YEAR 6 PARENTS EVENING

1. YEAR 6 PARENTS EVENING

2. CONTENT • HIGHER EDUCATION IN UK – General Points, Cost, Degrees • APPLICATION SYSTEM - UCAS • HIGHER EDUCATION – Choice of Subject and University • OXFORD & CAMBRIDGE • SOURCES OF INFORMATION

3. HIGHER EDUCATION IN UK • Over 200 Universities to choose from • Competitive entry system – each University will set its own minimum entry requirements for each course • This will be an overall average in EB; can also specify marks in up to 3 individual subjects. • Most prestigious Universities will always ask for high marks • Marks for popular subjects will be higher and applicants may need to do better than the minimum entry requirements stated • May specify a mark in English for any course, particularly if it not your first language. You should not have to take an entry test in English if taking as L1 or L2. • If accepted you should be able to complete your degree

4. COSTS • TUITION FEES • ENGLAND – up to £9K per year for EU Students from 2012; NHS pays fees for Health Care – not Medicine, except final year • Eligible for a Fee Loan – pay back once earning £21Kpa • WALES – same level as England, but may be eligible for a means-tested Fee Grant; Fee Loan for £3465 • SCOTLAND – no tuition fees for EU Students • NORTHERN IRELAND – up to £9K but EU students should only pay £3415pa • LIVING COSTS • Vary from £7,000 to £10,000 per year, depending on where and level of accommodation. • Students can supplement by working part-time • British Students who were born and have lived in UK are eligible for a Student Loan towards

5. UCAS APPLICATIONS • Apply electronically • Complete one application form listing your choices – up to 5. • Year 6 marks in every subject go onto form • Have to write a Personal Statement – 2/3 relating to course applied for, including work experience; 1/3 relating to other activities/interests • School adds a Reference

6. UCAS APPLICATIONS • CLOSING DATES • 15th OCTOBER – Oxford/Cambridge included • 15th OCTOBER – Medicine/Dentistry/Veterinary Science included • !5th JANUARY – all others • School will impose earlier deadlines • Advantage to apply early • Officially cannot receive any offers from UCAS until the closing date

7. UCAS APPLICATIONS • OFFERS/CONFIRMATION • UCAS sends results of applications – can track progress on-line using your Application Number • When all your Universities have made their decisions, you will have to decide which 2 to keep – one Firm and one Insurance offer • Results – if have met the conditions for Firm choice, place will be confirmed. May be accepted even if just under marks required. • Will have to go to Insurance offer if not accepted at Firm offer and you have the marks required • If you have done much better than expected, you can apply to a ‘better’ University whilst still keeping the place already confirmed

8. HIGHER EDUCATION • CHOICES TO BE MADE • WHICH SUBJECT? • WHICH UNIVERSITIES TO APPLY TO?

9. WHICH SUBJECT • Subject you enjoy/are good at? • Subject related to one you enjoy/are good at? • Vocational degree for chosen career? • New subject? • Joint/Combined degree? • Good for postgraduate study/employment? • Includes work placement? • Possible to include study abroad?

10. WHICH UNIVERSITY DO YOU LIKE THEIR COURSE? AM I LIKELY TO GET AN OFFER? DO I HAVE TO TAKE AN ENTRY TEST? WHAT TYPE OF UNIVERSITY SOCIAL/OTHER FACTORS

11. WHICH UNIVERSITY • AM I LIKELY TO GET AN OFFER? • Minimum marks required? • Competition for entry? • Entry test required? • Portfolio or examples of school work to be sent? • Do they interview before making an offer?

12. WHICH UNIVERSITY • ENTRY TESTS • MEDICINE • BMAT – written test in early November; includes all Sciences/Maths to UK Year 5 level and an essay • UKCAT – taken at a computer centre in summer at end of Year 6; no science content, but did have a personality test • LAW • LNAT – taken at a computer centre; critical thinking and an essay • OXBRIDGE • TSA/tests for individual subjects for Oxford in early November; may have test at interview

13. WHICH UNIVERSITY • TYPE OF UNIVERSITY • COLLEGIATE – Oxford, Cambridge, Durham • TRADITIONAL – Large Cities, eg Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Southampton • CAMPUS – Outside Towns/Cities, eg Bath, Kent, Warwick, York • LONDON – Central or further out, eg Imperial, UCL, Royal Holloway, Brunel • SCOTLAND – 4 year degrees; study 3 subjects in first year, eg Edinburgh, Aberdeen • NEW – Previously Polytechnic/College, eg Oxford Brookes, Leeds Metropolitan, Roehampton

14. OXFORD & CAMBRIDGE • Oldest and most prestigious UK Universities • Highly competitive – choose between very able applicants; Oxford is increasingly using pre-interview tests • Standard offer is an average of 8.5 with 9 in relevant subjects; now more likely to be higher • Success rate is as low as 13% and rarely above 50% • Collegiate – live/study within a College. Have to either choose a College or make an Open Application; enter choice on UCAS form • Tutorial Based Learning – lot of private study • Assessment is only by exams • Short Terms – work is intensive • Can only apply to one, not both • Always interview – December. Expect to be challenging!!

15. FURTHER INFORMATION • BOOKS • Degree Course Offers(Brian Heap) – Entry points by subject, competition for entry, advice for personal statement and interview • Progression Series – Courses and Careers • What Do Graduates Do? – Survey of graduate destinations for main subjects • SOFTWARE • Pathfinder Live – Interest Guide for Careers/HE subjects; careers information both general and on specific jobs

16. FURTHER INFORMATION WEB SITES www.ucas.com – search for where can take subjects and check entry requirements; can link into university prospectuses www.unistats.com - ratings of universities by subject in relation to graduate employment and student satisfaction www.push.co.uk – review of universities – costs, social life etc www.prospects.ac.uk – graduate destinations/careers www.gapyear.com – information/organisations