Version: November 2014
Explore
your options
for the
future
2015/16
The complete university
guide for students
anglia.ac.uk
Contents
“ My name is Lauren and I’ve just
completed my degree in Crime
and Investigative Studies. Let
me tell you a little bit about my
experience at ARU.
When considering university make sure that the course
content has everything you’re looking for, or want to study
further. Ensure that the university gives you opportunities
to enhance your knowledge outside of lectures, through
voluntary work or placements, as this is invaluable when
applying for jobs. I’ve just secured a job specialising in my
subject area.
Choosing the right university
and course for you
04
Interest inventory
07
Open Days - See for yourself
10
How to apply to university
13
Application timeline
14
Writing your best possible
personal statement
17
What happens once you’ve applied?
The course I chose has allowed me to study a subject that is of
interest to me without specialising too much in one particular
area. Using the state-of-the-art facilities and being lectured
to by professionals with experience in the field has helped to
keep my learning experience fun and interesting.
UCAS Track
24
Making your final decision
25
UCAS checklist
27
Questions & answers
29
Counting down to starting university
30
Glossary of terms
33
How to find out more
36
More importantly, ARU has given me opportunities to
develop my employability skills through the Student Union
Volunteering Service and working as a Student Ambassador,
both of which have been fun and rewarding. I’ve made friends
and had lots of new experiences through the clubs and groups
on offer. You have to work hard, but there is a lot of fun to be
had too!
I hope you find this guide useful, as I did when thinking about
going to university.
Good luck
2
”
This guide contains real photos of ARU
including some from our 2014 Summer
Schools anglia.ac.uk/summerschools
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3
Choosing the right
university and course
for you
With over 38,000 courses to choose from, at around 350 universities and regional
colleges, you might be wondering where to start. You’ve got a big decision to make
and with so many options it’s a good idea to pin down exactly what you want from
your university experience.
Before you choose your university and course
you should:
Talk to a Careers/Guidance Adviser.
Do a key word search on UCAS – if there’s a specific course title or a specific
course combination you want to do, type it directly into the UCAS course finder engine.
Visit unistats.gov.uk to get more information and compare the courses
and universities that interest you.
Do your research carefully – check out university websites, as well as UCAS,
so you get a real feel for the place.
Consider the course content and not just its title – English at one university is
not the same as English at another university.
Check the entry requirements – are there specific subjects/work experience
needed (including particular GCSE grades)? Are you on track to achieve these
grades?
Attend university Open Days – see page 10 for suggestions on what you could ask.
Get advice from friends, family and school staff – but don’t forget the ultimate
choice is yours.
Try to get to a UCAS HE Convention where you can pick up prospectuses from
lots of different universities and speak with their representatives. Anglia Ruskin is hosting the Essex and Cambridgeshire UCAS Fairs in 2015. They’re on
24 June in Cambridge and 30 June to 1 July in Chelmsford.
Have you chosen courses with a range of entry requirements? Try to maximise
your chances of a good offer by making your ‘Insurance’ option a course with
slightly lower grade requirements than your ‘Firm’ choice. See page 24 for more details.
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Interest inventory
The following activity is a very simple way to get started on identifying potential
areas of interest, as you start to think about what you’d like to study at university.
Whilst it’s a good starting point it’s not scientific and shouldn’t replace good careers
advice and detailed research.
Give each of the statements a score of 1–4 depending on how much they interest you:
1 = Don’t like
2 = Don’t mind
3 = Like
A. Practical/Technical/Scientific B. Outdoor/Active
Making and repairing things Keeping fit
Using lab equipment Working outdoors
Finding out how things work Gardening
Working with your hands Caring for animals
Total Total
C. Administration/Organisation D. Communicating
Dealing with paperwork Talking to people
Using numbers Influencing people
Organising things Dealing with the public
Using the telephone/email Selling things
Total Total
E. Helping/Caring 6
4 = Like a lot
F. Creative/Artistic
Caring for the sick/elderly etc Drawing and painting
Listening to people’s problems Writing
Giving information and advice Designing things
Helping people Being creative
Total Total
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Subject areas
you might consider
Group A
Active, outdoor work; it could
involve working with plants
or animals and/or work in the
leisure/recreational sector.
