
• University of Bristol
• Imperial College London

*This data was gathered in September 2017 and may be subject to change. You are advised to visit your chosen university’s website for more details.

BMAT Exam

What is the BMAT Test?

The BMAT test is an admissions test for those students wishing to study courses that are in the medical, biomedical science and dentistry areas. For some universities the BMAT test is required as an entry requirement. The test is a 2 hour written test consisting of three sections.

Alongside the BMAT test you will be required to have achieved other entry requirements. To help you understand the entry requirements further you can take a look at our medicine degree guide and dentistry degree guide.

BMAT Questions

The test is divided into three sections. The first section contains 35 multiple choice questions which take 6 minutes to complete. This section tests your problem solving skills, data analysis and your understanding of arguments.

The second section has 27 multiple choice questions and should take you no longer than 30 minutes to complete. For this section you will be required to apply your scientific knowledge gained from science and mathematics at GCSE level.

The final section of the test challenges students by requiring them to choose a writing task from three options, and demonstrate their written communication skills. You will be given 30 minutes to complete this section of the test.

BMAT Test Dates

The BMAT is usually taken by students at the start of November, with students having to apply for the test by the middle of October. The admissions testing service has also started to offer the test in September so that students can receive their results before applying to UCAS.

The test held in September is exactly the same format as the one held in November, and so it is up to when you would like to take the test. However, you must note that the University of Oxford only accepts BMAT results from the November session.

BMAT Cost

The standard entry fee to the BMAT test costs £46 if you are from the EU (including the UK). If you are from outside the EU then the standard entry fee is increased to £78. If you apply to the BMAT late then you will incur a late entry fee of an additional £33.

You may be exempt from payment if you meet certain criteria, such as if you receive the 16-19 bursary, you are granted educational maintenance allowance, you receive a full maintenance grant, you receive income support, or you are entitled to free school meals.

BMAT Results

The results of the BMAT are used in different ways by different institutions therefore there is no real pass or fail threshold. In sections 1 and 2 the questions are worth 1 mark each. These marks are then converted into the BMAT scale running from 1-9 (low to high), with most students being graded around 5.0 which is the equivalent to half of the total marks. Exceptional candidates will score 7.0 and above overall on these first two sections of the test.

The third section of the test is graded on both the quality of the content, and the quality of the written English. The content is graded on a scale of 0-5 and the English is graded by awarding the letter A,C or E.

The results of the BMAT test will be available to students a few weeks after the test was taken. They are available to download online, however are only available to download for 60 from the release date.

BMAT Preparation

As the test challenges your current skills and knowledge there is not a lot of extra study required for the examination. However, if you are looking to prepare for the BMAT you can download practice papers to get example questions and learn how to approach them. This will also give you some experience with working to the timed conditions of the examinations.

You can also familiarise yourself with the scientific and mathematical skills needed for section 2 by revisiting topics you covered in your GCSE examinations.

BMAT Universities

The BMAT test is used across the world for medicine, biomedical and dentistry courses. In the UK you may be required to take the test as part of your entry requirements for the following universities*:

• Brighton and Sussex Medical School
• Imperial College London
• Keele University
• Lancaster University
• University College London
• University of Cambridge
• University of Leeds
• University of Oxford

*This data was gathered in September 2017 and may be subject to change. You are advised to visit your chosen university’s website for more details.

UKCAT Exam

What is UKCAT?

UKCAT stands for “UK Clinical Aptitude Test” and is an admissions test used by some universities in the UK as part of the entry requirements to medical and dental courses. It is a computer based test that challenges your mental abilities, professional behaviours and personal attitudes.

You are reminded that these courses will have other entry requirements and you are advised to use our medicine degree guide and dentistry degree guide to see a breakdown of typical entry requirements.

UKCAT Questions

The test takes two hours to complete and contains five sections of multiple choice questions. The first section of the test is a verbal reasoning exam. This consists of 44 questions that have to be completed in 22 minutes. You will be required to critically evaluate passages of writing.

