Before you apply for college or university …

• Make sure you’re fully prepared for making your university application with these key steps. Applying to university is a big step, but it doesn’t have to feel like a daunting one. These are the steps you’ll follow to make your application.

• Choose where you want to go and what you want to study

• When you’re deciding which course to take, there are a few things you can consider to make your decision a bit easier. These include: the type of subject you want to study; how the course will be taught; how the course will be assessed; and whether the course has any particular grade requirements.

• Make sure you know all the deadlines and key dates

• Get those key dates down in your diary, so you can make sure you’re not missing any deadlines. If you miss this deadline you can still apply – the only difference will be that universities and colleges don’t have to consider your application if, for example, they’ve already got plenty of great applicants for their course.

• Check the entry requirements

• Entry requirements are the criteria set by the individual universities that students need to meet to be considered for a place on the course. These will vary depending on the university and course you’re applying to, with some having much tougher entry requirements than others.

• Get your application started Once you’ve chosen your dream course and university, it’s time to get started on your application.

• You’ll also need to include a reference in your application. If your referee is someone at your school or college, they’ll enter their reference into your application once it’s all filled out.