BENEFITS OF UNIVERSITY APPLYING THROUGH UCAS STUDENT FINANCE

BENEFITS OF UNIVERSITY

Entering the workplace Graduate only professions Competitive Earning potential

Graduate vs. non-graduate salary Subject Graduate salary Non-graduate salary Economics 25,637 16,249 Mechanical Engineering 24,337 14,764 Psychology 18,173 14,118 Architecture 17,873 14,526 Environmental Science 19,844 14,686 Mathematics 23,160 15,807 Business Studies 21,007 15,776 Social Work 24,630 15,669 Geology 21,182 13,950 Average 20,964 13,721 Source: The Complete University Guide 2011 What do graduates earn and do?

BENEFITS OF UNIVERSITY Study Employability Transferable skills

Guess the Degree Vernon Kay Vernon Kay Vernon Kay Harry Hill Sacha Baron Cohen Environmental Science Medicine History

Guess the Degree Vernon Kay Vernon Kay Jimmy Carr Political Science JK Rowling French Chris Martin Greek & Latin

WHERE DO YOU START?

TYPES OF COURSES Different degree types Progression routes

Types of degree Specialist degrees Non specialist courses

A VARIETY OF COURSES TO SUIT EVERY INTEREST 39,000 300 Specialise Try something new Career aspirations

Post-it is or Post-it isn t

CHOOSING THE RIGHT UNIVERSITY What to contemplate when choosing a University?

Top answers Location It has the right course A nice campus Good facilities Good reputation The clubs/societies it has It s close to home/it s far from home! Great atmosphere Nice accommodation

THINGS TO CONSIDER Entry requirements Course Assessment Student life Employment

FIVE THINGS STUDENTS WISH THEY D CONSIDERED 1. The number of scheduled teaching hours 2. The demographic of people who go there 3. The learning and assessment style 4. The financial support on offer at the university 5. Degree classes awarded http://university.which.co.uk/

WHAT ELSE SHOULD I DO WHILST AT UNIVERSITY? Transferable skills Volunteering Work experience Clubs/societies Get involved!

RESEARCH YOU CAN DO Internet Prospectus Open days League tables

THE STUDENT ROOM

USING THE UCAS WEBSITE

SEARCHING FOR COURSES

SEARCHING FOR A COURSE

TIPS FOR GETTING IT RIGHT! Start thinking now! Interests Research Requirements Pursue your interests

APPLYING THROUGH UCAS AND PERSONAL STATEMENTS

WHAT IS UCAS? Universities and Colleges Admission Service UCAS is the go between between the institution and the applicant UCAS records all decisions made about you Online service so can be accessed from any computer

WHAT ARE THE UCAS DEADLINES? 15 October Oxford/Cambridge Medicine Dentistry Veterinary Science 15 January All other applications October - December Internal school/college deadline

WHEN ARE STUDENTS MAKING THEIR APPLICATIONS? By application month Total applicants (2013) October 56,753 November 88,256 December 158, 852 January 225,037 February 15,620 March 11,385 April 15,716 May 11,893

HOW CAN I PREPARE TO APPLY? Year 12 Year 13 Start researching courses and universities Attend open days Start planning personal statement Get a summer job or voluntary experience Start application - up to 5 choices Keep to deadlines Attend applicant days Continue to do your research

HOW CAN I PREPARE TO APPLY? January February March April May Deadline Interviews and applicant days Institution offers / rejections Applicant accepts / declines (First and insurance choice) If applying to Plymouth you will receive an automated email response - this will detail what happens next. Check email account regularly to check for important communication.

