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APPLYING TO HIGHER EDUCATION

Get insights on university application for September 2017. Learn the financial benefits and steps to apply through UCAS or CAO. Discover the significance of personal statements and interview tips. Stay informed on tuition fees and student finance options.

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APPLYING TO HIGHER EDUCATION

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  1. APPLYING TO HIGHER EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2017

  2. Why bother going to Uni? • Money • The average graduate starting salary is approx £24000 (NI) • Graduates entering law, banking and finance, IT and engineering can expect salaries above this • the average lifetime earnings of a graduate are £227,000 more than those of a non-graduate with two A-levels • The top earning graduate jobs of 2017 are analyst, software engineer and consultancy • Learning • Independence

  3. How do you apply? • Most applications will be through UCAS (electronically) or UCAS Conservatoires • Applications for universities in Ireland are through CAO (electronically) • A few situations require direct application to the specific institution • Many European countries charge lower tuition fees than the UK (www.studyineurope.eu)

  4. Applications through CAO • Closing date of 1 February (meeting in November) • Up to 10 degree and 10 diploma choices • Listed in order of preference • No personal statement or reference • Different values for grades compared to UCAS tariff • No conditional offers – selection by order of preference and results in August • www.cao.ie • Student Contribution fee – up to €3000 a year, loan available.

  5. UCAS application Timetable UCAS Student Guidance Interviews - September 25th 2017 – 13th October 2017

  6. The UCAS form • www.ucas.com • Register • Undergraduate • Username and password

  7. The UCAS form • Personal details – name, address etc • Choices – maximum of 5 realistic courses • Education – schools attended, exams completed and pending • Employment – not very relevant to majority of pupils • Personal statement • Cost £24

  8. The Personal Statement • Justify course choice (very important for a vocational course) • Work experience • Activities inside & outside school • Positions of responsibility, skills, qualities • Concluding statement

  9. UCAS Guidance interview • Pupils will be allocated to a teacher • Pupils are responsible for booking an interview in the 3 week time period • Pupils bring a printout of their whole UCAS form, including personal statement, and grades required for their courses • Teachers check their courses are realistic and check form and personal statement

  10. What happens next?? • Make any corrections as quickly as possible • Pupils then bring a finalised paper copy of their form to Mrs Rea • The form is checked one more time and pupils can now “pay and send” • £24 paid online by debit/credit card • The form is automatically sent electronically to school • The school now writes the confidential reference and attaches this to the electronic form and sends this to UCAS

  11. What happens then?? • UCAS sends the form electronically to all the universities • Admissions tutors then make a decision based on the personal statement, predicted A-Level grades, admissions test scores, GCSE grades & A/S grades, evidence of motivation and the school reference • Some pupils may have to go to interview • They may reject an applicant, make a conditional offer or (rarely), an unconditional offer

  12. What does an offer look like? • May be expressed as grades eg ABB • May be expressed as UCAS Tariff points eg 120 points • May be expressed as a combination of the two eg 120 points to include an A in chemistry • A detailed break down of tariff points is available on the UCAS website • At A2, A*=56, A=48, B=40,C=32, D=24, E=16 • For a 4th AS, A=20, B=16, C=12, D=10, E=6

  13. What next?? • Pupils must wait until all five decisions are made before they can confirm any decision • By early May, pupils accept a Firm Conditional offer and an Insurance Conditional offer which should have lower grades • These are binding but there may be some leeway • If rejected, the decision is final but pupils can ask for feedback • UCAS Extra is available online from the end of February to the end of June if a pupil has no offers • Pupils can only apply to one course at a time in Extra

  14. Finance 1 – Tuition fees • Universities in England, Scotland and Wales have now set their own tuition fees to a maximum of £9250 (2017) • NI have set fees for NI students at £4030 • All students will be eligible for a non-means tested loan to cover their tuition fees. The student takes the responsibility for the loan which is repaid directly from their salary when they earn over £17,775 • Loans are optional

  15. Finance 2 – Maintenance Loans • Loans are also available for living expenses • Amount available depends on household income (pre-tax income minus pension contributions and allowances for dependents) • London £11002 • Living away from home £8430 • Living at home £7097 • If a pupil receives a maintenance grant, the amount of maintenance loan available will be reduced • Also optional

  16. Repayment • Loans are repaid at 9% of earnings above £17,775 • The time to repay is based on income and amount borrowed – not on a fixed time period • After 25 years, any remaining debt is wiped • Interest on the amount is linked to inflation • BUT, this means that you will owe the money for longer and potentially repay more • Loans do NOT go on credit files

  17. Finance 3 - Grants • Grants are non-repayable • Students from lower income households will be eligible for a non-repayable grant up to £3475 • If household income is less than £19203, student is eligible for the whole grant • Sliding scale up to £41065 • If a student is entitled to the maximum grant, the maximum maintenance loan is reduced

  18. Finance 4 - Bursaries • Universities often provide additional support to students • https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/university-tuition-fees/other-financial-support/university-bursaries-and-scholarships/ • Scholarships are available in many subjects • Hardship funds • Health Professional Degrees (S&LT, OT, Radiography etc) can have fees paid if pupil is accepted on NHS funded place • Individual university websites

  19. Finance 5 - Sponsorship • Some companies offer employment and pay for university • Deloitte – software, consultancy, finance https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/careers/apprenticeships.html?icid=top_apprenticeships • Thales – engineering https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/united-kingdom/news/degree-apprenticeships-future-career-development

  20. How can I help? • Talk to your son / daughter about their choices • Check the form is completed correctly • Discuss the content of the personal statement and ask to read it • Try to remind them of key dates • Encourage, encourage, encourage!!

  21. Information available • www.prospects.ac.uk (Careers advice – what can I do with my degree) • DEL – “Financial Support for Higher Education Students” (Apply in February/March) • https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/information-and-services/higher-education/student-finance • www.studentfinanceni.com • www.moneysavingexpert.com • www.unistats.com

  22. What if I need help?? • www ucas.com/parents (sign up to receive the UCAS parent guide and quarterly email bulletins) • Contact Mrs Rea at school (90702777 or grea@grosvenorgrammarschool.org.uk) • Check the school’s website – all dates, presentations and useful websites are listed

  23. QUESTIONS????

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