As a parent or guardian, you have an important role to play in supporting your child in approaching degree-level study and it’s never too early to start talking about their university aspirations.
Preparing to make the move from school or college to university can feel quite daunting and there are lots of ways you can help them get ready for their next steps.
Find out what university support is available through your child’s school or college and encourage them to access it. For example, they may organise a visit to a UCAS Exhibition, where they get to speak to admissions and teaching staff from Higher Education providers from across the country and explore the different courses on offer.
Sign up for free UCAS parent e-newsletters to keep track of important information and deadlines.
Help your child with subject choices early on – it’s a good idea to have a chat about the courses they are interested in and see what qualifications are needed to check they can apply or to see what similar alternative courses might be available to them. Again, the UCAS website and university websites are good starting points.
Explore courses, universities, and colleges with your child and encourage them to attend university and college open days. Parents and Carers are always welcome to attend too. Check out the UCAS website for details of upcoming events, or go directly to university websites to find out when their next open days are taking place.
Most universities now also have online open days and virtual tours.
Support your child’s application for student loans and any bursaries they may be eligible for by providing details of your household income online as soon as possible. Read more about Student Finance.
This can be a stressful time and your child may need your help and support in deciding on their next steps on receiving their results. If things go to plan, that’s it! Your son or daughter will soon be taking their next steps to university. If they don’t get the grades they need to meet their offer, all is not lost. They may be able to keep their place or find a course at another university through a process called Clearing (which is how unis and colleges fill any places they still have on their courses).
