he advisor update

Updates for 09/10

• The 14-19 Diploma

• ELQ

• Changes to the Student Loan Company- Student Finance England

• Presentations

UCAS Application Online

UPDATE 2008

An OverviewPERSONAL RESEARCH

•UCAS information & other reference materials•Advice & Guidance services

•Prospectuses•Visits & conventions

•Websites

CHECKED BY AUTHORISED STAFF MEMBERAdds Reference

Approves ReferenceChecks Application

Approves ApplicationChecks method of payment

Decision to apply.Registers to use the system &

completes application

Application submitted to UCAS

Application dates (Route A)

Application processing begins – September 2008

• 15 October 2008 - Last date for receipt of on-time applications to Oxford University, University of Cambridge and courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science or veterinary medicine. -

• 15 January 2009 - Deadline for on-time applications from UK and EU students to be guaranteed equal academic consideration.

• 30 June 2009 - Final deadline for receipt of applications for immediate consideration. Those received after this date held for Clearing.

Application Process (Route B)

• 12 February 2009 - First date we send applications for art and design Route B Round 1 to universities and colleges

• 6 March 2009 - Advisory closing date for applications to reach UCAS.

• 24 March 2009 - Last date for receipt of applications to be considered in first round of interviews.

• 11 June 2009 - Last date for receipt of applications for immediate consideration. Any applications received after this date are held for Clearing.

Update to 2009 Application There are 314 universities and colleges that are

members of UCAS, offering more than 50,000 HE courses.

Diploma in Nursing through UCAS and not NMAS

5 choices to make• No more than 4 choices in any of the following

three areas; (a) medicine (b) dentistry(c) Veterinary medicine/science

• No more than 3 choices for art & design route B• No more than 1 choice at Cambridge or Oxford

• Sections of app form;– Personal Details– Additional Information – Choices– Education– Employment– Personal Statement

• Personal Details – Nominated Access– Full name and relationship to the student

Additional Information: • Activities in preparation for HE

refers to any courses/activities student has participated in relation to education (2 examples)

• Have you been in care?• Parental Education• Occupational Background

Education• Modules on Alevel/AS/BTEC/AVCE (optional)

UCAS ExtraExtra is a procedure which gives

applicants who have used all five choices, but are holding no offers, the opportunity to make a further choice or choices.

Decisions made are conditional, unconditional or unsuccessful decisions and applicants may accept an offer firmly or decline it.

UCAS Clearing Clearing is the last opportunity for those

applicants not holding a place to be considered by institutions with course vacancies.

It also provides an opportunity to gain a place for those making very late initial applications.

The applicant makes direct contact with admissions staff.

What happens Next…?

Application is ONLY sent to the chosen institutions.

Selection procedures vary for each institutions. They make the decision!

- Unconditional offer (U)- Conditional offer (C)- Alternative course- Unsuccessful

UCASApplicant

Institution

Institution

Institution

Finance and Budgeting

Ami Kia Solomon

University of Greenwich

Outgoings To Consider

•Academic Costs:

Tuition Fees

Course materials

•Living Costs:

Accommodation

Food and shopping

Entertainment

Travel

Clothes

ACADEMIC COSTS

Tuition Fees

Variable Top-Up Fees, with an upper limit of £3,225 for the 2009 session.

Nothing will be payable up-front, students will pay after graduation by taking out loans.

Academic Costs

Tuition Fees Loan

• Everyone is entitled to the full loan.

• Nothing is payable upfront.

• Paid directly to the University.

Thinking Of Budgets

Academic Costs Living Costs

Tuition Fees £3,225 Accommodation £2,250

Books/Materials £350 Food £900

Internet £90 Clothes, Laundry etc £450

Socialising £775

Travel (local) £300

Total: £440 Emergencies £200

Or Total £3,665 Total £4,875

Living Costs

Student Loan for Subsistence

• The main source of money for living expenses.

• Paid directly to the student at the start of each term.

• Everyone is entitled to 75% of the loan.

• The best loan deal you will ever receive.

