A Guide to Higher Education

A Guide to

for Years 7-11

reachingwider@swansea.ac.uk

A guide to higher education for Years 7-11

Higher Education

Is Uni for me?

A guide to higher education for Years 7-11 It’s never too early to consider your future and to think about what you want to achieve. This guide is aimed at young people in Years 7 to 11 who are making choices about their future education and direction and are considering higher education.

What is higher education?

Why bother with higher education? £ As a graduate you can earn, on average, 20% more over your lifetime (for a woman it rises to 40%), so even though you will end up with debt at the end of your degree, you should more than make up for it later £ 40% of jobs require a higher education qualification £ Graduates are 50% less likely to be unemployed than non-graduates £ Some professions require you to have a relevant degree, for example Law and Medicine £ To study a subject that you enjoy £ To build independence, responsibility and confidence £ You will meet loads of people from all over the world. Some will be friends you will keep for life

Studying Your studies will be divided between lectures and tutorials. Lectures tend to be in large groups and you are expected to listen and take notes. Tutorials are smaller where you discuss ideas in more detail. Some courses will have practical sessions in laboratories.

Private study will be expected and this involves working on your own or in smaller groups preparing essays, presentations or reading around your subject area.

Accommodation Many universities provide accommodation for students in the first year in halls of residence. However, if you decide to study locally you may want to stay living at home.

You can also live in shared houses with other students. In halls of residence meals may be provided or you may cook for yourself in shared kitchens.

Social Life Most students will tell you that social life is a big part of university or college life.

Lots of social activities at university and college are arranged by the Students’ Union.

There are many clubs and societies that you can join from drama and sport clubs to curry societies and religious and political groups. You could also write for the university newspaper or volunteer with local charities. This can be a great way to develop skills, make friends and test out ideas for future jobs. It looks great on applications when applying for work after you graduate.

Support All universities have Student Support Centres which can help with: £ Finances and managing your money £ Finding part time work £ Finding accommodation £ Counselling services £ Study support e.g. help writing essays £ Specific support and advice and guidance for students with disabilities £ Childcare support and advice £ Support to access a doctor, dentist, etc You will always have someone to turn to if you have any concerns or worries when studying.

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A guide to higher education for Years 7-11

Higher education is the name given to education beyond further education (further education is what you study after you’re 16 in sixth form or college). Higher education qualifications include degree courses, Higher National Diplomas and postgraduate courses. You can study for higher education courses at university, higher education colleges and some further education colleges. Most people study for a higher education qualification after A levels (or equivalent) when they are 18 and have left sixth form college or school. However you can study in higher education at any age over 18. Most full time courses take three or four years to complete and you can also study part time.

What is student life like?

What qualifications do I need to go onto higher education?

Choices at Year 9

All university and college courses specify entry requirements. These are the grades or levels that you need to achieve to get onto their courses. Some popular universities request high grades while others will have lower entry requirements. You may think you are not good enough or you need really high grades - but in truth you only need a good application, determination, and enthusiasm, genuine interest and some A levels or BTEC national awards or other vocational qualifications.

£ Start thinking about what interests you and what you want to do in the future. Use the careers ideas section on www.careerswales.com to research ideas and discover jobs and careers that you might not have thought of

£ Most universities require GCSE English language grade C or above. Welsh universities will accept Welsh language grade C or above. Some courses such as Economics may require Maths GCSE grade C or above

£ Keep your options open by choosing GCSEs that cover a range of subjects as you may change your mind

£ If you want to be a teacher you will need a grade C GCSE or above in Maths and English and also Science if you want to be a primary school teacher

£ Aim for good grades

£ Many courses do not require any previous background study such as Psychology and Criminology. However some courses might prefer a background in the Sciences or Maths £ Always check course requirements when choosing options to make sure you are on track or see a careers adviser/teacher

£ Choose subjects you enjoy

£ Talk to your teachers and careers adviser

Choices in Year 11 In Year 11 you will be faced with many options around what and where you will study after GCSEs. If you are considering higher education then you should think about studying qualifications that will help you gain access to courses that interest you at university. £ Look at college and university prospectuses. What courses interest you?

£ If you don’t gain the qualifications needed whilst at school/college, you can take an ‘Access to HE’ course £ Check what subjects you need for specific courses £ Think about careers that interest you and find out what qualifications you need to work towards £ What subjects do you enjoy and what subjects have you always wanted to study? £ What subjects are you good at? £ What other experience do you need to gain? £ Talk to your teachers and schools career adviser £ Consider the Welsh Baccalaureate which will give you the equivalent of an A grade at A level as long as you complete the course £ Attend college/sixth form open days

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If you’re not sure what job you want to do in the future, don’t worry as this is common, but do start thinking about it! You could test some of your ideas out by arranging work experience or volunteering.

