There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing which university to attend, including the availability of courses, the location of the university and the size of the campus.
Availability of courses
Some courses, such as veterinary science, are only available at a few universities. Others, such as arts, education, nursing, science, engineering and law are available at several institutions.
Location, distance from home, travel time and accommodation
Campuses are located in city and regional areas. Students need to consider how long it would take to travel to and from the campus, or whether they need to move out of home to study. Look into the availability of public transport or parking, and remember that full-time students can get transport concession cards to save a lot of money. If your child needs to move out of home, availability and cost of accommodation are other factors to consider.
Size of campus and its facilities
Each university campus has its own facilities and atmosphere. Some of the smaller, regional campuses have only a few hundred students, while the major city campuses can have over 40,000 students and several thousand staff. The larger campuses are like small cities, with their own post office, banks and shops. Some students enjoy the busy atmosphere of a large campus, while others prefer smaller universities.
“I thought Melbourne was too far from home and that I’d be better off at a uni close to home.” First year student
University websites are an important source of information about courses, admissions requirements, scholarships and access schemes. They also have photos of the campus, advice for prospective students and current students’ insights into university life.
When searching for such information on a university website, look for terms such as ‘prospective students’, ‘future students’ or ‘admissions’. You could also search for ‘transition’, as many universities offer transition programs for prospective students, advising them what to expect at university and how to prepare.