This pack has been designed to help you make decisions about your future.
The choice you make now about whether to go to University and which course, will affect the
Rest of your life. The friends you make, the knowledge and skills you gain, will be influenced by your decisions. Therefore, you must spend time carefully considering the implications of your choice and looking into all your options, giving yourself plenty of time to do so.
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Careers Services
South Gloucestershire & Stroud College, Bristol Campuses 2016
Contents
Planning your timetable ...... ...... 3
Timing plan ...... ...... 4
Weighing up the pros and cons of Higher Education...... 5
Choosing a subject...... ...... ...6
Choosing the type of Higher Education course...... 7
Choosing a Higher Education Institution...... 8-9
Applying to HEI-The UCAS application system...... 10-11
-Medicine/Veterinary Science
-Oxbridge
-Art & Design
-Law
The Personal Statement...... 12-13
Students with disabilities...... 14
Money Matters...... 15
Disabilities...... 16
Gap Year ...... ...... 17
Options for not going to university...... 18-19
Planning your timetable
Although the end of your course may seem a long way ahead, you need to start planning for life after South Gloucestershire & Stroud College during the spring of your first year.
Why so soon?
Application forms need to be completed early in your second year at college. Getting choices right is a vital and time-consuming business. Start early ... it is likely to take longer than you think.
Applying to HEIs (Higher Education Institutions) is online through theUCAS (University College Admissions Service) website.
You exams and assessments are crucial. One of the main factors admission tutors take into account when deciding whether to offer you a place is your academic reference. This is written on the basis of work done in your first year. So, do not let things drift or imagine that you can make everything good in the second year; it will be too late by then.
Whether you are applying for Higher Education or for work, you will probably have to fill in a section on your application form about your interests and activities. Think about this now - what sort of things could you put down? If it looks a bit "thin", then do something about it now! Take up a new hobby, find a job, join a club etc!
To give you an idea of the time-scales, see timing plan.
Timing Plan
YE
A
R
O
N
E / Autumn / / Settle into your studies
Spring / / Consider and research options
/ Attend HE talks
/ Use resources to match you to courses (see page 6)
/ Use to identify courses
/ Look at university websites
/ Attend university Open Days-
/ Attend UCAS Exhibition-Bath University-3rd and 4th April or Cardiff Metropolitan University 5th April.
Summer / / Attend other Open Days
/ Continue to research options
/ Prepare personal statement
/ Consider sponsorship and year out options
Y
E
A
R
T
W
O / Autumn
/ Narrow down list of choice to five
/ Oxbridge/ Medical / Dentistry/Vet deadline 15th October
/ Familiarise yourself with UCAS Apply
/ Find out College deadline for UCAS applications
/ Apply for sponsorship / year out schemes
Spring / / UCAS deadline 15th January- at 18:00
/ Art and design Route B courses deadline March 24th
/ Make HE decisions
Summer / / Final exams and assessment
/ August A/AS exam results - Clearing begins
1
Weighing up the pros and cons of Higher Education
Just a degree is not enough…………
“Employers value competitive advantage and that's what work experience gives you," adds the chief executive of the Inspiring Futures Foundation. "If you take two graduates with equally good qualifications and personal attributes; one has gained work experience and the other has none, it is likely that the job will go to the person who has shown initiative and gained experience. There is anecdotal evidence that employers look more favourably on candidates who have gained a basic understanding of their business sector and know what it's like to be in a work environment."
Therefore you may want to consider looking into what opportunities HEIs offer for work experience, if it isn’t already built into the course programme. Some HEIs give you the option of a ‘year in industry’ or ‘placement year’. Some employers offer short summer placements.
Choosing a subject
I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT I WANT TO DO-you might have absolutely no idea as to what you’d like to study, or what career path to take.
You could do the following:-
- Chat to a Careers Adviser
- Or use online careers assessments-National Careers Service skills assessment-
The Buzz Test-
The Spartan Test-
- careers exploration game and information.