Zoology, Animal Behaviour, Equine
Studies, Construction, Construction
Management, Marine Biology, Sports
Science/Coaching.
8
B=
C=
D =
E=
F=
Work which demands good
communication skills.
Journalism, Law, Social Work,
Criminology, Public Services, Social
Policy, Youth Work, Psychology, Tourism
Management, HR, Sociology, Philosophy,
History, International Business.
Group F
Group C
Work which involves
administration and
organisational tasks; it
could include using figures
and paperwork.
Business Management, Marketing,
Enterprise & Entrepreneurial
Management, Law, Economics,
Accounting and Finance, Healthcare
Science, Education and Childhood
Studies, International Business,
Media Studies, Psychology, Quantity
Surveying, Social Policy.
Group B
A=
Group D
Practical work or
where the interest
in science is
relevant.
Forensic Science,
Biomedical Science, Building
Surveying, Psychology, Architectural
Technology, Creative Music Technology,
Engineering, Electronics, Mechanical
Engineering, Civil Engineering,
Construction, Optometry, Medicine,
Operating Department Practice, Audio
and Music Technology.
Which are the two highest scoring groups?
Add the scores for each grouping and put the totals in the boxes below.
Work which involves art,
broadcasting and the media,
entertainment.
Photography, Fine Art, Graphic Design,
Fashion Design, Performing Arts, Drama,
Film Studies, Media Studies, Music,
Writing, English, Computer Gaming.
Group E
Work which involves dealing
with people in social/welfare/
medical situations.
Social Work, Nursing, Optometry,
Midwifery, Youth Work, Public Services,
Public Health, Dentistry, Medicine.
Now you’ve identified the things most important to you,
you can check which universities tick the right boxes.
Knowledge is power so make sure you’re fully-informed
before making your choice.
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Open Days
See for yourself
Things to investigate:
How easy is it to get into the town/city?
What facilities will I use on this course?
What careers do graduates from this course go on to do?
How is the course assessed; exams, coursework, presentations?
How many hours of teaching are involved each week?
How is the course taught?
Is the course accredited by a relevant professional body?
What sort of help can I get with study skills?
What makes this university special?
Anglia Ruskin Open Days
Can I choose to spend a semester/year abroad?
Cambridge and Chelmsford
How easy is it to find somewhere to live?
Can the university help me with accommodation/housing and how much is it?
What sort of financial help is available if I run out of money?
To get the full flavour of life at Anglia Ruskin you really need to experience it for
yourself. Come to one of our Open Days and see what the Cambridge and Chelmsford
campuses have to offer. Find out more about Anglia Ruskin, our lecturers,
accommodation, your subject area, student life and loads more.
3 December 2014 (Cambridge only)
28 February 2015
18 March 2015
25 April 2015
17 June 2015
You can pre-register for one of our Open Days in Cambridge or Chelmsford, or find
out about any additional events by getting in touch.
Visit: anglia.ac.uk/opendays
Call: 01245 68 68 68
Am I entitled to a Scholarship or any other financial or practical help?
What is the food like on campus and how expensive is it?
Is there a supermarket nearby?
What do the course tutors/admissions officers look for in a personal statement for my course?
What transportation links are available around the university?
What facilities do the Students’ Union provide?
What activities/clubs and societies do the Students’ Union provide?
What are the social facilities that students use?
Our University Centres also run a programme of Open Days.
To find out more please visit the following links:
Harlow: anglia.ac.uk/harlow
Peterborough: peterborough.ac.uk/ucp
King’s Lynn, Isle and (Cambridge) Milton: cwa.ac.uk/about-open-days.html
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How to apply
to university
0nce you’ve decided which universities and courses you’re interested in it’s time to
apply through UCAS.
You should use ‘UCAS Apply’ to register your personal details, select up to five
choices, and enter your personal statement.
Once you’ve hit submit and received a receipt of your application from UCAS, you’ll
have access to ‘UCAS Track’, which allows you to view the status of your applications.
In some cases you’ll be able to arrange interviews and accept and decline offers
through UCAS Track. You can also register for UCAS Extra and apply for a place
through Clearing using UCAS Track.
Before you start, choose a professional-looking email address and dig out your old
exam certificates for details of grades and exam boards.
