Skill Northern Ireland
Information on Higher Education in Northern Ireland
· You may photocopy this information booklet
· You may quote from this information booklet if you acknowledge the source
· Skill Northern Ireland information booklets are available in standard print, large print, Braille, tape and disk formats
· Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy. However, Skill Northern Ireland cannot guarantee factual content
Skill Northern Ireland: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities
Unit 2
Jennymount Court
North Derby Street
Belfast BT15 3HN
Telephone/ Minicom: 028 9028 7000
Fax: 028 9028 7002
Website: www.skillni.org.uk
E-mail:
Higher Education in Northern Ireland
Contents Page
1. Introduction 1
2. What is higher education? 2
3. Deciding where to study 3
4. Applying for a higher education course 5
5. Higher education providers in Northern Ireland 9
6. Disabled Students’ Allowance 14
7. Further sources of information 16
1. Introduction
Going into higher education can be a very exciting experience. Being fully prepared means that you can spend less time worrying and more time studying and having fun.
This leaflet aims to provide information about higher education in Northern Ireland. Many students begin higher education when they are 17 or 18 years old, but it is becoming more and more common for people to start courses of higher education at any age. There are many issues that have to be considered. All students will need to ask questions about what course to do, where the course is available and what facilities are provided in colleges. In addition, they should consider whether they want to study by attending a university in campus, or whether supported distance learning would be a better option for their circumstances. Disabled students will probably have other questions too. For example, will the university be able to provide learning materials in Braille? Will the lecture halls be accessible to me as a wheelchair user? Will the college understand difficulties I may have because I have dyslexia? These concerns are just as important.
Information about higher education providers in Northern Ireland can be found in this booklet. Further information on the application process and on higher education providers across the UK is available in Skill’s publication Into Higher Education 2004 (2005 edition available from September). This publication also gives profiles of disabled students who are already in higher education. It includes details about universities and the support available for students with disabilities along with contact information for Disability Officers. You can find out how to get this guide at the end of the booklet. Note that there is a searchable list of FE and HE institutions at www.skill.org.uk
2. What is higher education?
Higher education is any course, which leads to a qualification, which is higher than A-Level. It includes the following:
· a first degree (eg BSc, BA, BEd, LLB, BEng, BMus);· a diploma of higher education (DipSW, DipHE);
· a Higher National Diploma (HND);
· some undergraduate masters
· a foundation degree, and certain other foundation courses.
Postgraduate courses are also classified as higher education.
Higher education - is it for me?
You could go into higher education for a number of reasons, for example, to help you go into a chosen career, for the experience, or as a way of empowering yourself as a disabled person. Higher education can give you the chance to learn new subjects and get qualifications. It can also give you a chance to join in other activities, develop new skills, gain new experiences and meet new people.
Where can I find information about courses?
Prospectuses
/ These set out the courses available at individual institutions. You can obtain these free of charge by contacting the university or college’s admissions department.Directories / Careers libraries keep course directories, for example, the ‘UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) Directory’ and ‘University and College Entrance: The Official Guide’, also published by UCAS. See Useful Publications section at the end of the leaflet for further details
UK Course Provider
/ CD-ROM database of HE courses in the UKusually found in careers offices
Websites
/ The UCAS website (www.ucas.ac.uk) has a search facility which allows you to access information on higher education courses at institutions around the country. You will also find links to the homepages of the universities or colleges themselves.3. Deciding where to study
Higher education courses are provided in Northern Ireland’s three universities (Queen’s University Belfast, the University of Ulster and the Open University.) Many of the further education colleges here also offer higher education courses. This leaflet only provides information on study in Northern Ireland.
You can apply to up to six institutions through UCAS. Note that the Open University is different – you should apply directly to them. You can still apply to other universities (such as Queens and Ulster) through UCAS at the same time. You may be tempted to apply only to institutions which have good provision for disabled students, or one that is closest to you. But take care - choosing the right institution and course for you as an individual is very important. A good way to start is to write a list of the places that offer the courses you want. Then think through the other issues that might be important to you as a student. The following list includes possible examples of some of these.
· Academic considerations:
Ø Facilities and reputation of the college?
Ø What subjects are taught?
Ø Academic support such as a personal tutor?
Ø Library facilities?
Ø Careers service?
· Location:
Ø Near home?
Ø Away from home?
Ø On campus?
Ø Or by supported distance learning, studying at home?
Ø Campus or multi site?
Ø In the city/ town or suburbs?
Ø Near to transport, such as bus or train station or taxi service?
· Student community:
Ø How many students are there? (Is the university small or large?)
Ø What age groups?
· Access:
Ø To lecture theatres and teaching rooms?
Ø To the library, the books, photocopier, etc?
Ø To a parking space?
Ø To the bar and canteen?
Ø To sports facilities?
Ø In other ways, such as induction loops, clear signs, good lighting.
· Disability support:
Ø Is there good, clear information available about how the institution meets the needs of individual students with disabilities?
Ø Are there any particular facilities for disabled students? For example, Braille embosser, dyslexia support tutor, sign language interpreter, note-takers, campus minibus. If these are not available, can they be arranged in time for the start of your course? If you need medical treatment, is there a suitable centre available locally or on campus?
· Accommodation:
Private accommodation –
Ø Cost?
Ø Location?
Ø Size/accessibility of rooms?
Ø Safety?
On campus –
Ø Cost?
Ø Catered or self-catering?
Ø Rooms for disabled students?
Ø Lifts?
Ø Laundry facilities?
Ø Integrated with other students?
Ø Will they install equipment or make adaptations?
Ø Safety?
