Higher Education Evening

Mrs Gray – Applying to UniversityMr Alexander & Josh Hardman –

Student LifeJanine Brownell 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

80% of new jobs by 2020 will be in occupations with high concentrations of graduates

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 and career flexibility, 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

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 UCAS TV – handy hints Parents section – www.ucas.com/parents -

free e -newsletters and a parents blog

Applications 2014-2015 2% rise in applications on 2014- 592,000 Application numbers have exceeded the

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

highest level recorded. – 40% women and 30% men

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 380 Higher Education Providers

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 2016 opens May,

registering for 2016 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 2014

1. Subjects allied to Medicine (361,360)2. Business and Administration3. Art and Design4. Biological Sciences5. Social Studies6. Engineering7. Law8. Physical Sciences9. Medicine and Dentistry 10. Computer Science

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 2014 up to 8,500 cases

Contextual data/Academic reference from Northgate

Deadlines

Northgate internal deadline Oxbridge & Medical – 21 September

2015

All others – 2 November 2015

Final UCAS deadline 15 January 2016

Some Art and Design Courses – 24 March 2016

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 – 2017 Apply Sept 2016 through Northgate

with final results – usually leads to an unconditional offer

Gap Year students – What do they do? 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

2016

Students must make their decision by 7 May 2016

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 10% to 57,100

Adjustment period – post results – up to 1,382

Important Dates

Oxbridge Conference – 21 April 2015

Higher Education Fair – 11 June 2015

Medics Course - 30 June 2015

Oxbridge preparation course – October 2015

Oxbridge/Medical mock interviews – November 2015

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

Josh Hardman – Ex Northgate Student, first year student at LSE London reading

Government and Politics

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

Josh Hardman

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

Janine BrownellOutreach Officer

University Campus Suffolk

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: 2015 Entry

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

• UCS fees:

• £9000 BA/BSc

• £8000 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

Living Costs: Maintenance Loans

Most students take a maintenance loan to help with living costs

• Maximum maintenance loans for students starting University in 2015:

• Student living at home: £4565

• Student living away from home: £5740

• Student living away from home and in London: £8009

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

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

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.

• Students must apply EVERY year.

Household Income Maintenance Grant

Up to £25,000 Full grant: £3387

£30,000 £2439

£35,000 £1491

£40,000 £545

£42,620 £50

More than £42,620 No grant

Total Support 2015 Entry Household

IncomeMaintenance Loan Maintenance

GrantTotal

Home Away Home Away

<£25,000 £2816 £3990 £3387 £6203 £7377

£30,000 £3304 £4479 £2441 £5745 £6920

£35,000 £3793 £4968 £1494 £5287 £6462

£40,000 £4283 £5458 £547 £4830 £6005

£42,620 £4539 £5714 £50 £4589 £5764

£42,621 £4565 £5740 £0 £4565 £5740

£45,000 £4344 £5464 £0 £4344 £5464

£50,000 £3822 £4997 £0 £3822 £4997

£55,000 £3300 £4431 £0 £3300 £4431

£60,000 £2950 £3953 £0 £2950 £3953

Over £62,132

£2950 £3731 £0 £2950 £3731

All students are also entitled to a tuition fee loan

Total Support 2015 Entry Household

IncomeMaintenance Loan Maintenance

GrantTotal

Home Away Home Away

<£25,000 £2816 £3990 £3387 £6203 £7377

£30,000 £3304 £4479 £2441 £5745 £6920

£35,000 £3793 £4968 £1494 £5287 £6462

£40,000 £4283 £5458 £547 £4830 £6005

£42,620 £4539 £5714 £50 £4589 £5764

£42,621 £4565 £5740 £0 £4565 £5740

£45,000 £4344 £5464 £0 £4344 £5464

£50,000 £3822 £4997 £0 £3822 £4997

£55,000 £3300 £4431 £0 £3300 £4431

£60,000 £2950 £3953 £0 £2950 £3953

Over £62,132

£2950 £3731 £0 £2950 £3731

All students are also entitled to a tuition fee loan

NHS Funded Courses

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

• Dental Hygiene

• Nursing and Midwifery

• Physiotherapy

• Radiography/Radiotherapy

• Speech and Language Therapy

• Maintenance loan maximum of £2324 per year for NHS students living away from home

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

Support for NHS students

Household income

Bursary Home (£)

Bursary Away (£)

Below £25,000 3,691 4,455£30,000 3,164 3,928£35,000 2,638 3,402£40,000 2,112 2,876£45,000 1,585 2,349£50,000 1,059 1,823£55,000 1,000 1,297£60,000+ 1,000 1,000

Other Support

• Disabled Students’ Allowance: Currently under review. Further guidance due this month.

- specialist equipment, e.g. a computer if you need one because of a disability

- non-medical helpers- extra travel because of your disability- other disability-related costs of studying

• 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

How to Apply

Students apply online via Student Finance England

• Applications are normally available from December

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

• Apply each year

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

• Students will not be assessed for the maintenance grant

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

Interest Rates

Interest rates will be applied to the loans:

• While studying: RPI + 3%

• After graduation, salary up to £21,000: RPI

• Salary of £21,000 - £42,000: RPI + up to 3%

• Salary of >£42,000: RPI + 3%

• No early repayment charge

• Repayments (and interest) change with individual circumstances

Other Sources of Income

• Part-time and vacation jobs

• Bursaries and scholarships

• Access to Learning Fund

• Savings

• Overdraft*

• Credit card*

• Supplementary grants

* Not recommended!

Student Finance at UCS

Tuition fees for 2015 entry:

• £9000 per year BSc/BA degrees

• £8000 per year FdA degrees

Fee-waivers and Bursaries:

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

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

• 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

• UCS Sports Scholarship: up to £1000 for students performing at a high level in sport

Is It Worth It?

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

Graduates earn an average of £220,000 more in their lifetime than non-graduates

• Average starting salary for graduates: £21,000

• 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: Students have to take opportunities at university to expand their experience and skills and to make themselves more employable

Any Questions?

Contact us:

schools@ucs.ac.uk

www.ucs.ac.uk

Open Events:

Saturday 18 April 2015, 10.30am - 2.30pm

Saturday 11 July 2015, 10.30am - 2.30pm

To Sum Up“This year’s graduates can be confident that there are more

opportunities available and that they can expect better job

prospects than the previous cohort as the economy

strengthens”

Charlie Ball - Head of HE intelligence Prospects