UCAS apply
Using UCAS Apply is really simple. The main sections are:
•
Personal details
•
Support needs/requirements
•
Completed qualifications
•
Pending qualifications (including GCSEs if retaking)
•
Paid/voluntary employment
•
Personal statement
•
Payment – £12 for 1 choice, £23 for more than 1 choice.
UCAS is the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. You don’t apply directly
to universities, you have to submit your application to UCAS and they’ll pass it on
to the universities you’re interested in. ucas.com is your portal to the world of higher
education applications.
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2014/15 university application timeline
We recommend making a note of the important dates and deadlines when applying
for a university place. Schools and colleges tend to have their own internal deadlines
for students to complete their personal statements, so it’s important for applicants to
check and confirm any dates with them as they’re often earlier than those shown here.
15 October
Deadline for applications
for Cambridge, Oxford or
any course in medicine,
dentistry and veterinary
medicine/science should
arrive at UCAS by 6pm.
June to
September
15 January
£
Research is key. Consider which
course you want to study and at
which university.
October to June
Strengthen your personal
statement – the summer can be
used to secure work experience
or attend a summer school.
Attend Open Days and Applicant
Days where offered, apply for
accommodation and ensure that you
request any support that you require.
Register with UCAS. Ask your
school or college when to apply
so you can make a start on your
application. By mid-September
completed applications can be
sent to UCAS.
£
This is the main UCAS
deadline for the majority of
degree courses.
This deadline is 6pm.
January/February
28 March
Deadline for some art and
design courses, but other art
and design courses will follow
the 15 January deadline –
check the UCAS website.
6 May
Deadline for you to respond
to your offers, if they were
all received by 31 March.
31 May
Student Finance
England’s deadline
for applications for
financial support.
25 February
Applications can be made for financial
support from Student Finance England.
UCAS Extra opens for
students who may have
been unsuccessful or
who have declined all
their offers.
7 May
Students who applied
before the 15 January
deadline will receive all
their offers by this date.
August/September
Prepare to start. Just make sure that, if
needed, you can fit everything in the car!
4 June
Deadline for you
to respond to your
offers if they were
all received by
7 May.
14
30 June
If all offers were received
by 4 June students must
reply by this date or they
will be declined. Any
applications after this
date will automatically
be entered into Clearing.
13 August
Results day: the day you secure
your place at university. If needed,
the Clearing and Adjustment
systems become fully operational.
Work out a plan of action and try
to secure an alternative place to
study if you don’t get the grades
you expected.
anglia.ac.uk/uniguide
September/October
University begins and life moves on for all
involved – good luck. Clearing ends and
universities stop accepting applications for
this session.
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Writing your
Personal Statement
A Personal Statement is your opportunity to stand out from the crowd. It’s really
important to take time to think about, plan and write the best possible statement. In
this section we’ve provided you with our advice and also a simple exercise that you
might find useful as you go about preparing your statement.
This is your chance to sell yourself
Personal Statements are a maximum of 4,000 characters or 47 lines (about a side of
typed A4). You should remember that this may be your only opportunity to make an
impression and sell yourself to the Admissions Officer/Tutor. Many courses do not
require an interview so the decision to offer a place is based on the content of the
application form, and the personal statement is a very important part of this process.
A good way to approach writing your statement is to think about the future. This
means you should concentrate on what you want to achieve through your studies
rather than describing the route you’ve taken to get to uni.
The things you’ve done in the past are important too, but they should be used
to support your explanation of where you’re headed. It seems odd, but the best
statements tend to explain what you’re going to be doing once you leave university.
Make sure your statement is relevant to the courses you’re applying for. Even if you’ve
applied for five different courses, you need to make sure that you make reference
to each subject area. Tutors can be put off by no mention of interest in their course.
If this is difficult, you may be able to send a separate personal statement to the
university. Contact the university to ask if this is allowed before sending. For example,
Anglia Ruskin often receives applications for Optometry from people who have
mainly applied for medicine. In this instance you can send a specific, supplementary
optometry statement first.
ARU Three-Sheet Method
We’ve developed a simple and straightforward process to help you write a really good
personal statement. We call it the ‘Three-Sheet Method’ (you can do it on three sheets
of paper) and we’ve successfully used it to help hundreds of students just like you.
We’ve also had lots of feedback showing that using this method helps to make the
whole process much easier.
