Starting your career – guidance for applying to university in 2024

There are lots of different routes into a career in the sport and physical activity sector. You can discover more about the many options in our careers guide.

Studying for a higher education qualification, such as a degree, at a university or college is one way of starting your career in the sector.

With the UCAS deadline for applications for 2024 entry to higher education rapidly approaching, here’s some essential advice for anyone considering applying to study sport and physical activity.

Don’t miss the deadline!

The important deadline for applying for most undergraduate courses, including sport and physical activity courses, is below.

31st January 2024 - 6pm

This date is called the equal consideration deadline.

Institutions must equally consider all applications received by this time. You can apply after this; however, universities/colleges do not have to consider your application. To make sure that your application is fully considered, submit it by the deadline.

Course choices

You can apply for up to five courses and it’s a good idea to apply for a selection that have a range of entry requirements.

To make sure that your course offers you the best possible start to your sport and physical activity career, apply for courses that are CIMSPA endorsed.

These are courses which are aligned with our industry professional standards meaning they’ll give you the knowledge and skills that employers are looking for. You can see a list of these courses by visiting our directory and clicking on ‘Partners’, ‘Higher Education Partners’ and selecting ‘CIMSPA Endorsed Degree’.

If you choose to study a course which is not endorsed, you may find that many employers in the sector will require you to complete additional qualifications before they will offer you a role post-graduation.

CIMSPA endorsed courses offer great links to top employers, helping you to establish connections that will benefit you throughout your career. They also support CIMSPA student membership which provides great benefits to help your studies and next steps.

Location, location

It’s important to think about the institution that will best suit you. Think about whether you prefer a busy city or a quieter place, what transportation links you need, accommodation options, the cost of living and availability of potential financial support.

Look at what different campuses offer in terms of sports facilities and clubs, research and study environments and social opportunities. With one eye on your future, it’s also worth checking how well the institution is aligned with the industry that you want to work in.

At CIMSPA we work with a number of universities and colleges to support them and their students to meet the needs of the sport and physical activity industry now, and into the future. This means that their curriculum delivers work-ready graduates and improves your employability outcomes.

Getting personal

The UCAS Personal Statement is an essential part of your application. It enables you to showcase your achievements and motivations so that university/college admissions teams can gauge how well suited you are to their course.

Here are some hints for creating a compelling personal statement:

Don’t delay – You should start drafting your statement as early as possible so you can revise and refine it. With the deadline rapidly approaching, you have less time to do this but set yourself goals of writing draft content over the next few days and you’ll still have some time to refine your thoughts and make your statement stronger.

Show your motivation - You need to use your personal statement to talk about your interest in the subject. Highlight why you’re passionate about it, and why you want to study it.

It’s all about you – Make sure you include detail on your personal qualities and skills. Share what you’ve studied and what you’ve gained from volunteer and work experiences.

Show that you’ve reflected on your experiences and how what you learned will help you in the future. Don’t forget to explain how it all relates to the course you’re applying for and how it helped shape your interest.

Statement structure – You’ll need a brief introduction, a main body, and a summary conclusion. Where you include statements about experiences and skills, evidence these with examples of where you have, for example, developed and demonstrated those skills.

Order your personal statement to flow logically so that each paragraph builds on the previous one. Don’t repeat experiences and remove any unnecessary details as you have a 4,000-character limit – that’s only about one side of typed A4 paper!

Add the polish – Once you’ve drafted your statement, it’s worth getting some feedback from people that know you such as tutors, teachers, friends, or family members. They may be able to suggest some perspectives that you’ve not considered.

And don’t forget to proofread your statement many times. Don’t just rely on spellchecking tools. Check for grammatical errors, typos, and readability.

A strong finish – Make sure that you conclude by summarising the key points that you’ve made and reinforce your enthusiasm for what you want to study. You want to leave a lasting impression so make sure your final point is positive.

Remember, this is your personal statement so make sure its authentic and about you. It’s your chance to show who you are beyond your school/college grades. Make it convincing and reflective of your true passion and abilities.

What’s next?

Once you submit your application the universities/colleges that you’ve applied to will review your application. This will take several weeks or months.

In most cases offers of places, invitations for interviews or requests for further information would be sent during the Spring. If you’re looking for advice or support during this time, your school or college should have access to a careers adviser who can help. Alternatively, you can contact the National Careers Service or UCAS.

In the meantime, you should continue to do research about the courses and institutions that you’ve applied for to help your decision making.

You should attend open days or take virtual tours to understand more about the university/college, its facilities and how it might suit you and your career aspirations.

More information on the UCAS application process is available from UCAS.

We wish you every success in your higher education career and on your journey to becoming a sport and physical activity professional.