An introduction to university for parents and carers

Going to university is a big step for your young person, and you may be wondering how best to support them, or why they should even go. We have answered some common questions and have put together some resources which will help you understand the university process.

Students enter Higher Education once they have completed Level 3 courses. These include, but are not limited to, A-Levels, T-Levels, and BTEC National Extended Diplomas.

Students studying their first course at university are called undergraduates. These are usually three year courses, but can be longer. Undergraduate courses have a number of different titles, with some of the most common being:

BA – Bachelor of Arts
BSc – Bachelor of Science
LLB – Bachelor of Laws
BEng – Bachelor of Engineering

Once they have successfully completed and gained a qualification in their degree course, they then become Graduates – and if they want to continue their studies, they then look for postgraduate courses.

If your young person is interested in going to university, there are plenty of reasons why it might be a good pathway for them:

University graduates tend to earn higher salaries and have higher status jobs than non-graduates.
A university degree is necessary for certain professional careers, but don’t forget that that 60% of graduate job opportunities are open to graduates from any discipline, which means that you do not need a degree in a specific subject to enter them.
The university experience will help them to become more independent and mature through taking control of their own learning, living and socialising.
They will be able to make new friends outside their usual circle. This can grow their confidence and expand their social network, which can in turn assist when they are looking at future careers.
They will get an opportunity to explore passions, hobbies and skills outside of the classroom and find new things they enjoy doing.
Finally, university provides a unique opportunity for young people to learn from experts, explore new interests and find out more about themselves and what they are good at and enjoy.

We recognise that university is just one of the choices available after completing school, Sixth Form or Further Education (FE) college. Other options include:

Apprenticeships

Apprentices are paid employees who study while they are working. Most apprenticeships involve on-the-job training combined with some classroom-based lessons so that apprentices gain experience and learn the skills they need to work in the industry they have chosen.

Degree apprenticeships

These are apprenticeships which allow people to achieve a degree while gaining work experience. Your young person would be a paid employee while on the programme, but they would spend part of their time at university. This scheme is quite new and becoming increasingly popular, so it is likely that the number of vacancies will grow over the next few years.

You can find out more about Degree Apprenticeships at LSBU here.

Level 4 qualifications

Level 4 qualifications are equivalent to the first year of an undergraduate degree, and are typically taken after completing Level 3 qualifications, such as A Levels, BTECs, or T levels. They can be a fantastic way to experience higher education, without necessarily committing to a full degree. There are several different Level 4 courses on offer, including:

Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE)
This is equivalent to the first year of an undergraduate degree. This fully academic course is a great way for your young person to find out if university is for them.
Higher National Certificate (HNC)
These vocational qualifications focus on industry skills and knowledge. They can be taken as a standalone qualification, or a stepping stone to a Higher National Diploma.
Higher Apprenticeship
Higher Apprenticeships are equivalent to the first year of a degree and allow your child to earn while they learn. There are also Level 5 Higher Apprenticeships, as well as Degree Apprenticeships at Level 6, which are equivalent to a full degree.

South Bank Colleges provide some useful further information on the Level 4 courses they offer, which can be found here. If your young person successfully completes a relevant Level 4 course at SBC, they can have fast-track access into year 2 of university at LSBU.

Fast Track to University with Level 4 | South Bank Colleges

Employment

Some students decide to go straight into employment. This could help build their confidence, develop their CV and provide them with professional and business networking opportunities.

Taking a gap year

Some young people choose to take a break after completing their final year of school or college to travel, work or volunteer. If your student is thinking of doing this, but has plans to go to university eventually, they can still apply in their final year and then delay their start date by a year. This is called deferred entry and you can find out more about it on the UCAS website.

Download our Parents’ and Carers’ flyer
- Our handy flyer will give you bitesize information on how to support your young person with applying to university.
- You can download the flyer here.

Read UniTasterDays’ Parents Guide to University
- UniTasterDays is a fantastic website for students and parents alike. It brings together a wealth of impartial advice and advertises online and in person events to help you get an insight into university.
- UniTasterDays also publishes an annual Parents’ Guide to University, which features articles written by university representatives from across the country, as well as from some external voices. Contributions offer a range of advice and guidance on how to support your child at all stages of their journey.
- You can find the UniTasterDays’ Parents’ Guide to University 2026 here.

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