UCAS and SAAS INFORMATION FOR 2020 ENTRY

UCAS 2020 ENTRY Applications completed online at www.ucas.com https://www.ucas.com/students

UCAS 2020 ENTRY Applications completed online at www.ucas.com https://www.ucas.com/students

UCAS 2020 ENTRY Applications completed online at www.ucas.com https://www.ucas.com/students

UCAS 2020 ENTRY WHAT IS IMPORTANT AT THIS TIME OF INCREASED COMPETITION? Preparation Research Relevant work experience/work shadowing/voluntary work Visit institutions/HE conventions/Open Days Personal Statement/Reference Understand selection process Be realistic Alternatives

KEY DATES

UCAS 2020 ENTRY Applications completed online at www.ucas.com https://www.ucas.com/students Start application mid September – NOW. Application allows for 5 choices. Cost £25 (more than one choice) paid by credit/debit card. PSE, Guidance Interviews, Open Days, Career Interviews and Careers Exhibitions support choices.

UCAS 2020 ENTRY Applicant researches where to study Registers online with UCAS Apply Completes form and processes payment Academic reference added by school School sends form electronically to UCAS UCAS processes form and forwards to chosen HEIs HEIs submit decisions (offer or unsuccessful) Applicant views decisions on Track Applicant replies to offers on Track (Firm/Insurance) HEIs confirm places when results are released

THE APPLICATION PROCESS Application form has 6 main sections:- PERSONAL DETAILS COURSE CHOICES - 5 choices EDUCATION - qualifications (past and pending) EMPLOYMENT - part time work PERSONAL STATEMENT - very important SCHOOL REFERENCE - completed by Guidance Teacher and checked by House DHT - very important

A GOOD PERSONAL STATEMENT SHOULD INCLUDE: A reason for choosing the course Any background interest Any relevant experience Career aspirations Work experience – skills developed Interests & hobbies Achievements Positions of responsibility Any other relevant information EVIDENCE OF: Independent study skills Self-awareness Motivation, maturity and commitment An understanding of the course Good numeracy and literacy Essay writing research skills Time management skills Enthusiasm to go beyond the curriculum

PERSONAL STATEMENT – POINTS TO REMEMBER Thoroughly prepare Take your time Multiple re-drafts Use a Word document Use a Spell Checker No humour Sell yourself Let others read it –Guidance, parents, older siblings 4000 characters including spaces 47 lines of text UCAS use Similarity Detection Software!

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Completed form sent to Guidance Teacher Payment made at home - £20 or £25 (depending on number) Reference written including information on predicted grades, attendance, late coming and S6 experience Form checked and submitted to UCAS UCAS sends form simultaneously to all choices HEIs consider applications. Applicant may need to: Attend an interview Send a portfolio of work Sit an admissions test

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Admission tutors can make one of three decisions: Conditional Offer Unconditional Offer Unsuccessful Applicants then keep a maximum of two offers: Firm Insurance Conditional Offers: Can be expressed in: UCAS Tariff points e.g. 305 points Grades e.g. AAAB at Higher A combination of both e.g. 305 points including a B in H Maths If no offers received.... UCAS Extra or Clearing in August

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? UCAS website www.ucas.com UCAS Apply and Track yougofurther.co.uk – the UCAS student network Facebook – www.facebook.com/ucasonline Twitter – www.twitter.com/ucas_online UCAStv – www.ucas.tv/ - video guides - channels for different audiences e.g. students/parents YouTube - www.youtube.com/ucasonline Careers Database - www.planitplus.net/ Skills Development Scotland-www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/ SAAS - www.saas.gov.uk Prospects - www.prospects.co.uk

SAAS – Students Award Agency for Scotland An agency of the Scottish Government giving financial support to eligible students doing a course of higher education in the UK. Further information from http://www.saas.gov.uk/ * All figures for the rest of this presentation are valid for the university session 2019 – 2020 and are liable to change with inflation.

Tuition Fees If you are a Scottish student studying in Scotland SAAS will pay your tuition fees. If you are studying elsewhere in the UK, you will be responsible for your own fees. The amount due each year will be up to £9,250. If you meet SAAS eligibility conditions, you can choose to take out a tuition fee loan to pay your fees. Applications for academic session 2020 – 2021 open on 1st April 2020 and close 31st March 2021. Advice is to complete form before 30th June 2020.

Young Students’ Bursary (YSB) and student loan for living costs Students can apply for a bursary and loan for general living costs while they study. Most school leavers will be classed as ‘young’. SAAS will use parental gross household income (before tax) to work out how much they will get.

Bursary VERSUS Loan If you are eligible for a bursary, you will not have to repay it. If you decide to apply for a student loan, you will have to repay it. You can choose how much loan you want to take. There is a loan available of up to £4,750 a year, no matter what your household income is. SAAS normally pay your money in monthly instalments throughout the academic year and the first instalment will be a double payment.

Repaying The Student Loan There will be an income level (a threshold) below which you will not have to make any repayments at all. The current threshold is £18,935 each year before deductions. The SLC will expect you to repay 9% of your annual income over £18,935. This threshold normally increases every year with inflation and a different limit may apply if you move to live in a country outside the UK. Scottish Government have committed to raising the repayment threshold to £25,000 by April 2021. The SLC will expect you to repay 9% of your annual income over £18,935.

Repaying The Student Loan Most students will repay their loans through HM Revenue and Customs either by employers taking amounts from pay through the PAYE system or through the tax self-assessment process. How quickly you repay your loan will generally depend on how much you earn. You can also make voluntary payments, at any time, direct to the Student Loans Company (SLC). Apply to SAAS repay SLC

Other funding options

ANY QUESTIONS