How to Use AI to Choose a University Course

Choosing a university course is one of the bigger decisions you’ll make as a teenager or adult learner, and it can feel overwhelming. There are thousands of courses, each with different modules, entry requirements, teaching styles and career links. Friends, family and teachers all have opinions, and the prospectuses tend to make everything sound wonderful.

AI can’t tell you what to study, but it’s a patient thinking partner. It can help you work out what you actually enjoy, turn vague interests into course types to research, compare modules side by side and come up with sharp questions for open days. The facts, such as entry requirements, fees and deadlines, always need checking on UCAS and university websites. This guide takes about an hour, spread over a couple of sittings.

What you’ll need

• Your current or predicted grades and the subjects you’re taking
• A list of things you enjoy, in and out of school
• Any must-haves, such as staying near home, a placement year or a budget limit
• Access to UCAS search and university course pages
• An AI chatbot and an hour or so

Step-by-step: choose a university course with AI

1. Start with you, not the course list. Write down which lessons you lose track of time in, what you read or watch for fun, and the kind of work you can imagine doing. Ask the AI to turn this into course areas worth exploring (prompt 1).
2. Explore course types. Ask what the difference is between similar-sounding courses, such as psychology and neuroscience, or business and management. Ask what a typical week looks like and what careers graduates go into.
3. Search for real courses. Use UCAS search to find actual courses, filtering by subject, location and qualification. Make a long list of eight to twelve.
4. Compare modules. Copy the module lists from two or three course pages into the chat and ask the AI to compare them (prompt 2). You’ll often find two courses with the same title are quite different.
5. Check the practical details. Entry requirements, contextual offers, fees, accommodation costs, placement years and study abroad options. Get these from official pages, not from the AI.
6. Prepare for open days. Ask the AI for questions to ask lecturers and students (prompt 3). Open days, virtual tours and student forums tell you things a website can’t.
7. Narrow to your shortlist. You can usually choose up to five courses on your UCAS application. Ask the AI to help you weigh up your final list against your priorities (prompt 4), including a mix of ambitious and safer choices.

Copy-paste prompts

1. Turn my interests into course ideas

I'm [AGE] and studying [SUBJECTS], with predicted grades of [GRADES]. I enjoy [THINGS YOU ENJOY]. I'm good at [STRENGTHS]. I'm less keen on [THINGS YOU DISLIKE]. Things that matter to me: [LOCATION, COST, PLACEMENT, CAREER IDEAS].
Suggest 8 university course areas I might explore, with a sentence on why each could suit me, what studying it involves day to day and what graduates often go on to do. Don't recommend specific universities. Add questions I should ask myself to narrow things down.

2. Compare two courses

Here are the module lists for two courses I'm considering.
Course A: [PASTE MODULES]
Course B: [PASTE MODULES]
Compare them in a table: compulsory versus optional modules, how practical or theoretical they seem, assessment style if mentioned, and any placement or year abroad. Then tell me what questions I should ask each university to fill in the gaps.

3. Open day questions

I'm visiting [UNIVERSITY] to look at [COURSE]. My priorities are [PRIORITIES].
Write 12 questions to ask at the open day: 5 for lecturers, 4 for current students and 3 about support, accommodation and costs. Make them specific enough to get honest, useful answers.

4. Weigh up my shortlist

Here's my shortlist with notes on each: [PASTE COURSES, ENTRY REQUIREMENTS, PROS AND CONS]. My predicted grades are [GRADES] and my priorities are [PRIORITIES].
Help me weigh these up in a table against my priorities. Point out if my list is too ambitious or too cautious overall, and suggest what extra information I need before deciding. Don't make the decision for me.

Recommended tools

• ChatGPT: good for brainstorming course areas and explaining subjects.
• Claude: helpful for comparing long module lists.
• Gemini: handy if you keep your research in Google Docs or Sheets.
• Grok: quick for talking through options conversationally.
• UCAS search: the official place to find courses, entry requirements and deadlines.

Tips and mistakes to avoid

• Check every fact. AI may give out-of-date entry requirements or invent modules. Use the university’s own course page and UCAS.
• Don’t choose on the title alone. Read the modules. Two “Business” degrees can feel completely different.
• Think about how you like to learn. Lots of exams, coursework, lab work or placements all suit different people.
• Look at costs beyond fees. Accommodation and living costs vary widely by city.
• Talk to real people. Current students, teachers and careers advisers know things AI doesn’t.
• Keep your own voice. When you get to your personal statement, the reasons you’ve found here should be your own words.
• Don’t panic about getting it perfect. Many students change direction, and skills transfer more than you’d think.

FAQ

Can AI tell me which university is best?

Not reliably. Rankings, reputation and fit are complicated, and AI can be out of date. Use it to clarify your priorities and questions, then check official data and visit if you can.

Is it okay to use AI for university research?

Yes. Using it to brainstorm and compare is sensible. Just verify facts and make the final decision yourself.

What if I don’t know what I want to study?

That’s common. Start with prompt 1, try taster sessions or online courses, and consider broad courses that let you specialise later.

I'm [AGE] and studying [SUBJECTS], with predicted grades of [GRADES]. I enjoy [THINGS YOU ENJOY]. I'm good at [STRENGTHS]. I'm less keen on [THINGS YOU DISLIKE]. Things that matter to me: [LOCATION, COST, PLACEMENT, CAREER IDEAS].
Suggest 8 university course areas I might explore, with a sentence on why each could suit me, what studying it involves day to day and what graduates often go on to do. Don't recommend specific universities. Add questions I should ask myself to narrow things down.

Related guides

• How to use AI to plan an essay (without letting it write it)
• How to use AI to revise for exams (without cheating)
• How to use AI to learn a new language

Reference: UCAS: Choose your future