Higher Education Evening

Mrs Gray – Applying to UniversityMr Alexander & Sejal Modasia –

Student LifeSian Hiskey UCS – Student Finance

Applying to University

Mrs Gray – Head of Careers

Why go to Higher Education ?

40 % of the UK population go to HE, 1.8 million students

30% of under 21 year olds progress on to HE 80% of graduates are employed in graduate-

entry jobs 70% of graduates are not using their subjects

directly in their work Graduates earn on average 20 _ 100% more by

the middle of their working lives than those without a degree

Net financial gain from a degree averages £160,000 over a life time

Graduates enjoy more fulfilling and enjoyable jobs, better health, less likely to smoke and enjoy more successful relationships

84.2% of graduates are happy with their careers

Why read for a degree?

Transferable skills – knowledge, communication, team work, analysis, problem solving, numeracy, IT

Greatly improved career prospects, graduates are highly valued by employers

Essential for some careers Academic and social experience of

university life Three million fewer lower skilled jobs in

the UK by 2020 40% of available jobs by 2020 will require

a degree

UCAS The University and College Admissions

System An independent charity One of most popular websites in the UK The most popular educational website in

the UK UCAS website is updated hourly UCAS card offered to all students –

advice/ discounts Process is totally electronic and on-line at

www.ucas.com Parents section – www.ucas.com/parents -

free e -newsletters and a parents blog

Applications 2013-2014 4% rise in applications on 2013- 580,000, Application numbers have reached the

level they were before the fee increase 35% of 18 year olds applied this year, the

highest level recorded. University places are very competitive

with certain courses very heavily oversubscribed.

27% drop in the number of undergraduate degree courses in the last six years due to government cuts

Researching Options In the UK 35,000+ courses are available

at more than 320 institutions (125 universities and 195 HE colleges)

Open days start in March and continue in April, June, July and the Autumn Term

Best to visit two institutions if possible Taster courses available –

www.london.ac.uk/tasters www.opendays.com Course search for 2015 opens May,

registering for 2015 application opens in mid June

Finding the Right Course Research thoroughly – 10% who start

university do not finish their degree Course search via UCAS – grades and

points Entry profiles Entry requirements Relevant work experience for vocational

courses Location Type of institution – campus or city? Employability activities offered

Top Ten Degree Courses 2013

1. Business and Management2. Law3. Sociology4. Art and Design5. I.T/Computer Science6. Psychology7. Education8. Nursing9. Biosciences 10. History

The Application Process

5 choices of course

4 choices for medicine, veterinary, dentistry plus one other choice if required

Personal statement Length – 4,000 characters

Content – 60-80% about subject, 20-40% about individual

Plagiarism – Three times higher in 2012 up to 8,500 cases

Contextual data/Academic reference from Northgate

Deadlines

Northgate internal deadline Oxbridge & Medical – 22 September

2014

All others – 4 November 2014

Final UCAS deadline 15 January 2015

Some Art and Design Courses – 24 March 2015

Additional Tests

UK CAT – Clinical Aptitude Test

BMAT – Bio-Medical Assessment Test

LNAT – National Admissions Test for Law

CUKAS – Musical Conservatoires

Oxbridge additional tests – History, Modern Language, Maths, English and Thinking Skills, Physics

Gap Year?

Two Options Deferred entry – 2016 Apply Sept 2015 through Northgate

with final results – usually leads to an unconditional offer

Gap Year students 2013 – Where did they go?

1. Employment to earn money for university

2. Work experience relevant to degree/career choice

3. Doing something close to home

Finalising the Choice Institutions must make offers by 31 March

2015

Students must make their decision by 9 May 2015

Students should not make any decision until all five offers are in

Students choose one firm offer - first choice

Students choose one insurance offer with a lower entry requirement as a second choice (at least 40 points below)

Clearing – July onwards – up 9% to 55,721

Adjustment period – post results – up 140% to 1,329

Important Dates

Oxbridge Conference – 23 April 2014

Higher Education Fair – 12 June 2014

Medics Course - 30 June 2014

Oxbridge preparation course – October 2014

Oxbridge/Medical mock interviews – November 2014

Student profiles GCSE grades are used as a major part of

the decision making process. Some competitive courses are now openly asking for 8A* grades