I HAVE SOME SUBJECT IDEAS- You might enjoy a few subjects, but are not sure what HE courses are available.
You could do the following:-
-Have a look at the UCAS website, and type the subjects in ‘course search’ that you’re interested in. UCAS holds information about every Higher Education course in the UK.
- – matches your level 3 subject/s to possible HE subjects
WHAT CAN I DO WITH MY SUBJECT CHOICE?You might have an idea of what subject you’d like to study, but not sure as to what job you could do with your subject choice.
Try looking at a ‘job profiling website’. Type in your subject choice and it will give you a list of related jobs, and how to get in to them.
Job profiling
You could also look at the following websites
forum
Have a look at HEIs graduation/destination statistics. These can be found on HEI websites, and can often show what jobs students went into after studying a particular subject.
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WANT TO STUDY ABROAD?
Different countries and their universities have different application processes, and the careers service does not have the resources to fully support learners wanting to study abroad.
However, there are specialist organisations that can help you with the process.
Studyoptions-studying in Australia and New Zealand-
Studying in Europe–
Degrees Ahead-studying in Australia-
Fulbright Commission-studying in America-
i-studentgroup-studying all over the world- or
The Student World-support for studying abroad-
Please note that even though a university abroad may offer low or no tuition fees, you will not have access to loans/grants from Student Finance. See the following website for information on funding for international study .
As an alternative, you could look at UK universities that offer a course that has a year abroad embedded in it. Use the UCAS website and go into ‘course search’ and also use
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Interested in a career in the NHS? visit
Interested in a career in Teaching? visit
Choosing the type of Higher Education Course
Qualification / Grade / Old Tariff / New 2017 TariffAS Ext proj / AS Ext proj
A Level / A* / 140 70 70 / 56 N/A 28
A Level / A / 120 60 60 / 48 20 24
A Level / B / 100 50 50 / 40 16 20
A Level / C / 80 40 40 / 32 12 16
A Level / D / 60 30 30 / 24 10 12
A Level / E / 40 20 20 / 16 6 8
BTEC Extended Diploma / D*D*D* / 420 / 168
BTEC Extended Diploma / D*D*D / 400 / 160
BTEC Extended Diploma / D*DD / 380 / 152
BTEC Extended Diploma / DDD / 360 / 144
BTEC Extended Diploma / DDM / 320 / 128
BTEC Extended Diploma / DMM / 280 / 112
BTEC Extended Diploma / MMM / 240 / 96
BTEC Extended Diploma / MMP / 200 / 80
BTEC Extended Diploma / MPP / 160 / 64
BTEC Extended Diploma / PPP / 120 / 48
BTEC 90 Credit Diploma / D*D* / 210 / 84
BTEC 90 Credit Diploma / D*D / 200 / 78
BTEC 90 Credit Diploma / DD / 180 / 72
BTEC 90 Credit Diploma / DM / 160 / 60
BTEC 90 Credit Diploma / MM / 120 / 48
BTEC 90 Credit Diploma / MP / 100 / 36
BTEC 90 Credit Diploma / PP / 60 / 24
BTEC Diploma / D*D* / 280 / 112
BTEC Diploma / D*D / 260 / 104
BTEC Diploma / DD / 240 / 96
BTEC Diploma / DM / 200 / 80
BTEC Diploma / MM / 160 / 64
BTEC Diploma / MP / 120 / 48
BTEC Diploma / PP / 80 / 32
CACHE Diploma in Childcare / A* / 420 / 168
CACHE Diploma in Childcare / A / 360 / 144
CACHE Diploma in Childcare / B / 300 / 120
CACHE Diploma in Childcare / C / 240 / 96
CACHE Diploma in Childcare / D / 180 / 72
UAL Ext Dip in A&D, Media etc / D / 420 / 168
UAL Ext Dip in A&D, Media etc / M / 280 / 120
UAL Ext Dip in A&D, Media etc / P / 180 / 72
UAL Dip in A&D, Media etc / D / 210 / 84
UAL Dip in A&D, Media etc / M / 160 / 60
UAL Dip in A&D Media etc / P / 100 / 36
Access to HE Diploma / Refer to
Choosing a Higher Education Institution (HEI)
Having decided what sort of course you want to do, you must also decide on where you want to study it.
