Belfairs Academy Post 16 University & UCAS Information

Evening

Andrew Bakonyvari Director of Post 16

Tuesday 23rd June 2015

Key Staff • Mr Bakonyvari – Director of Post 16 • Mrs Rabone-King –

Assistant Director of Post 16 • Mrs Wheeler – Post 16 Learning Mentor • Tutor team

Objectives • To explain the application process to university

• To understand how the UCAS website can be used

effectively to search for courses and provide support and guidance

• To identify the issues students should be considering in their search for a university course

• To explain the current system regarding student finance

• To answer questions you may have

UK higher education – setting the scene

Circa 380 Higher Education Providers (HEPs) recruiting via UCAS 35,000 programmes

19

5

336

22

UCAS – University and Colleges Admissions Service

• Manage all higher education applications in the UK

The Application Process

• Step 1 Choosing courses • Step 2 Applying • Step 3 Offers • Step 4 Results • Step 5 Next steps • Step 6 Starting university or college

Step 1 – Choosing Courses • Which course? • Where? • What are their entry requirements? • How much will it cost? • What is the actual qualification you receive? • How is the course structured? • What modules do you study? • What employment history is there for graduates

of the course?

How do you find a course?

www.ucas.com

Entry Requirements • Graded e.g. BBC

• Tariff points e.g. 240 points

• Subject combinations specified

• Additional requirements

A Levels A Level Grade AS Level Grade UCAS Tariff Points

Art and Design Biology Business Studies Chemistry Creative Writing Economics English Literature Film Studies Geography Health & Social Care History Maths Music Technology Performing Arts Philosophy and Ethics Photography Physics Psychology Sociology Textiles

A* 140

A 120

B 100

C 80

D A 60

B 50

E C 40

D 30

E 20

OCR Cambridge Technical/ BTEC

2 years completed

UCAS Tariff Points

Business Engineering ICT Media Studies Sport Studies

Distinction* 140

Distinction 120

Merit 80

Pass 40

Course Search

• Go to open days • Enrol on taster courses – most are free • E.g. www.london.ac.uk/tasters • Get relevant work experience • Ask family, friends, professionals • Monday workshops in school

Step 2 - Applying • All applications are made via UCAS

website • £12 for 1 course choice, £23 for 2 or more • Universities do not see details of other

institutions the students have applied for • Students to register with us in the weekly

workshops

www.ucas.com

Choices • Can apply for up to 5 courses • Only 4 choices allowed for medicine, dentistry or

veterinary medicine/science • Only 1 choice can be Cambridge or Oxford • If you apply for less than 5, additional courses can

be added up to 30th June • Recommend:

– 2 aspirational – 2 realistic – 1 insurance

Things to consider • Campus or City? • Accommodation • Distance to lectures • Social life • Distance home • Cost of living, i.e. food • Resources – ICT, libraries etc. • Extra curricular

Extra information • League tables e.g. The Guardian or The Times

• The Student Room www.thestudentroom.co.uk • Unistats http://unistats.direct.gov.uk

• Facebook and twitter – most universities have

official sites

Deadlines • UCAS deadline Mid January 2016 • Belfairs deadline Mid December 2015 • Applications for medicine, dentistry,

veterinary/Oxford/Cambridge and some NHS and Art/Design courses is Mid October 2015

• Late applications are considered up to 30th June if there are vacancies

• The earlier you make the application the better – our advice is aim for end of November

Conservatoires and Teacher Training

• Different admission section for practical courses in music, dance and drama

• Different admission section for teacher training

• Different application guidance – see Mr Bakonyvari

NHS Courses/Bursary • Medicine • Dentistry, dental

hygiene or dental therapy

• Nursing • Midwifery • Operating department

practitioner • Chiropody/podiatry • Dietetics/nutrition • Occupational therapy

• Orthoptics • Physiotherapy • Prosthetics and

orthotics • Radiography &

Radiotherapy • Speech and language

therapy • Social Work Bursary

Art and Design

• Some specialist courses have an early application deadline – Mid October 2015

• Art foundation courses – local SEEVIC/SEC courses do not require a UCAS application

Personal Statement • Key aspect of application • Must be honest and a true reflection of the student • Should focus on why they want to study this subject and

what skills they can demonstrate that make them a suitable candidate

• Consider prior achievements, voluntary work, work experience etc.

• If you haven’t done anything – think now about how you can change that, you have the summer ahead of you!

• Students will receive guidance at school via UCAS workshops and will have 1-1 support from their tutors

Applying Continued • Once the application is complete and the

payment is made it is returned to us within the Belfairs application system for final checking and the teacher reference

• We then submit it to UCAS

• This takes time – the earlier you organise yourself, the more efficient the process is.

Applying Continued • You must remember to update your details if

anything changes over the year • Deferred applications – students should discuss

with individual universities and not assume this will be ok

• Make sure you have checked the details of the courses thoroughly (e.g. for finance)

• Disabilities, SEN and medical conditions – contact should be made early to the university

Step 3 – Offers • Students will receive offers any time from

submission to the end of March • Offers are usually conditional – either points or

grades • Students must then select their 1st and 2nd

choice and submit these to UCAS by the deadline given in their UCAS track page

• They should do this in consultation with their tutor, Mr Bakonyvari and Mrs Wheeler… and you!

