9th July 2013

Applying to University and the UCAS Personal Statement

Paul DuntonOutreach & Recruitment OfficerAnglia Ruskin University

OPPORTUNITIES?

HOW MANY INSTITUTIONS OFFER HE COURSES?

300+HOW MANY COURSES CAN YOU

CHOOSE FROM?

Over 43000

UCAS: Universities & Colleges Admissions Service

5Choose Courses

Apply Online

Write a Personal Statement

Reference written by the school

Predicted grades added by the school

Application fee - £12 / £23

Applying to University

Applying – UCAS

Applying – key dates1st September

UCAS Apply available

15th October

Closing date for: Oxford/Cambridge, Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine or Veterinary Science

15th January

Closing date for all other courses Late applications process starts

End of February

UCAS Extra available

End of June

Late applications process closes UCAS Extra closes

July to September

Clearing starts

“Your opportunity to tell universities and colleges about your suitability for the course(s) that you hope to study. You need to demonstrate your enthusiasm and commitment, and above all, ensure that you stand out from the crowd.”

UCAS website

Your Personal Statement

•The opportunity to sell yourself

•You let the University know why you are the best candidate for the course

•This may be your only chance to make the case for you to be offered a place

•It can make a difference later in the application process as well

•Admissions tutors find personal statements crucial when making decisions

What’s it all about?

• You only complete one Personal Statement

• Length: Up to 4000 characters or 47 lines of text (approximately 600 words)

• UCAS Apply does not have a spell check!

• The Personal Statement must be your own work

The Basics:

• Why that course?

• How much do you know about the subject?

• Why do you want to study it further?

• Do you have experience?

• What are your career aspirations?

• What are your skills, attributes & achievements?

Can you answer these?

• Are you a member of any groups/clubs? • What are your interests and hobbies?

• Do you have any work experience?

• What are your proudest achievements?

• What skills and abilities do you think you have?

• What makes you an interesting and unique person?

Things to consider

SHEET ONE

The skills universities love…

• Specialised subject knowledge

• Problem analysis and solving

• Leadership and teamwork• Communication and Presentation• Planning and organisation• Working to a deadline

• Managing pressure

What skills are specific to your course?

e.g. manual dexterity SHEET TWO

“…detailed textual and/or critical analysis, through discussion, and which may also incorporate some practical explorations. This work is balanced between tutor-led, student-led and self-directed study, and complemented by resource-based learning…”

BA Hons Drama will involve…

Studying Drama at A level has developed my ability to analyse style, for my coursework I critically analysed the contemporary style of…

Anglia Ruskin University online prospectus: Drama (BA hons)

Connect the skills you need to succeed on the course (sheet 2), with the experiences you have had (sheet 1).

Sheet 3: your personal statement

Claims about the skills you have, backed up with examples.

Obvious Rules…

• Show enthusiasm and commitment

• Make it interesting

• Check your spelling and grammar

• Organise your statement into a logical structure making sure it reads well

• Don’t repeat yourself

• Take your time and get it right

Grab the reader’s attention from the start…

“Ever since I accidentally burnt holes in my pyjamas after experimenting with a chemistry set on my 8th birthday, I have always had a passion for science.”

Medicine Applicant

“ Earlier this year I was involved in a car accident, and as I sat among the wreckage I was shocked to see that not one person stopped to help me. Didn’t anyone care enough to help? If it weren’t for the science of Psychology, this and so many other questions would go unanswered.”

Psychology Applicant

…and keep it until the end

Rather than…

“I am looking forward to my time studying illustration”

Use …

“I want to become a professional illustrator and I am very determined to make the most of a degree course that will help me achieve my ambition.”

Have I finished?• Are my goals well articulated?

• Have I explained why I want to study the course?

• Do I demonstrate knowledge about the course?

• Have I evidenced relevant skills and attributes that make me stand out?

• Does it read well?

• Have I asked for feedback?

If the answer to all of the above is yes, then you

have the makings of a good personal statement!

Student Finance 2013

Paul Dunton

Outreach and Recruitment Officer

Application

Financial Support

Repayments

Student Finance

Who’s who?

Apply Online(Applications normally run from January to May)

Click here to apply

Sponsors can register & support an application here

Students can register & apply here

Click on academic year to see more detail

Check where your application is up to

Eligibility• You need to:

Be a UK national or have 'settled status' in the UK (under the terms of the Immigration Act 1971)

Be ‘ordinarily resident’ in England

Have been 'ordinarily resident' in the UK for the three years immediately before starting the course

Not already have a degree level qualification

Be aged under 60 when you start your course.

Eligibility• The institution must be:

A UK degree-awarding institution

A college that receives government funding and provides a course leading to a degree qualification

A private institution offering specifically designated higher education courses (ask your university or college if it qualifies)

A group of schools taking part in the School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) scheme

Independent Students

Means Testing

Dependent Students

An assessment is made on the student’s (and partner’s) income* if..

