The London Universities Group Roadshow Webinar

Do Queen Mary take an EPQ into consideration when making offers?

At Queen Mary, if you take the EPQ you may be eligible for a dual offer, you can find out more information and the criteria on our webpages.

Can we only apply for student finance once we have decided on a firm/insurance university?

When you apply for student finance, they will ask for a university. You can change this though later on - Tara from Royal Holloway will be taking you through this as well during her presentation.

Does Queen Mary require work experience for their medicine course?

We do prefer our Medicine applicants to have work experience. We appreciate that work experience is difficult to arrange at the moment due to the current COVID-19 restrictions. We would, therefore, advise that you try to get some work experience later in the year ahead of the 15th October deadline if possible. If you cannot organise anything in this time, please aim to complete your work experience prior to the interview season in January next year. Make a note of the work you have arranged or plan to do in your application - and the interview panel may be able to ask you about your experiences.

For a computer Science course is it necessary for a entrance exam like STEP.

The short answer is no, you don't have to do an entrance exam for all courses at all universities. Check the entry requirements for the universities you're interested in.

Where in London is the student accommodation mainly located?

For Goldsmiths, some of our student accommodation is on campus (such as Loring Hall) or is a short walk from campus. Some of it is 15-minutes away in Brockley and we have some that is a short bus or train ride away in Shadwell or Camberwell. Although they are further from campus, the benefit is that you are closer to central London.

When do we apply for university accommodation?

Different universities will have different timelines, but generally you will apply for accommodation (if applicable) once you have made your firm choice. For info, Royal Holloway's window this year will be between Friday 30 April and Friday 16 July 2021.

I am visually impaired and am think about studying at one of the London universities but one of the biggest concerns is traveling in and around London. Is this something I should be worried about? How accessible is London and is there support that can be given to me?

The TFL website has information about using the transport network if you have a visual or hearing impairment - https://tfl.gov.uk/transport-accessibility/people-with-sight-or-hearing-loss. Most universities will be very happy to arrange a familiarity visit to the campus for you so you have the opportunity to check out the layout of campus and focus on the location of the rooms and facilities you will use. This visit can also include conversations with library staff, for example, who can provide details of the support for students with a visual impairment.

On results day, if we miss our offer grades by one grade, would we be given leniency (due to the circumstances) or still have to go through ordinary clearing?

At Queen Mary we understand how disappointed you may feel about the cancellation of your exams. We know the enormous impact the pandemic has had on your learning and preparation for university. We are also aware that you, and your family and friends, may have been directly affected by Covid-19. Whether you’re a Queen Mary offer holder or still thinking about applying, please be assured that, whatever happens with exams and the way your grades are awarded, we will be as flexible and accommodating as we can be to your individual circumstances.

Can you apply for engineering without maths but have a very good result in physics and design and technology?

This will likely vary between each university - we would look for maths here at City.

What would you say Goldsmiths specialises in?

At Goldsmiths we're best known for our creative subjects (art, design, media, music, theatre) but we also do humanities and social sciences (anthropology, criminology, sociology, history, English, psychology, economics), professional subjects (business, education, social work, journalism, law) and technology (computing). So lots of options!

What would you say for people who want to go to university in London, but don’t want to live with their family? Is it best to try and rent a place?

This would depend on your preference. You could potentially move into university halls, private run halls (these often allow students from a range of unis to live in the same building and can be found all across the capital) or rent a place from a private landlord.

As part of the University of London is there much collaboration with the other London Universities in terms of student unions, subject lectures or extra course modules?

Absolutely, we are a member of Student Central which is the Union for University of London students, for social opportunities and facilities. In terms of extra course modules, this is possible in some subjects (e.g., History) but it does depend on your subject of interest!

If I have two virtual work experiences in medicine, am I more likely to be accepted for biomedical sciences at St George’s?

Wonderful to hear that you've been able to secure some virtual work experience, great work! I would recommend discussing what you have learned/experienced during these opportunities within your personal statement when applying for Biomedical sciences to support your application.

For City, do you take combination of A-Levels and BTEC?

We do indeed, it will vary exactly what we're looking for from course to course, but generally speaking we'd be happy to take a look at this.

Does London get noisy at night?

It depends on where you live. You're right that London is a busy place and if your accommodation is on a main road, you could get a lot of traffic noise. Equally, if your accommodation is on a side street or overlooks a park, it can be surprisingly quiet. Having a look around the area where your university is based, will help you see how busy or quiet it is.

Would you say staying in London for university would hinder you socially (if you aren't living out?)

No not really, once on campus, the environment is different, and you get the chance to make friends and meet new people throughout your time on campus. It's really more about your own willingness to engage with people.

Aren't London universities much more expensive? Is it worth the extra cost?

No, there are factors that help you with this. If you are staying in London, you actually get to save more (especially if you are already familiar with the city). Tara’s student finance presentation will include information on this.

Can you apply to any of these unis with an IB application?

All of the unis accept the IB as an equivalent of A-levels. The IB requirement will be on each university's website.

How many hours can you work in a week while studying for any of the unis?

It depends a bit on your course/subject but broadly speaking we say that you shouldn't work more than 16 hours per week. If you were doing a subject with a large number of contact hours (like medicine) you might work fewer hours.

Do universities offer additional support or resources for people with Dyslexia?

All universities have student support services, and they provide help and advice to students with dyslexia. We advise all students to contact their university when they apply so that we can have a conversation early on so we get to know you and we can start the process of getting funding and support in place as soon as possible. Please check the websites of the universities you're interested in for more information.

Do you have any personal statement tips?

I'd recommend utilising any work experience on your personal Statement. Think of utilising it using the ABC Rule (Activity, Benefit, Course) A - Activity - What have you actually gained experience in? B - Benefit - How did this benefit you? What did you gain from it? C - Course - How does this link back to the course you are applying for?

Would every university including ones outside London have extracurricular activities (sports).

There definitely will be! Check out the ones you are interested in for the specifics, but you'll definitely find them everywhere.