edge hill university parents guide 2016

A Parents’Guide to Higher Education

A Parents’ Guide to Higher Education

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Contents4 Making the Right Choice

6 Edge Hill University

8 A Great Place to Study

9 Understanding Funding and Finance

11 The Application Process

13 Support for Students

15 Starting University: How Parents can help

16 Useful Websites

This guide is not just for parents –it’s for anybody who is helping someonemake decisions about higher education.

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Making the Right ChoiceAs the supporter of someone who is applying to university you will play an importantrole in helping them to make an informed decision about what and where to study.

This guide addresses some of the questions you may have about applying to highereducation, and Edge Hill University in particular.

What are the benefits of going to university?Studying at University is a life changing experience that will allow your son ordaughter to:

Enhance employabilityCompetition for jobs in today’s market is tough, and having a degree will give yourchild the edge against non-graduates. Not only will your child have a qualificationthey can be proud of, they will pick up valuable transferable skills along the way,such as; communication skills, teamwork, organisation and time-management. Ouron-campus Careers Team help our students find work placements, paid work andvoluntary roles to boost their employability even further.

Gain independenceStudying at university, and possibly living away from home for the first time is anexperience like no other. Your son or daughter can gain their independence andincrease their self-confidence and social skills.

Make friends for lifeAlthough university requires lots of hard-work, students will enjoy the social sideand in the process make friends for life. Here at Edge Hill, we have a very closecommunity which our students love being a part of.

When choosing a university course it is important to select a subject in the areathat is enjoyable and that can bring benefits. With over 50,000 courses availablenationally, at a variety of city and campus-based universities, there is a lot of choice.


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Edge Hill UniversityOpportunity from KnowledgeFounded in 1885, Edge Hill is a thriving university providing an outstandingstudent experience with a strong focus on employability. Our award-winningcampus features some of the best facilities you will see in higher education, set in160 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds.

We were the proud winner of the Times Higher Education UK University ofthe Year Award in 2014 as well as being shortlisted in 2007/8, 2010/11 and2011/12 – the only university to be shortlisted four times in seven years.

Great graduate employment prospectsThe Edge Hill University experience is designed to prepare our students for theirfuture careers. We have an excellent track record in graduate employment with95.3% of Edge Hill University’s full-time and part-time degree and undergraduateaward holders finding work or further study within six months of graduating. (HESADestination of Leavers Survey pub. June 2013, DLHE survey by the Higher EducationStatistics Agency 2014).

Satisfied StudentsEdge Hill University offers an outstanding student experience and this is reinforcedby our consistent success in national surveys:

• Ranked in the top 30 for Student Experience (Times Higher Education survey, 2015)

• 4.2 out of 5 for Overall Student Satisfaction(National Student Survey, 2015)

• Top 20 University for making a great first impression – making students feel at home straight away.(Youth Sight 2014)

• Safest Campus in the North West for fourth year running(Complete University Guide 2015)


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A Great Place to StudyThe Edge Hill University campus is located close to Liverpool, Manchester andPreston, and is perfectly placed for students to benefit from the local countrysideor the nearby cities, all of which are all easily accessible by road or rail.

Our Ormskirk campus offers everything on site, from state-of-the-art teaching andlearning facilities to modern student accommodation, and a choice of places tostudy, socialise and relax.

Our cutting edge resources are designed to ensure students get experience ofindustry standard facilities to prepare them for the world of work.

Departmental facilities are complemented by the University Library, givingstudents access to thousands of books, journals, online resources and study spaces.Extensive IT and multimedia provision is available in the Learning InnovationCentre and the £16m Creative Edge building.

The facilities across campus, together with the expertise of our teaching staff, easilyaccessible student support services and 24-hour security provide peace of mindand an environment where our students are encouraged to succeed.

Edge Hill University has been ranked the safest campus in the North West(Complete University Guide 2015). Many new students appreciate the supportive,sociable and secure atmosphere that life in halls can offer. As we are campus based,everything is just a few minutes’ walk from the student accommodation.

Visit edgehill.ac.uk/accommodation for further information on our accommodationapplication and allocation process.

The standard undergraduate tuition fee will be £9,000 per year for all BA, BScand LLB degrees. Full-time students who are studying for their first degree canbenefit from a range of financial support.

Tuition Fee Loan - No upfront tuition feesEligible students (UK/EU) can borrow the full cost of their tuition fee which willbe £9,000 in the form of a loan, subject to previous degree or higher level study,and should not have to pay for their course upfront.

Maintenance LoanA Maintenance Loan is available to help students with living and study costs.All students (full-time, UK/EU), who live away from home and outside London,will be eligible for a loan of up to £8,200. Those who choose to live with theirparents will be eligible for a loan of up to £6,904. Students will only be requiredto start repaying student loans (tuition and maintenance) after they havegraduated and are earning over £21,000 per annum. When it comes torepayment terms, tuition fee and maintenance loans are combined to make onemonthly repayment. Graduates’ monthly repayments are based on the amountthey earn and not on how much they have borrowed. For further details see ourwebsite at: edgehill.ac.uk/fees

Applying for Student FinanceAs the parent of a student, you will usually have to support their student financeapplication if the student is applying based on their household income. Threethings you can do to support an application are:1. After your son or daughter has submitted their application, you will be sent an email asking you to confirm your income.

