Parents Guide

UNIVERSITY OF WA LES INSTITUTE , CARDIFF ATHROFA PRIFYSGOL CYMRU, CAERDYDD

The really handy

Parents Guide

THE REALLY HANDY PARENTS GUIDE

THE REALLY HANDY PARENTS GUIDE

The Really Handy

Parents Guide Welcome to UWIC’s really handy parent guide.

Handy Hints has been written in response to the many calls UWIC receives every year from parents whose sons or daughters are going away to university for the first time.

Leaving home for university is an exciting journey into the unknown and one which is bound to prompt plenty of questions.

As a parent you will be concerned where your children are going to live, what they’re going to live on, what equipment they will need and what they need to bring with them. This guide attempts to answer those questions and to give you and your children the information you need.

If we’ve missed one or two questions you would still like answers to don’t worry, there is a contact number on the back page which you can ring to find out more or visit www.uwic.ac.uk/newstudents And please feel free to give us your feedback and any suggestions for improving the Handy Parents Guide in the future.

‘We hope this guide is of some help and we wish you the best of luck in preparing your child for their time at UWIC.

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THE REALLY HANDY PARENTS GUIDE

Filling the empty nest Homes can seem strangely empty when children go off to university. But the experience can open up horizons says UWIC psychology programme director Dr Paul Sander.

It’s known as ‘empty nest syndrome’ and it’s the moment children leave the home for pastures new, like university. After many years of looking after children and their needs, not having them around can take some getting used to.

Discovering new activities and challenges is part of how parents adjust to the empty nest as well as finding new ways of keeping the family cohesive. With a little planning, the ‘nest’ may not seem that empty. Mobile phones and emails are and convenient way for parents to keep in touch with their children.

And sons and daughters are usually only too happy to come home for some familiar and nutritious home cooking, to utilise the free laundry service and to meet up with their old friends.

On these return visits, the family can share each other’s news and reaffirm family ties.

And reassuringly, many families find that the less frequent the contact leads to a new and very rewarding mutual respect.

So if your home suddenly feels a bit strange when the children have flown the nest, don’t worry.

It’s all perfectly natural and an opportunity to be explored.’

Dr Paul Sander, Programme Director, BSc (Hons) Psychology, UWIC

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A wise choice As the parent of a new student at UWIC, you’ll be pleased to hear that they have chosen wisely!

UWIC is widely recognised as one of the UK’s top new universities and has a wellearned reputation as a great place to study; independently acclaimed for its high academic standards and for its high level of student satisfaction.

Cardiff as a city, is also just half an hour from stunning coastline and beaches (and the Gower Peninsula and Pembrokeshire National Park a bit further west), an hour from the Brecon Beacons, Bristol and Bath and only two hours from London or Birmingham.

All in all UWIC and Cardiff are a great ‘double act’ and we’re sure your son or daughter will enjoy every minute of their time here.

We look forward to welcoming you too when you manage to visit and hope that we can live up to your hopes and expectations.

THE REALLY HANDY PARENTS GUIDE

Welcome to UWIC and Cardiff

Everything at UWIC is geared to ensuring our students get the best out of their time with us - from first class facilities to excellent accommodation, high-quality campuses, handy transport links and of course friendly staff, and help them launch into a rewarding career.

Research has shown that of those leavers whose destinations are known and who were available for employment six months after graduation, 95% were in work or further study.

Cardiff - a great place to study Being at UWIC also means being part of one of Europe’s best capital cities.

From the world famous Millennium Stadium to historic areas like Cardiff Castle and Cathays Park, Cardiff is renowned as an excellent city to work, shop, rest and play in.

UWIC’s three campuses are each only a stone’s throw away from the centre of Cardiff and there are plenty of easy ways for students to get there.

And just a mile from the city centre is Cardiff Bay, the re-born waterfront area once famous as Tiger Bay. ‘The Bay’ is home to the National Assembly for Wales and the awesome Wales Millennium Centre, which is one of Britain’s finest arts and cultural venues.

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UWIC Residences Top 10 Parent Tips for First-Year Students 1. Be quick The quicker you can get things to us, the quicker we can act. So when applying for accommodation in Halls initially, please ensure your son or daughter completes the application form and returns it immediately.

5. Little and often If you are funding your son or daughter’s stay at UWIC, it’s wise to transfer a monthly amount to their account rather than the whole lot in one go. That way you can be sure the money will go where it’s meant to!

And make sure they send us all appropriate literature (signed where applicable), relevant payments and passport photos.

