Life beyond St Bede’s Catholic College

Higher Education EveningWednesday 11TH ofApril 2018

6PM – 7PM

• Welcome from Lucy Kirkbright - Director of Sixth Form

• How St Bede’s supports HE applications – Rowena Hector (Deputy Director of Sixth Form)

• Why should students go to university- Kate Colechin (UWE)

• University Finance – Liam Dowson (Bristol University)

• Applying for Oxbridge/Medicine/Dentistry/Vet Science Jeanne Fairs (Lucy Kirkbright)

• Foundation Degrees andApprenticeship Degrees –JJ Clark (University CentreWeston)

Aims ofTonight

Year 12 Exams and Predicted Grades

Exams 30th April – 11th May 2018

• How are these exam results used?

• They decide progression to Year 13

• They inform UCAS predicted grades

Life beyond St Bede’s Catholic College

• Universities & Colleges ApplicationService• A post office and information service – NOT a

decision maker• Charges students £21 to processtheir

application

An 18 month processWhen? Careers/UCAS activitiesTerm 4  • Fortnightly career lessons started – students 

began OSCAR modules  • Futures Day  

 Term 5 & 6  UCAS Trip to UWE for all students 

EPQ Applications open  All Year 12 Students have a careers  interview 

with Deputy Head of Sixth Form  UCAS Course Search for ‘Apply 2019’ NOW 

available  

June – July 2018  Enrichment  Week  ‐ Work  Experience for  Year 12 . 

All students  registered for UCAS and Apprenticeships 

University Open Days/Work Visits  

August 2018   • Think, read, research• AS results for some students  

 September – November 2018 • Complete UCAS form and submit to tutor.

(Oxbridge/medics/music by end of Sept; all others by end of Oct). Allow 2 weeks for adding reference & checking. 

  

OSCAR

An online system for improving applications which is built using the latest research.

An 18 Month Process• NOV 2018- March2019

Attend interviews, receive offers (and/or rejections)or use ‘UCASEXTRA

• By May 2019Accept a firm and an insurance offer

• December 2018 – June 2019Apply for accommodation andfees/loans/grants (student Finance)

• August 2019Confirm choices after resultsday

September/October – Start courses

How can you support them?

Start early

Encourage them to research thoroughly

University OpenDays

Work experience

Encourage them to aim high but be realistic

Why Go to university?

Employability benefits.

Presentation by

Kate Colechin

Pre HE Careers

April 2018

What does university mean to you?Social life New

ExperiencesStaying in Bristol Achieving

ambitions

Moving away from Bristol

Golden ticket to great job

Learning from experts

Discounts in shops

The Pros and Cons

• Higher Earnings• I’ll need a degree for the

job I want to do• Less likely to be

unemployed in the future• Gives me an advantage in

competitive careers

• Most graduates unemployed

• I won’t get a graduate level job

• What’s the point in doing History or drama?

• I don’t know what I want to do in the future

• It costs too much

1. Graduate Job Market

• 5.7% of graduates are still looking for a job 6 months after graduation (DHLE, 2017)

• 71% of graduates are in in professional/managerial jobs (DHLE, 2017)

• 87.5% of graduates aged 16-64 are employed compared to 69.8% of non-graduates (BIS, 2016)

2. Some careers need a degree

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

University attended

Exam Results

Degree Subject

Relevant work experience

Attitudes and Aptitudes for work

Most important factors considered when recruiting graduates (%)

CBI (2016)

3. Opportunities to gain skills

Considering types of subject….

Vocational

Non‐Vocational

Semi‐Vocational

MedicineNursing

Engineering

GeographySociologyMaths

LawBusiness

Psychology

Which leads to the best job?

Does it matter What I choose?

Consider the subject……A-Z:

Avionic Systems, Biotechnologies, Classical Greek Studies, Dentistry, Earth Science, Food, Leisure and Hospitality, Games, Heritage Studies, International Politics, Journalism, Livestock, Motor Sport Technology, Naval Architecture, Optometry, Podiatry, Quantity Surveying, Russian, Social Policy, Theology, Urban Studies, Vietnamese & International Relations, Welsh Studies, Youth & Community Studies, Zoology

Study the subject you love!

Which is the most competitive?

What? Where?