Loan Entitlement

Rate Maximum

Amount

75% (not means-tested)

25% (means-tested)

London £6,475 £4,856 approx

Elsewhere £4,625 £3,468 approx

Overseas £5,510 £4,132 approx

Home £3,580 £2,605 approx £975 approx

Independent Student (Notes)Over 25 when they commence their studies.

Have married or entered into a civil partnership before the start of the course.

Have supported themselves financially for at least three years prior to the start of course.

Have no living parents.

Are a full-time student who has care of a child or children, under the age of 18, on the first day of the course.

Care Leavers are judged on a case by case basis, according to the level of support they have from Social Workers, etc.

Living Costs - continued

Maintenance Grant

• Non-repayable Maintenance Grant of up to £2,835

• Based on household residual income

• £25,000 or less: student receives full grant

• £25,000 - £60,005: student receives part of the maintenance grant

• £60,006: student receives no maintenance grant

Maintenance Grant

Household income Amount of grant

Up to £25,000  Full grant - £2,835

 £30,000 £2,002

£35,450  £1,260

£40,000  £998 

£50,000 £524

£60,005 £50

Note:If you get £1,260 or more of

Maintenance Grant, the amount you can borrow through your loan will

be reduced by £1,260

i.e. Reduced £1 for £1 up to £1,260

Special Support Grant

• Does not affect/reduce the Student Loan

• Not counted as income when working out entitlement to income-related benefits or tax credits.

• Qualify for the Special Support Grant if the conditions for being a ‘prescribed person’ are met under the Income Support or Housing Benefit Regulations.

• Students who are likely to qualify include students with certain disabilities

The Disabled Student Allowance

DSAs are available to students on designated higher education courses who are ordinarily resident in the UK.

• Special equipment allowance, up to £4905 for the whole course.

• Non-medical helper allowance up to £20000 per year.

• General allowance, up to £1640 a year.

• Reasonable spending on extra travel costs.

Other Help Available

• Hardship Funds

• Opportunity bursaries

• Teacher training bursaries

• Healthcare and NHS bursaries

• Social Work bursaries

• Incapacity Benefit

• Part Time Students Allowance

• Parents Learning Allowance

• Child Care Grants

The Bursary Map

http://bursarymap.direct.gov.uk/

The Bursary Map

http://bursarymap.direct.gov.uk/

The Bursary Map

http://bursarymap.direct.gov.uk/

The Bursary Map

http://bursarymap.direct.gov.uk/

Bursaries

Universities and colleges decide what’s available, but those based in England have to offer a minimum payment to students who:

• get the full Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant

• pay maximum tuition fees - 3,145 in 2008/2009

http://www.direct.gov.uk

Bursaries

Usually, you’ll get a direct payment from your college or university. But some provide support in kind, such as:

•discounts on accommodation

•discounts on books

•free transport (for example, by providing a bicycle)

http://www.direct.gov.uk

Repayment Examples

A Graduate earning £16,000 per year

£16,000 - £15,000 threshold = £1,000

9% of £1,000 = £90

So £90 per year = £7.50 per month

A Graduate earning £20,000 per year

£20,000 - £15,000 threshold = £5,000

9% of £5,000 = £450

So £450 per year = £37.50 per month

While At University…

• It’s very easy to underestimate how much it all costs at University.

• Most students get a loan instalment at the beginning of every term which might have to last up to 12 weeks!

• An eye will have to kept on finances – it’s a challenge, but it is possible!

While At University…Budget carefully.

Make friends with the bank rep/financial adviser/family

Avoid impulse buys and peer pressure.

Check the phone tariff.

Use the student discount.

Get a part time job.

Don’t be an ostrich!

NEVER GET A CREDIT CARD

Top Tips for Tutor References

& Personal Statement

The Context

Some courses are oversubscribed many times

“Selecting” V “Recruiting” courses

Approximately 125,000 applicants were disappointed.

The roles of:• The Personal Statement….

to tell us about the applicant

• The Reference…to validate the Personal Statement

• They should work together• You need to be involved in the personal statement

Reference: What do we want?