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All about you
Sheet one example
Sheet One
The first ‘sheet’ you should complete is a comprehensive list of all potentially
relevant activities you’ve undertaken. This could be virtually anything, but some
good things to get you started are:
Hobbies and interests
•
Sports clubs/teams
•
Collecting things
•
Following a team or pursuit
•
Other clubs or activities
•
Singing, dancing or playing an instrument
Clubs and groups you belong to
•
Guides, Scouts, Boys/Girls Brigade
•
Young scientists
• Charity work/volunteering
Work experience
•
•
Organised through school
Part-time jobs
Activities through school/college
•
Duke of Edinburgh Award
•
Debating Society
•
School Council
•Prefect
•
Head Girl/Boy
•
Field trips and ‘residential’ activities
•
‘Pencil Monitor’ Year 6
You can arrange this information in whatever way is easiest for you; a list (as shown in
our example on the opposite page), a mind map or put them all on post-it notes and
stick them to a wall.
Don’t worry about whether your examples are ‘good enough’. All you’re doing is
creating a really big list so that when you come to write your statement you’ve got
lots to work with.
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Person spec
Sheet Two
The second sheet is fairly straightforward. It’s basically a ‘person specification’
describing the ideal student for the course you’d like to study. It should outline the
skills, abilities and talents of the ‘perfect’ student for the course.
Identify the skills the perfect student for your course
would have - these are the most important for you to
demonstrate
This is where prospectuses and Open Days will come in really handy as they can give
you an insight into what is expected from students who study the course and what
they should be able to do. If you’re at an Open Day don’t be afraid to ask tutors to
explain what skills their ideal student would have - they’ll be very happy to tell you.
To get you started we’ve included some standard examples of the type of skills that
pretty much all successful university students should have.
These should be enough to get you started but you’ll have to think about which ones are
likely to be more important for the course you want to study so you can prioritise those.
Example
Leadership
and
teamwork
Problem
analysis
and solving
Managing
pressure
Communication
and
presentation
The
Perfect
Student
Specialised
subject
knowledge
20
Planning
and
organising
Working
to a
deadline
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Your personal statement
Sheet Three
This is going to be your personal statement. What you need to do is connect the
skills you require to be successful on the course you want to study (Sheet Two) with
the experiences you’ve gathered along the way (Sheet One).
The personal statement is a set of claims about the skills you have, which are backed
up with real examples of how you’ve gained or developed those skills.
Remember, it’s no good to make a claim about a skill without backing it up.
If you tell us: ‘I’ve got excellent communication skills’ we might be asking ourselves:
Where’s the evidence? Remember, anyone can claim to have a skill so it’s crucial that
you back up your claims with real and interesting examples.
There’s also very little point in you telling us that you’ve done something without
explaining to the Admissions Tutor how it makes you a better candidate for the
course. So, if you tell us: ‘I’ve got my Duke of Edinburgh Award’ we might be asking
ourselves: So what? You need to make it clear to us how your experiences have
developed the skills you need to succeed on your course.
Things to consider:
Quality not necessarily quantity
Try to be articulate and concise wherever possible. You need to convey a real interest
in, and passion for, the course(s) for which you’ve applied. Redrafting and editing
is important. Be careful not to repeat yourself, overuse individual examples or
repeatedly demonstrate the same skill with different examples.
Don’t waffle
Remember you only have 4,000 characters to make the best possible impression, so
use them wisely. Make everything in your personal statement as relevant as possible
to your application. Your task is to demonstrate that you’re the best possible candidate
and secure a place.
Work experience/sporting achievements
Be sure to include information on relevant interests, work experience and social
activities and explain how these relate to your course or your ability to be a
successful student. Make sure that you show yourself as a rounded individual.
University life is not all about study. Remember, some institutions, like ARU, offer
scholarships for some sports.
Spelling and grammar
You must make sure that your spelling and grammar is checked. Ask friends or family
to read your statements through - don’t just rely on a spell-check. Be sure to look
out for typing errors. Bad spelling, poor grammar or typos instantly create a bad
impression and can make a tutor lose confidence in your application.
Be individual and original
You need to be aware that Admissions Officers and Tutors see thousands of
applications each year. If you’re able to make yours stand out from the crowd, this will
put you ahead of the rest.