6. No joke Every year at least one first-year student is removed from Halls for tampering with fire equipment like extinguishers. This is extremely dangerous so please remind your son or daughter that actions like this are criminal offence and can result in custodial sentences.

2. First-year contract If your son or daughter moves into Halls their contract runs until June of the following year. Students are not released from their contract unless they withdraw from their course or a suitable replacement is found.

3. Second-year contract Every year private agencies try to pressurise first year students into signing contracts for their second-year accommodation. But there’s no need to do this until March at the earliest. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of private property around Cardiff and no need to rush.

4. Peace of mind When your son or daughter moves into private accommodation for their secondyear, ensure the property is from UWIC’s Private Landlords’ list. All landlords on the list have provided UWIC with gas and electric certificates and approximately one in six properties have been visually inspected by our Premises Officer.

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7. Keep it down All our campuses are close to people’s homes so please remind your son or daughter to keep noise at a minimum at all times and have the same consideration for their neighbours as they would at home.

8. Getting home safely Buying a UWIC Rider pass for your son or daughter will ensure they have a guaranteed means of getting home from Cardiff city centre up to midnight. The pass allows them unlimited access to all Cardiff buses (which go to all our campuses) for the whole of the academic year (plus an extra four weeks, spread over Christmas and Easter).

9. Stay healthy Even though your son or daughter may be registered with a GP at home, they need to register with a local GP as soon as they arrive in Cardiff. Just because they are away at university doesn’t mean they won’t need a doctor from time to time.

10. Small is beautiful Don’t be persuaded into loading the car too full when you bring your son or daughter to UWIC. Our study bedrooms are just single bedrooms and not a whole house! Room space is at a premium so ensure they only bring essential items.

Fees As a student, you will have to pay for two things: tuition fees for your course and living costs, such as rent, food, books, transport and entertainment. There may be additional costs for some programmes. If that sounds expensive, don't worry. You can get financial help from the government in the form of loans and grants.

Tuition fee loan Students can choose to defer payment of their tuition fees until they are working by taking out a tuition fee loan, which is repaid in exactly the same way as the maintenance loan. The money will be paid direct to the university to cover the cost of the fees.

Useful Contacts: UWIC Finance Section tel: 029 2041 6083 tel: 029 2041 6086 tuitionfees@uwic.ac.uk UWIC Fee Waiver Scheme tel: 029 2041 6087 UWIC Student Finance & Welfare Advisory Service tel: 029 2041 6170 or 6133 financeadvice@uwic.ac.uk or welfareadvice@uwic.ac.uk

UWIC is ranked as the Top New University in Wales 2010.

Times Good University Guide Studying in Wales Tuition fees at UWIC for 2011/12 have been set at £3375.

Student Maintenance Loans These loans are designed to help students meet basic living costs, such as food, accommodation, travel and books. Only 25% of the loan is assessed on the individual or family’s income. This loan will only start to be repaid when you are earning over £15,000 per year.

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Did you know?

UWIC Bursary & Scholarship Schemes The introduction of mandatory Bursaries and Scholarships is a concept introduced across all UK universities.

Financial support available to students is not limited; you could qualify for more than one bursary and/or scholarship.

Schemes on offer at UWIC • Sports Scholarship • Food Industry Bursary • Care Leavers Bursary • Postgraduate Scholarship • MSc Management Scholarship • Cardiff School of Art and Design Scholarship: • Fee-reduction Bursaries • Studio assistantships and fee-reduction scheme.

If you would like more information about UWIC’s Bursaries & Scholarships please visit: uwic.ac.uk/bursaries or email: bursaries@uwic.ac.uk or call: 029 2041 6143 5

THE REALLY HANDY PARENTS GUIDE

Budget guidelines Keeping a young student ‘on the road’ can be expensive if you don’t budget carefully but there’s no reason for it to cost the earth.

Here’s a handy guide to help you plan and remember your son or daughter will probably be eligible for a student loan to help them with their living costs!

The first thing to remember is that the two big areas, Housing and Food/Household, usually account for 70-75% of all costs, so it’s a pretty good place to start.

1. Housing Although the academic year is only 32 weeks, rent for self-catered university Halls or private accommodation needs to be paid for around 39 weeks a year and you can expect to pay around £75 - 85 per week.

Total: £3,300 per year 2. Food/Household Your son or daughter may eat their way through your fridge and cupboards at home, but they can be a bit more frugal when they’re away from it. A typical budget for this area should be around £30 per week (including the odd pair of rubber gloves and washing up liquid).

