1. The university application process Student finance
22 April 2017
The university application process Student finance
Liam Dowson
University of Bristol

2. What is university? Higher Education – study for a degree
22 April 2017
What is university?
Higher Education – study for a degree
Normally after you are 18
You have to pay to attend
Choose what you study
Many people move away from home

3. Who is it for? People like you! If you want it you can go
22 April 2017
Who is it for?
People like you!
If you want it you can go
Something you choose to do
Not the best option for everybody
You shouldn’t be put off by the debt, there’s lots of help to cover the costs

4. 22 April 2017
What can you study?
Over 50,000 courses available at over 150 universities in the UK
Subjects you have studied before
e.g. Sciences, English, History, Geography
Subjects you haven’t studied before
e.g. Engineering, Geology, Law, Medicine

5. What are the benefits of going to university?
22 April 2017
What are the benefits of going to university?
Chance to study a subject you’re passionate about
Learn from the experts!
Develop a range of new skills
e.g. teamwork, communication, time management, leadership

6. What are the benefits of going to university?
22 April 2017
What are the benefits of going to university?
Better chance of getting a job
e.g. In % of all graduates were in work compared with 72.3% of non-graduates
Likely to earn a higher salary
e.g. In 2011 the median hourly rate of pay for all graduates aged 21 to 64 was £15.18, 70% more than the non-graduate rate of £8.92
Source: The Graduates in the Labour Market 2012 report published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS)

7. What are the benefits of going to university?
22 April 2017
What are the benefits of going to university?
Some careers demand an HE qualification
More employers are expecting it
60% of graduate jobs don’t favour a particular subject

8. What are the benefits of going to university?
22 April 2017
What are the benefits of going to university?
Meet a wide range of new people
Live somewhere else, with friends
Become independent
Experience a whole new social life
Sports and societies
Opportunity for travel

9. How is university different to school?
22 April 2017
How is university different to school?
Study just one or two subjects that you are interested in
Taught in lectures and seminars, learn independently
Much bigger – more than 3,500 students in the first year alone at University of Bristol
No uniform and longer holidays!

10. Sounds great.... what happens next?
22 April 2017
RESEARCH!
Sounds great.... what happens next?

11. This is a huge part of the
22 April 2017
You need to make decisions on:
What course you want to study
Where you want to study it
This is a huge part of the
application process!

12. Doing your research UCAS website UCAS conventions
22 April 2017
Doing your research
UCAS website
UCAS conventions
University websites and prospectuses
Open days
League tables
Key Information Sets – unistats.com
Post-offer visit days

13. How to apply Online through UCAS (www.ucas.com) Write 1 application
22 April 2017
How to apply
Online through UCAS (
Write 1 application
Send to up to 5 choices
Apply during first term of year 13

14. Application timeline From now onwards – research and visit open days
22 April 2017
Application timeline
From now onwards – research and visit open days
School deadlines
September 2015 – UCAS application opens
15 October 2015 – deadline for applications to Oxbridge, Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science/Medicine
15 January 2015 – deadline for receipt of applications
24 March 2015 – deadline for some art and design courses
May 2016 – all decisions made, decide firm and insurance
Mid August – most results known, Confirmation and Clearing
September/October – start at university!

15. The importance of applying early
22 April 2017
The importance of applying early
Universities will start considering applications as soon as they receive them
It may take some universities a long time to get back to you (it’s important that you wait until you have all your offers before you make any decisions)
You can get all of the application angst out of the way early – you can concentrate on your studies!

16. The application Personal details Education and qualifications
22 April 2017
The application
Personal details
Education and qualifications
Employment history
Personal statement
Teacher’s reference

17. What are universities looking for?
22 April 2017
What are universities looking for?
Relevant academic ability
Motivation to study
Passion for the subject
Relevant experience
Study skills
The whole person

18. The personal statement
22 April 2017
The personal statement
Your one chance to sell yourself
Tell the Admissions Tutor:
Why you want to study the course at university
Where your passion for the subject came from
What aspects of the course you are interested in
What have you done or seen outside the syllabus
If you have any work experience or have attended masterclasses, summer schools etc

19. The personal statement
22 April 2017
The personal statement
Only 4,000 characters or 47 lines
Same one for each choice
Spelling, punctuation and grammar
Give yourself plenty of time
Show everyone
Check, check and check again
Draft, redraft, and redraft again
Must be your own work
Check the UCAS guides

20. 22 April 2017

21. The personal statement
22 April 2017
The personal statement
About two thirds should be subject-based
Passion and enthusiasm for the course
Skills, knowledge and experience
About one third should be about you as a person
Hobbies and interests
Jobs
Any future plans

22. 22 April 2017
SHOW not TELL

23. You’ve applied – what next?
22 April 2017
You’ve applied – what next?
Applications are read by admissions tutors
Possibility of interviews
Invitation to visit day
Decisions will come through at different times

24. Types of offer Two types of offer: Unconditional Conditional
22 April 2017
Types of offer
Two types of offer:
Unconditional
(offer based on qualifications you already have)
Conditional
(offer conditional upon you gaining certain grades/points/marks, maybe in particular subjects)

25. You’ve been accepted – what next?
22 April 2017
You’ve been accepted – what next?
Need to properly research the universities and courses you have been accepted onto
Departmental open days/post-offer visit days
Make two choices (all others you decline):
Conditional firm (CF)
Conditional insurance (CI)

26. What if things go wrong? Extra Clearing
22 April 2017
What if things go wrong?
Extra
If you don’t get any offers or you reject all your offers, this scheme allows you to have another choice before clearing. You can only apply to courses that still have places.
Clearing
If you don’t get the grades and your offer is not confirmed you can go through Clearing. This scheme helps students find places that are still available.

