Not getting the points you wanted in this year's Leaving Cert may indeed be the end of life as you've known it. It may also be the best thing which has ever happened to you. There's a whole other world out there, big and exciting and waiting to teach you a thing or two. Think alternative options and you're on the flight path; think about studying abroad and you're on the plane.

There are all sorts of learning and growing reasons for studying abroad. Those who choose to go give reasons as varied as escaping the parents or the weather to proximity to football clubs, romance, independence, change of culture and, even, finding exactly the course for them.

You won't be alone, wherever you go. There are 200,000 international students studying in the UK alone. Already this year some 5,000 Irish students have applied to British and Northern Irish colleges - though only about half that number are expected to actually take up and start first year undergraduate courses. This is a big change from the situation in the mid-l990s, when 11,000 applications were made to colleges in Britain by Irish students. It's mostly to do with the change in the fee situation, something you'll need to take into consideration when making your choice. Fees used to be paid for students in Britain, but not here. These days tuition costs for the first four undergraduate years are paid in colleges in this country, while new costs for students in Britain mean that annual undergraduate tuition fees in Britain cost £1,075 for those who don't quality for grants. The strength of sterling also adds to the cost for Irish students.That's the bad news. The good news is that there are exceptions. Fees for some courses run in conjunction with the National Health Service (NHS) can be waived - these include courses in nursing, radiography and medicine. Then there are the Scottish colleges. The abolition of university fees in Scotland by the devolved Scottish parliament means EU students can study at the universities of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews without paying tuition fees.

Getting a place in a British or Northern Ireland University or college may not be as easy as you've been led to believe. It's a good idea to talk around to those who've gone before you and it is a VERY good idea to visit and familiarise yourself with the institution of your choice before arriving for the first day of term.

So - how to go about it?

Well, first you'll need to familiarise yourself with UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) which is the UK equivalent of our own CAO (Central Admissions Office). You can look it up on www.ucas.com a site which is regularly updated so that you can see what courses are still available and at which universities. For vacant places choose the clearing option (it fills vacancies on university and college courses with students who do not have places) and you'll be given access to a dazzling list of courses available in colleges and universities all across Britain. The UCAS system claims to offer access to a total of 335 institutions with 45,000 different programmes (including those on offer in Northern Ireland) so chances are you'll find what you need.

If arts and variety are your thing you could try a course in artificial intelligence at the University of Sussex or go for television at the Cumbria College of Art. At the other end of things you could take a look at the legal studies course at Liverpool's John Moores University, or accountancy at the University of Aberdeen.

Individual colleges and universities decide whether or not an Irish student's qualifications meet the entrance requirements for its courses. To get the show on the road you should apply for a Clearing Entry Form (CEF) from UCAS. This will contain detailed instructions on how to enter the process, if you are eligible. You will be given an individual number, which you will need to guard carefully since you will be required to give it to institutions considering accepting you.

When you get your CEF check the listings of suitable vacancies on the UCAS website above or, alternatively, take a look at the BBC Ceefax service on pages 700-799. Once you've decided on the courses which interest you telephone or write to the relevant admissions tutors immediately. For more information about entry to UK higher education institutions look up www.ucas.ac.uk

Then there's Northern Ireland, where they are very keen to attract students from the Republic. Fees are means tested so, depending on your family's income, you could be entitled to assistance to cover your fees either fully or partially. In Queen's University their requirements are similar to those for Trinity College Dublin, but to help you sort through it all Queen's have produced a booklet, A Guide For Students from the Republic of Ireland, which has useful information. Don't forget that rents, in general, are cheaper in the North than in the Republic.

The excitement, and the adrenalin rush that comes with freedom, will in no way have prepared you for the inevitable homesickness after the first few weeks. It happens to everyone, to one degree or another, so at least be aware and tuck the website www.irishlinks.co.uk somewhere into the baggage. This has a special section for Irish people living in Britain and a comprehensive online search facility giving access to Irish clubs and organisations.

CONTACTS:

You can contact UCAS for a CEF by telephoning +44 1242 223 707. If you're having problems with form filling telephone them at +44 1242 227 788

Angela Crean, Information Officer at the British Council in Dublin, is also willing to help with problems. She can be contacted at (01)6764088 or by e-mail at angelacrean@ie.

britishcouncil.org