Accredited degrees-Some career routes may require an accredited degree, i.e., Psychology accredited by the British Psychological Society
League tables may help with narrowing down your choice of HEI.
They can show you where courses and HEIs rank in the UK for teaching standards, student satisfaction, employability etc.
Guardian Education-
The Times Education-
Open Days- Take advantage of HEI open days. They are a great opportunity to see the facilities, speak to the tutors/students, and to compare HEIs. Visit the following website for open day dates
-Independent films of British universities
Graduation statistics-Many HEIs publish their graduation statistics on their websites. They often show what types of jobs students have gone in to after their course, salary, and sometimes the name of the company.
- This website compares HEIs by average UCAS points, employability, and student satisfaction.
Location-
Other Location points to consider......
-Public transport to the HEI from home.
-Accommodation costs.
1
Applying to HE – The UCAS application system
In order to apply to a Higher Education course, you must go through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
When you submit your application, UCAS will then distribute your application to the HEIs. When the HEIs have made their decision, they will notify UCAS, who will then notify you.
You are allowed up to FIVE choices. However, if you want to apply for an Art & Design course, Veterinary Science, Medicine, Dentistry, Oxford or Cambridge, the process is different. Please see next page for more information.
The five choices are subject choices. So you could apply for more than one course at the same HEI. However, make sure they are related courses (i.e.) as you only get to send ONE personal statement.
The closing date is 15th January, but in order to guarantee that your application will get there on time, your form must be with your tutor (check exact date with your tutor) by the MIDDLE OF OCTOBER (A LEVELS) or NOVEMBER (MOST BTECS).
Grades-look carefully at the grades each course is likely to require. Are you being realistic? By all means be ambitious in your plans, but try to make sure you have a "fall-back" - i.e. a course likely to offer you lower grades.
Medicine, Veterinary Science, Dentistry
You can only choose FOUR such courses on your form. You may apply for alternative courses for your remaining ONE choice, i.e., four medicine courses and then a degree in Biological Sciences.
In addition to the UCAS application, the majority of medical schools also require applicants to take admissions tests. One test is called the UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKAT) and the other is the Biomedical Admissions Test (BMAT).RESEARCH which test you need to do as there is a deadline date for these tests!
See the guides ‘Getting into Medicine’ and ‘Getting into Dentistry’ available from Learner Services, LRC or eCampus-Careers Advice & Guidance
These routes are extremely competitive. Get the edge over other applicants and attend a workshop or conference.
Summer Schools (Bristol University)
Oxford and Cambridge (Oxbridge route)
You do have to be capable of achieving three A's at A level, with an enquiring mind and a real love of the subject you will be studying.
You cannot apply to both Oxford and Cambridge. You must choose ONE institution (unless you are applying for an organ scholarship).
Your UCAS form must reach UCAS by the 15th of October.
Oxford University Cambridge University
At Oxford you may be asked to sit a fairly short test at the time of your interview, or you may be asked to submit some coursework beforehand. At Cambridge University you might be asked to sit some additional papers after your A’ Levels.
The systems at Oxford and Cambridge differ greatly from other universities, and you would be based at a particular college. This means that you would probably live at that college and most, if not all, of your studying would take place there. The colleges are all different. It is important that you find out as much as you can about the colleges, to decide which would be best for you.
See the guide‘Getting into Oxbridge’ available from Learner Services, LRC or MOODLE
Attend the Oxbridge Talk at College/Oxbridge visit (check with your tutor for dates)
Research carefully and decide which college you want to go to.