State who referee is and how they know the applicant. Some institutions have a standard format for this.

State if there are any institutional circumstances/policies which may have constrained the applicant’s curriculum choices. Some institutions have a standard format for this.

Reference – the message 1

What grades are predicted?

Are there any mitigating circumstances?

Is the application supported? How strongly?

Reference – the message 2

Does the reference endorse your view of their• achievement and potential,• personal qualities,• career plans,• other interests?

Are there any difficulties or challenges they had to overcome?

The key thing is to validate the personal statement.

Personal Statement Overview

What are HEI’s looking for?

Evidence that:• the applicant has thought about the

application• they are a serious applicant• they will be well prepared• they won’t fail• they will complete the course• they will be a star

The key word here is “evidence”

Personal Statements Do’s & Don’ts

Do…set out to make the university want to read the

form. …plan, draft and polish

Don’t…repeat what is elsewhere on the form.…just say what you have done and/or are doing now.

Personal Statements - Evidence

Hobbies and InterestsRelevant ExperienceWritten Communication Skill

The medium is the message!

The basics of

Foundation Degrees

What is a Foundation Degree?

• Foundation Degrees are a new type of degree, designed and delivered in partnership with employers to equip people with the relevant knowledge and skills for business.

• They integrate academic and work based learning through close collaboration between employers and colleges/universities.

• Foundation Degree gives the candidate the learning and workplace experience to help kick-start or further their career.

Who are Foundation Degrees for?• A school or college leaver looking for a work-

related qualification to launch their career

• Not currently in employment and seeking a way into work with prospects

• Employed and want to progress in the line of work

• Employed but want to change career

Foundation DEGREE, COURSE or YEAR??

• Foundation DEGREE: Employment-related higher education qualification designed to meet employer requirements.

• Foundation COURSE: For international students who do not immediately meet university entrance requirements and will include English where needed.

• Foundation YEAR: First year of 4 year extended degree programme where the year includes the basic core foundations before moving onto a degree programme.

How long?

• Full Time – 2 yrs, not the same as full five day week attendance, much of the learning is undertaken as private study.

• Part Time – 3 / 4 yrs, designed to fit in with the work hours, usually late evenings and an occasional Saturday.

• Work Based Learning – 2-4 yrs, learning while earning and working on real work projects

What will it cost?For 2007-8:• Full Time fees: £1,535

• Part Time fees: £285 per 30 credits (equates to £1,140 full-time)

• Can pay fees in two instalments

• Discounted fee for anyone progressing onto the Hons Degree direct from their Foundation Degree

• Some Foundation Degree students receive fees support from their employer

What are the Entry Requirements?

FOUNDATION DEGREE

Voluntary/Community Activity

Higher Vocational Qualification (eg. CPD)

Advanced Apprenticeship

NVQ Level 4

Higher Level NVQS (eg.Level 5)

Work

NVQ Level 3

GCSE

Apprenticeship

BTEC qualifications

Honours Degree

A levels

Access to HE

Professional Qualification (eg. AAT, ILEX)

Foundation Degrees Locally

• Accounting & Finance (3)

• Animal Management (5)

• Applied Professional Studies (1)

• Art & Design (1)• Business &

Management (11)• Computing (8)• Countryside

Management (3)• Creative Industries (3)• Criminal Justice (1)• Education (15)• Events Management

(1)

• Health & Social Care (7)

• Horticulture (1)• Human Resources

(1)• Information

technology (8)• Multimedia (4)• Performing Arts (3)• Pharmacy (2)• Psychology &

Counselling (3)• Retail Technology

(1)• Science (1)• Sports (2)• Transport &

Logistics (1)

Summary• Combine study with work-based learning

and experience

• Designed with specific employers or employer organisations

• Flexible study – college / university, workplace, employer’s study centre, home, on-line

• Have the option to ‘top up’ to a full honours degree, some requiring a short bridging programme

• Deliver immediate benefits to the students work, and to their employer

Any Questions???

Contact us:

The Education Liaison Unit

Elu@gre.ac.uk