The second section is based on your ability to make judgements and decision making. You will have to answer 29 questions in 32 minutes for this section.

Your skills of quantitative reasoning will be assessed in the third section of the test with 36 questions being presented in numerical form. You will have 36 minutes to complete this section of the examination.

The fourth section of the test is focused on abstract reasoning and takes 14 minutes to complete. You will have 55 questions to answer on this section.

The final part of the test measures your understanding of situational judgement. It tests your capacity of real world situations and the behaviour required to deal with them. This section is 27 minutes long and is made up of 68 questions.

UKCAT Preparation

As this test does not require you to demonstrate your scientific abilities you are not expected to revise these topics. However, you should prepare for the UKCAT by looking at practice tests and questions to familiarise yourself with the format and time restraints of the test. You can also access preparation materials on the UKCAT website and mobile app.

UKCAT Dates and Fees

Registration for the UKCAT examination opens in early May and closes in the middle of September. You can take your test any time between the start of July and the beginning of October.

If you are taking your test between July and August your test fee will be £65, and will be increased to £85 if you take it between September and October. You may be eligible for a reduced fee if you are part of a bursary scheme.

UKCAT Results

When you have finished the test you will be given your UKCAT Score Report straight away. These results are valid only for the application cycle that you are currently in and will be provided to your chosen universities in the first week of November by the UKCAT testing service.

UKCAT Universities

Universities that use the UKCAT in their entry requirements for their medical and dental courses include*:

• University of Aberdeen
• Aston University
• University of Birmingham
• University of Bristol
• Cardiff University
• University of Dundee
• University of East Anglia
• University of Edinburgh
• University of Exeter
• University of Glasgow
• Hull York Medical School
• Keele University
• King’s College London
• University of Leicester
• University of Liverpool
• University of Manchester
• University of Newcastle
• University of Nottingham
• University of Plymouth
• Queen Mary, University of London
• Queen’s University Belfast
• University of Sheffield
• University of Southampton
• University of St Andrews
• St George’s University of London
• University of Warwick

*This data was gathered in September 2017 and may be subject to change. You are advised to visit your chosen university’s website for more details.

GAMSAT Exam

What is the GAMSAT?

The GAMSAT examination is an admissions test taken by those students that wish to undertake postgraduate level courses in medical schools. It stands for “Graduate Medical School Admissions Test” and is used in the UK, Ireland and Australia.

GAMSAT Format

The test is split up into three sections. The first section should take you no longer than 1 hour and 40 minutes and consists of 75 multiple choice questions. The aim of section one is to test your interpretation and understanding of social and cultural contexts. This will be presented to you in written paragraphs, visual images and also tables of data.

The second section requires students to produce two written essays within 60 minutes. This section tests your ability to create ideas and produce written content based on this.

The last section of the test is two hours and 40 minutes long and consists of 110 multiple choice questions. You will be tested on your scientific knowledge of biology, chemistry and physics, with the level of knowledge applying to the content that would be covered in an undergraduate degree in biology and chemistry, and A Level knowledge gained from a physics degree.

GAMSAT Preparation

Preparing for the GAMSAT requires students to explore their existing understanding of biology, chemistry and physics at the undergraduate level and A Level syllabus. To aid this, you can access the four booklets of practice that are provided by the examination board; ACER.

It is also worth familiarising yourself with the timed constraints of the test and practice your comparative written skills for the essays required in section two of the exam.

GAMSAT Scoring System

Your overall score from the GAMSAT examination is calculated by:

(1 x section 1 + 1 x section 2 + 2 x section 3) / 4

The score that you gain from the GAMSAT will be valid for two years and therefore can be used for two application cycles.

GAMSAT Dates

Students can apply to take the test in March and September, with registration opening in late May and closing in July. Results are posted online before the UCAS closing date and will also be published to the medical schools that you are applying to.

Universities that use the GAMSAT

In the UK there is a small cluster of universities that use the GAMSAT for their graduate medical school applications process including*:

• University of Nottingham
• Swansea University
• Cardiff University
• University of Liverpool
• University of Exeter
• University of Plymouth
• St George’s University London

*This data was gathered in September 2017 and may be subject to change. You are advised to visit your chosen university’s website for more details.

