What Do I Need to Get into University?

 For many people, going to university is their aim throughout their school education. Needless to say, all universities have far more applicant than places, especially the highest-status institutions, such as Oxford or Cambridge. This means that they impose entry requirements that you need to fulfil before they'll even consider offering you a place. The most common requirements involve the number, subjects and grades of A Level you've passed, but there are other possible routes to university.

Exam Grades

 In most cases, you'll need post-16 exam passes in order to be offered a university place, although pre-16 qualifications such as GCSEs may also be taken into account. The main types of qualification are:

• A Levels — in most cases three A Levels are needed, with certain subjects specified. Required grades will depend on the university and the course, and could range from BBB to A*AA
• Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers — usually four or five required, with a combination of As and Bs needed. Again, certain subjects may be specified for entry onto a course.
• Btecs — growing in popularity, a Distinction in a Btec is generally considered equivalent to an A* at A Level. Btecs are often used for applications in combinations with A Levels.
• International Baccalaureate — an internationally recognised qualification, scored between 0 and 45 points. Each university will set a required number of points, including subjects relevant to the course.

 In some cases, universities may accept lower grades for contextual reasons — e.g. if you live in a deprived area, if you've been in care or if you've been acting as a carer while studying.

Alternative Ways of Qualifying

 If you don't have the exam results required, especially if you're applying as a mature student, there are other ways of getting the qualifications. You may be able to take an Access to Higher Education Diploma in an appropriate subject, generally offered by local colleges. Alternatively, some universities may allow you to take a foundation year, which will fill in the gaps in your education. In both cases, look up the courses you're interested in and find out if either of these routes are available for it.

Undertake an Apprenticeship

 Apprenticeships and university courses have traditionally been seen as completely separate, but some apprenticeships can be used as qualifications to get into university. If you're able to get a level 3 Apprenticeship, this is regarded as equivalent to an A Level, so it can count towards your university requirements. You'll train both on the job and at a local college and get paid for it at the same time.

Supporting Information

 When you apply for a university course, the faculty will want to know if you're the right kind of person for the course, as well as about your qualifications. In your application, you'll be invited to talk about yourself, while you may also be invited for an interview. In both cases, it's vital to check what's said about the kind of interests and attitude they're looking for and to emphasise everything about you that demonstrates those qualities. In extreme circumstances, the university may even be willing to lower their requirements, if they feel you'd be an asset.

 Nevertheless, getting good grades is the easiest way to get into university, and hiring a private tutor to supplement you school education is likely to help with this. Register with TutorExtra to find a wide range of private tutors.