Pre-16 Students

You will have to study the core subjects selected by your school. It is important to pass your English, Maths, and Science GCSEs as they are valuable in future pathways. When choosing your optional GCSEs, you should select the subjects you enjoy or wish to pursue in the future.

You may find it useful to discuss your options with a teacher or member of your family.

No, you do not have to move away from home for university, but you may want to. You can do lots of things to help you decide – visit local universities and some in new towns or cities so you can get a feel for what might be right for you.

If you choose to go to university, you can study anywhere in the world! You could study locally and remain living at home, or move into university accommodation – the choice is yours.

You will get help with all costs of university. You will not have to pay anything up-front and your tuition fees are paid by Student Finance England directly to your university. Everyone is entitled to a maintenance loan to help cover the costs of living (food, books, transport, rent etc.) and how much you get will depend on your household income. There are also bursaries, scholarships, and grants available that are different for each university. After graduation you will only repay a small amount of your student loan per month, only once you earn over the government threshold (currently £26,575 per year).

Start with research! Make sure to check out all colleges in your area; look at the courses available, any support they offer, and try to visit on an open day if you can! Once you have some options, you will be able to register your interest and apply online.

You can apply for an apprenticeship on the government website (www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship). You can search for apprenticeships here and apply for them as you would with a job application, don’t forget to also look at employers websites too – sometimes they advertise their apprenticeships themselves.