Universities and the UCAS Process Information for Parents

Cirencester College March 1st 2011

Tonight’s Agenda

• Going to university: A good idea?

• How does the application process work?

• Who does what?– Students & Parents– College

• Any problems?– What if you don’t know what you want to do?– Is money going to be a problem?

Going to University: a good idea?

• Does it cost too much now?• Are there jobs at the end?• What are the alternatives?

– PT study – while working – a FD? (HNC/D)– HE in FE – Cirencester & other local colleges– OU– Apprenticeships– Employment– Gap Year / YINI etc

University: Now and Future

There has been considerable expansion in the proportion of graduates since 1980s

• many jobs are now open only to graduates• the expectation is that this will continue in the

immediate future Much of the expansion has been in vocationally-linked

courses, e.g. FDsUCAS applications currently average over 500,000 per

year. Next year??? Tuition fees will not be set till quite late.

6 April Bristol UCAS Convention

March 2011 Start thinking and researching your options.

March 2011 Sign up for ‘yougo’ on the UCAS site

1st March

Higher Education Parents’ Evening

5 AprilFUTURES DAY

Y2 Starter PeriodPractise on UCAS Apply

Summer 2011Draft Personal Statement, investigate courses, visit universities, make your choices

21 & 23 June Aston and Bath University Open Day Trips

3 September Personal Statement to Tutor at start of term

Follow UCAS Tracking Form

24 SeptemberDeadline for medical, veterinary and Oxbridge applications

By end October 2011 Submit UCAS application

The UCAS Process

Starting the Process: Doing the Research

• Use the UCAS website, www.ucas.com, for information about courses and grades required

• Lots of information in the Careers Library

• Our Futures Day on April 5th

• Bristol UCAS Convention April 6th • University websites

• Open Days, College Trips

Lots of choice…

• Over 50,000 different courses

• 2,3 & 4 year degrees

• Sandwiches with ‘thin’ and ‘thick’ fillings

• Different methods of assessment

• Different approaches to teaching

• Some courses vocationally linked

• Use the Times and Guardian Education Guides, and ask for quality information – research rating, drop-out rates, employment rates etc.

A Range of Subjects

• Animation

• Biblical Studies

• Brewing and Distilling

• Dutch Studies

• Equine Science

• Footwear Technology

• Golf Course Management

• Jazz Studies

• Knitwear

• Museum Studies

• Packaging Design

• Parasitology

• Police Studies

• Puppetry

• Ship Science

• Sound Recording

• Valuation & Auctioneering

• Wine Studies

What if they’re stuck?

• Use diagnostic tools on the UCAS website such as Stamford Test

• Our Futures Day really helps

• Talk to a Guidance Tutor; perhaps use Course Discover?

• Year in Industry or a structured Gap Year can help

• Think about a Foundation Degree?

• Go with the best guess… you can always turn a place down later!

Narrowing the Choices

• Students apply to up to 5 universities

• Once there is an initial shortlist, Open Days and campus visits really help – you’re not just choosing a course, but also a home for 2-4 years

– Rural or Urban?

– Living accommodation – cost, quality etc.

– Other facilities – sports, music etc

Crunch time!

• We’d like a Personal Statement at the beginning of Year Two

• We advise the application should be in by the end of October

• UCAS external deadline: January 15th

• For Oxbridge, vets and medical applications, by late September

• Many universities interview any time between January and March

Making the Application – the Student’s job, with your support

• Online: UCAS Apply

• 5 choices

• Personal details – qualifications, disabilities etc.

• Personal Statement

– The student’s ‘sales pitch’: include ‘buzzwords’ from university prospectuses and websites

– Explain: why this course choice?

Our Job…• To give advice through personal tutors, guidance tutors and LRC staff

• Help with Personal Statement drafting: Futures Day, CCO and Personal Tutors

• Once the student has finished the application they submit it to us electronically…

• We add a reference and send the completed application to UCAS

• We collect the UCAS fee and send it off

• We operate two distinct levels of checking to ensure the best possible applications go out

• We may delay sending the application while we try to help the student improve it

The Process

• Offers from Universities

• The UCAS Tariff (and General Studies)

• Monitor through TRACK

• Replies through UCAS

• Firm and Insurance Offers

• UCAS EXTRA

• Results Day

• Clearing

Money concerns?

• By and large, students pay, not parents…

• The Government does expect some contribution will be made by high-earning parents – but they can’t dictate what you will do

• Up to half of all students will receive some form of non-repayable grant, and up to a third will receive the full grant

• All students are eligible for a loan to cover tuition fees and living costs

• Many students can also receive bursary or scholarship grants

What will it all cost?

Tuition Fees

• No upfront fee

• Universities charge variable fees, up to £9,000 per year

• Students take out loans for fees and repay from later earnings over £21,000 per year

• Universities charging over £6,000 per year must take steps to ensure access for all

Living Costs

• Roughly £18,000 over 3 years

• Student loans up to around £5,000 pa outside London, £7,000 in London (figures not yet fixed for 2012)

• Grants up to £3,250 per year for students from families

earning £42,000 or less (full amount if below £25,000)

• Most students have a part-time job to help with living expenses

Not as scary as it looks… • Students do not begin to repay their loans

until they are earning more than £21,000 a year.– Rate of interest much lower than on commercial

bank loans

• They pay 9% of earnings over £21,000

• The Student Loan does not affect their credit rating (for mortgages etc.)

– Outstanding loans written off after 25 years

• Part-time students are now also eligible for loans

• Find all the details on www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

• We’ve summarized this for students:

Don’t forget

• Many institutions are offering bursaries and scholarships

• Details of these are available on the UCAS website, in university prospectuses & websites and in the Careers Library

• Universities’ offerings of financial aid vary widely – it pays to do research!

• Many scholarships are also attached to unconditional offers.

Help!

• Encourage students to do their research

• If they aren’t sure whether they want to apply, encourage them to do it – they can always decline later

• Encourage them to make use of the facilities we offer

• Encourage preparation – reading around the subject, possible work experience, etc.

• Offer help in drafting personal statements

• Encourage them to apply early

6 April Bristol UCAS Convention

March 2011 Start thinking and researching your options.

March 2011 Sign up for ‘yougo’ on the UCAS site

1st March

Higher Education Parents’ Evening

5 AprilFUTURES DAY

Y2 Starter PeriodPractise on UCAS Apply

Summer 2011Draft Personal Statement, investigate courses, visit universities, make your choices

21 & 23 June Aston and Bath University Open Day Trips

3 September Personal Statement to Tutor at start of term

Follow UCAS Tracking Form

24 SeptemberDeadline for medical, veterinary and Oxbridge applications

By end October 2011 Submit UCAS application

The UCAS Process

Apprenticeships involve an employer, student and trainer

Work-based training • 12 month contract• Minimum of 16 hours per week at work• Day per week at college

Training• Vocational Qualification assessed in the workplace• Technical & Key Skills taught in the classroom

Employer

• Local to Cirencester• Min 12 month contract• Prepared to invest

• Enthusiastic• Disciplined• Know what you want

Apprentice

• Provide training • Work with employer• Support apprentice

Trainer

Working Together

Apprenticeship Vacancies

Go to www.apprenticeships.org.uk

Apprenticeship Opportunities at Cirencester College

For more information

cirencester.ac.uk

Susan Sutton01285 653 961

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