Mature Students – Information Evening

1. Mature Students – Information Evening Mary Liddy| 14 January 2010

2. Agenda • Welcome Presentation • Making Your CAO Application • Selection Procedure • Q & As • Fees / Financial Supports • Disability Office Presentation • Access Office Presentation • Foundation Courses

3. Find Relevant Information Undergraduate Prospectus pp. 24 – 26 Dedicated NUI Galway website: www.nuigalway.ie/mature Dept. of Education and Science website: www.studentfinance.ie

4. Conditions of Entry • The term Mature Student is anyone who is 23 (or over) on or before the 1st of January on year of entry (2010) • Must be an EU national or refugee and be three years resident in an EU member state at point of entry • There are approximately 350 places available across all colleges for mature students

5. NUI GALWAY Structure GY1xx

6. Arts allows you sample a selection of subjects before deciding to specialise You have a wide selection of subjects to choose from - 21 We are the only university to allow students 2 weeks to try out all subjects, before making a final choice Mature Students will sit an aptitude test on April 17th (Arts Only) This is set by the Psychology Department and takes approximately 1hour with multi-choice questions This combined with your CAO application will determine a place in Arts for you Arts (GY101-GY117) at NUI Galway

7. Research your preferred careers and their consequences for you Look at postgraduate studies too if you want to have a clear goal of where you want to go with your competed degree www.nuigalway.ie/postgrad Take action and decide which CAO course is your best route to this job Study subjects which you really enjoy Remember – this is just the first step of the journey! Making the Decision

8. The Student Experience • Facilities on campus include a sports hall, climbing wall, 25m swimming pool, gymnasium, ten natural grass playing pitches, a floodlit synthetic grass pitch and an athletics track • Over 40 sports clubs ranging from field sports to water sports, martial arts to indoor clubs - Something to suit everyone

9. The Student Experience • Opportunities for additional study beyond your degree – unique bilingual campus -our Diploma in Irish is very popular • Over 83 societies to join – from Debating to Filmsoc, Mature Students Society to a Chocolate Society

10. CAO Application • Application Fee – €45 or €35 for online application made by Jan 20th • Apply online www.cao.ie or on hard copy • Deadline 1st February • Amend details not later than March 1st • It is your responsibility to read the CAO handbook carefully especially page 4, 5,6 &14. • NUI Galway Courses page 67-68

11. Offers of Places • Round A -1st week of July • Very Important to respond within the dates given • Mature Students will sit an aptitude test on April 17th (Arts only) • Interview may apply in some courses such as GY106 • Interview will apply in Health Sciences courses, GY502, GY503 and GY504

12. Courses and Quotas • 10% quota reserved for mature students in all courses in the Colleges • No quota in Medicine (GY501) or in Pure Psychology (GY104) • Mature students wishing to study Psychology apply to BA Undenominated course (GY101)

13. Nursing Studies Quotas • General (GY525) 15% • Psychiatric (GY526) 40% • Midwifery (GY527) 20% • Aptitude test April 10th set by An Bord Altranais, followed later by interview

14. Procedures for assessing mature applicants • Arts: Written application through the CAO and written assessment (aptitude test in April) • Date of assessment: Saturday 17th April • Interviews for BA Connect programmes likely

15. Assessment Procedures • Law: Written application through the CAO No written test or interview • Commerce: Written application through the CAO No written test or interview Foundation course available

16. Selection Procedures • Science: Written application through the CAO No written test or interview Foundation course available (p/t) • Engineering: Written application through the CAO and occasionally interview with Dean or course director Foundation course available (p/t)

17. SelectionHealth Sciences • No entry to Medicine (GY501) on mature years grounds • OT (GY502), SLT (GY503) and Podiatry (GY504) 2/3 places in each • Written application through the CAO • Applicants short listed for interview in June

18. SelectionNursing Studies • Nursing Studies: Written application through the CAO and written assessment (aptitude test) and interviews organised by An Bord Altranais (tel. 01 6398500) • Date of assessment Saturday 10th April • See website: www.nursingcareers.ie • See information booklet: • Nursing/Midwifery A career for you 2010

19. SupportsSocial, Personal, Financial and Academic • Mature Students Officer available daily on drop-in basis or by appointment • Disability Officer, Counselling, Chaplaincy, • Careers advisers • Health Unit staffed by nurses, doctors, psychiatrist etc. free service to students • Special Return to Learning programme for mature students prior to registration • (Early September) • Special Orientation programme

20. Supports contd. • Mentoring programme for mature students • Social evenings, parties and children’s parties etc organised by Mature Students Officer and by Mature Students Society • Focus groups on “Adjusting to College” run for mature students • Special Study Skills, Applied Writing, Computer Training, Memory Techniques • Hardship fund in the university • University crèche and assistance with childcare costs for low income students • Accommodation Office to provide assistance

21. Government supports and policies for Third level • Dept. of Education and Science “Free Fees” scheme • “Free Fees” Conditions • Must be EU National or have refugee status • Must be three of previous five years resident in EU member state • Must not already be Level 8 degree holder

22. Free Fees scheme contd. • Must not have been in and opted out of third level course within last five years • ‘Second chance’ students ok • Cert, Diploma and Level 7 degree holders ok

23. Local Authority (County Council) Grants • Apply in June/July • Means tested on income for financial year 2009 • Independent vs. Dependent Mature Student • €3,420 per annum 2009 / 2010 year • Top-up grant (additional €3270) paid to low income (€22,000) students in receipt of Social Welfare payments since previous December (2008)

24. Fee Components Course Fee Arts 2009/2010 = €5,822 Made up of: • Tuition Fee (paid by DES) • Non-tuition or Registration fee (paid by Co. Council for grant holders = €1,500 Euros) • Student Services Charge paid by every student = €224

25. BTEA Dept. of Community and Family Affairs • Qualifying conditions: Must be 12 months in receipt of eligible Social Welfare payment prior to commencement of college course • 9 months in certain cases if registered with Fás and with Fás approval • See website: www.welfare.ie

26. Foundation Courses • Commerce and Business • Science/Engineering and I.T. • October to April, 2 evenings a week • Preparatory Courses to relevant degree programmes at NUI Galway and GMIT • Apply directly to University for these courses, not through CAO • Fee 2009 – 360 Euros or 50 Euros (SW)

27. ContactInformation Mary Liddy / Trish Hoare Room 225 Aras Ui Chathail NUI Galway 091 492695 mary.liddy@nuigalway.ie www.nuigalway.ie/mature

28. Discover your potential at NUI Galway Questions? Mary Liddy, Mature Students Office / Admissions Office

29. A framework for future presentations School Institute Name to go here