Total: £1,170 per year 3. Utility Bills (in privately rented accommodation) Paying bills will probably come as a bit of a surprise to the average student, but it has to be done and it’s wise to budget £7.30 per week.

Total: £250 per year

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4. Laundry (in Halls of Residence) A dirty word (literally) to most students but a necessary evil. Expect to need around £2 per week.

Total: £80 per year

5. Books and equipment These are the tools of the trade for all students and although UWIC has excellent libraries and resource centres, your son or daughter will need some books of their own. Second-hand copies of textbooks can be found, but expect to budget £9 per week.

Total: £350 per year 6. Clubs, societies and snacks When the average student is not working, sleeping or socialising, they are often snacking or taking part in a club or society activity, such as the Student’s Union. While not expensive, it’s sensible to set aside around £5 per week.

Total: £195 per year 7. Clothes No doubt clothes are already a matter of much debate at home - and it’s really a case of covering the essentials rather than indulging your son or daughter’s extreme fashion tastes. There is no need to spend a fortune in this area but it is sensible to budget around £15 per week.

Total £400 per year 8. Toiletries Although traditionally universities do not have the best reputation for turning out well groomed undergraduates, the modern student takes a bit more pride in their appearance. So set aside £5 per week.

Total: £195 per year 9. Telephones In the age of mobile phones this is obviously a contentious area, but you should expect to contribute something to your son and daughters call’s to home – even if they are only ringing to ask for

10. Travel Bus passes (the UWIC Rider £210 for the whole academic year), petrol for cars, rail tickets to festivals…it can all add up for the modern student. You should expect to allow £8 per week.

Total £300 per year 11. Haircuts Many students get round this by getting their mates to brandish the scissors or clippers or by simply growing hair to their knees. But occasionally your son or daughter will need a trim and you should allow £5 per week to cover this.

Total: £195 per year 12. Presents Even students need to buy the odd present from time to time, if only to send you a birthday card each year, so expect to budget £5 per week.

Total: £195 per year 13. Social life Although like a red rag to a bull to many parents and tax payers, students do need a good social life to break from the grind of lectures and essays and to get the best out of university life. And socialising, as we all know, doesn’t come for free. We don’t suggest you subsidise all night parties for your son or daughter but expect to budget £30 a week for this (although this does include holidays).

Total: £1200 per year

Grand Total As we said, supporting a student at university isn’t cheap and the costs are likely to be in the region of £7,625 per year but don’t forget that student loan! This is purely an advisory section many students may choose to spend more on certain items but will probably make cut backs in some of their other costs.

The table below is a quick reminder of what we have suggested.

Item per week per year Housing £75 - £85 Food & Household £30 Utility Bills £7.30 Laundry £2 Books & Equipment £9 Clubs, Societies & Snacks £5 Clothes £15 Toiletries £5 Telephone £5 Travel £8 Haircuts £5 Presents £5 Social life £30 Grand Total

THE REALLY HANDY PARENTS GUIDE

more money! We suggest a token £5 a week to make sure you do hear from them occasionally.

Total: £195 per year

total £3,300 £1,170 £250 £80 £350 £195 £400 £195 £195 £300 £195 £195 £1200 £8025

UWIC’s ‘Top 10’ tips for managing your money It’s every parent’s nightmare…the phone call from their son or daughter asking for more cash. But managing money as a student is essential if you don’t want to leave university with a degree, a pile of debts and a bad credit rating!

Sadly debt is a way of life for many students these days. But there are ways to reduce the chances of carrying unmanageable bills into your future working lives. Essentially it’s about choosing the student lifestyle you want and making sure there’s enough money to pay for it.

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Get your share As a student, you may be entitled to state funded money to help pay for your education.

To find out if you are, apply to your Local Education Authority in Wales or Student Finance England to be assessed for a student loan for living costs, a tuition fee loan and any discretionary grants you may be eligible for.

Find the right bank for you. Banks often offer all sorts of inducements or ‘freebies’ to tempt students to bank with them. But the trick is not to be too tempted by offers and to look for a decent student bank account with an interest free overdraft facility. Only apply for ONE student account as it’s much easier to manage if all your money’s going in and out of one account. It also makes sense to choose a bank with a branch near to your campus or student accommodation. And if the branch has a Student Advisor you’re more likely to get a sympathetic response if you encounter any problems.

Plastic peril It seems even school children are offered credit cards nowadays, but these tempting pieces of plastic should be handled with care.

Signing up for credit cards and store cards is one of the most expensive ways of borrowing money, so do beware.

