Going to university? What happens after results day

After results day, when you should (hopefully) have a place confirmed at the university you want, you may be wondering what happens next. I will provide a guide to this here.

Firstly, be aware that university processes can differ. For example, at Durham University, you will have to complete an offer acceptance form within seven days of receiving your confirmed decision. You should receive clear instructions from your confirmed institution about what to do next.

Also consider that if you sit certain qualifications, you 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: You should ensure your contact details are correct – by this point you should not be using a school email address.

• Accommodation: You will need to ensure your accommodation arrangements are made.

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

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

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

• Budget: You should, by this point, have a good idea of your expected income when you are at university. You 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 you have already. A railcard can save you a third off your train travel. Once you have made two or three journeys, you may have saved what you would have spent on buying the card.

• Join social media groups: You can also start making connections with your fellow students on social media. 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 you arrive, and it should make the whole process less daunting.

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

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