For Parents and students
Deadline for Oxford, Cambridge and most courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine/science -16 October 2023
Applications for Oxford, Cambridge and most courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine/science should arrive at UCAS by 18:00 (UK time). The reference has to be completed before the application can be sent to UCAS.
Both the registration deadline and the test dates are earlier than in previous years.
• Candidates take the CAT, ELAT, GAT and MAT on 19 October 2023.
• Candidates take the HAT, MLAT, PAT and Philosophy Test on 20 October 2023. Computer based
• BMAT, ENGAA, NSAA, TMUA and TSA Oxford
• 18 October 2023
• Paper based
Deadline for the majority of undergraduate courses -31st January 2023
Applications for the majority of courses should arrive at UCAS by 18:00 (UK time)
Please remind your son/daughter not to look up statements on the internet. UCAS plagiarism software is excellent!! The UCAS website has some great advice https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/ apply-track/writing-personal-statement
All students also have a guidance booklet with plenty of help.
This is all available on the Teams careers site
They can also see their own tutor, subject teachers plus they will have additional assistance in their dedicated Personal development lessons.
The most important message is to focus on the subject and why they want to study it.
They need to be detailed and specific and reflection is the key.
It should be at least 75% focused on the subject that they wish to study
If they have read a book, completed coursework or a work experience placement
what have they gained or learned from it.
What have you studied so far that has confirmed this choice and you have particularly enjoyed Does this lead to a particular career? Why do you want to pursue that career
Subject you want to study
What aspects are you looking forward to studying? Look at common elements across the university courses
Why do you like ……
What have read/seen in addition to further your interest
Any relevant experience or work experience? Make it relevant?
Applicant days are still quite new and are for after they have made their choices some universities are now using this as part of the selection process and their offer might change after they have attended.
These will usually be after Christmas.
Medicine and dental students will have 4 course choices that can be medicine/dental/Veterinary plus a 5th course choice.
As Medicine/dental/veterinary is so competitive with very few places it is important that they have a 5th choice that can keep other options open for example Pharmacy or Biomedical sciences?
Students can choose different courses at the same institution but it can be a problem around the personal statement which needs to be geared towards one subject or area.
If they want a specific university but the offer looks high look at similar courses in the same department which might have a lower offer
Degree Apprenticeships
• You apply directly to the employer
• Very competitive
• https://www.ucas.com/apprenticeships/degree-apprenticeships
• https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/business-services/engage-withus/degree-apprenticeships/apprenticeship-vacancies/
As your son/daughter has 5 choices they need to ensure that they cover a variety of grades or UCAS points to cover different possible outcomes.
1or 2 choices can be aspirational 1/2 safe 1 as a real safety net It is also important that they have considered all the universities carefully and
knows that they are prepared to go there!
It is also a good idea to use all of their possible choices in the worst case that they fail to receive any offers.
Should that happen In March they will have the opportunity to make an additional 5 choices through UCAS Extra.
Some universities will ask for specific grades including all the Russell Group and most of the older traditional ones.
UCAS points
D* 56 D 48 M 32 P 16
History at Northumbria
128 UCAS Tariff points including one or more of the following:
GCE and VCE Advanced Level: From at least 2 GCE/VCE A Levels including Grade B in History
YSJ
96 - 112 UCAS Tariff points
Some universities will also offer a Foundation Year as part of the offer.
For example Northumbria might offer 128 for Law but part of the offer will say if you achieve 80 instead you would be placed on the Foundation Course
After they have received all of their offers they have to decide on their top 2 a conditional firm and a conditional insurance which should be a lower offer.
They will have 2 sets of mock results by then so should make sensible choices
They need to think long and hard over this and there is no advantage in rushing if they have been made an offer they will have a date by which they need to respond usually sometime in May or June. They won’t take the offer away as long as they respond by the correct date.
Think carefully about the insurance all too frequently students put down any choice thinking that somehow they will never need it!!
Then they wake up on results day to discover that they are actually off to Nottingham Trent!!!!!
The Universities are not interested in releasing a student when they have thousands who are trying to get in.
https://www.ucas.com/file/715336/downloa d?token=iNdDS9Yl
https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applyi
ng-university/advice-parents-guardiansand-carers
It will open for applications in March 24
Fees seem to be staying at £9250
Maintenance loans will vary by household income
Figures for 23/24 for guidance
For Ensuite average is £4500-£6000
the repayment threshold – the point at which graduates start repaying their student loanfor new borrowers starting courses from September 2023 will be set at £25,000 until 2026-27.
This still means that graduates will not start repaying until they have reached well over the current median young non-graduate salary of £21,500.
This makes sure that someone benefitting from a university degree makes a fair contribution to its cost: for example, a graduate earning £28,000 would pay back £17 a month.
https://www.gov.uk/student-financeregister-login
Many universities offer bursaries so it is really important to go through the university websites carefully.
They are often not very well advertised
https://www.hull.ac.uk/choose-hull/studyat-hull/money/scholarships-and-awards
Every university will have different schemes so it is well worth the effort!
Keep records from this Financial year April 2022- 2023
Additional pensions can be deducted
Loans might only just cover accommodation plus a little more
Don’t start paying back until they earn
£25,000
Any Questions?