Ø Fire procedures for disabled students?
Ø Will they provide a room for your personal assistant if you have one?
· Recreation and leisure:
Ø Town facilities, shops, banks, cinema, theatre, sports, hobbies, students’ union, societies, nightlife?
Ø Accessibility of the local area? It is important to be able to access the local area as well as the college, especially if you are living away from home.
Ø Part-time job opportunities?
4. Applying for a higher education course
The application form
- Apply through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) for most first degrees, Diplomas of Higher Education, Higher National Diplomas and some University Diplomas. You can get forms from the careers services or directly from UCAS. You can also apply online at www.ucas.ac.uk.
- Apply through the Nursing and Midwifery Admissions Service (NMAS) for diplomas in nursing.
- Apply through the Social Work Admissions System (SWAS) for diplomas in social work.
- Apply to the Open University directly, by application form, by telephone or online.
- The details for all of these are at the end of this leaflet.
Giving information about your disability or impairment
Most application forms ask if you are disabled and ask you to give details of individual needs. Many people worry that disclosing their disability or impairment at this stage may open them to discrimination. Some of the things you may want to consider are listed below. (However, please note that, because the Open University has an open entry policy, although the first three points are particularly pertinent, many of the other issues are not relevant in this context.
· Being fair to yourself: Telling the institution in advance can help them to prepare and arrange support for you before the start of your course. You do not want to spend the first week of term setting up support when everyone else is going to parties and making new friends!
· Being fair to the college: Changes may need to be made or staff may need training before you arrive. They need time for this.
· Explaining something: You may need to mention your disability or impairment in order to explain something. For example your disability may have affected your school career or you may have done exams later than most other people.
· So that the information comes from you: You should talk to your referee or tutor about whether or not you are happy for them to mention your disability in your reference. Discrimination: Unfortunately universities are still allowed to reject a disabled person’s application for reasons of his or her disability. As a failsafe, UCAS and other clearing houses allow you an extra choice of college if you receive a rejection because of your disability. This looks set to change in September 2005 when the Special Educational Needs Discrimination Act (SENDA) will come into force.
· It's the way you tell it
The decision about what to write is yours - you should put down what you feel comfortable with. Beware of using terms that admissions tutors will not understand. The institution is interested in two things: how your disability or impairment may affect your studies and what they need to know to give you the right support.
If you cannot fill in the form yourself
Ask someone to type or write your answers for you. Your referee can explain the method used and the reasons for it in the confidential report.
Selection interviews
If you have an interview, let the institution know if you need any particular arrangements. You may be asked about your disability, for example, about adapting course material to suit your needs. Be prepared to speak clearly and confidently about potential problems and solutions.
Offers
Admissions tutors decide whether to offer you a place and the offer will usually be a conditional offer. This means that your exam results must meet the grade requirements of the course.
Rejections
Institutions rarely give reasons for a rejection. If you think you have been rejected because of your disability, contact the institution to find out. If they confirm that they have rejected you for reasons of your disability, inform UCAS and they will give you another choice.
If you end up without a place
If you do not receive any offers or you do not achieve the exam results you need, do not panic. Call the institution to see if they will take you if you were close to the results you needed. Places on the course could still be open. Otherwise, there are three further options:
· Clearing From July to September, institutions can have another look at applications. If you did not receive any offers, declined all offers, were unsuccessful in getting the results needed or applied after 30 June, you will automatically receive a Clearing entry form with instruction details. If you have complex support needs, this option may be inappropriate for you. It is difficult to set up support in the short time before the start of term.
· Retaking If you are determined to take a particular course, retaking examinations may allow you to reapply next year. It is worthwhile asking individual institutions about their admissions policies as better grades may be expected.
· Rethinking Think about alternative courses or a career path that does not involve higher education. Talk over your options with a careers adviser.
(Please note for your own information that these details below are updated annually)
5. Higher Education providers in Northern Ireland
Queen’s University Belfast
University Road
Belfast BT7 1NN
Tel: 028 9024 5133
Fax: 028 9024 7895
Website: www.qub.ac.uk
Disability Services Coordinator: Linda Maguire
Tel/ Minicom: 028 9033 5511
Fax: 028 9033 5378
E-mail:
Queen’s welcomes and encourages applications from students with disabilities. We will endeavour to ensure that all your individual requirements are met to ensure your time at Queen’s is an enjoyable and positive experience. The university has developed the range of services available for students with disabilities. Disability Services would be delighted to meet with prospective students to discuss their individual requirements and the types of support available, including the arrangement of note takers, proofreaders, equipment etc. On confirmation of acceptance onto your course, staff can assist you with your application for Disabled Students’ Allowances. The Disability Services staff would also be happy to liase with relevant faculty staff to ensure that they are fully aware of any support you may require. The age and design of some of our buildings can cause difficulties with physical access. We therefore recommend if you are a wheelchair user or have mobility difficulties, that you contact Disability Services early in the year of application to ensure that this can be addressed. Further details on the range of services available can be obtained from the university’s Guide for Students with Disabilities.
University of Ulster
The University of Ulster has five campuses: Belfast, Coleraine, Portrush, Jordanstown and Magee. The accessibility of our academic and support provision is constantly under review and recent investments have added significantly to the provision of lifts and other equipment. We encourage people with a disability, medical condition, mental health difficulty or specific learning difficulty eg. dyslexia to apply for places on our courses. The University seeks to ensure inclusion in all its courses through removing barriers to accessibility. This is achieved through flexible teaching methods and the provision of facilities and services to meet individual student need for equipment, personal assistance or adaptations to the learning environment.