Can someone please explain university to me.

[Whitetablefan]

Dd has decided she might want to go to university next year.

Can someone please explain in stupid terms how it all works.

She’s just about to go into year 13.

Unfortunately we don’t know anyone who has been to university and her sixth form haven’t really mentioned it apart from a small workshop on the last day of year 12.

I'd really concentrate on why she wants to do criminology, there's not really any jobs you could walk into where this would mean she could pay off debts incurred.
And she wants to go into the police for example , maybe better to just join the police and study whilst training.
If she ants to be a criminal lawyer then study law and take more optional modules on criminal law. If she wants to be a criminal psychologist, which would very likely mean postgrad study too, then concentrate on psych with criminal modules here.
I would be really keen for her to talk to the schools career advisor for some guidance too as they'd have all the background (I'm just a 50 year old who has been through the system, studied sciences tonPhD level and beyond) and these would be the questions I'd be asking for my kids.
Also, once she's decided which course, get her to check the course content at different universities as they differ too, so for example if she did psych then check out any uni she's u treated in, or look online at options where they have a good element of criminal modules if that's what interests her.
Good luck - but tell her to keep her eye on the prize - ie the career at the other end of all that studying

The Student Room is useful for all kinds of questions and discussions.

My dd is university in Newcastle and lives quite comfortably on her loan. Her halls were £4000 in first year and ever so slightly less in second year with a bills package. Both years she could walk to her lectures and into the city. She absolutely loves it.

So she will need to apply for student finance which will ask for your household income.
The university costs will be covered by student loan.
She will then be offered a maintenance loan the amount will depend on your earnings. Me and dh earned around 50 k the first year and dd got about 6k , (maybe just under ) by year 3 dh had moved jobs and earned closer to 70k so she got just under 5k. (This is the live in maintenance loan)
When she looks at universities it's important to consider accommodation costs as they vary plus cost of living in the city. (North is typically cheaper) we managed to find accommodation that was covered by the maintenance loan.
We could afford to give dd £200 a month for food. Her maintenance loan covered accommodation. She then got a job to cover everything else - she worked 16 hours a week earning around £150 a week.
Another thing to consider is how often your dd will want to come home/you visit . If you living in London and she choses Scotland travel will be expensive.
Consider if she wants a busy city or a quieter experience.
Also looked at her expected grades, and the course she wants to do. Different unis will have different grade requirements.
Open days are a good idea to get a feel for a place.

Scholarships and bursaries

https://www.ucas.com/money-and-student-life/money/scholarships-grants-and-bursaries/specific-subjects#what-subject-specific-scholarships-grants-or-bursaries-can-you-get

https://www.ucas.com/money-and-student-life/money/scholarships-grants-and-bursaries/widening-participation

There is a lot of information to take in but Admissions officers at the universities will be happy to help with any queries.

Also if she is from an area that doesn't send many to university she may be eligible for a contextual (lower)
offer - so have a read about those as well