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Welcome and Programme

• Introductions

• Applications – Mr I Price

• Finance – Mrs P Shann

• Questions

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Overview of Support

• Tutorial programme

• Pastoral team

• Form tutors

• Higher Education Day

• Higher Education Evening

• Leeds HE Day - UCAS Convention

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Key Dates

• Year 12 Summer Term – Research – 1st Draft of personal statement

• 15 Oct 2013 – Oxbridge, Medical, Veterinary, Dentistry

• 19 Nov 2013 – School deadline for all applications

• 15 Jan 2014 – UCAS deadline

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SPECIALIST ADMISSIONS IN MUSIC, DANCE AND DRAMA

CUKAS (Conservatoires UK Admissions Service) Application system is very like UCAS but with some important

differences Music application deadline is OCTOBER 1ST 2013 (IF STARTING

IN 2014) Dance and Drama deadline in usually same as UCAS – check

prospectus. In addition to the school subject reference, you also need a

‘specialism’ reference (to be arranged through Mrs Shann). Offers are made differently: they can be ‘guaranteed’ or ‘reserve’

(which means you are on a waiting list).

Full details from Mrs Shann if you decide to apply through CUKAS

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The successful UCAS application

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• Good advice; accepted by students• Early application• Good personal statements• Detailed references• Thorough preparation for interview• A broad curriculum and good results

Reasons For Success

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The application form

• UCAS apply• Maximum 5 choices• A good personal statement• A detailed reference• Predicted grades

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• Think carefully about choices

• Do not mix courses or apply for 3 different courses at one university

• Check universities’ entry requirements carefully (aptitude tests for some courses in Law, Medicine, Dentistry)

• Be realistic!

Advice

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• Look carefully at institutions’ numbers i.e. 35 applications for each place as opposed to 5

• Visit your top 3 choices

• Early application

• Oxbridge, veterinary, dentistry and medical course

• A gap year? Deferred entry

Advice

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• Early interviews

• Early offers - sets targets & increases motivation

• Concentrate on studies

• In many highly competitive institutions 33% of offers go to the first 15% of applications

Advantages of early application

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Agoodpersonalstatement ...

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Acomprehensivereference ...

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• With a senior member of staff• Performance debrief & advice• In the week before your interview• See Mrs Shann

Mock Interview

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• Visit to Higher Education Fair• Higher Education Day• UCAS apply• Personal statement completed• References begun by subject tutors• Exam grades given - guide for choice• Visits to Open Days!

Timetable - June/July Year 12

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• Forms, personal statements and references completed

• Forms processed• From October - mock & real interviews• October to March - offers• Decisions on two final choices (late April)• August 2014 - results & confirmation of offers (IB July 2014)

Timetable – Year 13

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• Specified A level grades in 3 designated subjects (plus specified AS level grade).

• Specified A level grade in 1 designated subject + specified grades in choice of others (may include General Studies)

• Total IB score and specified score in particular subject (24-45 points)

Universities’ requirements

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• Specified grades across all subjects (may include General Studies and/or a mix of A levels and AS levels)

• Total points offer (may include General Studies and additional AS)

Universities’ requirements

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A Level Points

A*=140

A = 120

B = 100

C = 80

D = 60

E = 40

AS = counts as half points

shown

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Acceptances

1 firm and 1 conditional (insurance)

Recommendation

That insurance should be appreciably lower and carefully considered

Offer of university places

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Mrs P. Shann

Assistant Director of Sixth Form

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Higher Education – what are the costs?

Tuition Fees Accommodation & Food Other living expenses

(travel, books, clothes, spending, etc.)

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Where will the money come from?

Tuition Fee Loan Maintenance Loan Maintenance Grant National Scholarship Programme Disabled Students’ Allowance Part time job / own savings / parents help?

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REPAYABLE NON REPAYABLEto ‘Student Finance England’ (SFE)

Tuition Fee Loan Maintenance Loan

Maintenance Grant National Scholarship

programme Disabled Students’

Allowance

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Tuition Fee Loan ~ (for Sept 2013 entry)

This is the yearly amount universities will charge students to study. They vary by university and also by course, but the maximum that new full-time students can be charged is £9,000 a year (fixed for 2014/15 entry)

Universities that want to charge more than £6,000 have to make sure that students from all income groups have access to their courses

Full amount can be borrowed as ‘Tuition Fee Loan’ each year, and is only paid back when student is earning above £21,000 annual salary

The SFE pay these Fees direct to the University – not into student bank account

Can be paid ‘up front’ by parents / student if desired

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Maintenance Loan ~ (figures for Sept 2013 entry: expected to be plus 1`% for

2014/15 entry)