• UCAS Extra/Clearing/Adjustment

UCAS Extra • For students that do not get any offers,

or for those that withdraw from all offers (or a combination of the two)

• Rolling application to one university at a time

• If this is accepted by the university, they must withdraw or accept that offer

Step 4 - Results • On results day, places are automatically

confirmed by UCAS • You do not get a choice between your 1st

and 2nd choices – if you get the grades to the 1st, you are committed to taking up the offer

• If you do not get the required grades, you are released into Clearing

Step 5 – Next Steps • Clearing – for students who have not met the

requirements for entry to either their 1st or 2nd choice

• Adjustment – for students who have exceeded their entry requirements and would like to try to get into a higher entry course – your place at your firm choice is held until you have exhausted this process

Step 6 – Starting the Course

Student Finance

Living Expenses

University Costs

Tuition Fees

Loan/Grant Full Loan

Finance – The Facts

Don’t be put off by the figures, University is made as affordable as

possible for all students

• Universities and colleges can charge new full-time students up to £9,000 per year (£6,750 part-time) for tuition fees

• Eligible students won’t have to pay any tuition fees up front

• A Tuition Fee Loan is available to cover the fee charged by the

university • The Tuition Fee Loan doesn’t depend on household income • SLC pay any Tuition Fee Loan directly to a university or college • The loan is repayable, but only when the student’s income is over £21,000 a year, at 9%

TUITION FEES & LOANS OVERVIEW 1

• It is expensive but no one is expected to find the money up front

• Living costs • Books, equipment, etc. • Loans each year up to £4275 • Grants towards living costs for all students in

households earning up to £42600 • Part-time work, bursaries, scholarships

Other Expenses to Consider

Full-Year Student*

65% Non Means Tested

35% Means Tested Maximum Loan

Parental Home £2,871 £1,547 £4,418

Elsewhere £3,610 £1,945 £5,555

London £5,038 £2,713 £7,751

Overseas £4,290 £2,310 £6,600

MAINTENANCE LOAN MEANS TESTING

*Slightly lower rates of support apply to final year students

1

• The Maintenance Grant doesn’t have to be repaid

• How much grant a student can get depends on their household income (100% means tested)

Household income thresholds for 2014/2015:

Household Income: Up to £25,000

Household Income: Up to £42,620

Full Grant of £3,387

Partial Grant

1 MAINTENANCE GRANT OVERVIEW

Household Income

Maintenance Grant

Maintenance Loan Total

£25,000 & under £3,387 £3,862 £7,249 £30,000 £2,441 £4,335 £6,776 £35,000 £1,494 £4,808 £6,302 £40,000 £547 £5,282 £5,829 £42,620 £50 £5,530 £5,580 £42,875 £0 £5,555 £5,555 £50,000 £0 £4,836 £4,836 £62,132 & over £0 £3,610 £3,610

COMBINED MAINTENANCE SUPPORT LIVING AWAY FROM HOME, OUTSIDE LONDON 1

Students can get a quick estimate of their student finance entitlement using the calculator on gov.uk/studentfinance

Many universities and colleges offer financial support to their students through bursaries and scholarships Bursaries: • Linked to personal circumstances and often, household income • Awards can include fee waivers or cash

Scholarships: • Can be linked to academic results or outstanding ability in an

area such as sport, music or art • Can be subject specific and are limited in numbers

BURSARIES & SCHOLARSHIPS OVERVIEW

Repayment • Nothing to pay until earning at least £21,000

(£1,750 pm) gross.

• Repayments are 9% of income over £21,000, deducted automatically by HMRC.

• If income falls to £21,000 or below repayments will be suspended

Repayment • Remaining loan balance cleared 30 years after

entering repayment process

• No penalties will be placed on early student repayments

• A student loan is very unlikely to affect your ability to get a mortgage

• Mortgage lenders are most interested in your spare monthly income (‘ability to repay’)

Student Loan Repayments Income each year

before tax Income from which

9% is deducted Monthly Repayment

(Approx)

£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

Interest added will vary, depending on a student’s circumstances:

During study until entering repayment

Interest rate is: Retail Price Index (RPI) +3%

Income: Below £21,000

Interest rate is: Set at RPI Only

Income: £21,000 to £41,000

Interest rate is: RPI plus up to 3%

Income: Above £41,000

Interest rate is: Retail Price Index (RPI) +3%

4 Repayments – The Interest

! Assumptions: 2% salary growth, 3% average inflation. Based on a report by HEPI on the Government White Paper.

Example • 3 year course, £9,000 a year fees • £4,300 a year maintenance loan

• 30 year write off period

Owes £45,000 at end of studies, including interest

Starting Salary of £24,000

Total Repayments = £22,000

Balance written off after 30 years

4 Repayments: A Comparison

Additional Support

• Student Loans Company: • www.slc.co.uk • Student Loan repayment: • www.studentloanrepayment.co.uk • Student finance calculator and

applications: www.studentfinance.direct.gov.uk

Time Scales • Research Starts now • Register with UCAS End of June/July • Personal statement July – October • Final application Sep – Dec • Offers By March • Acceptance By May • Results August 2016 • Start University September 2016

Student Support • Mr Bakonyvari • Mrs Wheeler • Mrs Rabone-King • Tutor Team

• Weekly student workshops • Superfair trip: Next Week, Wed 1st July • Personal statement writing workshop –

Monday 13th July

Next Steps • Start thinking and researching – you need 5 choices

for your final application

• Plan visits to open days on weekends and in holidays – they are starting now

• See staff for support at any time

• Tutor discussions in registration

• Plan for the summer to boost your application – work experience, jobs, extra skills etc.

Any Questions?