An Introduction to Higher Education

PLANNING AHEAD? DECISIONS? Year 12 EmploymentTraining/ApprenticeshipsCollegeVolunteering Year 13 A2 Year 13 University Sponsored / Work Based Degree College/Foundation Degree/Technical & Vocational Learning Employment Employment with training Apprenticeship Gap year/Volunteering

Current Year 13 Year group = 217 students HE September 11 = 190 HE September 12= 3 Art Diploma= 6 Cadetship = 1 College=5 Apprenticeship = 2 Employment=3 Uncertain = 7

GOOD ADVICE GOOD DECISIONS Guidance sessions Sixth Form Mentor Connexions Tutors/Heads of Year Personal interviews Careers library Web sites Parents

A2 choices Check subject suitability for future intentions Match courses / career requirements (e.g Need A2 Chemistry for Medicine) GOOD ADVICE GOOD DECISIONS

HIGHER EDUCATION Reasons to apply to university? Increase qualification levels Increase qualification levels Future earnings Future earnings Sports facilities Sports facilities Active social life Active social life New friends New friends New interests/skills New interests/skills Live in another part of the country Live in another part of the country Be more independent Be more independent

Cost Cost Lose friends Lose friends A job without a degree A job without a degree Reliance on family Reliance on family No job guarantees No job guarantees Wont get the grades Wont get the grades Not ready Not ready Need a break from studying Need a break from studying HIGHER EDUCATION Reasons NOT to apply to university?

The UCAS System No direct application to universities 55,000 undergraduate courses 324 institutions recruit through UCAS Electronic Application System – Web based APPLY 5 choices 4 choices for Vets, Medics, Dentists, plus 1

What is UCAS? Oversee applications to Higher Education institutions. Regulates the procedure of filling the places available. Gives replies to students of the offers they have/have not received. Tries to ensure that all applications are treated equally. UCAS works to deadlines and so does school.

School Deadlines Medics, Vets, Oxbridge By or before Friday 4th October to meet 15 th October UCAS deadline All other UCAS applicants by or before Friday 11 th November. Early Application is beneficial to student and school.

Things To Remember Each course at every institution will apply its own criteria for entry. Specific course entry requirement will depend on the demand for the course, and may change from year to year. Courses with the same title are not necessarily the same. Application can be made for different types of courses (but care needs to be taken). It is wise to consider one or two courses that are below predicted grade level.

So far Assembly guidance programme Group and one to one advice sessions HE Convention University visits: Lancaster, York, Cambridge, Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria School university visits: Newcastle, Northumbria, Glasgow, Oxford, Cambridge. Oxbridge conference. Law visits Student shadowing Open Day visits

RESEARCH! WebsitesProspectus Open days Student shadowing Taster courses Heads of Year/Tutors Parents Higher Education Conferences

COURSES Degree 3 to 4 Years Foundation Degree 2 years HND 2 years Diploma or Certificate of Higher Education 1 to 2 Years (Remember Scottish Universities may be slightly different.)

Key Variables Course subject options, combinations and flexibility Assessment by examination, dissertation, project, practical work experience, on line…… Leading to first degree qualification, professional qualification or requiring further qualification.

What Are Universities Looking For? Interest/commitment (passion) Qualifications –GCSE –actual –AS – actual –A2 –predictions Personal statement Reference

Increasing Chances Extra-curricular and enrichment activities. Involvement in school and out-of-school life. Relevant work experience; work shadowing. Part-time employment. University visits, open-days, summer schools, student shadowing. Awards, rewards, certificates, commendations. Evidence of key skills. Personal experiences, qualities and attributes.

Most Competitive Universities CambridgeOxford Imperial College London School of Economics WarwickDurham University College London St Andrews BathEdinburgh

UNIVERSITY RANKING ( RankInstitutionAverage UCAS Tariff score of Students under 21 1Oxford532 2Cambridge 547 3Imperial College 504 4Durham 468 5London School of Economics 494 6St Andrews 455 7Warwick 464 8Lancaster 393 9UCL York Edinburgh Bath Kings College London Southampton Bristol 408