To cover the cost of accommodation, food and living Paid at the start of each term – direct to the student bank

account Maximum available is £5,500 each year (£7,675 for living &

studying in London) For students living at home, the maximum is £4,375 65% of the max. is guaranteed to all students The remaining 35% is ‘means tested’ according to joint

parental income This will be added to the Tuition Fee Loan and paid back as

one amount

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Means Testing ~

The SFE will take into account the gross combined parental income (or of one parent and their partner) less certain allowances (e.g. pension contributions, allowances for younger siblings, etc) – this is then known as your ‘residual income’

Based on earnings for the previous tax year (eg. April 2012 to April 13 if student applying to study in 2014/15)

If you expect a 15% drop or more in income, then you can ask to be assessed on the current tax year

HUNTINGTONSCHOOL Repayments will only start when the student is earning above

£21,000 The ‘loan interest rate’ will be inflation (RPI) + max. 3% 9% of income earned above £21,000 is paid back each year

through automatic salary deduction at source e.g. income £21,000 – monthly repayment £0 income £24,000 – monthly repayment £23 income £27,000 – monthly repayment £45 Repayments stop if salary falls below £21,000 at any time Outstanding repayments are written off after 30 years from when

you start to pay it back No penalty for early repayment of student loan This student loan will not show on credit files nor affect future

credit ratings

Loan Repayments ~

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Non Repayable Finance ~ Maintenance Grant: (expected to be plus 1% for entry 2014/15)

Maximum available will be £3,354 per year for students starting in 2013

‘Means tested’ according to household income Currently residual incomes less than £25,000 receive

the full grant Between £25,001 and £42,611 receive a partial grant Those households with a residual income over £42,611

will not be eligible for this grant. Paid in 3 instalments, at the start of each term If you receive a Maintenance grant your Maintenance

Loan will be reduced (ratio of £1 to 50p). Therefore more non repayable grant = less repayable loan

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Non Repayable Finance ~ National Scholarship Programme:

£150m National Scholarship programme to help students from lower income families. (income up to £25,000) This may include reduced or waived tuition fees, or free accommodation for example. Each university will decide what support they’ll offer so you need to check and see what your chosen university is offering and whether you’re eligible. The individual details are available on university and college websites

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Non Repayable Finance ~ NHS Bursary :

NHS courses are currently eligible for a bursary from the ‘NHS Student Bursaries Scheme’

Application forms and a downloadable booklet - ‘Financial help for Health Care Students’ - are available on www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Students where full details on NHS finance is available

You can also get further advice by phoning 0845 358 6655 for NHS bursaries

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Non Repayable Finance ~ Disabled Students’ Allowance :

As well as a general allowance each year, finance is available for specialist equipment, travel costs, etc.

There is a specific guide called ‘Bridging the Gap’ with full details of eligibility and what is available (tel. 0800 731 9133)

The following websites have further information – www.disabilityrightsuk.org www.ucas.com (student section)

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1. Students & parents complete an online application form at www.studentfinancedirect.co.uk - from January 2014 (students will also receive summary information for parents in January, with the correct finance figures for 2014/15)

2. The website also offers an online demo and presentation, taking you through the whole application process

3. There is also an ‘entitlement calculator ‘ where you can calculate a rough estimate of loans/grants likely to be available to you

4. Following receipt of your application, ‘Student Finance England’ will inform you of all the financial support that is available to you

How do I apply?

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IMPORTANT-

• You MUST complete a ‘student finance application’ in order to receive the Tuition Fee payment to the university, even if you are sure that you are not eligible for any further financial help - if not you may be required to pay the entire Tuition fee (which is in reality more than the maximum £9,000 Universities may be asking for) and students would not then be eligible for a loan during that year

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Helpful advice ~(for students and parents)

Students should try to take up a part time job in their holidays and save money for Uni whenever they can

Open a new ‘student bank account’ (banks will require your ‘offer letter’ from the Uni as evidence before you can do this)

A railcard is the best ‘free gift’ from a bank! Get an NUS card as soon as possible after Uni term starts, for

lots of local, national and international student discounts If necessary, organise a part time job as early as possible – every

uni has a ‘job agency’ When you know how much money is available to you, try and

calculate a weekly/monthly budget plan before arriving at University

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Avoid credit cards – leave them at home Contract mobile phone – make sure you know who’s footing

the bill Avoid taking small amounts of cash from the ‘hole in the wall’

on a regular basis – can be a new student’s biggest downfall Keep track of your finances each week and don’t think that

you are loaded when the first payment goes into your account You are likely to need more money at the start of your course

for things like ‘Fresher's Week’, sports membership, going out more with new friends, equipment, etc.

Helpful advice ~(for students and parents)

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Further Information

• For the most up to date and correct information visit www.bis.gov.uk/studentfinance• For general enquiries call ‘Student Finance England’ on 0800 300 50 90 (Mon to Fri: 8am to 8pm; Sat and Sun: 9am to 5.30pm)• www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance• http://www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/resources/201314-resourc

es.aspx for an online finance calculator

• Pick up the ‘NHS information sheet’ here if relevant

Feel free to take any of my remaining 2013/14 ‘money matters’ brochures