Choosing a university is an exciting but significant decision with many factors to think about. If your student is considering Royal Holloway, they’re already on an exciting path, with you by their side.
There's lots to consider when picking a university. It might be a decision driven by the campus or its location, or maybe your student knows what they want to study but they're not sure where.
To give you a flavour, students choose Royal Holloway for its:
- Close-knit and collaborative community where lecturers know their students and are invested in their success.
- Diverse and inclusive environment, enriched by wide-ranging perspectives from around the world.
- Strong reputation for excellent graduate outcomes and consistently high student satisfaction.
- Pioneering research that drives innovation and delivers real-world change.
- Extensive opportunities that broaden the student experience, from clubs and societies, to studying abroad, volunteering and part-time work.
- Safe and beautiful campus that blends historic buildings with modern facilities and green spaces – with excellent transport links to Heathrow and Central London.
FAQs
Is university right my student?
Maybe your student is still contemplating whether university is the next step for them.
University can be a great step for many young people, offering new opportunities and greater independence and the chance to grow personally, academically and socially.
A degree might be a pre-requisite for some vocations, and for others it can increase employability and expected salaries. But with many different options out there, you might be wondering if university is the best choice for your student.
Establish why they think they might like to go to university. Discuss their interests, learning styles and career aspirations to help establish if Royal Holloway offers the environment where they can thrive.
We know that deciding whether to go to university might be more challenging for some young people. Perhaps your student is the first in the family to go, or they’re from a background that’s traditionally less represented in higher education. At Royal Holloway, we recognise that not everyone starts at the same place.
That’s why we consider personal circumstances when reviewing applications. Our contextual offers, financial support and resources for teachers and students ensure that no one is at a disadvantage. Find out more about how we're breaking down barriers on our Widening Access page.
Click here to view this information as a PDF.
How to choose a course?
Your student might already have a clear subject in mind, but if they don’t, that’s completely normal too. We have hundreds of courses to explore, each with their own course page.
Here are some tips to help identify the right course:
- Understand their interests and goals – you’ll have a sense of what interests your student, but chat further about what they enjoy, their strengths and what genuinely makes them tick.
- Delve into the courses – our programmes and their delivery vary. The course content might guide your student’s decision. There’ll be a mixture of compulsory and elected modules on offer which align with lecturers’ research. Would your student benefit from an Integrated Foundation Year? Maybe they would prefer a more practical subject or they require a specific industry accreditation. Ensure you both understand exactly what’s on offer.
- Check the entry requirements – how are they doing in their subjects now? Talk to their teachers at their school and college and be realistic about the grades they might achieve. Remember, we consider personal circumstances when reviewing applications and our contextual offers mean nobody is left behind.
Use our Choosing The Right Course guide to help you.
What's the difference between school and university?
The transition from school to university can seem uncertain, and understandably, you might be worried about how your student will manage.
School brings a structured and relatively protected environment, but university is quite different. Students are now responsible for themselves, which might be a shock to the system. They’ll have to get themselves to classes on time, cook their own meals, and manage their own time effectively.
Rather than a full timetable of lessons, teaching takes the form of large lectures where your student might be one of 150 students, or smaller, discussion-led seminars. How they spend the rest of their time is up to them – they’ll juggle completing assignments and wider-reading with downtime like societies and socialising.
Putting themselves out there, trying new things and speaking up in seminars might not come naturally to your student, but by embracing this different environment your student can experience all that university life has to offer.
Royal Holloway has a close-knit and supportive community, where lecturers truly care about their students' success and everyone finds their crowd. Your student can get an idea of what to expect by chatting to our current students.
What to expect at an Open Day?
Our Open Days are an excellent way to get a real sense of what's on offer at Royal Holloway. Highlights include taster sessions with each academic, tours of the campus and halls of residence with our student ambassadors, and talks covering accommodation, student finance and more.
It's really helpful to plan your visit in advance. We publish our schedule ahead of the event, so encourage your student to identify which talks they need to prioritise and which spots on campus they'd most like to see.
Remember, parents and supporters are always welcome to attend our Open Days and Applicant Visitor Days, and there’s free tea or coffee!
Seeing where your student could be living and studying can be reassuring, and they’ll probably appreciate your perspective too. Visit our Open Day FAQs for more top tips and an idea of what to expect.
If you can't make it to the campus, don't worry. We also run parent and supporter webinars throughout the year - learn more by signing up to the mailing list.
What's changed over the years?
The late nights writing essays (or partying) might be behind you, but if you went to university yourself, you’ll have an idea of the adventure that awaits your student.
What’s changed? More and more young people choose to pursue university and with over 150 higher education institutions in the UK alone, there’s more choice than ever.
Gone are the days of free tuition and university grants have been replaced with repayable loans. Deciding to study at university is now a serious financial commitment which is why we strive to give students value for money through everything we do.
University accommodation options and halls of residence are more varied and undoubtedly more luxurious than they were in the past. We offer 11 on-campus halls of residence, each providing comfort, community and a range of prices to meet different budgets.
Thinking ahead, the graduate job market is more competitive than ever. At Royal Holloway, support from our award-winning careers service starts from day one and is available until 2 years after graduation to help your student stand out to employers.
University is still a life-changing experience, where students can mature and live independently and experience opportunities they might otherwise miss. Many will discover career pathways that they didn’t know existed and meet people who will become their friends for life.
You can read this information in our Why Higher Education guide.