A guide to higher education for Years 7-11

£ You should aim for 2-3 A2 levels or a BTEC National Diploma. For some subjects such as French, History and Sciences you would normally need to have studied this at A level. For some Engineering courses you may need Maths and Physics and to study Medicine you would need to have a few science subjects including Chemistry

When choosing your GCSE courses consider the following:

It’s not all about qualifications!

How much will it cost?

Universities are interested in other things as well as qualifications. They want to know what other interests you have such as:

Whilst studying at university, you will have two main types of expenses - your tuition fees and your living costs. Tuition fees are what you pay to the University for your education and living costs cover things like food, transport, clothes, accommodation.

There is help available from the government to support you with both these expenses in the form of Grants (money you don’t have to pay back) and Loans (money you have to pay back). The amount that you get will depend on your family income (how much money your family earn) and where you go to study.

£ Work experience

£ Travel experience

£ Voluntary work

£ Musical attainment

£ Duke of Edinburgh Awards

£ Part time work

£ Sporting achievements

£ Positions of responsibility

How to choose a course in higher education With over 50,000 courses available across the UK it can be overwhelming if you do not have any clear ideas.

Consider: £ What subjects you like doing and what you enjoy in your spare time £ What job do you want in the future? Some careers you will need a specific degree subject for example medicine, nursing, engineering and social work £ What are you good at and what do other people say you are good at? £ Take part in taster workshops, university visits and summer schools. Find out what your local Reaching Wider Partnership has to offer £ Test out career ideas by arranging work experience or talking to students on the course that interests you £ Talk to teachers and your school careers advisers £ Read prospectuses/websites which give you details of courses and admission requirements £ Attend university and college open days to get an idea of what it would be like to study there £ Use the Stamford test on www.ucas.ac.uk to match your interests and abilities to higher education courses

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See www.studentfinancewales.co.uk for the most up to date information.

A guide to higher education for Years 7-11

You may need to have experience in a specific area to get access to certain courses. For example social work would require some experience of working with people who might be in need.

From 2012/2013 universities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be charging fees of up to £9,000 a year, but students from Wales will have most of this paid by the Welsh Government. That means students from Wales will only have to pay £3,465 per year and a loan is available to cover this. You will not have to pay the loan back until you have left university and you’re earning over £21,000. If you’re earning £25,000 a year you’ll only pay back £6.92 a week.

Glossary

Frequently asked questions

Admissions Tutors - Lecturers at college and universities who decide who gets accepted onto a course

Why should I think of higher education when I am not 16 yet?

It’s a good idea to think of higher education at an early stage as it may have an effect on the subjects you choose to study at GCSE and A level/BTEC etc. Some university courses might require passes in GCSE Maths, English and Sciences. Research you do early on will help you find out what you want to do in the future.

BA - Bachelor of Arts, a university degree where mainly arts subjects are studied. This can include subjects like languages, history or music BSc - Bachelor of Science a university degree where mainly science subjects are studied. This can include subjects like maths or computer science Bursaries and scholarships - Funding that may be available from individual universities and colleges. For example excellence awards if you do well at A levels and sporting scholarships Campus - A university site that usually includes all facilities required by students such as lecture halls, accommodation, shops, canteens and bars

Freshers’ week - The first week of the first term of university. You will be invited to join clubs and societies and shown around campus Graduate - What you are when you have achieved a degree Halls of residence - The place where many students live during their first year HND/HNC - HNCs (Higher National Certificates) and HNDs (Higher National Diplomas) are work-related (vocational) higher education qualifications. They usually take one or two years Honours Degree - The majority of degrees are honours degrees and split into classes; First class, Upper second class, Lower second class and Third class Humanities - This term is used to describe courses such as english, history, criminology, music, languages and many others Non-vocational courses - Courses that do not train you for a particular job but develop your skills in general, for example french, history and english Open Days - All colleges and universities offer you the chance to look around campuses and talk to lecturers. A great way to find out more about institutions that interest you Postgraduate - Study that you do after a first degree such as a masters degree or PhD Prospectus - Individual universities and colleges provide these books free of charge. They outline their courses accommodation, fees, facilities and entrance requirements. All this information is also available online Sandwich course - A course which involves time spent in industry or business Students’ Union - All universities have a Students’ Union which is run by students and represents the interests of students and also provides information and organises social activities Undergraduate - What students are called when working towards a degree UCAS - University and College Admissions Service. All applications to university or college are made online through UCAS except art foundation courses UCAS Tariff - A points system used by higher education institutions to help them select students. Each of your A levels (or equivalent) are awarded points, the better the grade the higher the points Vocational courses - The job you get at the end of your course is directly related to your degree. For example nursing, social work, physiotherapy and engineering

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How much do graduates earn?

