Transcript Applying to Higher Education

The Next Step to Higher
Education
Making an informed choice –
where to start and what to do
Mandy Firth
Head of UK/EU Recruitment
What the talk will cover
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Setting the scene
How to prepare
The application process
Student finance
What to do next
Any questions?
Why start planning now?
• Application timetable
• Competition for places
• Additional skills and experience
• Time to research
• Avoid common mistakes
A few statistics….
• Over 35,000 courses and 320 colleges
and universities in the UCAS system
• Top four subjects: Nursing, Psychology,
Design Studies, Law (2012 figures)
• 558,898 applicants 2013 entry (+ 3.5%)
• 17,596 home/EU applications to Keele,
up 2.05% with 7,964 holding offers,
intake of 1,119 + ABB
The timetable
• Year 12
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start researching course choices
attend HE fair
work/voluntary experience?
register for admissions tests (UKCAT/LNAT)
attend open days
log on to UCAS apply
• Year 13
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submit application to UCAS and SLC
called for interview?
(re) visit institutions? virtual tour?
make first (CF) and second (CI) choice
sit exams followed by publication of results
place confirmed?
Decision time
• Type of institution
• Type of course
• Entry requirements
– Interview policy/admissions tests/portfolio
• Reputation/League tables
• Other facilities
• Student finance ‘package’
Which institution?
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Campus versus civic
Living at home or away?
Availability and cost of accommodation
Cost of living
Facilities: sporting, social, academic
Welfare support
Student finance package inc. bursaries
Overall ‘student experience’
Which course?
• Level of qualification: HND, Foundation,
Degree or Fast track
• Professional/academic/vocational course
• Single/dual/combined honours
• Course content
• Entry requirements
• Teaching and assessment methods
• Placements/Study Abroad options
• Exemptions/professional accreditation
• Progression to postgraduate study and
the workplace
Which course?
• If good at Chemistry and Biology could
consider Medicine, Microbiology, Marine
Biology, Physiological Sciences, Human
Nutrition, or Environmental Sciences
• If good at History you could consider
Archaeology, Ancient History, Politics,
International Relations, Classical
Studies, or Egyptology
• If enjoy Business consider Business
Enterprise, Business Computing…
Which course?
Computing?
Why not try:
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Computer Engineering
Computer Science
Computer Technology
Software Engineering
Computing Software
Design
• Business Computing
Which course?
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Brewing and Distilling
Wildlife Management
Cosmetic Science
Packaging
Disaster Management
Voluntary Sector
Management
• Sustainable Design
• Property Development
Entry requirements
• ‘Price’ to secure a place
• Need to ensure have correct qualifications:
– GCSE requirements
– A or AS levels or equivalent
– Correct subjects at KS5 / approved A levels
– Admissions tests?
– What is required at the point of application?
– Policy on resits
• Work/voluntary experience or other criteria
• Reference based on work in Year 12
How the ‘price’ varies
Accounting and Finance
Cardiff AAB or DDD (business related)
Birmingham City 280 tariff points
Forensic Science
De Montford 260 points
University of Kent BBB or DDM (Science)
Law
Birmingham A*AB-AAA or DDD + LNAT
Bournemouth 320 points
Plus check subject requirements
How to apply
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Online application at www.ucas.com
Register and record personal ID
Up to five choices (four for Medicine et al)
Drop down menus/help text; create
application – save and edit
• ‘Blind’ application
• Choices listed in alpha-order
• Application fee £23 or £12
What happens next
• UCAS process application
• Apply similarity detection software
• Sent welcome letter – contact UCAS if
details incorrect or change
• View application in UCAS Track
• Universities consider application –
paperless admissions
Track
• Welcome screen – what is currently
happening e.g. need to reply to offers
• Can update personal details
• View decisions from universities in
choices section
• Receive interview details / Reply to offers
• Can cancel but not replace choice
• View application form exc. reference
Key dates
June
Release of UCAS Apply
September
Applications can be sent to UCAS
15 October
Medicine, Veterinary and Dentistry
Oxford or Cambridge universities
15 January
‘On time’ application deadline
24 March
Deadline for some art and design courses
What are selectors looking for?
• Can student matriculate?
• Do they meet the subject entry
requirements?
• What are the GCSE grades?
• AS grades if certificated
• What are the predicted grades?
• Performance at interview/subject tests
• Explanation for any discrepancies
What are selectors looking for?
Admissions tutors assess:
• Suitability for the course
• Evidence of motivation towards and
understanding of the course
• Knowledge of the subject
• Relevant skills and experiences
• Potential to succeed
• Any extenuating circumstances
The offer
• Admissions tutors check academic
qualifications, potential and suitability
for course
• Make conditional offer e.g.
– 300 tariff points including BC including
Biology
– BBB including Biology
• Select firm (CF) and insurance (CI)
choice institutions by early May
The personal statement
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Provides context for the application
May be only opportunity to ‘present’ case
Supports reference and vice versa
May be decider in borderline cases
Basis for interview?