If you’ve not decided where you’re going to live in September then you might want to start considering your options. Most first year students opt to live in student halls of accommodation either on-campus or off-campus at their chosen university. But where is best to live?

We’ve pulled together a list of the top 10 student halls to help make your decision just that little bit easier. These student halls were chosen from a survey conducted by Student Crowd, where over 10,000 students were asked to rate their halls of residences based on value for money, location, hall management, cleaning, common room, social experience and wifi connections.

So, here’s the top 10 student halls of residences in the UK! If you don’t see a student halls from your student city, don’t panic… our city guides feature lots of information on where you can live in your university city.

10) Langwith College – University of York

 

A post shared by Annie C.🍨 (@anniesity95) on Mar 2, 2017 at 9:10am PST

Creeping it’s way into the top 10 halls of residence, Langwith College based on Campus East provides 650 bedrooms to prospective students. Prices start from £139 a week for a shared bathroom, whilst you can benefit from an en-suite for £153 a week, with all bedrooms benefitting from ¾ beds instead of singles! The social experience at this halls of residence has landed it in the top 10 with an onsite Student’s Union bar; The Glasshouse. Find out more about studying in York

9) Park Terrace – Newcastle University

Park Terrace is located right next to the university campus making it a popular choice for those students who can’t get out of bed on their first alarm. The halls of accommodation provide students with a little more luxury than usual, with single en-suite and deluxe en-suites being on offer from £130 a week. Whilst the halls remain convenient for students, it’s social spaces and social experience weren’t rated top notch, alongside the value for money and internet quality. Find out more about studying in Newcastle

8) Stephenson Hall – University of Sheffield

With the nickname ‘Stevo’ the University of Sheffield’s halls of residence has made it’s way into the top ten. Stephenson Hall is a catered halls of residence with shared bathrooms in shared flats. Students can expect to pay around £142 a week to live here, but remember, this includes the cost of your meals! Students brag about the social appeal this halls of residence has, including being walking distance from the Students’ Union.

Find out more about studying in Sheffield

7) Harry French – Loughborough University

Located right next to the campus, Harry French houses 389 students at Loughborough University every year. Rooms are self catered with flats comprising of 6-8 students sharing a kitchen and 2 toilets and showers. Students love the fact that this residence is one of the cheaper ones with rooms starting at around £102 a week! There are some more premium rooms on site with smaller flats and en-suite rooms but current students can’t emphasise how much you really don’t need the en-suite. Find out more about Loughborough University

6) Grizedale College – Lancaster University

 

A post shared by Mihnea Ungureanu (@20mmexplorer) on Feb 8, 2017 at 1:30am PST

Grizedale College has a very wide range of accommodation options on offer making sure that you get a real choice in the way you get to live at university. You can opt for a standard room with shared bathrooms, a room in a townhouse, an en-suite bedroom, a superior en-suite bedroom, and even a self-contained studio flat. Students at Lancaster University love the social aspect of Grizedale College as there is a bar and an outside seating area and even a designated BBQ area! Standard rooms start at £99.75 a week making this accommodation very affordable.

Find out more about Lancaster University

5) McIntosh Hall – University of St Andrews

Another top hall is McIntosh at the University of St Andrews which used to be a hotel until 1921 when it was handed over to the University. Students love how close this halls of residence is to everything you’ll need, including being a 5 minute walk from the students union! Whilst there are 103 single rooms available, most first year students opt to stay in a shared room costing around £145 per week. This might sound expensive, but this also includes the cost of your meals as McIntosh Hall is a catered halls of residence. Find out more about the University of St Andrews

4) Josephine Butler College – Durham University

Josephine Butler College is only 10 years old and provides 600 students with premium en-suite bedrooms every year. The flats are arranged into 6 bedrooms per flat with a shared kitchen in each. Students living at Josephine Butler College are won over by the bar and lounge area giving the social experience a 5/5 rating! First year students are actually expected to live in this halls of residence so all students are reserved a place in College accommodation. Although students gave this halls a 5* rating for value for money, you’ll still be forking out around £136 a week on your accommodation.

