• Admissions
• Boarding
• Careers Ed
• Contact Details
• Exam Results
• Extra-curricular
• General Information
• House System
• Letters Home
• News
• Old Riponians' Association
• Parents' Association
• Pastoral
• Policies
• Search
• Sport
• Sixth Form
• Subject Departments

Higher Education

Getting Started

The majority of our students aim to go to university and they are advised to start researching courses and universities well in advance of making an application.  We advise students to make use of a wide variety of sources of information as they research their options.  Where possible students should register for university open days and look out for opportunities to attend taster courses where they can get first hand information about their chosen subject.  Useful websites for further research are listed at the bottom of this page.

A good starting point is the official Universities and Colleges Admissions website www.ucas.com which contains details of over 50,000 courses at more than 300 institutions together with guidance on choosing the right course, how to apply, student finance, clearing and many related issues.  There is also information for parents on how to support students with their choices and there are links to all of the websites of higher education institutions that recruit through UCAS.  University prospectuses can be viewed on-line and there is usually the option to request a hard copy.  Current prospectuses are also kept in the careers library.

Entry Requirements

When choosing suitable courses it is important to understand the UCAS tariff system which for AS and A2 is as follows:

The AS points only apply to those subjects which are not being continued to A2 level as they are included in the final A2 grade if the subject is continued beyond AS.

In addition to A level entry requirements students should check well in advance of their application whether they will need to fulfil additional requirements.  For example many medical and dental schools require applicants to take the UK Clinical Aptitude Test or Biomedical Admissions Test as part of the admissions procedure; Oxford, Cambridge and several other universities have their own admissions tests for specified subjects; some law schools require students to take the National Admissions Test for Law; students applying for music and performing arts courses may need to prepare for auditions; and those applying for art and design related courses may be asked to email a mini portfolio shortly after submitting their application as well as providing a full portfolio of work if they are selected for interview.

Choosing the Right Course at the Right University for You

In order to make the right choices students should expect to do a considerable amount of individual research as each student will have a different set of criteria when finding the right course for them as an individual.  It is important to start by considering what these criteria are by asking questions such as:

• Which subjects really interest me?
• What are my talents?
• What grades will I realistically achieve?
• Would I like to combine subjects or concentrate on just one?
• Would I like some experience in the workplace as part of my course?
• Would I like a vocational course to prepare me for a particular career?
• How would I like to be assessed – exams, coursework, practicals?
• Do I want to live close to home, a different part of the country or go abroad?
• Do I want to live on a campus, in a big city or a rural location?
• How much will it cost - tuition fees, accommodation, living expenses, travel?
• Which universities are good for my subject?
• What are the facilities like?
• What are my career goals?

Only after considering these sort of questions to establish the criteria on which the choice is being made can a student start to find the right course at the right university for them - one where they will be happy and successful. There is no single university that is "best" for everyone. 

We hope our students will talk through their ideas with family, friends, teachers, careers advisers and university staff, remembering that not all the information they receive will be impartial, before weighing up the evidence and taking ownership of their final decision.  We do not want anyone to end up on the wrong course or at the wrong place through lack research.

Financing Your Degree

Information on the latest position regarding tuition fees, grants and loans is provided by Student Finance England.  Many universities also offer scholarships and bursaries to students who meet specified criteria. There is a facility to check whether a particular course attracts a bursary or scholarship on the course information page of the course search section of the ucas website.  Some charities, education trusts and professional bodies also offer grants and awards.

Details of course fees for the Open University are shown on their website.  Payment options include part-time tuition fee loans from  Student Finance England.

Sponsored Degrees

A number of companies offer sponsored degrees which involve a combination of study and periods of employment with the company.  There is no central register of these and they are generally displayed on individual company websites.  Details of a number of current schemes are available in the careers library and at www.notgoingtouni.co.uk.

Applications are usually made to the company themselves rather than through ucas so students can apply for some of these schemes in addition to their five ucas choices.

Writing Your Personal Statement

Most students will agree that once a decision has been made and they are in a position to apply to university the prospect of writing a first rate personal statement is quite daunting.  Students are introduced to this process during the lower 6th and will receive on-going support from their tutors.  The ucas website also contains advice and information including a useful timeline, mindmap and worksheets designed to help students through this process.

Useful websites

Students are advised to regularly check individual university websites for the most up-to-date information on courses and entry requirements.  The following websites are also useful sources of information for students as they progress through the process of researching choices and making an application.

There are many excellent sites aimed at more specific interests.  Some of the most regularly used are listed below but there are plenty more suggestions in the careers library.