WELCOME
TO
NOWER HILL HIGH SCHOOL
HIGHER EDUCATION EVENING
2014
After A Levels…………….
• University
• Gap Year / Work Experience
• Employment
• Apprenticeship
Complete the UCAS Form
• Personal Details
Deadlines:
Oxbridge/Medicine/Dentistry - now
Rest: Friday before half term BUT they
can be handed in BEFORE
Complete the UCAS Form
• UNIVERSITY CHOICES
• Location and distance
• Campus / non campus
• Cost of living
• Social life
• Live at home or away
• Course
• Facilities
Complete the UCAS Form
• Predicted Grades
It’s fine to have both my firm and
insurance choices at the same grades.
From ‘Which University’
Website:
“Your insurance choice needs
to have lower entry
requirements”
According to UCAS, 42% of
applicants hold an insurance
choice with conditions which
are harder or equal to the
conditions for their first
choice. This means that if you
miss your grades, you won’t
have an offer to fall back on.
It’s not an ‘insurance’ choice if
it doesn’t offer you a back-up.
Funding Issues
Universities get
fined for any
extra students
they take with
grades below
ABB. So if your
grades are below
this the
universities are
unlikely to take
you if you don’t
meet your offer
Results Day
Results day is emotional
enough without the extra
pressure of decisions
about which University to
go to now. Having an
insurance place that is
realistic allows students to
have that safety net and
have confidence that they
will be going to x or y for
definite.
There are no good
universities/courses in clearing
Following changes to university admissions, Russell
Group universities were able to take on more
students through Clearing than ever. The
Government's decision to further lift restrictions
meant universities and colleges could recruit as many
students achieving ABB at A-level as they wished.
Only six Russell Group universities didn't offer any
courses through Clearing - including Oxford,
Cambridge, UCL and LSE
It is possible to say which is the best
university in the country.
All the best universities are in
London.
Complete University Guide
1 Cambridge
2 LSE
3 Oxford
Guardian Best University Guide
Cambridge
Oxford
LSE
Sunday Times League Table
Cambridge
Oxford
Bath
Times University Rankings
Oxford
Cambridge
LSE
4 Imperial
5 Durham
6 St Andrews
6 Warwick
8 UCL
St Andrews
Warwick
UCL
Durham
Lancaster
Durham
St Andrews
LSE
Exeter
Imperial
Imperial
Durham University
St Andrews
UCL
Warwick
Bath
Heriot-Watt University
Bath
Exeter
Warwick
Exeter
9
Lancaster
10 Bath
Complete the UCAS Form
• PERSONAL STATEMENTS
• REFERENCES
How can parents help?
• Get involved with their research
• Show interest and support
• Trust their child’s decision &
Teacher’s predictions
• Personal statements
• Interviews – lifts/train fares
• Help to foster financial responsibility
• Ensure they study!
Common concerns…….
• Guidance through the application process
• Competition for places
• Living alone
• Fees
• Making realistic choices
Interviews
• Interview practice
Apply for student finance?
The conditions you have to meet to qualify for
student finance concern:
• Personal eligibility (3yrs resident)
• Your course
• The university or college you plan to go to
(publicly funded and in UK)
Main finance available
• Tuition fee loan
• Maintenance loan
• Maintenance grant
• Special Support Grant
• Bursaries and scholarships
Tuition fee loan
• Fees can be up to £9000 per year and you can get a
loan to cover the full fee
• Paid directly to your university
• Doesn’t have to be paid back until you have left your
course and are earning over £21,000 pa
• Interest charges:
Income
Interest rate
While you’re studying
Rate of inflation (Retail Price Index) plus
3%
£21,000 or less
Rate of inflation
£21,000 to £41,000
Rate of inflation plus up to 3%
Over £41,000
Rate of inflation plus 3%
Maintenance Loan
• Helps to cover living costs throughout the academic
year
• Any student eligible for student finance is also
available for the Maintenance Loan
• Everyone can get up to 72% of this loan, the
remaining 28% is dependent on household income
• Paid in 3 instalments directly into your bank account
• Paid back once you have left your course and are
earning over £21,000
What could you get?
Full-time student
Loan for courses from
September 2014
Living at home
Living away from home, outside
London
Up to £4,418
Living away from home, in London
Up to £7,751
You spend a year of a UK course
studying abroad
Up to £6,600
Up to £5,555
Bursaries and scholarships
• Extra financial help from your university or
college
• Awarded for all sorts of reasons, not always
financial
• Check on your university’s website
• Worthwhile researching!
• NHS Bursaries – check if your course is eligible
How to apply
• Go on line http://studentfinance-
yourfuture.direct.gov.uk/
• Y13s can apply now!
How do I get my money?
• Once you have applied, you will be sent a
Financial Notification letter and a Payment
Schedule
• When you register at your university or
college, take your Payment Schedule letter
• Your university will confirm to Student Finance
that you are on the course
• Your student finance will then be released