Plan ahead Try to work out a budget of your income and expenditure. And if it’s obvious that you’re not going to be able to manage, think of ways you can supplement your income by perhaps taking on casual work.

Most universities will have a Job Shop for students, either within the Careers Service or the Student Union, so contact them if you need to find part-time work. However do remember that as an employee you may be

liable for income tax or national insurance contributions and that a salary isn’t always the same as your take-home pay.

Helping hand If you’re finding it really difficult to manage, explore the possibility of applying to the Financial Contingency Fund (in England, the Access to Learning Fund). Most universities will have Financial Advisors that can talk you through the application process.

THE REALLY HANDY PARENTS GUIDE

So here are a few hints:

First things first Prioritise your debts. It’s obviously important to keep a roof over your head, so make sure that your rent is paid on time. If you’re going to be late paying creditors let them know rather than ignoring their letters. If you can’t pay the whole amount, pay what you can afford as a gesture of goodwill.

Keep it short Be wary of taking on any long-term commitments as a student. Buying a car or the latest computer can be a very big drain on your resources.

Stay mobile Try to avoid mobile phone contracts. Pay As You Go phones will help you to keep track of how much you are spending. It’s good to talk, but remember it can be expensive!

Communicate If you do get into financial difficulties seek help sooner rather than later. It’s better to let people know that you’re in trouble than to bottle it up and make the situation even worse.

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THE REALLY HANDY PARENTS GUIDE

Don’t blow it The biggest danger for overspending is in the first term. Don’t be tempted to buy designer clothes, 20 CDs or loads of beer when you have just had the first instalment of your student loan.

Taking care and keeping safe With war, security alerts and high-profile terrorist attacks, a university campus probably seems like the safest place to be right now. In truth the chances of students being burgled, confronted or attacked are low and the reason horror stories make headlines is because they’re so rare. But they do reinforce that safety can’t be taken for granted. Read on to learn how your son or daughter can make their time as a student as safe as possible…

Keeping the thieves away Around 2,000 students will be fresher’s at UWIC for the first time each year. Each will arrive with boxes full of goodies, gadgets, mobile phones, TVs and stereos worth on average £3,000 (according to the NUS), making ideal targets for thieves. Students may feel impoverished, but to a thief they have quite a few nice things they’d like to get their hands on. You can be sure they know your son or daughter’s room is full of them and when it’s best to drop by.

Burglaries Every four minutes a student in the UK is burgled, and although the halls accommodation at UWIC is generally very safe it’s still worth taking a few precautions to make sure your son or daughter isn’t among the statistics.

Most break-ins happen at the beginning of term, when thieves hope to discover the rooms of naive teenagers who’ve just left home for the first time. Unfortunately most students are used to living at home, where you look after the security, so it’s useful to give them some guidance on staying alert.

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Insurance There are a number of decent student insurance deals around at the moment (check out www.cover4students.com).

Some insurance prices start from as little as £15 a year - well worth it when you consider how much it will cost to replace all those expensive items. Don’t assume your offspring will be covered by your own contents insurance policy, but it’s worth checking and perhaps even having a word with your insurer to see if your policy can be amended to include children away at university.

Being responsible As a parent you instinctively check every door and window each evening, and you should encourage your son or daughter to do the same at university. Advise them to look at their new residence from a burglar’s point of view and make sure they shut the windows when they’re out. If they move into a student house it’s sensible to get the locks changed (they don’t know who else might have a key) - but they should remember to give the landlord a new one too. And of course, drawing curtains at night and using all the locks available to secure doors is sensible guidance for your son or daughter to follow.

Out and about Attacks against female students are reported in the media and it’s only natural to be concerned. There are particular risks inherent in being a student living away from home, and female students are probably most at risk.

However, while for women the ages of 16 to 24 are when you’re at most risk of being attacked, men of the same age are actually more likely to be attacked by a stranger.

Plan your night - be prepared Students are obviously not going to write a detailed timetable of events before they leave the house every night. But it’s wise they have a rough plan and a good idea of how they’re going to get home at the end of the evening.

Knowing what time the last bus is on weekdays and weekends, and the number of a reputable taxi firm, is also sensible. It’s particularly important students don’t just get into any old car at 3am and make sure they catch a licensed taxi. If in doubt they should go to a taxi rank when they’re in town or phone one from anywhere else.

Advise your son or daughter to stay with their friends on a night out and plan where to meet up if anyone gets separated – a taxi will also be cheaper with four students crammed into it.

