Resources and advice to help students prepare for the transition from secondary school to university and beyond, and to make their first year at university a success.
This toolkit has been created by Abingdon School in the hope of being useful to all university applicants, but please double check with your own school if there is anything that is unclear or you are not sure about.
- UCAS application process – how it works: A really comprehensive guide explaining all the steps from registering with UCAS, completing the application, to results day.
- UCAS application timeline 2020-2021
- How to choose a course and university
- University Open Days
- Virtual Open Days
- Applying to Oxbridge
- How to write a great personal statement
- Top tips on writing your personal statement
- Writing a personal statement for Oxbridge
- Preparing for interview
- Student finance for UK nationals and residents
Degree subjects at a glance: an overview of the best unis to apply to, entry requirements, A Level subject requirements, average contact hours, typical modules, career prospects and so on.
- Aerospace engineering
- Anthropology
- Architecture
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Civil engineering
- Classics
- Computer science
- Dentistry
- Economics
- Electronic
- English
- Geography
- History
- Law
- Maths
- Mechanical engineering
- Medicine
- Modern languages
- Music
- Physics
- Politics
- Psychology
- Theology and religion
- Veterinary science
One of the best things you can do to strengthen your university prospects is to get reading and learning in areas related to your favourite subjects. That might mean scientific magazines, academic books or great literature, it could also mean podcasts, radio shows, documentaries or online tutorials. Take a look at this list of recommendations sorted by subject. It’s aimed at Year 11 students but hopefully helpful for anyone thinking about applying to university. The list is by no means exhaustive and students are strongly encouraged to pursue opportunities for learning that are personal and relate to their specific interests. The main thing is to be curious!
- A guide to student loans
- Budgeting presentation: advice for managing a budget while at university, according to your salary, and to save money
- Example budget worksheet for living expenses at university (Excel spreadsheet)
- A guide to banking
- A guide to debt, loans, credit cards, and insurance
- A guide to taxation
- Gap year advice presentation – planning and managing a gap year
- Gap year guide – to help you think carefully through all the considerations involved in electing, planning, and managing a gap year (created for Abingdon School students but hopefully helpful for all sixth-form students!)
- Gap year funding: grants and scholarships
- Advice for travelling:
- Independent Gap Advice