From Paules Residence, today we want to give you some key advice if you’re considering changing your university course. Rest assured, you are not the only one who, after starting their studies at university, realizes that it is not what they expected. Don’t feel bad; changing courses is a perfectly valid option, and you still have time to find what you like.
Changing your university degree should be a well-considered decision
To show you we’re not lying, according to data from the Ministry of Education, approximately 11.9% of university students change their course of study during the first two years. Often, this is because students did not achieve the necessary entry grades to enroll in their first choice. On other occasions, students realize that they have enrolled in a course that really isn’t for them. Sometimes this is due to family pressure, potential career opportunities, a hasty decision, etc.
The truth is, first and foremost, we recommend that you be very honest with yourself and take time to think about whether changing courses is really what you want. Do you truly dislike your current course? Sometimes, the stress of exams or the difficulty of certain subjects can make you feel lost and make you want to quit studying. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to drop out of your course, let alone the faculty. You need to consider whether it is just a temporary discouragement or something that you cannot handle or that does not fulfill you.
Keep in mind, on the other hand, that studying at university is very different from school or college. The adaptation process can be tough, but with effort, it is achievable.
If you are truly sure that you want to change courses, we inform you that there are two different ways to do it. Firstly, you can follow the general admission process. That is, you apply for a place in the new course from the beginning. If you need a higher mark, you can sit the EBAU exams or some of its parts again to try and improve your score.
Another option is to request a change of studies
On the other hand, you can request a change of studies. This is a somewhat more complicated way but sometimes it is worth it. To follow this route, you should keep in mind that you can only change between degrees with official titles and it is necessary that you have passed at least 30% of the credits of the qualification you are going to leave, which is half of the courses.
You should also know that the number of places available for changing courses is more limited than those for general admission, but you should not have any problems since the percentage of students who decide to change courses is also lower. Each centre has different criteria, so it is best to contact Student Services and find out the conditions. Basically, they usually take into account the entry grade, the grade you obtained in the EBAU, the affinity between the two courses, etc. This way, it will be easier for you to validate some subjects.
There are students who have doubts about making the change because it usually means an extra year of study. However, when it comes to the truth, there is hardly any difference when applying to the job market, and studying a career for vocation can be a great incentive.
Obviously, telling your family, especially your parents, tends to be one of the most complicated points. But if you have really thought about your decision well, they will surely understand.
From the Paules student residences in Salamanca, we can tell you that some of our residents have made that decision at the time and after going through the process have felt better.