Attend open days/summer schools/visits
Art and Design Courses
Art & Design courses have two different deadline dates. Most will have the deadline date of 15th January (old route A), but some will have the date of the 24th March (old route B).
Law
You will need to sit the Law National Admissions Test (LNAT) if you are applying to the following universities. There is a deadline date for this test!
See the guide ‘Getting into Law’ available from Learner Services or the LRC.
University of Birmingham University of Glasgow University of Oxford
University of Bristol King’s College London University College London
Durham University University of Leeds University of Nottingham
NUI Maynooth (mature entry only)
The Personal Statement
Writing a personal statement is probably one of the most difficult parts of the UCAS form. It is important that you know what you want to study before you continue any further with your personal statement.
There is a maximum limit of 4,000 characters with spaces (about two thirds of an A4 page using a 12 point font)
For more information see guidance notes, ‘Help with your personal statement’.
Available from Learner Services, LRC or eCampus-Careers Advice & Guidance.
Students with Disabilities
Many institutions now have special policies to encourage access for people with disabilities and more disabled people than ever are entering Higher Education. With careful planning and preparation, higher education is a realistic option for many disabled students. Experience shows that disabled students who adapt most successfully to university life are those who have looked in depth at how their disability might affect their studies and the support they will need.
The range of disabilities for which support can be provided includes mobility and sensory impairments, mental health difficulties, dyslexia and medical conditions such as diabetes and epilepsy.
If you have any form of disability, it is particularly important that you choose your institution with care.
You should consider teaching methods and whether you would require any additional facilities in the teaching rooms, such as Audio Visual facilities etc. It is also important that you investigate accommodation options carefully; to ensure that there will be suitable provision for you.
To secure funding for specialist support, you will need to carry out an ‘assessment of need’. This is not a physical assessment but will establish what technology or personal support you will require. The assessment recommendations are then forwarded to the university and a range of services will be offered to you.
The Admissions Tutors should be able to assist you with any enquiries.
Visit for more information.
Money Matters-2017(based on 2016 figures)
Teaching
Health & Social Work
You can find out more information about NHS Bursaries and other financial help available for health professional courses by visiting:
Changes for 2017 entry
From 2017/18, NHS bursaries will no longer available to students on courses that lead to professional registration in:
Nursing (all four fields), midwifery, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, podiatry, radiography, dietics, orthoptics, operating department practice, and prosthetics/orthotics.
What types of bursary are there?
For students whose course began on or after 1 September 2007 and ended before the 1 September 2012, the following bursary elements are available:
Tuition fees – either covered or contributed towards.
Basic Award – an award to support a student with their general living expenses.
Dependants Allowance – an allowance to support anyone who is wholly or mainly financially dependent on a student.
Parents Learning Allowance (PLA) – an allowance to support any children that are wholly or mainly financially dependent on a student.
Childcare Allowance (CCA) – an allowance to support any childcare costs incurred with a registered childcare provider.
Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) – an allowance intended to support a student who, whilst in training, will incur additional costs as a direct result of a disability.
Practice Placement Expenses (PPE) – it is possible to reclaim money towards the expenses incurred when attending a practice placement. Students from London universities (excluding medical/dental students) are reimbursed directly from their university and therefore do not need to apply to NHS Student Bursaries for these expenses.
Specific eligibility varies e.g. the age of the dependent child, other bursaries received.
For students whose course began on or after 1 September 2012, all of the above bursary elements are available, as well as:
Non Means Tested (NMT) Grant – a grant to help with living expenses which is not subject to an income assessment. This is a set annual amount of £1,000 for full-time students and pro-rata for part-time students (i.e. scaled down payment proportionate to the time spent studying).
If a Medical or Dental student has exhausted all other sources of financial help and is still experiencing financial difficulties, they may be eligible for an NHS Hardship Grant.