Overview of how to choose a university

Before we start trying to find some universities to apply to, let’s be clear about what we are talking about. There is a certain amount of misunderstanding around the words university and college. What is the difference? The answer to this question is, it depends who you ask and in which country you ask it. As a rule of thumb, universities tend to offer postgraduate courses and do research although there are many colleges that do as well. E.g. Imperial College London. For those of you who are put off by the word college and I want the word University,  well if you’ve overlooked Imperial College London you have just overlooked one of the world’s top universities. So let’s stay flexible.

When looking for  higher education courses (post-secondary/high school) you need to understand that there is a considerable variety of courses available. Most students leave school and apply for a bachelor’s degree and many will likely go on to study for a master’s degree or a PhD. There are, however, many courses available at below  bachelor’s degree level. 

Here is a quick list:

• Bachelor degree – 3 or 4 years
• Foundation degree – normally one extra year on the front of a bachelor’s degree
• Two-year programs – with the option upon successful completion to take an extra year and earn a full bachelor’s degree e.g. Higher National Diploma (HND) in the UK, Associate degree in USA
• One-year program e.g. Higher National Certificate (HNC) in the UK

So, having quickly clarified the options where courses are concerned, let’s turn our attention to the different types of universities and colleges.

Here is a quick list:

• Universities that offer Bachelor degrees, Masters degrees, PhD and are involved in academic research
• Universities and colleges that only offer undergraduate degrees
• Colleges that offer courses below a bachelor degree levels.

 These range from two-year degrees  to training courses for a specific job e.g. hairdresser, plumber etc.

And then there are universities/ colleges that offer specialist courses that prepare you for a particular job. Training to be a nurse, teacher etc.

And so back to the task in hand: looking for some universities to apply to. This is where we start to build a short list of universities, but before we get down to looking at this in more detail, just a couple of tips.

Now this is where you get stuck into the important task of setting priorities, asking yourself questions about what you really want. Self-reflection is something we don’t do often enough, but it is very useful when searching for the right university, it will increase your chances of finding the right fit and it will save you time during the whole university/college search process.

Do you want to study in English, your native language or perhaps another language that you have learnt? Let’s assume for the moment that you want to study in English, that still leaves a bewildering choice: there are the obvious English speaking countries -USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India,  and many more. Then there are countries that have a large offering of university courses taught in English: The Netherlands, the Scandinavian countries, Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore etc.

Furthermore, there are many private universities that teach in English scattered across the globe…

Look carefully at the list of academic programs and then look at the course content of each program you are interested in. It is vital to know what units you will study in year 1, year 2 etc. because courses may have the same title at different universities but the contents may differ.

Ask yourself a simple question: Do I want to study this?

It is important to know how much flexibility a university offers with regard to changing subjects once you’re at the university. You may find that the subject you applied for is not exactly what you thought it was and that you would prefer to change to a different subject. Different universities, different levels of flexibility.

Electives are extra subjects that you take alongside your major, either for credits for your degree or just for interest. Generally speaking, the larger the university the larger and more diverse is the offering of electives. Even if you don’t require electives for your degree, it is a good idea to attend some extra classes just for interest. Make the most of your time at university to learn new things, especially in subject areas which may not be directly related to your major.

You can work or not during your studies, it depends on several factors

Are you allowed to work in that country? Work permit? Remember you will almost certainly be there on a student visa. Many countries allow students to work up to a maximum number of hours per week even if you are in that country on a student visa. Canada and the UK are examples.

Are you restricted to working only on-campus, or can you work in the normal Labour market in the city?

For some students the ability to find work alongside their studies is critical to finance their studies. No work, no university.

Many students have a part time job alongside their studies during the semester times, and then work full-time during the university holidays. Remember, universities normally only open for approximately 30 weeks a year, this leaves 22 weeks a year of holiday.