Finances may be a consideration when returning to studying

More on this story

Never too late to learn

Success by degrees

Practical matters

Learning for pleasure

Related articles

The Open University student

From the music biz to life coaching

Learning against all odds

From PR girl to academic

Studying while caring

Useful website

UCAS

What to think about before you start studying

Before you embark on a course of study, take a moment to assess what you really want out of it

Are you learning for pleasure or for a vocation?

The factors to bear in mind are:

• How much time are you able to devote to studying?
• How much effort are you willing to put into learning?
• What are you hoping to get out of it?
• Are you looking to acquire a skill or qualification that will advance or change your career path?
• How will your studying fit in with the rest of your life?
• Do you have special needs?
• What are your financial considerations?

If it’s been many years since you seriously taxed your brain by studying something new, it’s worth taking a short introductory course.

How much time will studying take?

Between the lunchtime speaker at one end and the university degree at the other there are many other options. You can choose to:

• Take a quick, one-off taster course
• Spend a few hours a week for a short period studying something interesting, challenging or useful (most adult students study part-time)
• Enrol on an intensive residential course
• Take a full-time course for a term
• Opt to learn at set, regular times or, alternatively, whenever it suits you
• Study on-line. e.learning is a fast growing area

What qualifications do I need to start with?

Many, particularly recreational, courses are for absolute beginners and require no qualifications whatsoever. Check on the prospectus.

If you didn’t go to University the first time round and fancy giving it a go now, don’t worry too much about A levels.

Many courses will accept mature students without A levels. But they’ll normally recommend taking an Access course first to ease you into the learning process.

These courses usually last a year but shorter Study Skills courses are also available. Subjects covered include academic writing, studying for exams and research skills.

Written by Felicity Hawkins 

This article was created: 21 July 2006.
This article was last edited: 13 February 2007.

Email  Back to top