University Applications 2026 - Support Thread

[Ventress]

DS is applying to start university in Autumn 2026. He's done several open days and has a reasonable idea of where and what he wants to wants to study - History or History & Politics.

He loved UCL and Exeter, liked Warwick, didn't like Bristol. He's also talking about early application but can't decide whether to apply to Oxford or Cambridge. He's also muttering about Durham, which he didn't visit but others in his History class did and loved it.

Anyone join me for a thread to support our DC as they navigate this process? DS is my only child so this is all new to me!

@WhisperingAngelisnotbad that’s shocking. Can he change his email address on his UCAS account?

Oh gosh, what an absolute nightmare whisperingangelisnotbad- what issue is he having? It just won’t let him register on the website/log in at all?

Hi everyone, really pleased to have found this thread and reading all of your experiences so far. Mine is looking at applying for history at a northern university but we are both overwhelmed by all of the information and processes. I will keep following for guidance and any tips much appreciated! Good luck to everyone!

There's good information on UCAS and you should ask his school if you want anything (they may be doing an information evening on it, so I'd check about that).

Thanks so much, will definitely do that!

DS will be applying for history. Trying for Oxford but that is a very long shot. More realistic options so far are Manchester, Birmingham and Lancaster.

Does anyone have any experience of Reading Uni? It has some quite interesting courses and is a good distance away from home but it doesn't feature that high in the rankings.

A couple of people on another thread said their Law department had been very impressive on the Open Day.

In the Times ranking list they're actually ahead of Manchester and Leeds.

Their accomodation looks expensive though-and I would think renting in the town is pricy too.

Reading is our local university @AuntyBulgariaand I’ve only heard good things about it. My son has ruled it out due to proximity. It has a lovely campus, is an easy walk into town. Private renting will not be cheap but there should be lots of options. It’s also on the “nice” side of town if that’s important. Reading is a large town and has really good transport links.

@TinfoilTangerine, my son is applying for history too. We didn’t get to the Birmingham open day as we were at UCL. Did your son go? Did he like it? At the moment my son is thinking Exeter would be his insurance choice but I think he should consider Birmingham. We are in Berkshire and DS has put a 2 hour limit on choices so Birmingham just about qualifies 😊

I hope you can get the TMUA booking sorted @WhisperingAngelisnotbad. What a nightmare!

Hi @spleenyonewhich universities is your DC considering for history? My son is considering applying to Durham (despite it being way outside of his self imposed 2 hour travel limit!) but the others are all midlands and south.

@Ventress yes he liked Birmingham. The only negative for us is it's only 40 mins by train away and he thinks may be too close. Departmental talks from staff and students were good. There is apparently no exams in the assessments - DS not sure if that would be a good thing for him or not.

Thanks @TinfoilTangerine. Interesting about assessments. Warwick is the same - no exams at all. My son is similar - says he quite likes the challenge of exams!

Options seem to be Lancaster, York, Newcastle and Northumbria at the moment.

Dd did architecture (not at any of the ones you’re Dd is considering). She has friends who have done architecture and been happy at Nottingham, Loughborough and I also know someone who studied at Cardiff who liked architecture there.

dd is going to Manchester for her Part 2. I’d definitely look at that, it’s top 10 in the world rankings. Dd accepted it over Edinburgh. The only place she’d have preferred would have been Cambridge but she was rejected after interview. Dd is really excited about the ateliers at Manchester. She believes that it’s quite on the arty side of courses. 🤷‍♀️😁. Their student work I’ve seen online and at open days was very impressive

Your not you’re….swear I’m not illiterate 😁

Hello, can I join in? Little late to this one as DD decided she wanted to go to university only about 2-3 weeks ago! She likes to leave things until last minute so we have everything to do in the next 6 months.

She wants to do ecology and wildlife conservation but limited on realistic choices due to coming the more practical route and will be applying with a C&G L3.

Her current short long list includes every university which accepts her qualification as stated on their entry requirements or has said over the phone that they will accept/consider it. Fortunately there is only about 20 universities on there but she now needs to get this down to something realistic so we can start doing open days. Thankfully she’s been organised and made a “green”, “amber” and “red” list for who will definitely accept, who will accept depending on units and who will maybe consider it and has at least realised she needs to include at least 2 from the green list.

Current favourites include Bangor, Cumbria, SRUC, RAU, Nottingham Trent, Harper Adams, Lancaster and Stirling due to location but she needs to do some proper research into the courses and where she actually wants to be in the country as she’s also got places like Oxford brooks and Exeter on the list which, for us, are a million miles away.

She also needs to write a personal statement - so much to do, so little time!

Wow @FruidSaladwithTomatoes you're not late! I would say you're ahead of the game. We have been to one open day, will do another next month and some time this term the personal statement will get written and final choices will be made.

Two years ago we were here with our eldest - there's plenty of time!

I'm actually just now staying with a friend whose son did a horticulture degree at SRUC.

Hes now in a great job working for the RHS so clearly their degrees have value.

The course was based in Edinburgh and the accommodation was really expensive though.

F

@MyOtherProfile i just feel we have left it late, i think from hearing others have started looking in march last year and then reading mumsnet - which always skews perspective slightly. I can appreciate there is still lots of time. Which open days are you going to?

@HPFA SRUC seems to be one of those rarely heard of, often overlooked but very well respected/regarded by certain industries. Your friends son has done fantastically to get work with RHS, hope he enjoys it. The course DD is looking at is based at the Barony campus which is somewhere near Dumfries.

Edited for spelling.

That degree sounds fascinating @FruidSaladwithTomatoes, and I agree with @MyOtherProfile that you and your daughter don’t sound late to the game at all.

You are the other end of the country to me so I haven’t got any personal experience of the universities you mention but, from what I’ve read on here, NTU, Stirling and Lancaster all have really lovely campuses. RAU I know as it’s near my in laws and is in a beautiful part of the country. The others all sound as though they are too! Good luck with the open days.

Who started in March last year? Year 12? So some may have begun looking at what courses are available and that sort of thing but there's nothing more you can do. Don't let anyone panic you. This term ahead is when students will really be looking at unis and schools will be supporting in that. A lot of it happens this term as most schools want the UCAS form to them by Christmas. But lots of students are still thinking and looking right up to summer.

@FruidSaladwithTomatoes we have been to UEA and are going to Oxford Brookes. I love the open days - they're quite inspiring!

@FruidSaladwithTomatoes I think some parents take their kids in Y11 to open days? We did ours in June/July of y12 this year but could/should have maybe looked in autumn last year too as DD is applying for med. Her UCAS has to be in by 15 Oct so not much time to do any more open days after we start y13.

We looked around 4 unis but it will be more useful if DD gets offers to go on their offer holders days next spring. Med is a bit different as in you don't know which uni you can apply to until you've done UCAT which is around now so it can feel a it rushed.

If not early entry (oxbridge/med/vet/dent) plenty of time to do open days still.

Feeling a bit more reassured now, thanks guys :)
I was doing a bit of panicking, yes it was some Y11 and also Y12 who were doing open days making me think we were miles behind. But having a good read through everything here I can see we’re about right with things and I’ve calmed myself down a bit.

I am looking forward to the open days, it’s something I never did myself so I think I’m just as excited as DD to go round them (I know I shouldn’t be, but I am).

@MyOtherProfile I would be interested to hear your opinion on Oxford brooks after you have been.

@Ventress thanks! Not sure which ones we will be going in yet, but she’s after something smaller and not in a huge city by the sounds of things. So it’s going to be a lot days out to some really lovely parts of the country.