ARU Three Sheet Method for writing a personal statement
Sheet One
All about
you
Your hobbies,
achievements
and activities
22
Sheet Two
Person Spec
Describe the
‘ideal’ student for
the course you
want to study
Sheet Three
Sheet One
Sheet Two
Your
Personal
Statement
Combine your
experiences with
the skills
to demonstrate
your suitability
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What happens once
you’ve applied?
UCAS Track
UCAS Track does what it says on the tin! It allows you to keep track of your
applications and also amend some personal details. Make sure all your details are
up to date. If, for example, you’ve moved house or changed email address since
you first applied you’ll need to make changes, either on the UCAS website or via the
customer service phone number. Don’t forget to regularly log in to UCAS Track,
so you don’t miss any important deadlines (as mentioned on page 14), as all offers are
accepted and declined using UCAS Track.
Look out for invites to interviews arriving directly from universities. Not all
universities use UCAS Track for this. Many, including ARU, correspond by email so
make sure you check yours regularly.
There are three possible decisions a uni can make about
your application:
Conditional offer
The university or college will offer you a place if you meet certain conditions, which
are usually based on your exams. If accepting a conditional offer, you will need to
meet all the conditions. Make sure you understand the requirements.
You may be asked to achieve specific Tariff Points (e.g. 200 points from two A levels)
or grades in named subjects (for example, B in chemistry, C in physics). You might
need to get specific grades in the individual units that make up these subjects. The
full tariff can be viewed at ucas.com/students/ucas_tariff
Unconditional offer
You have met all the academic requirements and the university or college is happy
to accept you. The university or college will contact you if they need proof of your
qualifications.
Unsuccessful
This means that the university or college has decided not to offer you a place on
the course.
Making your final decision
0nce you have all your decisions you’ll need to reply to each one, using UCAS Track.
Even if you’ve received five offers you only get to keep two.
1. Firm acceptance
Your preferred choice. If you’re accepting an Unconditional Offer this is your only
acceptance, and will be the place at which you study. If you’re accepting a Conditional
Offer this will be your first choice if you meet the conditions.
2. Insurance acceptance
Your backup choice. This is where you’ll study if you don’t meet the conditions of your
Conditional Firm acceptance but do meet the conditions of your Insurance Choice.
You should select an Insurance Choice a grade or two below your Firm Choice so
that if you don’t achieve your predicted grades you still have a place waiting at uni.
3. Decline
The universities, or courses, you’ve decided aren’t right for you.
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UCAS checklist
Have you registered your details on UCAS?
Have you chosen your five options? These could be the same course at
five different institutions, five different courses at one institution, or any
other combination.
Have you completed your personal statement? See page 17 for help with this.
Has your school/college completed your reference?
Have you got your GCSE/BTEC/NVQ certificates to hand? You’ll be asked what exam board and what date you took these exams. If you don’t have your certificates you’ll need to find this information from somewhere else.
Have you received your confirmation letter from UCAS?
Check on the status of your offer via UCAS Track.
Have you received offers?
Have you replied to these offers? Be aware of the deadlines associated with replying to your offers, as these will differ depending on what date you received all your offers (see page 14).
Do you need to register for UCAS Extra?
(See page 35 for UCAS Extra explanation).
Check your email regularly. Also check spam/junk mail boxes, just in case.
Check to see if you’ve met the entry requirements for your chosen course/
university. If you’ve just missed out on one of your grades, check UCAS Track, as the university may still have accepted you.
Make sure you’re in the country to collect your exam results. You can nominate someone to collect your results. Check UCAS for more information.
Have you looked at the options in Clearing? (See page 33 for explanation).
If you’ve not been accepted by any of your choices you will automatically be entered into Clearing via UCAS Track. Check to see if there’s an available course at a university that interests you and then apply.
Have you received your confirmation letter in the post?
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Troubleshooting
your results
What if...
Q You don’t receive any offers from your original choices before July?
A If you’ve applied through UCAS and are not holding any offers, you may be
able to apply for another course through UCAS Extra from the end of February
(see glossary page 35).
You’ll be eligible to use UCAS Extra if you have:
• already made five choices
• received decisions or withdrawn from all these choices, or
• declined any offers made.
Please note: Your choices after 15 January may be limited due to availability of courses.