The average salary of a newly qualified graduate is £25,000 per year. This will depend on what career you choose.

My parents will not be able to afford to pay for University fees how can I go?

Not all students have to pay fees. Some students pay part of the fees or none at all and what you pay depends on how much your family earns. You don’t have to find the money to pay for your tuition costs before or while you’re studying as you can apply for a loan to cover these costs. For 2012/13 you don’t have to start paying back your loan until you are earning over £21, 000 per year. If you’re earning £25,000 you’ll only pay back £6.92 a month. If you live with foster carers or guardians there is lots of financial support available - ask your social worker about it.

See www.studentfinancewales.co.uk for the most up to date information.

How can I find out what higher education is like?

Find out what your local Reaching Wider Partnership has to offer (see page 11 for details). Every Partnership offers opportunities to find out more about higher education such as Summer Schools, Taster Workshops, Campus visits etc.

Can I study part time?

Yes. Many institutions offer courses that you can study part time. You can also study from home via distance learning through the Open University.

Can I study courses in Welsh?

Yes. Many of the higher education institutions in Wales offer modules through the medium of Welsh. Research further at www.mantais.ac.uk Can I work while I am a student?

Yes. Lots of students work part time but universities recommend not working more than 15 hours a week. This can be a great way to learn different skills and gain work experience.

Are any higher education courses free?

Yes. Currently many Health Care professional courses are fully funded by the NHS whilst some are part funded by the NHS and part funded by Student Loans Company.

However, you should do something that you really want to do. Three years is a long time to be doing something that you are not interested in and there is always financial help and advice on hand.

A guide to higher education for Years 7-11

Degree - The qualification gained by studying courses worth at least 360 credits at higher education level

Will a degree guarantee me a good graduate job?

Having a degree will not guarantee you a job but you are more likely to be in a better paid and more interesting job if you have one. The harder you work and the better class of degree you achieve will give you more choices.

Useful websites www.careerswales.com Careers and education information and advice www.cliconline.co.uk Information and advice service for young people in Wales aged 11 to 25 www.directgov.uk/EducationandLearning Information about options in Year 9, options after 16 and university and higher education www.brightknowledge.org Useful information for all year groups including help on what GCSEs to pick, what to do after Year 11 etc.

www.nus.org.uk National Union of Students

www.skill.org.uk Information for students with disabilities

www.studentfinancewales.co.uk Funding for students in Wales including information about the EMA (Educational Maintenance Allowance) www.studentsurvivor.org.uk A fun online game where you have to try and keep a virtual student alive www.ucas.ac.uk Application information for applying to university www.hotcourses.com Search for courses and read student reviews www.mantais.ac.uk Helps you find courses taught in the medium of Welsh

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The Reaching Wider initiative, funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW), was established in 2002 to widen access to learning and to help more people enter college or university. Each Partnership runs different events and activities so please contact the relevant Partnership for your area to find out what is on offer.

Reaching Wider Partnership Contact Details North and Mid Wales ems401@bangor.ac.uk

Tel: 01352 744 065

First Campus (South East Wales) www.firstcampus.org

Tel: 01443 482 550

South West Wales reachingwider@swansea.ac.uk

Tel: 01792 602 128

A guide to higher education for Years 7-11

www.gogapyear.com Ideas and information on taking a year out

Reaching Wider

This guide is produced by the South West Wales Reaching Wider Partnership which is funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales.

Members of the Partnership are: Careers Wales Carmarthenshire County Council City and County of Swansea Coleg Sir G창r Gower College Swansea Neath Port Talbot College Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council The Open University in Wales Pembrokeshire College Pembrokeshire County Council Swansea Metropolitan University Swansea University University of Wales Trinity Saint David The information in this guide was compiled by Jane Lingard.

Please note that this is intended as a general guide and the information provided was correct at the time of going to print. All universities and colleges have different entrance requirements which are likely to change from year to year. Funding and fees arrangements tend to change every year as well.

For further information please contact: Tel: +44 (0)1792 602 128 Email: reachingwider@swansea.ac.uk

reachingwider@swansea.ac.uk

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