Find out more about Durham University

3) Nightingale Hall – University of Nottingham

 

A post shared by Charlene (@charlene_0609) on Jan 26, 2015 at 9:24am PST

In third place is a catered hall at the University of Nottingham. Nightingale Hall is home to just 150 students every year with the majority residing in large study bedrooms and sharing bathrooms with other students in your corridor. The halls have been described as one of the prettiest on the campus surrounded by garden space and is located within the University Park Sports Zone. Nightingale was rated 5* across the board apart from receiving a 4* rating for the social spaces which is actually surprising considering that the facilities for residents includes a common room with Sky TV, a function room for parties and two tennis courts! Find out more about studying in Nottingham

2) St Regulus Hall – University of St Andrews

 

A post shared by Mary Lyn (@marylynda) on Mar 5, 2017 at 11:11pm PST

Apparently all the best halls belong to the University of St Andrews because runner up in second place is another halls of residence at the University of St Andrews! St Regulus Hall was built in the 1880’s and is located at Queen’s Gardens. It’s fairly small with only 175 rooms on offer, and of these rooms 98 are single rooms and 37 are shared occupancy bedrooms. ‘Regs’ is a fully catered hall, which means you don’t even have to cook yourself dinner! Prices for a single room are around £160 a week, whilst shared rooms are £145 a week.

Find out more about studying at the University of St Andrews

1) Falkner Eggington – Loughborough University

The largest self-catered hall at Loughborough University was rated 5* across the board by students giving it the title of the best student accommodation in the UK! It was described as a budget accommodation that had been fully refurbished to a higher standard, with their rooms starting at £89 a week for a single study bedroom with shared bathroom and kitchen facilities. With over 500 bedrooms available at the halls, it’s no wonder that students make so many friends during freshers week!  

Find out more about Loughborough University

Quick Links

Can I change my university course before I start?
Can I transfer university after first year?

Switching courses sometimes becomes necessary. Going to university and starting a course is a huge commitment. Understandably, people can change their minds close to the deadline day. This is fair enough – as we said, it’s a huge step – and starting university is a very stressful time. You need to be certain that the course you’re starting is absolutely what you want to do. If it isn’t, you should think about changing whilst you still have the opportunity to do so.

Changing can be an enormously difficult thing to do. With academics to convince and paperwork to complete. You will need to inform UCAS and student finance. As such, wherever or however you’re changing, try to do it as quickly and as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more difficult it will be to sort out.

Search for your new course

This is our guide on how to change your course and possibly your university, and when to do it by. There’s plenty of good reasons to switch courses and move to another university. But you should really be sure about this before you go through with it. So be sure this is what you want to do, and that you’re doing it for the right reasons. Right, now our lecture is over, you can start thinking about where you’ll be attending other lectures in the future.

Can I change my university course before I start?

Changing a course before starting university is relatively easy. Relatively. It’s still not exactly a piece of cake. The first thing you should think about is changing your personal statement so it fits in with the new choice. Make sure your reasons for changing courses are convincing – all the old rules still apply. You need to sound like this is really, really what you want to do.

Read our guide to writing your personal statement

One option if you’ve decided early you want to switch course is simply substituting a course in your UCAS application. You can only do this if the universities you’ve contacted haven’t got back yet and your AS2 welcome letter is dated less than 7 days ago. If you haven’t received a welcome letter, even better.

If that isn’t the case, you can contact the universities separately and try to arrange something with them. Don’t be intimidated. Remember that universities want students, and that’s, frankly, how they make their money. So they really should want to accommodate you however they can. That said, your grades need to be good (of course). Give the university you’re interested in a call. Particularly the ones that have already made you an offer. Ask them if they’re interested in accepting you for a different course. Most of the time, the answer will be “yes”, and they’ll give you some sort of offer if you’re convincing enough.

