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18 months before starting university

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Start thinking about what they want to study.
Compare courses and required grades at different universities.
Think about location – would they prefer a big city or quieter campus?
How close to - or far away from - home do they want to live?
Start getting them ready for uni life with Leapskills.

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The end of sixth form or college may seem far away, but if your young person wants to go to university, now is the time to start looking into options. Encourage them to think about what they might want to study, where, and whether their predicted grades match the points tariff of their preferred universities.

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As a parent or guardian, it’s worth thinking about how you can support your child to make the transition to university life a smooth one. Our research has shown a significant gap between what students expect university life to be like, and the reality when they arrive. That’s why we created Leapskills - an interactive programme to bridge the gap.

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Leapskills introduces scenarios that might crop up in student accommodation and encourages prospective students to think through how they would respond to a variety of situations. It can be worked through at home – so why not give it a go? You can access the programme and run through it with your uni-hopeful right now.

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15 months before

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Attend shortlisted university open days.
Check out university accommodation while you’re visiting.
Explore the cities to get a get a feel for them.

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It’s time for your young person to consider going to some university open days so they can get a feel for their favourites - and you may want to go along too! Most young people bring their parents to open days, and you may find that the university puts on special sessions for parents while you’re there.

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If you’re attending an open day, it’s a great idea to look at local accommodation and get an idea of what’s available. Unite Students has properties in 23 UK towns and cities, with locations close to campus, all bills included in the rent, vibrant student-led events in each building, and student welfare leads in every city. Find out which cities we’re based in on our homepage. To view a particular property, find the property page and select ‘book a viewing’ - our teams will be happy to show you around.

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It can be expensive to travel around the UK to visit different universities, but some unis offer travel bursaries, so it’s worth checking university websites for further information. Many universities also now offer virtual tours, which you can find through UCAS' handy guide.

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12 months before

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Decide which course(s) and universities to shortlist.
Create a personal statement.
Apply to universities via UCAS.

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Prospective students can now start to apply to universities via UCAS. For those wanting to study at Oxford or Cambridge, or take courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine/science, there’s less than six weeks to submit that application. Specific dates can be found on the UCAS website, as can a series of resources and guides to support your young person in making their application.

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For most universities and courses, the deadline to apply is in late January, but it’s better to apply sooner rather than later. Encourage your young person to start whittling down their choices, making the most of autumn open days and, once they know what they want to study, writing their personal statement. Learn how you can support them with their personal statement with this guide by The Parents’ Guide To.

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6 months before

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Sort student finance by mid-May.

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Universities will be making decisions until May, but it’s important for your young person to get student finance sorted. They should do this well in advance of starting university, even if they haven’t yet confirmed where or what they’ll be studying.

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Late student finance applications may mean the money doesn’t arrive in time for the start of term, as it can take up to eight weeks to review. Whatever part of the UK you’re based in, it’s recommended that your young person applies for student finance by mid-May.

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Find out what you need to know about supporting your young person’s student loans application in our handy student finance guide below.

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3 months before

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Choose ‘firm’ option of university course by early June.
Book university accommodation.

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University decisions will now be in, and your young person will need to choose a ‘firm’ choice of university course through UCAS by early June. This means that, should they meet the grade requirements – or if it’s an unconditional offer – they will be guaranteed a spot on that course at that university.

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Your young person will likely need to have confirmed a university as their firm option before they can book university-owned accommodation. But if they’re looking to live with Unite Students at university, they can book at any time during the university application process – even before an offer has been made. There's no deposit is required, making things a little easier upfront.

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1 month before

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Think about what to take to university.
Download the MyUnite app.
Get ready for results day.
If they don’t get the results required, they can go through clearing.

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At long last, it’s Results Day. If all goes well – congratulations! You’ll want to think about what your young person needs for independent living, perhaps using a checklist. For everything you’ll need in one easy bundle, we offer Kit Out kits which include everything from bedding and towels to pots, pans and crockery.

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If your young person is moving into a Unite Students property, make sure they’ve downloaded the MyUnite app. MyUnite allows students to check in and get to know their new flatmates and neighbours prior to arrival. They will also be able to log maintenance requests, get sorted with lock-outs, access laundry facilities, and much more.

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If the results weren’t what they’d hoped for, your young person can choose to go through clearing to find a place on another course – you can learn more about clearing at UCAS’ website. And don’t worry - you can switch your booking to a property in another city or cancel your booking with Unite Students for free.

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University life begins!

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Prepare for the big day
Register with a GP
Take out contents insurance

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The time has finally come for your young person to head to university! If you’re accompanying your young person, check the university or accommodation provider’s website to familiarise yourself with where you can park when dropping them (and all their stuff!) off at their accommodation. The welcome guide your young person will receive will answer all your questions about what this process looks like at Unite Students – and there’s also our online check-in portal.

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Your young person should get registered with a local GP, which should be covered on their university’s website. We also recommend and taking out contents insurance so that their belongings are protected. If they’re living with Unite Students, insurance is covered at no extra cost by Endsleigh – although not all items are covered.

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Belongings all moved in? All that remains now is to say goodbye, and let your young person take their first step towards living independently.

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