Q You’re not holding any offers in July?
A You’ll be eligible for Clearing (see glossary page 33).
You can take part in Clearing if you meet one of the following criteria:
• You haven’t received any offers.
• You’ve declined all your offers or not responded by the due date.
• Your offers haven’t been confirmed because you’ve not met the conditions
(e.g. you haven’t achieved the required grades).
• You’ve declined a changed course, a changed date of entry and/or changed point of entry offer.
• You applied for one course which has been declined/unsuccessful and you’ve paid the full application fee.
• UCAS receive your application after 30 June.
Q You decide to take a gap year?
A If you decide before you apply, you should check that your choices accept deferred entry applications. You can then choose the relevant start date when making your applications.
If you decide to take a gap year after you’ve made your application, you should get in contact with the universities you’ve chosen to find out if they will defer your application to the following year. If this isn’t possible you’ll need to reapply next year as applications cannot be reused.
Q You change your mind and no longer want to go to university?
A Get in contact with the universities to which you’ve applied as soon as possible. They will be able to talk you through what you need to do, depending on the stage of your application, and what happens next.
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Countdown
to starting university
So you’ve decided what course you’re interested in and where you want to
study, you’ve made your UCAS application, sorted out your finances and secured
somewhere to live… but there’s more to think about!
1. Apply for student finance
Check out our student finance guide for more information and log in to
gov.uk/studentfinance from January of the year that you’ll be starting at uni to
make your application for your loans and grants. You can also visit
anglia.ac.uk/studentfinance for more information.
2. Open a student bank account
Look into all the high street banks and find out which one offers the best rates and
incentives for a student bank account. Make sure you’ve opened your account before
you apply for your student loan.
3. Work out your living budget
Once you’ve confirmed your accommodation and you know what your rent will
be, it’s a good time to look at your loan and how best to budget to cover your living
expenses. For more information on managing your money visit our Student Services
pages and look at tips from our Student Money Advisers
anglia.ac.uk/studentservices
6. Shop for your living items
There will be items you’ll need to bring with you that aren’t included in your rent
- bedding and kitchen utensils are a good start. You’ll also need to arrange a TV
Licence if you’re planning to have a television in your room. For more information on
what you should bring with you check out our Residential Service FAQ section on our
website anglia.ac.uk/housing
7. Sort possessions insurance
Make sure you have insurance for your personal possessions. It means you’ll be
covered in the event of loss or theft of expensive items such as laptops, smartphones
or musical instruments.
8. Register with a local medical practice
You should register with a GP close to your uni as soon as possible, so that you can
have peace of mind that if you do become unwell you can access medical attention.
Don’t wait until you’re ill!
9. Check out the local employment opportunities
You may decide that you want to get a part-time job while you study, in which case
keep an eye on local papers and register with our Employment Bureau. They’re
based on campus and can help you find work that fits around your studies. Check
out the Employment Bureau website anglia.ac.uk/eb
4. Purchase any books or materials you need for your course
Once you’ve worked out how best to manage your money, make sure you set enough
aside to cover the cost of any materials required for your course. There is a John
Smith’s book shop on both our Cambridge and Chelmsford campuses which is the
UK’s leading student bookseller.
5. Check out our welcome website
Keep up-to-date with the Welcome website anglia.ac.uk/welcome. It’s full of all the
news and activities taking place during ‘Freshers’ Week’. Follow us on Twitter
(@angliaruskin) and Facebook (facebook.com/angliaruskin) for updates. Also,
keep tabs on the Students’ Union for information on all the clubs and societies
angliastudent.com/freshers
30
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answers@anglia.ac.uk
01245 68 68 68
31
Glossary of terms
Academic
Purely academic subjects are those
that don’t necessarily link to a specific
job type but enhance your skills to
undertake a range of different jobs.
Traditional subjects like History, English
or Philosophy would be considered
‘academic’.
Buzzword
Your tutor or adviser will give you the
buzzword, which you’ll need when you
register via ‘UCAS Apply’. It links your
application to the school, college or
centre, so that your tutor or adviser can
check your application and write your
reference.
Adjustment
Adjustment is a process that provides
applicants who met and exceeded
the conditions of their Firm Choice an
opportunity to reconsider where and
what to study. Eligible applicants register
to use Adjustment in UCAS Track. If they
are accepted by another university or
college, the new choice will replace their
original choice as their Unconditional
Firm Offer.