Another plausible option is going through clearing and UCAS to find a course that is better sorted to you. This isn’t an option we’d suggest. It will take a long time and there’s every possibility you won’t find yourself on a course at all. Then again, it’s worth a try if all else fails…

Read our guide to clearing

How Late Can You Change Your Uni Course?

Changing course after starting is not something we’d suggest, but occasionally it happens for whatever reason. Changing courses will happen internally by your university, so you should talk to them. Go and see your personal tutor or supervisor and they should advise you on the best steps to take from there. Make sure you’re charming, confident and you are knowledgable on the subject you’re hoping to switch to. There’s a possibility you’ll have to go through an interview process.

Depending on the university (and how much your tutors want to help you!) you could get transferred to a new course at the same university up to 3 months of starting the course. It has also been possible for students to switch courses after one year of study, by abandoning their current course and starting a new course entirely. Remember though, you’ll still have the fees to pay for the first year of study you completed on the course you didn’t enjoy…

Start searching for an alternative course

And when you’ve managed to switch course, stay on top of the workload! Visit all your lecturers for anything you’ve missed and make sure you do well in your first exams – they’ll be paying close attention to you. Also make sure you inform student finance and the university has confirmed it. That’s just as important or you could find yourself penniless come the next term.

Can I transfer University After First Year?

Switching universities is more difficult – your university won’t want to lose you but occasionally circumstances change. If you’re looking to switch universities because you feel as though you’re struggling to fit in, then you should take a look at our advice article which explores ways to conquer this other than switching universities.

If you’re sure that you want to switch universities, the first thing you should do is contact the university you’re interested in switching to and see what they say. Everything else will be a waste of time if they’re not interested. If you do get confirmation, make sure to pin them down on what they think your next steps should be. You should prepare a full academic application, like the one you had to do through UCAS, along with a list of the modules you’ve studied so far and why you want to change (it can just be “personal reasons”, if you like, but more detail is better as long as it doesn’t leave you in a bad light).

Find the right university for you

Then contact your university and tell them you intend to switch courses. They will, understandably, be upset, but they will have a process for you and can’t make you stay, after all. Make sure you’ve sorted a change in accommodation and are all set up for moving. Similarly, inform all the relevant bodies, UCAS, etc. This is not an easy process and we suggest you try to avoid it, but if you have to, make sure to stay on the ball, work hard when you’re there, and do some background reading on the modules your university is teaching.

You might also want to think really hard about whether you’ve chosen the right path for you, and we have made this much easier by putting together an advice article: Is university right for me?

Changing University Before Starting Your Course

This is slightly easier than changing after starting the course, but still can be quite difficult. If you’re passed the deadline mentioned above in changing a course before university (universities haven’t contacted you back yet, less than 7 days since AS2 welcome letter), then you can go through the same process of changing your application and working from there. If you have received the welcome letter or universities have already replied, you’ll have to go at it outside the UCAS system. This means emailing the universities you’re interested in changing to and working out their policy and whether or not they’ll have you.

The universities will ask for more or less everything you gave to the other places through UCAS, and quite possibly more than that. Make sure you’re glowing – you need to look good to get away with changing universities at this point – and have a good reason for switching at this point. Remember that the universities do want to have you, but they need to be convinced you’ll do well there. If you do get offered a place, make sure to stay on top of accommodation and all the other parts of moving – make sure everything’s in place and where it should be. Then congratulate yourself on having managed it.

Changing Universities After First Year

If you change your mind a good way through your course, it’s a bad idea to switch when you’ve missed a lot of the content taught on another course or at a different university. Wait until you’ve finished your year and do the best you can and then switch, if you’re sure you want to. That way you’ll have a proper, real fresh start, and won’t spend the next three years playing catch-up on your new course content.

Make sure to always do as well as you can in every aspect of your course – it doesn’t matter if you don’t intend to stay there for another year, the university or alternative department you’re interested in will be very interested in seeing your grades, and if you do badly, they’ll assume it’s because you’re not cut out for university and will do the same thing with their course. This, obviously, is very far from ideal. So even if you don’t intend to stay on, work hard and keep at it. The better grades you get, the better you’ll look to the other universities and courses you’re applying to.