Paramedic Science UWE

Law Exeter University

History Birmingham University

Midwifery Liverpool John Moores University

Biochemistry Bath University

Medicine Manchester University

Classics Cambridge University

What? Where Number of applicants receiving offers 

Paramedic Science

UWE 21%

Law Exeter University

93%

History Birmingham University

94%

Midwifery Liverpool John Moores

2%

Biochemistry Bath University 90%

Medicine Manchester 34%

4. Graduate destinations

Degree Subject Employment

Business Graduate BuyerLaw Enforcement Officer 

Geography Mapping/GIS Analyst 

Economics Risk Analyst

Analytical Science

Drug Analyst

Fashion Print Designer

Graduates from any subject wanted

Benefits of HE

Higher earning potential

Access to certain career

areasMore likely to be employed

Opportunity to study a subject

Time to choose a career

Opportunities to develop

skills

Finding the Information

Student finance

Liam Dowson16 April 2018

bristol.ac.uk

The costs of university

Tuition fees• Up to £9,250 per year

• Can charge less

• Potential to change annually in line with latest policy

• Sounds scary but…

Living costs• Everything it costs to live as a student

• E.g. food, travel, accommodation, bills & social activities

• Actual cost will vary

bristol.ac.uk

The costs of university

There is lots of support available to help you meet these costs!

Most support comes from the government,but also some from many other places

bristol.ac.uk

Eligibility for government support

Whether you qualify depends on:‐ your university or college‐ your course‐ if you’ve studied a HE course before‐ your age‐ your nationality or residential status

• Covers full cost of tuition fees

• Loan isn’t compulsory (students can pay all or part of tuition fee upfront themselves)

• Paid directly to your university/college

bristol.ac.uk

Tuition fees

Tuition fee loan available to all;

no ‘up front’ fees

bristol.ac.uk

The costs of university

Tuition fees• Up to £9,250 per year

• Can charge less

• Potential to change annually in line with latest policy

• Sounds scary but…

Living costs• Everything it costs to live as a student

• E.g. food, travel, accommodation, bills & social activities

• Actual cost will vary

bristol.ac.uk

Living costs

• Maintenance loan available to all

• Paid directly to student

• Not everybody gets same amount, depends on:‐ where you study and live‐ your household income‐ full time or part time study

bristol.ac.uk

Maintenance loan

2018/19 academic yearHousehold Income Parental Home Elsewhere London

£25,000 & under £7,324 £8,700 £11,354£30,000 £6,707 £8,076 £10,719£35,000 £6,090 £7,452 £10,084£40,000 £5,473 £6,828 £9,449£45,000 £4,855 £6,204 £8,813£50,000 £4,238 £5,579 £8,178£55,000 £3,621 £4,955 £7,543£60,000 £3,224 £4,331 £6,907£65,000 £3,224 £4,054 £6,272£70,000 & over £3,224 £4,054 £5,654

bristol.ac.uk

Repaying the loans

• Tuition fee and maintenance loans are combined

• You only repay from the April after you graduate  

• You only repay if you have a salary above the repayment threshold

• For 2018‐19 financial year the repayment threshold will be £25,000

• This will be adjusted annually in line with average earnings

bristol.ac.uk

Repaying the loans

• You pay 9% of any income above the repayment threshold (currently £25,000)

• E.g. £26,000 salary = £90 repayment over year

• If your salary drops below the threshold you stop paying

• Not everybody pays it all back ‐ you are not expected to!

• Any remaining loan is wiped off after 30 years

bristol.ac.uk

Interest rates

• You are charged interest on your loans

• The amount is variable as follows: Whilst studying = inflation (RPI) + 3%

Whilst working and earning less than £25,000 = inflation

Whilst working and earning between £25,000 and £45,000 = inflation + up to 3%

Whilst working and earning over £45,000 = inflation + 3%

bristol.ac.uk

Bursaries and scholarships

• Fee‐charging universities offer bursaries, but they are all different

• Like a grant, bursaries are yours to keep

• Universities also offer various scholarships, e.g. for excelling in a certain area

www.thescholarshiphub.org.uk

bristol.ac.uk

University of Bristol bursary

For 2017/18:Household Income Bursary Amount

Below £25,000 £2,000

Between £25,001 and £30,000 £1,500

Between £30,001 and £35,000 £1,250

Between £35,001 and £40,000 £750

Between £40,001 and £42,875 £500

Plus discounted sports membership

bristol.ac.uk

Other sources of funding

• NHS bursaries have changed a lot in recent years

• Specific grants available‐ Disabled Students’ Allowance, Adult Dependants’ Grant, Care Leavers Grant, Childcare Grant, Parents’ Learning Allowance

• Special support grant

• Extra help for teacher training students

• Charities or employers

• Part‐time work

bristol.ac.uk

Summary

• University is expensive, but there is a lot of support available to cover these costs

• The expensive £9,250 per year is the easy bit

• The amount students repay depends on their salary; they only pay back their loans when they can afford to

• The loan does not impact on your credit rating

bristol.ac.uk

How to apply

• Online at www.gov.uk/studentfinance

• For 2018 entry – deadline of 25th May 2018

• You don’t need a confirmed university place

• Easier to change details at a later date

• Agree to share information from your application

• Will need to be supported by parent(s)/carer(s)

bristol.ac.uk

What are the benefits?

