BA/BSc
What's a Bachelor’s degree?
A Bachelor’s degree (normally just referred to as a ‘degree’) is a course of academic study. It aims to give your son or daughter a thorough understanding of their chosen subject.
Studying for a degree is usually classroom based, but in some courses, there is an option to take a year working ‘in industry.’
A degree comes with different titles depending on the subject studied. These include:
- Bachelor of Arts (BA)
- Bachelor of Science (BSc)
- Bachelor of Education (BEd)
- Bachelor of Engineering (BEng)
There are a huge range of subjects that can be chosen at undergraduate degree level such as accounting, computing, engineering, history, english, maths…the list goes on. The best place to find these are in the university’s prospectus.
Who can study for a degree?
To be offered a place as an undergraduate, your son or daughter needs to meet general and specific entry requirements. These differ depending on the type of course and where they want to study.
Entry requirements usually specify a minimum number of UCAS tariff points needed to apply for the course indicating the level of qualifications the applicant has. There may also be a requirement for points in a specific area of study.
If your son or daughter meets the entry requirements, during the selection process your they will be in competition with other students who are eligible for and applied to the same course.
Where can you study?
You can study for a degree at
- Universities
- Higher education colleges
- Via distance learning through the Open University
How long does it take?
If your son or daughter wants to study full-time, a degree will normally take 3 years to complete.
Some courses take 4 years. Others can take 5 or 6 years such as medicine.
Most courses start at the beginning of the academic year, in September or October.
What are the costs?
Course fees can be up to £9,000 per year of study. The fees will vary depending on the course and where your son or daughter wants to study.
You’ll also need to consider whether you will need to pay fees for accommodation and general living costs.
Enrolling on a degree course means that your son or daughter could apply for financial support from Student Finance England.
Depending on income and eligibility, this could mean that they are entitled to a course fee loan and/or support with the cost of living (maintenance).
If you’re eligible you would not need to pay course fees upfront. Your son or daughter would only have to start paying back the loan once they were earning more than £21,000 a year.
How do you apply?
UCAS is responsible for managing full-time applications to higher education courses in the UK.
Where to next?
Most graduates use will use their qualification to move into a job or profession. Many organisations want to attract graduates and will provide them with specific graduate training schemes to support their career development.
Alternatively, they might choose to continue with higher education and take a post-graduate diploma or masters degree.
Further information
Applying for university