Final Thoughts

Whatever you do, make sure you’re certain about moving before you start – is it really your course you don’t like or is it just because you’re not enjoying university? Be honest with yourself and make the right decision based on that – you’ll just end up wasting more of your own time and money if you’re not honest with yourself about what you want to do.

The majority of students think about switching courses and universities when they are going through tough times, and sometimes all you need to do is take a step back and take in some advice. If you’re feeling lonely and like you want to move to a university closer to home, you could read our advice article that looks at ways to conquer the loneliness. Alternatively, you may have a loved one back at home that is making you feel as though you want to quit your course or move closer to home so we have put together an advice article for how you can make your relationship work whilst you’re away at university.

Start searching for your perfect university and course with Coursefindr today…

It’s no secret that competition is pretty fierce in the UK job market right now. This means it is worth considering which degree will make increase your employment prospects upon graduation. So it’s a bad idea to waltz into a degree in art history because you’re unsure what you want to do and a friend told you it might be easy. For a start, a degree in art history is by no means an easy ride. But more to the point, university is the time for hard work and gritty decisions. If you hope to go to university you should choose a degree that will give you the best start for the career you want. As such, here’s are the ten most employable degrees that you should consider when choosing your degree:

1. Medicine & dentistry – 99%.
2. Veterinary Science – 98%.
3. Subjects allied to medicine – 93%.
4. Architecture, building & planning – 92%.
5. Education – 90%.
6. Engineering & technology – 85%.
7. Computer Science – 80%.
8. Mathematical sciences – 79%.
9. Business studies – 75%.
10. Law – 74%.

Looking to get the best return on your tuition fees? Continue reading to find out the average salary of graduates who have gone onto professional employment.

1. Medicine and Dentistry

No surprises here. 99% of all medicine and dentistry graduates land a job or further study within 6 months of leaving. Imagine a class of 200 people studying medicine or dentistry and all but one have managed to land a job. Impressive.

More impressive is that the average graduate salary for medicine and dentistry graduates was £30,000 last year! Don’t be under any illusions though, these graduates are in such high demand because the degrees require dedication and hard work. Med students might well have it harder than anyone, so if you want to go down that road, be prepared to work all day, every day.

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2. Veterinary Science

Yep, it’s a different discipline from medicine and dentistry. Holding its own on the employment stakes with 98% of all graduates finding work or future study 6 months after graduation.

One of the things that makes veterinary science degrees so gruelling is the length. A BVSc is five to six years long. This means the average graduate will only qualify as a vet by the time they’re 25 or so. That’s assuming they start when they’re 18/19!

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With such a variety of skills to learn and such an abundance of different species to become familiar with, it’s not wonder veterinary degrees are so long. Perhaps though it’s worth the wait, with an average starting salary of £28,000…

3. Subjects Allied to Medicine

In this area we include degrees in subjects such as neuroscience, drug discovery and the biomedical sciences. Together, 95% of students found a job or went into further education within 6 months of graduating. Which isn’t too shabby at all. Degrees in this sector involve, hard work, lots of hours and a good return (£22k starting salary).

You will have the opportunity to study medicine and take a specialisation early on in your career. This is of course a good thing. Young professionalism is all very well, but you’ll be able to command higher salaries in the future if you’re an expert in your field first and a young professional second.

4. Architecture, Building and Planning

Architecture allows students to study a varied curriculum which includes arts, maths, technology and sciences. In turn a degree in architecture will set you up for a varied career. Graduates can specialise in fields such as residential architecture, commercial building and urban planning.

Graduate prospects are still great for architecture graduates, with 90% of students being in full-time employment or further education 6 months after graduation. It is worth noting however that a lot of architecture graduates choose the route to self employment, and those that don’t can land themselves jobs in larger companies on a salary of around £22,000.

