Up to 50% of young people in the UK attend university on leaving school (Adams, 2013). Although different aspects of this transition have been examined empirically, little attention has been paid to how young people experience it, despite the finding that almost 30% of students exhibit clinical levels of distress during their time at university (Kerr, 2013). The present study used qualitative methods to explore how individuals make sense of their experience of the transition to university. Ten undergraduate students (7 women, 3 men) were interviewed, and their responses analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA; Smith, Flowers & Larkin, 2009). IP A seeks to provide a psychological interpretation of participants' experiences and identify commonalities between different accounts, whilst remaining grounded in the ideo graphic experiences of individuals. Four super-ordinate themes were produced for men, and four for women. Four whole-group themes were also produced. All participants talked about establishing a secure base at university, finding a secure base in new friendships at university, development and personal growth, and coming to terms with the reality of university life. These applied to both men and women, but men emphasised the importance of personal growth and shaping their self-development, whilst women prioritised developing a sound social platform. A discussion of these themes in relation to extant literature is then presented, followed by a critique of the present study. Recommendations for further research are also made, and implications for policy and practice are explored. The importance of expanding this area of study is also emphasised.