Most popular universities applied to by KEVI students 2011/12 University No of applicants 2011 Northumbria82 Newcastle56 Leeds Met42 Leeds37 Sheffield Hallam35 Sunderland33 York33 Sheffield29 Manchester Met27 Edinburgh Napier26 Edinburgh24 Manchester23 Aberdeen20 Teesside19 Nottingham19 Liverpool17 York St John15 Nottingham Trent15 Cumbria12 Durham12 Lancaster12 Hull11 Birmingham10 Cambridge9 Stirling8 Glasgow8 Keele8 Oxford8 Loughborough7 Bradford7 Warwick7 Bristol7 UCL7 Derby7 Exeter7 Lincoln7 Royal Holloway7 Staffordshire6 Central Lancashire6 Aston5

Last Years destinations University number of students Northumbria43 Newcastle 15 Durham7 Sunderland6 LeedsMet6 Harper Adams6 Sheffield5 Leeds4 Teesside4 York4 Newcastle College4 Cambridge4 Aberdeen3 Cumbria3 Hull3 Nottingham Trent3 Manchester3 Lancaster Edinburgh Napier2 Glasgow Various Others46

Most Popular University Courses Chosen by KEVI Students 2011 Business/Economics27 Sciences18 Psychology/Criminology13 Nursing & Midwifery 13 Journalism & Media8 Law7 Engineering 7 Education 7 English7 Sports6 Medicine6 Geography 6 Graphic Design6 History5 Maths5

Most Competitive Subjects Vet Science MedicineDentistryPhysiotherapyMidwiferyPsychologyLaw English Literature History Aeronautical Engineering Architecture

Example: Psychology AnimalApplied Applied Social Behavioural Science BusinessClinicalCognitive Cognitive Science CommunicationsComputingCounsellingDevelopmentalEducation European Social ExperimentalForensicHealthHumanOccupationalSocialSport

Example: Human Psychology (Aston University) Human Psychology ( 3 year full time) Human Psychology (4 year sandwich) Psychology and Public Policy and Management Psychology and …… BiologyBusinessChemistry Computer Science FrenchGermanSociology

UCAS Dates Registration onto the apply system – July – Sept 2011 Applications –Sept 1 st – Jan 15 th Oxbridge Vets & Medics – must be in by October 15 th School submission dates have to be earlier. UKCAT, BMAT & LNAT examinations October / November. University specific tests usually October/November

Grade/Point offers Institutions can offer places by required grades (B-B-C) Or by required points (260 points)

OFFERS A2 LEVEL Grade A*=140 points Grade A = 120 points Grade B = 100 points Grade B = 100 points Grade C = 80 points Grade D = 60 points Grade E = 40 points AS LEVEL AS LEVEL Grade A = 60 points Grade B = 50 points Grade B = 50 points Grade C = 40 points Grade D = 30 points Grade E = 20 points No double counting Points or Grades offer.

UCAS Offers A maximum of 2 offers may be held after final decision has been received. There are 3 replies that can be made. 1. F = Firm Acceptance 2. I = Insurance Acceptance 3. D = Decline If an unconditional offer is firmly accepted no other offers may be held.

Aspiration v Realism It is essential to apply for courses that are in line with predicted grades Predicted grades cannot be negotiable Make one or two choices below predicted grades Always remember insurance choice

Gap year Gap year Year in Industry Employment Employment Defer Entry

No Offers Ucas EXTRA Clearing Dont get Grades Clearing

Tuition Fees for 2011 Up to £9000 per year (full-time undergraduate courses) – decisions from universities are awaited To cover: cost of University course It has to be repaid

Help towards tuition fees Household income Less than £25,000 Between £25,001 and £50,020 £50,020 or more Help available: All tuition fees paid Some help towards fees Students asked to pay full contribution

University Bursaries These differ from university to university. They enable universities to target appropriate financial help. Sometimes they are used as encouragement to apply to a particular university. It is the students responsibility to find out about and apply for a bursary. Bursaries can offer between £500 - £5000.

Living Costs: estimated and variable Up to £7000 per year for a student living away from home. To cover such things as: Rent or hall fees Household and general bills Food and drink TravelEntertainment Books, stationery and other course needs Clothes Contingency fund (Parents!)

COMING UP…….. Careers HE Guidance UCAS Registration – July – Sept Visits from other universities to be confirmed ( Nottingham, Swansea, Edinburgh Napier) Summer Schools Personal Interviews Open Days Taster Courses Pure Potential See adverts in the SFC

Some useful websites and which shows location of all UK Higher education institutions for university research quality ratings. provides a complete guide to higher education in England for Scottish University information for the University of Wales and for examples of league tables which gives a view of what its like to be a student will give ranking and bursary information.