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5. Education

The world needs teachers. An impressive 90% of all graduates get a job or move on to further study within 6 months of graduating. As teaching jobs tend to recruit at stable level, this is not expected to change. Many teachers study a separate degree, then go onto study a teaching course.  Very few teachers originally study teaching. Weirdly.

This can make a degree in education a highly sought-after thing. This will be beneficial for climbing up the ranks and getting a better job within education later down the line. Additionally, teachers do get a lot of holidays. However, this does mean they don’t work great hours – a couple of hours on either side of the nine-to-five and then the possibility of another few hours later in the day. But still, think of the holidays!

Perhaps you’ve not considered teaching as a career yet? Nobody wants to do the job they just spent the last 13 years making it as difficult as possible to do. Reconsider this approach. There’s more opportunity here than you’d think, and an average starting salary of £22,000!

Have a degree in another subject and thinking of becoming a teacher? Then you should look at studying a PGCE.

6. Engineering

Engineers are highly sought after guys and gals. This is obvious with the employment (or further education) rate of 85% within 6 months of graduation. Engineering is an immensely broad subject. It covers areas such as electrical, mechanical, software, environmental, chemical, acoustic or biological or civil engineering; along with many, many others.

Jobs in engineering tend to fall into two distinct categories – public or private sector. Both are similar as far as the contents of the job is concerned. Generally the private sector is harder to get into and pays more. Still, the average starting salary for engineering graduates was £25,000 last year. So work hard and try to break into that side of the job market!

Specialisations abound, and degrees in subjects in chemical or biological engineering will seem like more of a chemistry or biology degree than anything else. However, engineers are subtly different from standard science students in that they learn how to do things, without having to look it up first.

7. Computer Science

The field of computing is broad and diverse. Covering traditional topics such as programming and database design to cutting edge technologies like virtual reality and AI. As such there are many computing degrees to choose from. Regardless of which computing route you go down you can expect to be in huge demand which is evident by the fact that 80% of graduates find employment within 6 months of graduation. The average graduate salary for computing professionals is a respectable £24,000.

8. Mathematics

Maths graduates are extremely employable and often find themselves in the IT or finance sectors. This means that if you are a maths graduate then you can expect to earn a respectable salary. You can expect to earn around £25,000 following graduation. Maths teachers are also in demand so if you don’t find IT or finance appealing then you should consider teaching the country’s future mathematicians. Either way you should have no difficulty finding employment.

9. Business and Administrative Studies

Skilled academics are needed throughout all industries to ensure businesses run smoothly. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that 88% of business graduates are in full-time employment or in further study within 6 months of graduation.

Tons of jobs are on the horizon for business graduates with roles being available in finance, marketing, project management, human resources, logistics, sales, and economics. On average graduates were able to gain roles paying around £22,500 last year, making business related subjects a great choice for those looking for a good pay-off after education.

10. Law

Law degrees are worth more than their names – a degree in law is not just proof of knowledge of law. It’s a certificate of applied intelligence and memory. As such, students with law degrees are snapped up, but often not actually into the legal industry. Law graduates are able to find work other than as lawyers, and start their career on around £19,500 after graduating.

90% of graduates get a job or continue with their studies within 6 months of finishing their degree. It’s important to note that a lot of this 90% – about half – continued with study after law, which implies that many law graduates choose to specialise further within law after graduating.

Conclusion

And there you have it – the degrees with the highest employment levels. It’s worth noting the subjects that didn’t make this list too. “Purer” subjects like chemistry or physics haven’t made the list, along with social sciences which generally one might expect to pop up somewhere.

It’s also important to notice that the tenth most popular has an employment rate of 88%. Which is good, but not as good as one might expect. That means that 12% don’t get a job within 6 months of graduating, and that’s for the tenth-best degree. It’s a sign of the times, and a good reminder to work very hard even if you do land yourself a place in a well-employed, high-scoring degree.

And if anyone’s wondering, the very worst degree as far as employment goes is… drumroll please… Agriculture and its related subjects! So if you’re intent on a career in agriculture be sure to work hard at your degree and give yourself the best chance of succeeding in your career!

*This data was sourced from the Destination of Leavers From Higher Education survey