2. If you expect your income to drop by 15% or more, you can let Student Finance know.

3. Student Finance may ask for more details and evidence of your income or circumstances.

For more information, and details of what evidence you may have to supply visitwww.gov.uk/apply-for-student-finance/parents-and-partners

Understanding Funding and Finance

When Student Finance start processing applications they getincredibly busy, so it is worth encouraging your son or daughterto get in touch with them to ensure they have all the information they need. Any delays in providing documents/evidence toStudent Finance could result in your son or daughter not gettingtheir first instalment of maintenance loan at the start of term.

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Additional financial support at Edge Hill University Our range of scholarships for students recognise determination, commitmentand achievement in creative arts, performing arts, sport and volunteering, andalso reward outstanding examination results.

What is a scholarship?A scholarship is a financial award in recognition of excellence to support yourson or daughter while they are at university. It is awarded purely on merit anddoes not have to be repaid.

High Achievers Scholarship - £1,000Outstanding students who achieve 360 UCAS points in their final A2 (orequivalent) subjects, may qualify for a High Achievers Scholarship.

Excellence Scholarship - up to £2,000If an applicant can demonstrate determination, commitment and achievementoutside of work or study, they could make a substantial difference to theirstudent life and finances by applying for an Excellence Scholarship.

Liverpool Scholarship - up to £3,000This scholarship will be paid to the City of Liverpool student(s) who achievesthe highest UCAS tariff score. To be eligible applicants must be domiciled in theCity of Liverpool and have applied to study a full-time undergraduate degreeprogramme.

Sports Scholarship - up to £1,000If your child is talented at sport, participates at a competitive level or coachesand can demonstrate the ability and ambition to improve whilst they arestudying here, they could receive a Sports Scholarship.

Earn while you learnStudents gain valuable skills and experience through working alongside their studies,and with plenty of part-time job opportunities available on and off the campus,this can be a perfect stepping stone from study to employment. The CareersCentre offers an online vacancy service where students can search for part-timeand casual vacancies as well as work placements and volunteering opportunities.Visit edgehill.ac.uk/careers for more information

i edgehill.ac.uk/scholarships

Students apply to university through an online system called UCAS (Universitiesand Colleges Admissions Service). Students can apply to a maximum of fivechoices, in no particular order. Some students make just one choice, others gofor two different courses; the majority of students pick a similar subject at fivedifferent universities. A point to note is that the same Personal Statement willbe used for all five choices.

What happens next?Once UCAS has received a completed application, the next steps are:

1. UCAS will process the application.2. They will send a welcome letter confirming personal details and choices.3. The University can view the application online.4. The University will then decide whether to make an offer of a place or not.

Students can access their application via ‘Track’ on the UCAS website. Track isan online system which allows applicants to view their application, makechanges to their personal details, view decisions made by the universities andcolleges and reply to any offers received. The majority of communication aboutapplicants and their places will come via UCAS, rather than direct from theuniversities.

Students will most likely receive either an unconditional offer, which means thatthey have got a place, if they want it, with no conditions attached, or aconditional offer, which means they may have to get certain grades to secure aplace on their chosen course.

The Application Process


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Useful dates

September – December • Complete UCAS application, including an excellent personal statement• Attend Open Days

January – April• The deadline to submit a UCAS application is 15 January at 6pm• Begin applying for Student Finance. Visit www.gov.uk/student-financefor more information

• Await decisions from universities and colleges• Accepting and declining offers – choose one university as a FIRM choice and one as an INSURANCE choice

• Apply for accommodation at Edge Hill if it is a FIRM choice

May – July • Check the UCAS website for important deadlines:www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/apply-and-track/key-dates/2016

• Look out for further information from us, this may include pre-course information such as reading lists. This information will be sent to the emailaddress on your son or daughter’s UCAS form. To ensure they don’t miss any important information, if their email address changes they need to inform UCAS and the University as soon as possible

• Results published for some examinations such as BTECs. If a completed BTEC qualification is a condition of an offer, confirmation of a place will be sent out from us. If the conditions of the offer are not met, each application will be individually reconsidered and the student may still be offered a place on their chosen course or an alternative course

August• A level results day and Clearing opens. Clearing enables students who have not secured a university place to apply for course vacancies

• If a place is secured welcome information will be sent out from us

September• Enrolment – the process to officially join the University. Further details will be sent nearer the time; however we advise that you do not plan to be away beyond the first week in September

• Moving in day – this is when students who have been allocated on-campus accommodation complete the enrolment process, collect their keys, and move in

• First Week starts

Ensure that all the appropriate documentation is brought to enrolment. You can check what is required by visiting our website from early September.

