Studying in the UK isn't just for young school leavers. Age really is just a number when it comes to your education, and you're never too old to learn new skills or switch career path. A mature student is defined as anyone over the age of 21 who returns to study, a group that now makes up one-quarter of all undergraduate entrants in the UK.
Going to university as a mature student is highly rewarding. Depending on where you fall in the vast age bracket, you are perhaps no longer at an age where you take education for granted. Now, free from the distractions of youth, you can truly apply yourself to your subject and truly engage with learning materials you may have neglected before. However, returning to education as a mature student also comes with its own unique set of challenges, so here's how to make it work for you.
Apply for Funding
As you'll probably know, higher education is expensive in the UK, so you need to consider how you'll pay your tuition fees. Whether you're entitled to government funding depends on whether you already have a degree, how much you earn, and a variety of other factors, but checking this should be your first port of call. Some universities offer grants or scholarships to mature students, so it's worth seeing if this is an option for the university you plan to attend.
