Parents and Guardians: Guide to University
Starting university is an exciting time for students and we know you'll want to help your child be as prepared as they can be.
Starting university is an exciting time for students and we know you'll want to help your child be as prepared as they can be.
There are over 150 universities in the United Kingdom alone – so we know it can be overwhelming to even think about narrowing it down. But let’s start with the first question – why should your young person study at university?
They can…
Does your young person wish to be close to home? How close is close to home, is it 30 mins, or 1hr 30 mins? If they needed to get back home, how will they do that, and how long will it take? What are the transport links like? Do they wish to be in the city, or somewhere more rural? Will they stay in student accommodation, or commute to university?
What modules will your young person be studying? Do you think they will be passionate about them? How will they be taught? What facilities will they have access to as part of their course? Are there opportunities to undertake a placement year or year abroad?
What support does the university offer? What support do you want your young person to have? Is that wellbeing support, financial support, help finding a job? Can you easily contact these teams? Where are they based?
Are there opportunities for your young person to socialise? Can you see your young person enjoying what the university has to offer? Are there societies, or sports clubs available?
So your young person is interested in going to university, but how do they apply? We’ve got some useful tools to help navigate this process.
If your young person is interested in a full-time undergraduate degree, they will need to apply through UCAS.
We have a simple timeline to make the process easier.
We want our students to get the most out of their studies and their experience with us. We have teams in place that help our students with their study skills, health and wellbeing, money management, and more.
How we support our studentsYou don't need to pay for university upfront. There's a range of loans and scholarships that can help to cover the cost of tuition fees, as well as day-to-day living expenses.
Find out more about tuition fees, loans and grants for undergraduate students.
Check your child's eligibility for our scholarships and bursaries, designed to support some of our most talented students.
Find out how we're helping to reduce financial pressures for our students.
‘"We sat down with Lucy and discussed budgeting early on’’
SallyParent of Lucy, who is a first year Paramedic Science student
Read Sally’s experience as a parentFind answers to questions parents, guardians and carers often ask about university accommodation.
Help your child prepare for their arrival at ARU with our handy checklist.
Find out how the university year works and what to expect at each stage of your child's first year.