Single female students using a bus should sit near the driver or sit near other women if they catch a train – and they should move seats if someone unsavoury sits near them.

Finally, advise your offspring to use the UWIC Rider bus as much as possible (timetables are available on campus).

Be extra careful Incidents have been reported to the Students Union by students in the areas around Llandaff Campus (Llandaff Fields, the walkways around Tesco, Pontcanna Fields). Although these incidents are not very common, they highlight how important it is to be alert - even in daylight hours.

Generally it’s better for lone female students to stick to busier streets and go out with others. If a student thinks they’re being followed they should cross the street and keep on going, and do so again if it keeps on happening. Anyone who is worried should go somewhere loud and lively, and let somebody know. And students should always report anything suspicious to the police immediately, and let the Welfare Advisor in the Students’ Union know.

THE REALLY HANDY PARENTS GUIDE

Attitude It’s not just being too drunk and out of control when your son or daughter is walking home at night that can mark them out as a target looking nervous or lost might also attract the wrong type of attention. Wearing headphones means they won’t hear somebody approaching and they should try to appear confident and purposeful, and be generally aware of what is going on around them without becoming paranoid. It’s also wise for them to avoid getting so drunk that they forget their address at the end of a night! Guide them to keep aware and stay with their mates.

Finally…

Advise your son or daughter to take the above precautions, being prepared or aware can often make all the difference.

However the police suggest that if someone grabs their bag or their wallet, let them take it - it’s only a bag after all.

Survival Techniques After years of having everything done for them, your son or daughter is now preparing to fend for themselves in an uncertain world.

But do they know where to go and what to do?

Before they start university now is an ideal time to pass on your years of experience to a younger generation to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible.

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THE REALLY HANDY PARENTS GUIDE

Basic cooking skills After all the time you’ve spent giving your children wholesome, nutritious food you now the face the dire prospect of them living on pizza, burgers, chips and beans!

While you aren’t trying to turn them into the next Nigella Lawson or Jamie Oliver, it may be sensible to teach some basic culinary skills (how to peel veg, boil an egg, test to see if meat is done etc) and even pass on some cheap and cheerful recipes. And if they are living in self-catering accommodation make sure they have a basic food supply to take away with them.

Welcome to the Supermarket To some students supermarkets are a strange, bewildering and unfamiliar environment and they have probably never thought about how the cupboards and fridge at home are always full of food!

Teaching your son or daughter how to navigate their way around a supermarket is not a bad idea, perhaps even by helping out on a few family shopping trips before they go.

Food hygiene Not a favourite subject for most students, but an important one to cover. Pass on a few hints about the importance of hand washing, food washing, careful food storage and rules regarding reheating food. But don’t overdo it so they’re too scared to go in the kitchen!

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‘Red Cross’ parcels There’s nothing students like more than a supplies top up from mum or dad and many supermarkets now have a delivery service you can call on to drop off provisions to your son or daughter (see supermarket websites).

Don’t worry about mollycoddling them - your gesture will always be appreciated by your hungry offspring and their mates - and at least you get to influence what they are consuming once in a while!

Survival Techniques UWIC is inundated with calls from students and parents wanting to know what they should take to university.

It’s important to make sure your son or daughter has all the equipment they need to get going, so here’s a few hints from accommodation services manager Sarah Spencer.

Stationery Students are expected to make lots of notes, write plenty of essays and keep reference materials neatly filed! So make sure they bring basic stationery such as paper, pens and pencils, A4 folders, a stapler and a holepunch.

Food to get going If your son or daughter has gone for the selfcatering option make sure they take food essentials such as tea and coffee, sugar, bread and milk and enough food to last a few days until they find the nearest supermarket to stock up.

Crockery For self-catering students take kitchen essentials such as cutlery, plates, a kettle, toaster, mugs, drinking glasses, tin opener, corkscrew, washing-up liquid, tea towel, washing powder and scissors. Many supermarkets now sell student ‘starter packs’ like a kettle, toaster and microwave at a special price, so keep an eye out for these.

Essentials Your son or daughter will need bathroom and bedroom essentials such as bath and hand towels, dressing gown, duvet and bedding, wash bag/toiletries and coat hangers.

It’s also useful to buy some packs of selfadhesive plastic hooks to go on the back of a door, or inside a wardrobe, so there are plenty of places to hang things up.

Keeping in touch It’s a good idea for your son and daughter to have a mobile phone or phone card so they can keep in touch with you and their friends.

