A guide to preparing for university - what happens after results day?

After results day, when your students hopefully have a place confirmed at university, you may be wondering what happens next. I will provide a guide to this here.

University processes can differ. For example, at Durham University, students will have to complete an offer acceptance form within seven days of receiving their confirmed decision. They should receive clear instructions from their confirmed institution about what to do next.

Also consider that if your students sit certain qualifications, they may need to send these to UCAS. A list of results that UCAS don’t receive from the exam board can be found on the UCAS website .

• Contact: Students should ensure their contact details are correct – by this point they should not be using a school email address.

• Accommodation: Students will need to ensure their accommodation arrangements are arranged.

• Support: Students should discuss any support that they might need, for example, additional support if they have a disability.

• Enrol: There will be a process of enrolment that students will need to follow, this will ensure that they have things like a university IT account, an email address etc. After this they should then be able to register for the university course modules they want to take.

• Organise their finances: First, students should make sure they set up a bank account if they have not already. They can often get great student bank accounts which offer incentives such as a young person’s railcard, this will save students a lot of money when they are travelling to and from university.

• Budget: Students should, by this point, have a good idea of their expected income when they are at uni. They should learn the costs of everyday items, thinking about essential items like food and utilities, and then luxuries like evenings out and clothes.

• Buy a Railcard: A 16-25 student railcard is a worthwhile investment if it is not something they have already. A railcard can save them a third off their train travel. Once they have made two or three journeys, they may have saved what they have spent on buying the card.

• Join social media groups: Students can also start making connections with their fellow students. Most universities will have social media groups in place which they will invite incoming students to. This is a great way to make friends before they arrive, and it should make the whole process less daunting.

• Start reading: Most institutions will have a pre-reading list available before students arrive. Students will not be expected to read everything, but they should get their brain cells going again and prepare for the workload that they can expect when they start university.

• Learn to be self-sufficient: Students should prepare for certain life-skills that are required when living away from home. Some students may have never cooked, cleaned or done their laundry! The summer break is a great way to learn some of these skills. Students should at least know how to cook two or three basic meals to help them stay fit and healthy at university.