Clearing
If you get your results and don’t get
the grades required by your chosen
universities, you can go through
Clearing. This is the system operated by
UCAS to allocate places on courses that
still have vacancies after the publication
of the A Level results.
Visit: anglia.ac.uk/clearing
BA
Bachelor of Arts.
BEd
Bachelor of Education.
BEng
Bachelor of Engineering.
BOptom
Bachelor of Optometry.
32
Deferred Entry
If you decide to take a year out, but
want to secure your place at university
first, you can defer your entry into
university. Deferred entry means you
apply to university the same as normal,
take exams and confirm a place at the
institution of your choice, but then
instead of starting that academic year
you start the following year.
BSc
Bachelor of Science.
Degree Classification
The grading scheme for undergraduate
degrees. Degrees can either be first class,
‘upper’ (2:1) and ‘lower’ (2:2) second class,
or third class, with or without ‘Honours’.
Bursary
A type of scholarship which contributes
towards study fees and/or living costs
while studying at university.
(DipHE) Diploma of Higher Education
An award given for successfully
completing two years full-time study at
university.
anglia.ac.uk/uniguide
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33
Foundation Degree
Degree-level qualifications designed with
employers which combine academic
study with workplace learning.
Foundation Year
If you don’t meet the standard entry tariff
for your chosen course, an extended
option may be available. This extra
time (1 year full-time and 2 years parttime) is often referred to as year 0 or a
foundation year.
Full-time
Standard full-time undergraduate
degrees take 3 years to complete. You
should put aside at least 35 hours of each
week to completing your studies.
Gap Year
Some students elect to take a year ‘off’
away from studying before they start at
university by taking ‘Deferred Entry’. If
you do this it’s recommended that you
take the chance to do something positive
that will enhance your skills and abilities
for your course at uni.
Higher National Certificates
(HNC)/Diplomas (HND)
One and two-year courses, which can
lead to a university degree.
Honours (HONS) Degree
In order to achieve an Honours Degree,
you must complete 360 credits over
the course of your degree. A full British
undergraduate degree usually requires
completion of a final year dissertation or
research project.
International Baccalaureate (IB)
International Baccalaureate – a
qualification equivalent to A levels.
Joint honours
Undergraduate course that is split
between two subjects. Each year the
course consists of core and optional
modules in both degree subjects. Some
joint honours courses also enable
students to study a small number of
subsidiary modules – modules from
departments or schools outside your
degree subjects.
Modules
At university you take a certain number
of modules (course units) each year. On
most courses you have a number of core
and optional modules.
Part-time
Part-time courses take longer to
complete as you might only study one
or two modules a year but they do mean
that you might be able to work alongside
your studies.
Postgraduate
These are the courses that become
available to you after you’ve completed
an ‘undergraduate’ course. They include
qualifications known as ‘Masters
Degrees’ and ‘PhDs’.
Sandwich Course
A course that involves work experience
that usually takes a year to complete, as
a result the degree course will last for
four years.
Tariff
The UCAS Tariff is a points system used
to report achievement for entry to higher
education in a numerical format. It shows
how different types of qualifications
compare and provides comparisons
between applicants with different types
and volumes of achievement.
Vocation
A vocation is an occupation for which
you must be specially trained. Subjects
like nursing, midwifery or building
surveying would be considered
vocational although the term is also
often used to describe courses that
include a lot of practical activities.
Undergraduate
Your first degree at university is
normally known as a ‘Bachelor’s
degree’ (see BA, BEd, BEng, BSc etc).
Because you ‘graduate’ only at the end
of these courses students are called
‘undergraduates’. Foundation degrees,
HNDs and HNCs are also considered
‘undergraduate’ courses.
Vocational Course
Any course that is intended to train
students for a particular profession,
career or job. They often involve
practical experience in a work
environment.
UCAS (Universities and Colleges
Admissions Service)
The national British organisation that
deals with full-time higher education
applications.
UCAS Extra
UCAS Extra is a way of making a further
choice after you’ve applied. You’re
eligible for UCAS Extra if you’ve used
all five choices on your application and
have either been unsuccessful at all of
them, or have declined all offers you’ve
received.
