Mature Students
Information and support available for mature students
At Aston University we are dedicated to supporting mature students as you embark on your higher education journey, whether you are returning to education, wanting to upskill in a particular subject area or change of career path.
Whatever your reason maybe, we want you to know there is lots of support available for students over the age of 21 who bring a wealth of experience, enrich our learning environment and are highly valued here at Aston.
Support for Mature Students
Throughout your University journey, you can always chat to our Student Advice Team at The Hub. This could include information on finance, accommodation, and other support services. You may also be eligible for our Aston Mature Adult Learners Scholarship and Aston Alumni Undergraduate Scholarship.
Please head to our dedicated Mature Students page where you can see some top tips which were created by some of our Mature Students for Mature Students.
Contact Us
If you have any pre-entry enquiries, please email Outreach. You can also call the team on 0121 204 4007.
- Useful Resources
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Find out about what support we have available on our Aston campus for mature students.
Our learning and development centre at Aston are on hand to help at every stage of your journey from providing advice for managing your studies to academic writing development.
Aston Students' Union - SU Advice and Student Advice
Professional, independent, free and confidential advice from our professional advisers when at Aston University.
UCAS Undergraduate Support for Mature Students
The UCAS website has lots of great resources available which can aid you when at every stage applying to higher education.
Provides a free, confidential and impartial service where you can get information and advice on finances and support.
Mature students: University and Funding
Find out on GOV.UK about what financial help is available to students.
Student Mental Health Charity which aims to empower students at University to look after their own mental health, support others and create change.
- Hear from our Students
Hear from our current Mature students about their experience of coming to university and the support they received.
- Hear from our Head of Admissions
Ady Yong, Head of Undergraduate Admissions What’s age got to do with it? Studying at University as a mature student
There is a common misconception that there is a particular age limit on when you can start to learn new things and when it is too late for someone to go to university. It is never too late for new beginnings in a person’s life. Whether you are 21 or 71, there is no reason why you can’t start developing new skills and learning new things. Every year, thousands of mature students apply to university through UCAS. During my 32 years as an Admissions manager at the university, I have met many mature students. Each of them had different reasons for returning to education and at different points in their lives. The oldest mature student I have ever enrolled was 67 years old and full of enthusiasm and energy!
Although studying at university as a mature student can seem daunting, you might find that there are several of benefits to being a mature student:
- You may find that your life experience can help give you a rounded perspective and valuable insight into your studies, along with the ability to be independent and getting things done yourself.
- You’ve probably spent some time really thinking about what you want to do before finally making a conscious choice to return to education. This means that you are more likely to choose a course that you are passionate about which will lead you into a career that you will love. This motivation can lead you to engage more deeply with the course material and result in a greater level of dedication to your studies.
- If you have past work experience, you may find that you have a good sense of professionalism, which translates into a more structured and disciplined approach to tackling your studies.
- You are likely to be good at time management, because you often need to balance your studies with family, work, and any local community involvement you may have.
Mature students have often experienced and overcome challenges. This makes them more resilient and better equipped to handle the demands of university education.
If you are considering going to university after a period of time out of full-time education, spend some time looking through our university course webpages. Find out what the entry requirements might be for the courses that you are interested in and perhaps even get in touch with the admissions team to talk through what qualifications you might need and what options you may have. For example, you may find that you need to do an Access to Higher Education diploma course before you can start on a university degree course. These are typically one or two year programmes that can specialise in a number of different subjects, and are designed to help mature students seeking to move into university education.
There is a wealth of information on UCAS’s website (ucas.com). UCAS is the UK body that operates the application process for universities and colleges in the UK. Anyone who wants to study an undergraduate degree at a British University will need to apply through UCAS. UCAS’s website is a useful resource where you can search for suitable courses, find out what the entry requirements might be and get advice on things like student finance, how to get a reference, what the application process might be and so on.
https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/mature-undergraduate-students
Ideally, if you are applying to a university this year, you should submit your UCAS application before:
- 16 October (18:00 UK time) for Oxford, Cambridge or most medicine, veterinary medicine/science, and dentistry courses; or
- 31 January (18:00 UK time) for all other 2024 entry undergraduate courses.
Sometimes universities will accept late applications for certain courses. Do contact the university and speak to the Admissions team to find out if they are able to accept late applications for the course that you are interested in.
Whatever your reason for going to university as a mature student, I have no doubt that you will find it a rewarding experience.
- You may find that your life experience can help give you a rounded perspective and valuable insight into your studies, along with the ability to be independent and getting things done yourself.