University Alliance, the group that represents professional and technical universities, has joined forces with UCAS to bust common myths about university.
As young people across the UK finish their final exams and turn their attention to their next steps, the UniMythsBusted campaign is stepping up activity. UniMythsBusted is taking over UCAS’ social media channels with real students offering their advice and insights into their own university journeys.
Exams for most Scottish Highers, T levels and BTEC students finished earlier this month, with the final A level exams taking place on Tuesday 24 June.
Most students applying to university will find out if they’ve been accepted on results day – 5 August for those receiving SQA results, or 14 August for the rest of the UK – though many may start browsing available courses when UCAS Clearing opens on 5 July.
During what can be a pivotal and exciting time for students, the UniMythsBusted campaign aims to help build confidence surrounding university choices and support teachers in guiding their students through the process.
Organisations such as Rolls Royce, the CBI and the Institute for the Future of Work will contribute to a series of resources for schools, to support teachers and careers advisors in helping their students understand what will and won’t make a difference to their future careers.
Research shows that students feel under pressure to make choices based on perceptions about how they will be viewed by others. University Alliance and UCAS hope the UniMythsBusted campaign will encourage students to stay calm and assess their options based on what feels right to them.
The campaign has also been supported by the Sixth Form Colleges Association, UniTasterDays, Push, The Careers People and Save the Student.
Vanessa Wilson, CEO of University Alliance said:
“Navigating university choices can be a daunting experience for young people, especially when it feels like the first step in deciding what they’ll pursue for the rest of their lives.
This campaign was designed to not only help students feel less anxious about the process – but also to support teachers and careers advisors to navigate what can be a confusing advice landscape, with an overload of information to filter through.
Teachers are the first port of call for young people during this stage in their lives. We want to make sure they have clear, insightful and evidence-based information at their fingertips to make their jobs easier.”
Sunil Parshotam, Customer Contact Manager, at UCAS, added:
“One of UCAS’ key priorities is to ensure that as many students as possible can benefit from higher education, which is why we are delighted to support the UniMythsBusted campaign and help empower all students on their next step into university or college.
“Higher education can provide students with lots of new and exciting experiences, and UCAS is here to support students every step of the way. In the lead up to results day, students, parents, teachers and advisers can come to UCAS for tailored information, advice and guidance to help applicants feel as fully informed and confident about their choices as they can be.”