27. 22 April 2017
Adjustment
Scheme to provide a bit of leeway for students who do much better than anticipated
For students who meet and exceed the terms of their firm choice offer
Applicants may make multiple enquiries but only one formal adjustment transaction
Opens on A-level results day, until end of August

28. Useful resources www.ucas.com www.bristol.ac.uk www.unistats.com
22 April 2017
Useful resources

29. 22 April 2017
Student finance

30. The costs of university
22 April 2017
The costs of university
Tuition fees
Universities are able to charge up to £9,000 per year
Can charge less
Sounds scary but…
Living costs
Everything it costs to live as a student
E.g. food, travel, accommodation, bills & social activities

31. 22 April 2017
There is lots of support available to help you meet these costs! Most support comes from the government, but also some from many other places

32. Tuition fee loan available to all;
22 April 2017
Tuition fees
Tuition fee loan available to all;
no ‘up front’ fees
Covers full cost of tuition fees
Loan isn’t compulsory (students can pay all or part of tuition fee upfront themselves)
Paid directly to your university/college

33. The costs of university
22 April 2017
The costs of university
Tuition fees
Universities are able to charge up to £9,000 per year
Can charge less
Sounds scary but…
Living costs
Everything it costs to live as a student
E.g. food, travel, accommodation, bills & social activities

34. 22 April 2017
Living costs
Government support comes in two forms: - Maintenance loan - Maintenance grant

35. Maintenance loan Maintenance loan available to all
22 April 2017
Maintenance loan
Maintenance loan available to all
Paid directly to student
Not everybody gets same amount, depends on:
- where you study and live
- your parents’ (or household) income
- full time or part time study

36. Maintenance grant A grant is money you don’t have to pay back
22 April 2017
Maintenance grant
A grant is money you don’t have to pay back
For 2014 you can get up to £3,387 per year as a grant
This is dependent on household income:
- full grant if under £25,000
- partial grant if between £25,001 and £42,620
- no grant if over £42,620

37. 22 April 2017
Maintenance support
Household Income
Maintenance Grant
Maintenance Loan
Total
£25,000 & under
£3,387
£3,862
£7,249
£30,000
£2,441
£4,335
£6,776
£35,000
£1,494
£4,808
£6,302
£40,000
£547
£5,282
£5,829
£42,620
£50
£5,530
£5,580
£42,875 £0
£5,555
£50,000
£4,836
£62,132 & over
£3,610
The amount of maintenance grant a student receives affects the amount of maintenance loan they can borrow.

38. 22 April 2017
Maintenance support
example demonstrates 2013 figures

39. 22 April 2017
Repaying the loans
Your tuition fee and maintenance loans are added together
You only repay after you graduate
You only repay if you have a job with a salary over £21,000 per year
You pay 9% of any income over £21,000

40. 22 April 2017
Repaying the loans
If your salary drops below £21,000 a year you stop paying
Not everybody pays it all back (you are not expected to!)
Any remaining loan is wiped off after 30 years

41. Repaying the loans Income each year before tax
22 April 2017
Repaying the loans
Income each year before tax
Income from which 9% is deducted
Monthly Repayment (Approx)
£21,000 £0
£25,000
£4,000
£30
£30,000
£9,000
£67
£35,000
£14,000
£105
£40,000
£19,000
£142
£45,000
£24,000
£180
£50,000
£29,000
£217
£60,000
£39,000
£292

42. Bursaries/scholarships
22 April 2017
Bursaries/scholarships
All fee-charging universities must offer bursaries
Like a grant, bursaries are yours to keep
Universities also offer various scholarships, e.g. for excelling in a certain area

43. Other sources of funding
22 April 2017
Other sources of funding
The Access to Learning Fund
- if you can demonstrate you are experiencing real financial hardship
Specific grants
- Disable Students’ Allowance, Adult Dependants’ Grant, Care Leavers Grant, Childcare Grant, Parents’ Learning Allowance
NHS bursaries
- Medical, dentistry or healthcare students
Extra help for teacher training students
Charities or employers
Part-time work

44. 22 April 2017
Summary
University is expensive, but everybody is entitled to loans to cover these costs
The expensive £9,000 per year is the easy bit
The amount students repay depends on their salary; they only pay back their loans when they can afford to
The debt doesn’t count against you in any way

45. 22 April 2017
Any questions? @ChooseBristolUG