Briefing for Parents and Partners
Peter Smith
Assistant Dean For Recruitment
Overview
• Aim: to help you support the students in
their decision-making process.
• We’d like to spend some time on:
• UCAS System
• Finance
• Students In Higher Education
• Then, over to you…
The UCAS System: Outline
• UCAS aims to ensure simplicity and fairness
• For both applicants and universities
• For conditional applicants, the stages are:
• Application (student) 
• Offer (university) 
• Choice - firm and insurance (student) ?
• Results and decision (university) ?
• Confirmation and Clearing (student)?
• What is our admissions policy?
Offers - Outline Policy
• Common admissions policy for all degrees
• Typical offers this year, for all degrees, are:
•
•
•
•
A-levels: 360 TP excluding Key Skills (e.g. ABB + C in AS)
Advanced Diploma treated as per Tariff.
BTEC National: DDD
Overseas/Non-standard: individual basis
• Maths, science, technology subjects preferred
What are Tariff Points?
•
A method of equating different qualifications.
•
A – Levels (Year 12 AS level, Year 13 A2 level). A-level grades are
A-E (a grade A is worth 120 TP, grade B 100 points, grade C – 80
points). AS levels are worth half that amount.
•
Does 360 TP = AAA? – Not necessarily. A 360 TP offer may also
include AS results.
•
Example: a student takes 4 AS levels at year 12 (Maths, Chemistry,
Physics, Biology) – gains AAAC, drops Biology (grade C) in year 13,
gains ABB at year 13 (total tariff points = 120+100+100 + As grade C
(40) – total 360 TP).
•
Other things may also count (e.g. grade 8 Bagpipes, DOE Gold).
Choices In May
• Once all the offers are in...
• They choose up to two (UCAS sets deadline - read
letter!), or enter clearing:
• One as firm (i.e. preferred)
• One as insurance (optional, “just in case”)
• Adopting a harder insurance than firm a bad idea
• If accepted by firm, they are stuck with them
• Ultimately its their choice
• Please give support and offer advice, but…
• They are the ones who have to study
Results and Decision
• We get UK A-level/Highers results electronically
• But we are sworn to secrecy on pain of our jobs!
• Universities must take you if grades met
• But can accept lower grades at their discretion
• If successful, they are contracted to go
• We need evidence of special circumstances
• Tell us well in advance of results!
• If unsuccessful with both choices
• They will enter clearing (not as bad as it seems)
How Much Will HE Cost?
• Tuition Fees
• £9,000 (2012/13)
• Increases each year with inflation
• Living Expenses
• £800-£1,000 per month living in London
• £600-£700 per month outside London
Student Loan for Fees
All Home/EU students can take out a Student Loan for Fees charged by
the University
•
Paid to the University
•
Not means-tested
•
Loans are repayable once students have left their course and are
earning over the threshold: £21,000 p.a.
•
9% of Gross above threshold of £21K
•Interest rate currently 3.0%+
RPI (after graduation, interest
rate depends on income).
•Variable, set each September
Annual salary after
graduating
Repayment (per
month)
£20,000
£0
£22,000
£7.50
£25,000
£30
£28,000
£52.50
Student Loans for Maintenance
• For living and study costs such as rent, food & books
• Repayable after graduation
• Paid in three instalments, direct to bank account
Living circumstances
Maximum loan
Away from home, study in London
£7,675
Away from home, study outside London
£5,550
Living at parent’s home
£4,375
direct.gov.uk/studentfinance
Maintenance Grant
• Worth up to £3,250 per year, depending on household
income
• Household income < £25,000 = full grant
• Independent status, household income = £0, full grant
• Household income between £25,000 - £42,600 = partial
grant
• Paid in 3 instalments, directly into students’ bank
accounts
• Doesn’t have to be paid back
How To Apply
• Visit direct.gov.uk/studentfinance
• Apply from Autumn for the following academic year
• National Insurance Number (NINO)
• No NIN, no student loan
• Job Centre Plus - www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk
• Apply each year of your course
University Bursaries and Scholarships
• Lord Mayor’s Scholarships
• Based on Academic Excellence
• National Scholarship Programme
• Half Government Funded, Half University Funded
• Eligibility Based on Household Income
The Lord Mayor’s Scholarships
• Awarded For Exceptional Academic Performance.
• The award extends over three or four years and is available
to anyone who meets the grade criteria.
• The Scholarship is a cash-back award.
• The award for Computing courses is as follows:
• A*AA - £3000 per annum
• AAA (or BTEC DDD) - £2000 per annum
• ABB (or BTEC DDM) - £1000 per annum
National Scholarship Scheme
•
Half government funded, half university funded
•
Home and EU students can be considered
•
Eligibility to be based on household income as assessed by SFE
•
302 scholarships on offer
•
Awards of £3,000 each for first year
•
£1,000 of which can be paid to the student
Some Advice…
• Universities have changed dramatically
• Much of your experience may not be valid!
• No degree is a “meal ticket” - competitive job market
• Employers look for more than paper qualifications
• The applicant has to take the course….
• Motivation/interest is everything! HE not for all…
• Any other reason is inviting drop-out…
• We can only deal with applicants themselves
• There are data protection issues
• It’s the applicant who needs to convince us!
• This counts double in clearing/confirmation