YOUR APPLICATION FORM

COURSE CHOICES

YOUR APPLICATION FORM

THE PERSONAL STATEMENT

WHERE SHOULD I START? Think honestly about yourself what makes you special, interesting or unique? Everyone is different! Map out your ideas then build up paragraphs Writing about yourself is not something you do often Expect to write several drafts

WHAT SHOULD I PUT IN IT? 75% covering academic interests, motivation and strengths Taking a year out? Reasons for academic subject choice Qualifications 25% covering the skills developed that are not directly relevant to the course Personal Statement Personal achievements life skills, strengths Career aspirations Reflection of work experience

HOW SHOULD I STRUCTURE IT? Think of ABC when writing: Activity Benefit Course Activity: being a peer mentor Benefit: Teamwork, communication skills, leadership, commitment, time management Course: Group assignments, putting across your ideas, good time keeping for lectures and fieldtrips, work/life balance, responsibility

EVIDENCE WHAT YOU SAY! I have always been interested in art. I especially like paintings. I like lots of different styles. My favourite is modern art OR Frequent trips to art galleries as varied as the National Portrait Gallery, the Wallace Collection and the Tate Modern have inspired an understanding and deep appreciation of painting as a medium across a wide range of styles. This has been supported by reading texts like

WHAT ARE UNIVERSITIES LOOKING FOR? A well structured personal statement which identifies academic and transferable skills Why you are suitable for the subject area and what sort of person you are Evidence the things you say about yourself, related back to your course choice Examples to show you have motivation and commitment to complete your course

HOW TO START THE OPENING SENTENCE From the smallest molecule to the most important issues of the modern world, chemistry is fundamental. The burgeoning world energy crisis, for example, will only be solved with the help of Chemistry, and the possibility to be involved in this is an ambition of mine Earlier this year I was involved in a car accident, and as I sat among the wreckage I was shocked to see not one person stopped to help me. Didn t anyone care enough to help? If it weren t for the science of Psychology, this and so many other questions about human behaviour would go unanswered. To take a journey in art is to follow a path that is never ending; you will never know all there is to know or see and discover all there is out there.

TIPS FROM UCAS AND ADMISSIONS DO S Identify academic and transferable skills Be reflective. If you make a point like 'I like reading', 'I travelled abroad', say what you got from it Evidence the things you say about yourself and relate back to your course choice (ABC) Identify why you are suitable for the subject area and what sort of person you are Be passionate Get it proof read

TIPS FROM UCAS AND ADMISSIONS DON TS Just list your interests, demonstrate them List your qualifications Include irrelevant information Rush Miss deadlines Don't bend the truth

FINISHING YOUR APPLICATION Declare your intention to apply for student finance Reference Check all details Cannot continue to the pay/send section until you have completed all other sections 23 for 2 to 5 choices 13 for 1 choice Keep a hard copy

UCAS TRACK You will need your Personal ID and the same username and password you used in Apply Enables you to follow the progress of your application 24/7 See if any of your university/college choices offer you an interview or a place on their course Reply to the offers you get Confirm your place

DECISIONS Admissions tutors can make one of three decisions: - Conditionaloffer - Unconditional offer - Unsuccessful Applicants can then keep a maximum of two offers: - Firm choice - Insurance choice Any remaining offers must be declined

UCAS EXTRA If all 5 choices are used and you aren t holding any offers, you can apply for a course (if vacancies) Apply from end of February until the end of June Use course search to see course vacancies Contact the university/college first to see if they will consider your application Apply through UCAS Track You can only apply to one course at a time, so you will not be able to have an insurance choice www.ucas.com/students/offers/extra

RESULTS DAY Check UCAS track to confirm your place You can call your university to confirm your place Don t panic if you drop a grade Clearing: opens on A level results day Re-sits

STUDENT FINANCE

AIMS OF THIS PRESENTATION Explain what student funding is available to support your university experience Information about how to apply for your funding

IMMEDIATE CONCERNS You don t have to pay tuition fees up front Student loans are available to cover tuition fees and living costs Monthly repayments are affordable, they are based on what you earn, not what you owe After 30 years any remaining debt is written off The new system of loans doesn t affect the ability to get a mortgage Non-repayable financial help is also available

FINANCIAL SUPPORT REPAYABLE Tuition fee loan (covers the entire costs of tuition fees) Living cost loan NON-REPAYABLE National Scholarship Programme Living cost grant Bursaries and scholarships Selected NHS courses offer different funding for tuition fees and living costs