Learn fromthe experts

Social activities,

sports and societies

Increase job and salary prospects

Independence

Develop new skills

bristol.ac.uk

Employment rate of working age population is 87.1% for graduates, 69.8% for non‐graduates.

Median salary of working age population is £31,500 for graduates, £22,000 for non‐graduates.

Source: Graduate Labour Market Statistics: 2015, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, April 2016

Every year hundreds of mature students join the University of BristolInterested in learning?

Improve your employability?

Have you considered Higher Education?

Getting back into study…• Access to HE Diploma at a local college

– Advanced Learner Loan available -https://www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan/overview

• Foundation Year in Arts and Humanities • A range of degrees at a world class

university which is targeted by employers• Student finance is available for mature

students - https://www.gov.uk/student-finance/overview

Thank you Any questions?

@ChooseBristolUG bristoluniversity UniversityofBristol UniversityofBristol bristol.ac.uk/vip

The AretéGroupApplying to Oxford and Cambridge

The Areté Group• Visits by admissions staff and

undergraduate past pupils from Oxford and Cambridge

• Participation in Bristol’s HE Plus Programme: super-curricular projects, interview preparation and advice

• Open-day trips to Oxford and Cambridge

• One-to-one support with UCAS applications (including personal statements)

• Strategic advice and mock interviews from teachers who graduated from Oxford and Cambridge

Exploring Degree Options

JJ Clark – Widening Participation and Recruitment Officer University Centre Weston

The Present

Thefuture?

Current Options

www.uc w.a c.uk

Level 8

Doctorate PhD

Level 7

Masters Degree MS, MSc, MPhil,LLM

Level 6 BachelorDegree

BA, BSc,LLB

Top-Up BA,BSc

Degree Apprenticeship

Level 5

Foundation Degree FdA,

FdSc

Higher Apprenticeship

Level 4

Level 3

ALevels

A2 L3Diploma (BTEC/UALExtended Diploma)

Advanced Apprenticeship

A1

Foundation Degrees

www.uc w.a c.uk

Length: 2 YearsLevel when you finish: Level5How it looks on UCAS: Fd A, FdSc

Benefits

• Great value for money - £7,950 rather than £9,250• Smaller class sizes-15-30 students compared to 100’s• Usu ally lower entry tariff than a Ba chelor’s degree• Offers more practical learning (smaller class sizes, more tutor time)• Combines a c ademic study with work based learning (guaranteed

work placement hours)• Staff have relevant industry based experien ce and still have positions

in their industries.

Top-Up DegreesLength: 1 YearLevel: 6Pre-requisite: Foundation degree (pass) in relevant subjectAward: BA (Hons) or BSc (Hons).

Benefits

• Same fees as foundation degree• Does not have to be as same institution as foundation degree• Must be related subject to foundation degree but can be more

specialised

What is a degree apprenticeship?

www.uc w.a c.uk

The Knowledge Qualification BSc/BA (Hons)

degree

Subsidiary a ctivitywhich may or may

not have a qualification

atta ched

The Apprenticeship Training

Subsidiaryactivity which

may or may nothave a

qualification attached

• 20% ‘off the job’

• 80% ‘on the job’ training

• Level 5 – two to four years

• Level 6 – four to seven years

Benefits

www.uc w.a c.uk

• Combining academic study with paid related work and experience• No cost to the apprentice – no fees, no loan to repay• Sponsorship from a motivated, engaged employer• ‘ A foot in the door’

How to apply?

www.uc w.a c.uk

Google ‘Find an apprenticeship –

gov.uk

Minimum criteria for will be specified for each qualification–

BTEC or A level qualification

The applic ation will then go directly to the

provider/ uni where the apprenticeship is

managed and delivered.

Shortlisting will occur and if candidates are

interviewed by the employer

If you successful in securing a post with

the employer thisautomatic ally

accepts you onto the degree

apprenticeship.

UCW degree Apprenticeships

www.uc w.a c.uk

StandardsBSc (Hons) Digital Technology Solutions BEng (Hons) Mechanic al Engineering BEng (Hons) Ele ctronics Engineering

Higher Apprenticeship FrameworkHNC / D Engineering – with various pathways HNC /D Construction and the BuildEnvironment FdSc Health and Social Care PracticeFdSc Integrated Mental Health and Social Care

Plans for future programmes includingcyber security, management

UCW Open Day

www.uc w.a c.uk

Saturday 14th April 2018

10:00-14:00

UCW Winter gardens, Weston-super-Mare

Sign up online

www.ucw.ac.uk/openday