• Less of what has been done and…
More of what they got out of it
The personal statement
Statement should refer to:
• Motivation for choosing course
• Particular interests in current studies
• Work and voluntary experience
• Career aspirations – only if known
• Skills and abilities/positions of responsibility
• Interests and hobbies (recent/relevant)
• Deferred entry if applicable
Student finance
• (Virtual) loan to pay for tuition fees – free at
point of entry* £6000 - £9000 a year
• Student loan to cover living expenses – income
assessed*
• Maintenance grant – means tested, nonrepayable, change to thresholds
• Different arrangements for health programmes
• Bursaries and scholarships
• Additional support
* to be paid back once graduated
Current arrangements
• Student Loans Company / Direct.gov.uk
• Online application
• Asked to identify nominal ‘first’ choice
university
• Instant assessment
• Can request reassessment if financial
situation changes (over 15%)
Paying the tuition fee
• ‘Free’ at point of entry, no upfront fees
• Non means tested tuition fee loan – i.e. not
dependent on household income
• SLC lends tuition fee and pays institution
directly in instalments
• Not compulsory to apply for; students can
also:
– Pay full fees themselves OR
– Pay part of the fees and take tuition fee
loan for the rest
Exceptions
• Students taking the BA in Social Work,
all nursing and midwifery courses,
Operating Department Practice,
Physiotherapy and 5th year Medicine
receive funding from the NHS
• Students intending to study in
Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland –
need to confirm funding arrangements
Full-Year
Student (*)
65% Non
Means Tested
35% Means
Tested
Maximum
Loan
Parental Home
£2,843
£1,532
£4,375
Elsewhere
£3,575
£1,925
£5,500
London
£4,988
£2,687
£7,675
Overseas
£4,247
£2,288
£6,535
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Additional means tested loan is available for each extra week of
study for students attending their course beyond 30 weeks
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(*) Slightly lower rates of support apply to final year students
Non-repayable grant
Household income (before tax) Level of Grant
Up to £25,000
£3,354
From £25,000 to £42,611
Partial grant
£42,611 or above
No grant
This grant is income assessed, does not have to be paid
back and can only be accessed if the full loan
entitlements have been taken out.
Student living away from home, outside London 2013/14
Household
Income £
Maintenance
Grant
Maintenance
Loan
Total
£25,000 & under
£3,354
£3,823
£7,177
£30,000
£2,416
£4,292
£6,708
£35,000
£1,478
£4,761
£6,239
£40,000
£540
£5,230
£5,770
£42,611
£50
£5,475
£5,525
£42,875
£0
£5,500
£5,500
£50,000
£0
£4,788
£4,788
£60,000
£0
£3,788
£3,788
£62,125 & over
£0
£3,575
£3,575
Scholarships
• Merit scholarships
– Keele Excellence scholarships of £2000 pa
for AAA applicants, £1000 pa for AAB, £500
pa for ABB
• Bursaries
– Keele bursary of £1000 to those in receipt of
maximum maintenance/special support grant
• National Scholarship Programme
– At Keele bursary to value of £3000
• Check eligibility and criteria
Income each year before
tax
Income from which
9% will be deducted
Approximate Monthly
Repayment
£21,000
£0
£0
£25,000
£4,000
£30
£30,000
£9,000
£67
£35,000
£14,000
£105
£40,000
£19,000
£142
£45,000
£24,000
£180
£50,000
£29,000
£217
£60,000
£39,000
£292
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Repay 9% of income above £21,000
Any outstanding loan balance will be cleared 30 years after
entering repayment.
During study until
entering repayment
Earnings:
Below £21,000
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Interest rate is:
Retail Price Index (RPI) +3%
Interest rate is:
Set at RPI Only
Earnings Between:
£21,000 - £41,000
RPI plus some amount
between 0% and 3%
Earnings:
Above £41,000
Interest rate is:
Retail Price Index (RPI) +3%
No penalties will be placed on students making early repayments.
Is it worth it?
• Higher starting salary
• More likely to be employed
• More likely to be promoted
• Earn more over working life
• Graduate only route to chosen profession
Plus:
• Acquire transferable skills
• Personal development
• Once in a life time student experience
Where to find the information
• HEI web sites e.g. www.keele.ac.uk
• UCAS www.ucas.com inc. subject profiles
and online videos on variety of related topics
• Web sites e.g. direct.gov.uk
• Prospectus/subject leaflets
• Visits to universities and colleges
• Friends and family
• Social media
Find out more from UCAS
@ucas_online
www.yougo.co.uk
www.facebook.com/ucasonline
http://ucas.faq-help.com
www.youtube.com/ucasonline
Parents can help …
• Encourage your son/daughter to be
realistic
• Encourage them in their research
• Check course is what they think it is
• Find work/voluntary experience
• Visit short-listed HE institutions
• Encourage your son/daughter to ring with
any queries or concerns
Parents can help with…
• Reading through form and checking for
sense, spelling and grammar
• Seeing the statement is tailored to
course choice
• Reminding of UCAS/school deadlines
• Remembering to advise of any change
of address or circumstance
• Keeping a note of their Personal ID
• Provide financial details for funding app.
And finally…
• HE is a really exciting three or more
years to look forward to
• Do plan for it
• Do talk to people and seek advice
Thank you for your attention…
…. Any questions?