Higher Education Hub
University is still the strongest route. It just isn't the only one.
Explore universities alongside conservatoires, drama schools, film schools, art schools, foundation years and degree apprenticeships.
Oxford
University of Oxford
A*AA–A*A*A + admissions test + interview
Known for Medicine, Law, PPE, Engineering.
Tutorial teaching, college system, subject-specific tests for most courses.
Cambridge
University of Cambridge
A*AA–A*A*A + admissions assessment + interview
Known for Natural Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, Maths.
Supervisions in pairs, college applications, strong contextual offer scheme.
London
Imperial College London
A*AA typical, Maths often required
Known for Engineering, Medicine, Computing.
Science and engineering only — very quantitative teaching.
London
London School of Economics
A*AA–AAB, A Level Maths for Economics
Known for Economics, Law, Finance, Politics.
Social sciences specialist with heavy City recruitment.
London
UCL
A*AA–ABB depending on course
Known for Architecture, Medicine, Psychology, Law.
Very broad course list; Access UCL contextual offers reduce grades.
London
King's College London
A*AA–ABB depending on course
Known for Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Law.
Big health faculty with extended medical degree programme.
Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
AAA–ABB, Scottish Highers accepted
Known for Medicine, Vet, Informatics, Arts.
Four-year Scottish degrees with a broader first two years.
Manchester
University of Manchester
AAA–ABB depending on course
Known for Business, Engineering, Medicine.
Huge campus, large societies, strong graduate recruitment.
Bristol
University of Bristol
A*AA–ABB, contextual offers widely used
Known for Engineering, Law, Vet, Economics.
Bristol Scholars and contextual offers can drop requirements two grades.
Coventry
University of Warwick
A*A*A–AAB, Maths heavy courses
Known for Maths, Economics, Business, Engineering.
Campus university with very strong quantitative reputation.
Leeds
University of Leeds
AAA–BBB depending on course
Known for Medicine, Business, Design.
Large city campus, wide foundation year provision.
Nottingham
University of Nottingham
AAA–ABB depending on course
Known for Medicine, Vet, Engineering, Law.
Runs a widely used medicine with foundation-year route.
Brighton
University of Sussex
AAB–BBC, foundation years available
Known for Psychology, Media, International Relations.
Campus in the South Downs, strong widening participation offers.
London
RADA
Audition and recall — grades are not the deciding factor
Known for Acting, stage management, technical theatre.
Extremely competitive; audition preparation matters more than A Levels.
London
Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Audition/interview plus grades for some courses
Known for Music performance, acting, production arts.
Conservatoire training — apply via UCAS Conservatoires for music.
Manchester
Royal Northern College of Music
Audition led, roughly Grade 8 standard expected
Known for Performance, composition, conducting.
One-to-one instrumental teaching with a professional performance schedule.
London
Central Saint Martins (UAL)
Portfolio plus foundation diploma normally expected
Known for Fashion, graphic design, fine art.
Most students arrive via an Art Foundation year — portfolio decides it.
London
London College of Fashion (UAL)
Portfolio plus BBC–BBB typical
Known for Fashion design, styling, fashion business.
Covers the business and technical side of fashion, not just design.
London
Royal College of Art
Postgraduate only — degree plus portfolio
Known for Postgraduate art and design.
A destination after an undergraduate degree, not straight from school.
Beaconsfield
National Film and Television School
Portfolio/showreel; mostly postgraduate and diploma entry
Known for Directing, cinematography, producing, editing.
Industry-facing; short courses exist for younger applicants.
Cambridge, MA
Harvard University
Holistic: GPA, essays, activities, recommendations
Known for Liberal arts, pre-med, government, economics.
Need-blind admissions with very generous financial aid.
Cambridge, MA
MIT
Holistic with very strong maths and science record
Known for Engineering, computer science, physics.
Project and lab heavy from year one.
Stanford, CA
Stanford University
Holistic; extremely selective
Known for CS, engineering, entrepreneurship.
Silicon Valley internship pipeline.
Los Angeles, CA
UCLA
GPA plus essays; UC application
Known for Film, psychology, engineering, business economics.
Huge public university with a serious film and TV school.
Ann Arbor, MI
University of Michigan
3.7+ GPA typical for out-of-state
Known for Business, engineering, sport.
Big Ten campus life with strong recruiting.
Austin, TX
UT Austin
Top 6% in-state auto-admit; holistic otherwise
Known for Engineering, business, computer science.
Fast-growing tech city on the doorstep.
New York, NY
New York University
Holistic; portfolio/audition for Tisch
Known for Film (Tisch), business (Stern), arts.
No traditional campus — the city is the campus.
Tempe, AZ
Arizona State University
3.0+ GPA typical, generous transfer routes
Known for Business, engineering, journalism.
Large access-focused university with strong online options.
Providence, RI
Rhode Island School of Design
Portfolio plus assignment drawings
Known for Illustration, industrial design, fine art.
Portfolio is the primary decision, cross-registers with Brown.
Ways in
Nine doors into higher education.
If the front door is shut this year, one of these is usually open.
Integrated foundation year
You're one or two grades short, or missing a required subject.
Typically CCC–BBC
Student finance covers the extra year
Contextual offer
Your school, household income, care experience or postcode means you may qualify for a reduced offer.
Often one to two grades below the published offer
Often paired with bursaries and scholarships
Access to HE or alternative qualification
You left school without the qualifications you now need, or you're returning to study.
Merit/Distinction profile expected by most universities
Advanced Learner Loan, written off if you complete a degree
Degree apprenticeship in engineering
You want a salary, real projects and a degree with no tuition debt.
Typically BBB–CCC, employer dependent
Salary paid, tuition funded by employer and government
HNC/HND then top-up
You want to start with hands-on technical study and build up.
More open entry than a direct degree
Student finance available for HNC/HND
Graduate entry medicine
You'd rather do a related degree first, or you're already at university.
Usually a 2:1 or first, plus GAMSAT or UCAT
Different funding rules apply to second degrees — check carefully
Specialist school or conservatoire
You want intensive professional training rather than an academic degree.
Often not the deciding factor
Student finance for degree-level courses; scholarships common
Study abroad
You're open to training in another country, sometimes at lower cost or with different entry rules.
Often more accessible than UK equivalents, with different assessment
Fees can be lower; UK student finance usually doesn't apply
Money
Student finance, scholarships and the cost question.
Tuition is loaned, not paid up front, and repayment is income-linked. Apprenticeships pay you instead. Conservatoire and art school scholarships are widely under-applied for.
Student finance
Tuition and maintenance loans, repaid as a percentage of income above a threshold.
Scholarships
Subject, context, sport and music awards — most go unclaimed each year.
Apprenticeships
Salary from day one with tuition funded by the employer and government.