UCAS Track
UCAS Track lets you follow the progress
of your application after you’ve sent it to
UCAS. You can access UCAS Track once
you’ve received your welcome letter
from UCAS, which will have your log-in
details printed in the top right corner.
Single Honours
An undergraduate degree involving one
main subject.
34
anglia.ac.uk/uniguide
answers@anglia.ac.uk
01245 68 68 68
35
Think you know ARU?
We’re a modern,
global university
Across all our campuses, 35,000
students from 177 countries gain
qualifications with us each year.
We’re the third largest university
in the East of England, with multimillion pound facilities (£122 million
invested in the last five years).
9 out of 10
Among the best
in the country…
This year’s National Student Survey
rated us among the best in the country
for our teaching, courses and student
confidence.
We’re the
3rd
largest university
in the east of England,
of our graduates with multi-million
start their careers within pound facilities.
6
months
in further education
Our Students’ Union
supports over
clubs &
societies,
140
Dynamic city-centre
campuses
You’ll find our UK campuses in three
lively cities, Cambridge, Chelmsford
and Peterborough. Our Students’
Union supports over 140 clubs and
societies, so there’s something for
everyone.
Chelmsford was the first
place in the UK to be selected
as an ‘International Safe
Community’ by the World
Health Organisation.
or employment.
so there’s something
for everyone.
An ambitious place
On our Chelmsford campus in 2014, we
opened The MedBIC (the Anglia Ruskin
Business Innovation Centre for Medical
and Advanced Engineering) and The
Bloomberg Financial Markets Lab –
a bespoke financial trading platform
that provides live financial information
about companies trading on global
stock exchanges.
* Graduates working or in further study (Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Institutions, 2012/13).
Shortlisted for
Entrepreneurial
University of the Year 2014
4.5% of our graduates go on to launch
new businesses.
36
A supportive place
We support our students throughout
their time with us, with a Student
Services Team rated the UK’s best
(Times Higher Education Awards 2012).
anglia.ac.uk/uniguide
answers@anglia.ac.uk
01245 68 68 68
37
How to find out more
If you wish to speak to us here at Anglia Ruskin about admissions queries, finance or
questions about particular courses do contact us on:
Call: 01245 68 68 68
Visit: anglia.ac.uk
Social: facebook.com/angliaruskin
@angliaruskin
This guide has lots of great information about how to apply to uni, but if you feel
you need any more help, you should definitely come to an Open Day. See page 10
for more information.
We also have great guides for parents and about finance – grab yours at an
Open Day or other event.
Additional information on these topics is available online:
anglia.ac.uk/parents
anglia.ac.uk/money
and come to one of our Open Days (see page 10).
We hope that you’ve found this guide really useful in taking you through the
university application process. Of course you may think of other questions, so here is
a list of useful contacts.
Other sources of information
ucas.com
Course and entry requirements information.
Where s
ambition
become a
reality
Succeed
with our
support
ucas.tv
How to apply and much more.
nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students
A source of information regarding some health-based course funding.
r
rmationafo
Financeuinnfo
radu tesk
rg
e
d
e
anglia.ac.u
full-tim
mber 2014
Version: Nove
gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check
Some courses require a Disclosure and Barring Service
(DBS) Check, find out more here.
2015/16
2015/16
ember 2014
Version: Nov
education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching
Information about teacher training.
y
te universit
The comppalerents & carers
k
r
anglia.ac.u
guide fo
gov.uk/studentfinance
Useful information about student finance.
nhscareers.nhs.uk
Everything you need to find out about the jobs, training and funding for careers
in the NHS.
38
Please note: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information in this
publication at the time of writing. However, Anglia Ruskin University does not accept
responsibility for any errors or omissions. This publication is intended as a guide and
not to be regarded as definitive information.
anglia.ac.uk/uniguide
answers@anglia.ac.uk
01245 68 68 68
39
Cambridge Campus
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Cambridge
CB1 1PT
Peterborough Campus
Guild House
Oundle Road
Peterborough
PE2 9PW
aru
Chelmsford Campus
Bishop Hall Lane
Chelmsford
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Contact Us
Visit: anglia.ac.uk/outreachandrecruitment
Email: outreachandrecruitment@anglia.ac.uk
Call: 01245 68 47 11
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