Some degree courses are asking for specific GCSE grades e.g. a B in Maths for many Psychology and Business courses, B grades in Maths, English and Science for Primary teaching courses

Very competitive courses, for example Medicine and Oxbridge, need a high number of A* grades at GCSE, at least 3 A grades at AS and one or more A* grades predicted at A2

Support at Northgate Careers Department, Mrs Gray, Post

16 Adviser Mrs Smith, Careers Adviser Mrs Young

Tutors

Sixth form team

Subject teachers

Head of Sixth Form, Mr Elmy

Deputy Head, Mr Trench

Student LifeMr Alexander – Assistant Head of Sixth

Form

Sejal Modasia – Ex Northgate Student, third year medical student at Kings

College London

My Mum Said…..

Finance

Accommodation- Halls, Flats and Houses

Emotion

Preparation

Keep their room as it is

Washing

Workload

Not 9-5

Independent study

Range of lectures, seminars, tutorials, lab time

Different assessment methods

Life Skills

Independence

Ability to manage money

Cooking, cleaning, washing?

Social Life

Meet lots of new people

Students’ Union - represents students

Students’ Union also runs all of the clubs and societies

Sports

Part Time Job?

Student Support University Student Support teams offer a

range of information, advice and guidance services including:

Accommodation Finance Counselling Careers Guidance Disability Support Health and Wellbeing

Sejal Modasia

What did you study at Northgate?

What and where do you study now?

How have you enjoyed being a student?

What has been difficult? Any initial problems?

What do you wish you had known then that you know now?

How has the experience been for your parents?

Student Finance

Expenses at university fall broadly into two categories:

• Tuition costs

– Access to lecturers and academics

– Library and IT facilities

– Lab and practical activities and facilities

– Does not usually cover fieldtrips

• Living costs

– Accommodation and food

– Travel

– Course books and stationery

Overview

Tuition Fees: 2014 Entry

Universities can charge up to £9000 per year if they meet criteria on access

• UCS fees:

• £8500 BA/BSc

• £7500 Foundation degrees

Students can take a non-means tested tuition fee loan

• Tuition fee loans are paid directly to the University from the Student Loans Company

• Loans are repaid from the April after graduation, over 30 years

• Some courses are funded by the NHS

NHS Funded Courses

The NHS will pay the tuition fees for some courses, and provide a means-tested bursary. These courses are:

• Nursing and Midwifery

• Radiography/Radiotherapy

• Operating Department Practice

• Physiotherapy

• Speech and Language Therapy

• Dental Hygiene

• Maximum Maintenance loan of £2324 per year for NHS students living away from home and not in London

• Social Work students pay tuition fees but can also access a bursary from the NHS

Support for NHS students

• NHS students are also eligible to a £1000 Grant in each year of study to help towards living costs

• In your final year of study, the maintenance loan is reduced slightly

• If you study up to 45 weeks a year, you’ll get:

Where you study and live

Grant Bursary Maintenance Loan

In London £1,000 Up to £5,460 Up to £3,263

Outside London

£1,000 Up to £4,395 Up to £2,324

With parents £1,000 Up to £3,351 Up to £1,744

Living Costs: Maintenance Loans

Most students take a maintenance loan to help with living costs

• Maximum maintenance loans for students starting University in 2014:

• Student living away from home and in London: £7751

• Student living away from home: £5555

• Student living at home: £4418

• You have to apply for the tuition fee loan, maintenance loan and grant each year of study

• All students are entitled to 65% of the loan. The remaining 35% is means-tested on household income

Living Costs: Maintenance Grants

The Maintenance Grant is a non-repayable means-tested grant to help with living costs.

• It is paid for each year of study

• You must apply EVERY year

• Not available to NHS students

Household Income Maintenance Grant

Up to £25,000 Full grant: £3387

£30,000 £2439£35,000 £1491£40,000 £545

£42,620 £50More than £42,620 No grant

Total Support 2014 Entry Household

IncomeMaintenance Loan Maintenance

GrantTotal

Home Away Home Away

<£25,000 £2725 £3862 £3387 £6112 £7249£30,000 £3198 £4335 £2441 £5639 £6776£35,000 £3671 £4808 £1494 £5165 £6302£40,000 £4145 £5282 £547 £4692 £5829£42,620 £4393 £5530 £50 £4443 £5580£42,621 £4418 £5555 £0 £4418 £5555£45,000 £4204 £5288 £0 £4204 £5288£50,000 £3699 £4836 £0 £3699 £4836£55,000 £3194 £4288 £0 £3194 £4288£60,000 £2871 £3826 £0 £2871 £3826Over £62,132