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Student Services can help with almost anything to do with student life. Mostservices are accessed via our dedicated on-campus Student Information Centre,and the teams within Student Services offer advice on accommodation, money,wellbeing and much more. The aim of Student Services is to ensure that everyonein the Edge Hill community can make the most of the opportunities for study andlearning and that all our students feel valued as individuals. Some of the helpoffered by Student Services is detailed below:

AccommodationThe Accommodation Team provides support for students living on-campus aswell as advice for those living off-campus. In addition to night support staff whoare on hand for any issues arising out of hours, there are also AccommodationOfficers who handle student queries during the day and a Student EngagementAssistant whose job is to organise fun activities and events to help students findtheir niche at Edge Hill. Visit edgehill.ac.uk/studentservices/accommodation to find out more.

Counselling The Counselling Service is an established, professional facility that offers a widerange of services. Experienced, qualified counsellors can offer help in findingsolutions to problems, ways of coping, or just a safe place to talk. Visitedgehill.ac.uk/studentservices/counselling to find out more.

Health and Wellbeing If students are finding things difficult, the Student Wellbeing team are able tooffer assessments, support and advice, short-term Cognitive Behavioural Therapysessions and signposting and liaison with both internal and external teams.Regular GP surgeries are also held at Milton House which is just a short walkfrom campus. Visit edgehill.ac.uk/studentservices/the-health-well-being-centre to find out more.

InclusionThe Inclusion team can support you with a range of needs arising from physicalor sensory impairments, mental health needs or other disabilities. The team providesone-to-one academic or personal support and can also organise a Needs Assessment,advice on exam modifications, alternative assessments or adapted accommodation.Visit edgehill.ac.uk/studentservices/inclusive to find out more.

Support for Students


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Money AdviceThe Money Advice team holds regular drop-in sessions for students and can helpthem to plan a budget, access emergency funds and apply for hardship grants.They also offer financial health checks as well as advice and support to studentswho are struggling financially. Visit edgehill.ac.uk/studentservices/moneyadvice to find out more.

Careers CentreThe Careers Centre aims to help students develop their employability, offeringopportunities to learn, gain transferable skills and acquire relevant workexperience. We encourage all students to use our services from their first yearonwards. The Careers Centre can help with finding; part-time work,volunteering opportunities and summer jobs both in the UK and abroad.Visit edgehill.ac.uk/careers to find out more.

Course SupportIn a students’ first year they will be allocated a Personal Tutor who will be theirfirst point of contact for queries and concerns. Some courses also have a PeerMentoring Scheme where second and third year students help first years to settleinto the course.

IT and Library SupportStudents will have access to an impressive library, IT and study support facilities,access to 15,000 e-journals, over 150 online databases, 70,000 e-books and230,000 books and DVDs. There is 24-hour PC access, free wireless internetacross campus and teams to support students with a range of academic skills.Visit edgehill.ac.uk/ls to find out more.

Students’ UnionThe Students’ Union gives students a voice and works to improve both theeducational and social experience providing a wide range of activities includingsports and societies, academic advice and guidance, events, student representation,welfare and campaigns. Visit edgehillsu.org.uk to find out more.

Settling inWe provide all our students with the warmest of welcomes. The first week canbe a daunting time so we arrange activities to allow first year students toacclimatise to their new surroundings. There are group activities providingcourse information, introductory sessions with the University Library andindividual meetings with their Personal Tutor.

Seeing your son or daughter go off to university is an important step for you, aswell as them. Most parents describe mixed emotions and report that it can taketime to adjust to the change. Your son or daughter will probably experiencesimilar feelings, but on top of this they will be dealing with new ways of behaving.

Below are some top tips on how you can help your child have a positive firstmonth at university:

1. Take up opportunities to get involved in as much as possible.2. If your child experiences homesickness, reassure them that this is perfectly normal.

3. If they experience any problems in their on-campus accommodation, they should look to the Accommodation Team for advice. Each halls of residence has a Student Assistant who will also be a good contact if there are any issues.

4. Suggest that they take part in things they enjoy, for example, joining a sports team or going to a yoga class.

5. Remind them that opportunities will continue to present themselves so friendships will continue to develop past the first month.

6. Undertaking voluntary work or fundraising can be a really positive thing to be involved with, your child can gain essential skills and make friends along the way.

Starting University: How Parents Can Help

For more information, and to find out what else you can do to help, please visit; edgehill.ac.uk/studentservices/counselling/how-we-can-help-youand click on ‘Information for parents.’

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Edge Hill informationEdge Hill University edgehill.ac.ukEHU Students’ Union edgehillsu.org.uk

Choosing a course and universityUCAS ucas.comWhat Uni whatuni.com

Finance and budgetingDirect.gov gov.uk/studentfinanceStudent Calculator studentcalculator.org.uk Info for NHS funded students nhsbsa.nhs.uk

General informationNUS nus.org.ukDepartment for Education education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching

For any questions you may have about Edge Hill University please contact our Course Enquiries Team:T: 01695 657000E: [email protected]

Useful Websites

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Edge Hill UniversitySt Helens RoadOrmskirkLancashireL39 4QPUnited Kingdom

edgehill.ac.uk

facebook.com/edgehilluniversity

twitter.com/edgehillt

instagram.com/edgehilluniversityi

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ManchesterLiverpool

Birmingham

London

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