LIVING COST LOAN Living cost loan available to all eligible full-time students, irrespective of household income For 2015 entry, everyone is entitled to at least 65% of the loan. The remaining 35% is means tested on household income (gross income minus certain allowances such as pensions and charitable donations) It is paid in three instalments Residence whilst at university 65% of loan Maximum loan available Parental home 2,967 4,565 Elsewhere 3,731 5,740 London 5,206 8,009 ** Figures are subject to parliamentary approval

LIVING COST GRANT - 2015 Non-repayable, maximum of 3,387 per year of study Income of 25,000 or less full grant Income between 25,000 and 42,620 partial grant ( 50-3,387) The living cost grant is taken into consideration when allocating the living cost loan to create an overall package. Household income Living cost grant Living cost loan Yearly total 25,000 or less 3,387 3,862 7,249 30,000 2,441 4,335 6,776 40,000 547 5,282 5,829 50,000 0 4,836 4,836 Over 62,132 0 3,610 3,610 ** 2014 figures

OTHER FINANCIAL HELP Plymouth University will have bursaries and scholarships available: some of which has been made possible by the generosity of our alumni - Care leavers bursary ( 2,000 a year) - Drake gold and silver awards - Academic scholarships - Including Academic Excellence Awards Access to Learning Fund Plymouth University Retention Fund: this is money released from the tuition fees to support students whilst they study with us.

DISABLED STUDENTS ALLOWANCE Help towards the additional costs that a student may face as a result of their disability, mental-health condition, specific allergy or specific learning difficulty. In addition to the standard student finance package and is not affected by household income Does not have to be repaid Looks at the specific needs of the individual in relation to their circumstances and studies.

APPLYING THROUGH STUDENT FINANCE ENGLAND Students can apply for financial support and maintain their account online www.gov.uk/studentfinance The application opened for 2014 entry on Monday 20 January and closed May 2014. When completing the UCAS application form, students are encouraged to select the option that they intend to make an application through Student Finance England this will allow them to contact the student when it opens. Students can consent to have up to two people speak on their behalf they must be registered first to do so Students are encouraged to complete their application as early as possible

STUDENT FINANCE ENGLAND SUPPORT Dedicated Student Finance England hub on the Student Room website (www.thestudentroom.co.uk/studentfinance) - latest news, advice and tools to help with applying for finance Student Finance England have a Facebook group able to see news and updates Student Finance England 'surgeries' on Facebook, Twitter and the Student Room a representative available to answer questions

REPAYING THE LOANS What? When? What? How? Tuition fees loan and living cost loan From April after leaving the course and earning over the threshold of 21,000 per year 9% of earnings over threshold Deductions directly from wages, before tax Salary Monthly repayment Weekly repayment 20,999 0 0 23,000 15.00 3.48 25,000 30.00 6.97 30,000 67.50 15.70 40,000 142.50 33.14 Graduates will pay less per month than they do under the current system when starting out

REPAYING THE LOANS If your earnings fall, your contributions fall You can repay early Debt written off after 30 years or you become disabled and cannot work Your debt is not passed on to anyone else Your situation Whilst you are studying (and up until the April after you leave your course) Graduates earning below 21,000 (from the April you leave your course) Graduates earning between 21,000 and around 41,000 Interest applied RPI + 3% Graduates earning above 41,000 RPI + 3% RPI (no real rate of interest) Gradual scale RPI if earning 21,000 reaching a maximum of RPI+3% when earning 41,000

GRADUATE CASE STUDY Graduate earning 30,000 pa (gross) = Monthly Gross Income 2,500 Deduction Pension (at 6%) 150.00 Tax 362.00 National Insurance 189.00 Student Loan 67.50 Monthly net income: 1,732.50

BEFORE GETTING TO UNIVERSITY Funding Budget planner Arrival money Student bank account Learn to food shop! Save any money now!

HOW DO STUDENTS GET MORE MONEY Get a part time job Psychology surveys Entrepreneurial flair Money and vouchers

SUMMARY Tuition fee loan Living cost loan Repayable Non-repayable National Scholarship Programme and other support Living cost grant Nothing is paid upfront Repayment of loans (tuition fee and living cost) starts the April after you leave your course. You repay 9% of your earnings over 21,000 Further information at www.gov.uk/studentfinance and www.plymouth.ac.uk/money and www.moneysavingexpert.co.uk