The Facilities

The facilities offered by universities are fairly similar to one another.

All will have a library, a sports centre, a health service, a careers service and so on. If there is something that is particularly important for you it is worth checking it out before you apply. You could even create a speadsheet with a list of key facilities to build your own University facilities checklist.

Accommodation will be important if you are going away from home.

• Is there an accommodation guarantee for first-year students? What about later years?
• If you are an avid on-line gamer you will want to know if the rooms have broadband or wireless access and whether there is a cost attached.
• If you are often out late socialising you may want to know where the accommodation is located so you and your parents can be reassured that you can get back home late at night and you will feel safe doing so.
• If you are unable to live in university accommodation for the duration of your course find out where the private accommodation is located – is it in a good location five miles down the road (which could be good for access to shops, night-clubs and the laundrette) or in the less-desirable part of town?

If you have a particular minority interest you would like to follow while at university, then this could be a decision-making factor.

• Most universities will have football pitches and clubs, societies and unions.
• Climbing walls and an Ultimate Frisbee society may be harder to find.
• The students' union will be able to tell you.

Students' Unions (sometimes called Students' Guilds or Student Associations) have always been an important aspect of student life.

• They have come a long way from the traditional image of providers of cheap beer and student protests.
• The modern entrepreneurial union will have a wide range of services from food and stationery outlets through to comprehensive advice services.
• Increasingly they are providers of part-time employment for students and are becoming involved in personal skills development.
• Inevitably some are more active and innovative than others, so they are worth taking a looking at.
• Our University Profiles give a summary of each university's Student's Union.

Over the years as the financial position of students has worsened universities have responded by setting up employment agencies or Job Shops.

• These are generally based in careers services or students' unions and the agencies use their contacts with employers to help to identify employment opportunities.
• The agency will also help to ensure that rates of pay and hours of work are reasonable and within statutory guidelines.
• If you think you may become short of cash, a good employment agency of this type could be vital to your financial stability.
• Do take a look at the individual University Profiles for information on the availability of part-time work.

If you have any special needs which are particular to you, do take the time to ensure that your needs will be catered for by the universities that you are applying to.

• Support for students with disabilities has improved greatly in recent years. 
• Some universities are particularly good while others have old buildings that make access difficult. 
• All universities will have a comprehensive understanding of the Disability and Equality Act 2010.
• Some will be more pro-active than others.

Be sure you find the institution that will support you to have the best student experience possible.

Next page: The Cost