£2871 £3610 £0 £2871 £3610

All students are also entitled to a tuition fee loan

Other Support available

• Disabled Students’ Allowance: Available for full-time students, or students studying 50% of a course. Maximum support £5212 (if helper required, maximum is £20,725) per year

• Childcare Grant: Based on household income, and grant is calculated as 85% of actual childcare costs

• Adult Dependent’s Grant: For students with an adult member of the family who is financially dependent on them

• Access to Learning Fund: Administered by individual universities

• More information is available at www.gov.uk/studentfinance

How to Apply

Students apply online via Student Finance England (www.gov.uk/studentfinance)

• Applications are normally available from December - check the website for more information

• The information you provide will be used to assess the means-tested support

If you do not want to provide all the information requested, students will be assessed for the minimum support: Tuition fee loan and 65% of the maintenance loan

• You will not be assessed for the maintenance grant if you do not provide all information

Repayment of Loans

• Tuition fee loans and maintenance loans are combined into a single monthly payment

• Graduates start repaying the loans from the April after graduation, but only if they are earning over £21,000 per year

• The repayment is 9% of earnings above £21,000 and payments are taken directly from the salary via the tax system

• Any remaining loan is written-off after 30 years

Annual Salary Monthly salary after tax* Monthly Repayments£21,000 £1225 0£23,000 £1342 £15£25,000 £1458 £30£30,000 £1750 £67.50

* Tax/NI is calculated as 30% of earnings above £6000

Student Finance at UCS

Tuition fees for 2014 entry:

• £8500 per year BSc/BA degrees

• £7500 per year FdA degrees

• Fees for 2015 will be set in the summer

Fee-waivers and Bursaries:

• National Scholarship Programme: £1000 fee waiver and £1000 bursary in first year and £3000 fee waiver in second year. Criteria found at (www.ucs.ac.uk/nsp)

• Suffolk Access Champion Scheme: Bursary of £2000 in return for 40hrs of mentoring in your old high school

Student Finance at UCS

• UCS Bursary: For students who meet eligibility criteria and who are living away from home: £1000 in year 1, and £500 in years 2&3

• Excellence Bursary: £500 bursary in each year of study for students achieving grades ABB (or equivalent) and above

• Summer School Bursary: Students who participate in the UCS Year 12 Summer School, will be eligible for a total bursary of £4,000, (Bursary of £2,000 in year 1, and £1,000 in year 2&3)

• Care Leavers Bursary: Students who live, or have lived, in local authority care will be eligible to apply for a bursary of £500 for each year

Other Sources of Income

• Part-time and vacation jobs

• Bursaries and scholarships

• Savings

• Overdraft

• Credit card

• Supplementary grants

Look Out For

• Student Discounts

• Local jobs

• Internships and vacation opportunities: Great for getting good experience for future careers, and they can be well-paid!

• Student bank accounts

• Travel opportunities

• Students societies and clubs

Is It Worth It?

Debt of up to £40,000. Is it worth it?

Graduates earn an average of £200,000 more in their lifetime than non-graduates

• Average starting salary for graduates: £20,000

• Average starting salary non-graduates: £11,000

Graduates:

• Greater career flexibility (changing jobs)

• Less likely to be unemployed – and would spend less time unemployed

• A degree opens the door to a wide range of employment opportunities

BUT: You have to take opportunities at university to expand your experience and skills and to make yourself more employable

Finding out more

Student Finance: www.gov.uk/student-finance

Unistats: www.unistats.co.uk

www.ucs.ac.uk

Contact us on schools@ucs.ac.uk

Open events:

Friday 18 July 2013

see www.ucs.ac.uk/openevents

To Sum Up“The substantial expected rise in

graduate vacancies in 2014 shows that confidence in the economy is

growing and businesses really value the skills the UK’s first rate

graduates can bring their companies. A degree is still one of the best routes to a good job and

rewarding career”.

David Willetts – Universities Minister 2014