THE REALLY HANDY PARENTS GUIDE

Looking good Make sure they pack a good selection of clothes and shoes, including sports gear if they plan to make the most of the university’s sports facilities.

In the picture Make sure they have plenty of passport photos done for registration and signing up for clubs and societies.

Most large supermarkets, stations or post offices have machines where this can be done quickly and cheaply.

Bright ideas Just like home, it’s important your son or daughter has things to brighten up a room such as photos, lamp, rug, cushions, stereo, and maybe a portable TV if you have one spare (but don’t forget to get a TV licence too!)

Proof of identity This is an important area so make sure they take their passport, for any last-minute travel, and their NHS card for registering with a local GP when they arrive.

Wakey, wakey And finally… that 100% essential item, the alarm clock, so that they’re not late for any of those 9am lectures!

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UCAS is the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, and it co-ordinates the undergraduate admissions process across the UK. Important UCAS dates: Mid - September UCAS Applications can be submitted.

I5 October Closing date for applications to Oxford University, University of Cambridge and courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science or veterinary medicine.

15 January Final date for applications from UK and EU for applications to be granted equal academic consideration. All those received after this date will be classed as LATE, but will be forwarded to institutions until 30 June.

25 February Start of UCAS Extra. This is an opportunity to select another choice of university if you have been unsuccessful with your original choices.

24 March Application deadline for Art and Design courses except those listed with a 15 January deadline

19 August Clearing begins.

20 September Last date for Clearing applications.

The UCAS website is an essential read with lots of helpful information – www.ucas.com or you can telephone them for general enquiries 01242 222444.

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UCAS

In making your application, you must pay the UCAS application fee of £15, or £5 if you are applying for only one course at one institution.

NB: Dates shown are for 2009/2010. Dates may vary slightly year on year but not significantly.

30 June Last date that UCAS must receive all other applications, including those from outside the UK or EU. All applications that are received after this date will go directly into Clearing.

Clearing also enables students who have been unsuccessful with their Firm and Insurance choice of institution to be matched with universities with course vacancies.

6 July This is the last day to apply through extra.

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Our top tips 

Ensure applicants meet UCAS deadlines and reply promptly to all letters from UCAS and universities.

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Schools and colleges set earlier deadlines than UCAS for applications to be submitted, as they have to check the details and add a reference - make sure these internal dates are adhered to.

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Early application maximises the chances of success.

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Don't be away when the A level results are published.

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Thorough research is essential - deciding what’s important – course content, study/work opportunities, location, reputation, facilities, size, costs, accommodation availability or stay at home.

Visiting and contacting UWIC As a parent it is only natural you may want to visit UWIC from time to time, if only to drop off or pick up your son and daughter.

The ‘headquarters’ of UWIC is at our Llandaff Campus and we also have two other campuses at Cyncoed, and Howard Gardens.

Visitors are welcome at any of our campuses but please remember that there is limited parking availability during academic terms.

Parking on all campuses is limited, and if students must have a car we recommend that they register with ‘carshare’ so they will be more likely to be able to park. Alternatively, why not use the dedicated bus service ‘UWIC Rider’. The largest dedicated bus service in Wales.

For more information or if you would like to ask us any questions please contact any of the numbers listed below.

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A brilliant Personal Statement is of considerable value but takes time to write and edit.

There is also a UWIC website on uwic.ac.uk which may be able to give you the information you want.

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Applications can be tracked by applicants online through the UCAS website.

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The UCAS website is an essential read with lots of helpful information www.ucas.com - or you can telephone them for general enquiries on 01242 222444.

Communications & Marketing Unit UWIC, Western Avenue Cardiff. CF5 2SG tel: 029 2041 6044 email: uwicinfo@uwic.ac.uk

It is easy to get around Cardiff on great local transport. You may find the following links useful: UWIC Rider www.uwic.ac.uk/uwicrider Traveline Cymru www.traveline-cymru.org.uk

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Alternative Means of Transport

UWIC Campuses Cyncoed campus Cyncoed Road, Cardiff, CF23 6XD  Education & Teacher Training  Humanities  Sports Howard Gardens campus Howard Gardens, Cardiff, CF24 0SP  Art & Design Llandaff campus Western Avenue, Cardiff, CF5 2SG  Architectural Design  Biomedical Science  Business & Management  Environmental Sciences  Food Sciences  Health  Hospitality  IT & Computer Studies  Product Design  Social Sciences  Tourism Plas Gwyn Halls of Residence Llantrisant Road, Llandaff, Cardiff CF5 2XJ

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