Careers Advisory Service - Find further study: when and how do I apply?

Find further study: when and how do I apply?

Ideally, you should start your enquiries before your final year, especially if you're hoping to study overseas, but in practice very few people do!
Many popular vocational courses are full by Christmas, and so you need to apply early in the autumn. Primary age range PGCE courses and journalism are examples.
For many taught and research degrees, January/February is the peak time to apply, though you are advised to start looking into opportunities well before this.
In most cases the closing date is simply when the course is full!
For most postgraduate courses there is no central clearing system, but there are some clearing systems and closing dates for specific vocational courses e.g. teacher training, law and clinical psychology.

For most courses, you apply individually to as many universities as you like. Application processes vary across departments, discplines and institutions; in many cases, you will need to complete an online application form, though sometimes advertisements for PhD projects request a CV and a covering letter. If you're considering applying for a PhD, see our guide below on How to apply for a PhD. If you're looking for a PhD project it can be worthwhile to write a speculative application to potential supervisors enquiring about the possibility of working with them.
Prospects.ac.uk provides a free online application facility for UK and international students to apply direct to many, though not all, UK universities for postgraduate research and courses.
You may see taught and research courses advertised as late as a few weeks before the course begins, but don't count on leaving it that late if you want a choice, or maximum chance of any funding.

Download our guide as follows:

You will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the PDF file - you can download a free copy from the Adobe site.