• Over 25• Self-supporting for 3 years previous• Married• No parents living• Estranged from parents• Have a child

• Assessment is made on household income*

• In cases of divorce or separation, assessment is made on who the student mainly lives with

* Residual Income = Before tax but after pension contributions

Key Words

FeesLoansGrants

Fee Waivers

NSP

Tuition Fees

Regardless of the fee level, you don’t pay any money up front

The Tuition Fee is the cost of your course at University. It pays for your teaching and your access to the facilities of the university

Universities in England may charge up to £9,000 per year for their courses and many are charging this full amount

Tuition Fees Loan

• Not means tested

• Covers the entire cost of your fees

• Paid back after you graduate

• Also available for Part-time courses

Student Finance

Repay

Tuition Fees Loan

Maintenance Loan

Living at Home £2,843 £4,375

Living Elsewhere £3,575 £5,500

Living in London £4,988 £7,675

Minimum Loan

Everybody gets the first 65% of the full loan amount.

The other 35% is means tested

The loan can change depending on where you study

You are not obliged to take the loans

Max Loan

Tuition Fees Loan

Maintenance Loan

Repay

Student Finance

Maintenance Grant

Household Income

• Maximum of £3,354 per year• No need to repay• Entirely means tested based on household income

£25,000 or less £3,354

£25,000 - £42,600 £3,354 - £50

£42,600 and up £0

Grant Available

Student Finance

Repay

Tuition Fees Loan

Maintenance Loan Maintenance Grant

Don’t Repay

Fee Waivers

• Fee Waivers reduce the price of your tuition fees, so you don’t have to borrow as much money to go to University

• Our higher fee waiver is worth £1,500 per year off the cost of your tuition fees

• Eligibility requirements will vary from one university to another

• Our standard fee waiver is worth £500 per year off the cost of your tuition fees

Top Tip: Mark Anglia Ruskin as the Uni you plan to attend on your finance application

National Scholarship Programme

• The criteria for eligibility and support available will be different at each UK university

• There are limited NSP places available at Anglia Ruskin so apply early to ensure you don’t miss out!

You can apply for an NSP at Anglia Ruskin University if:• You have applied for a full-time undergraduate course• You are starting University for the first time in the academic year

2013/14• You are either normally resident in England or are an EU citizens from

outside the UK (if your home is in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland you are not eligible for the NSP)

• Your household income is below £25,000 per year• You intend to select Anglia Ruskin as your firm choice

www.anglia.ac.uk/nspHow to Apply

Student Finance

Repay

Tuition Fees Loan

Maintenance Loan Maintenance Grant

Scholarship

Programme

Don’t Repay

Loans and Grants and Household Income

Max. Loan£5,500

Min. Loan£3,575

25k

30k

35k

40k

£3,823

£4,292

£4,761

£5,230

42.875k

50k

55k

60k

62.5k +

£5,500

£4,788

£4,288

£3,788

£3,575

£540

£1,478

£2,416

£3,354 £7,177

£6,708

£6,239

£5,770

£5,500

£4,788

£4,388

£3,788

£3,575

42.6k £5,475 £50 £5,525

Max Loan

Grant is reduced by £1 for every complete £5.50 by which the income exceeds £25,000

Loan is reduced by £0.50 for every £1 of maintenance grant Loan is reduced by £1 for every complete £10.00 by which the income exceeds £42,875

NHS Fees / Bursary

• Bursaries are available for courses such as Nursing, Midwifery, Operating department practice and Social Work..

• Contact the NHS Student Bursaries Team• www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students• Helpline: 0845 358 6655 (Medical)

• Helpline: 0845 610 1122 (Social Work)

• Nurses, Midwives and ODPs usually have their fees paid

Special Support Grant

• A lone parent• Aged over 60• With a partner who is also a student, and they have children• Receiving incapacity benefit or non means-tested disability

allowance• Registered deaf or blind• A refugee• With an entitlement to certain means-tested benefits such as

income support during term time

• The Special Support Grant is paid instead of the Maintenance Grant, but does not affect the Maintenance Loan

Other supportDisabled Students Allowance• A disability, mental health condition or specific learning disability

Adult Dependent Grant• A financially dependent adult family member

Parent’s Learning Allowance

Childcare Grant

Other bursaries, grants and scholarships

Anglia Books Plus

£100 per year to spend at John Smiths bookshop on campus

www.anglia.ac.uk/booksplus

Sports Bursary

£1000 a year in training support for students representing the University at a national level in their sport.

Particular focus on Judo, Cricket and Rowing but other sports may also be considered.

www.anglia.ac.uk/sport

Other non-repayable support

Repaying the Loans

• Tuition/Maintenance Loan paid back after graduation

• If earnings fall below £21,000 per year, repayments stop

• Paid back from your earnings

• Only repay when earning over £21,000 per year

• Repayments based on what you earn, not what you owe

• e.g. Earn £25,000, repay £6.92 per week, around £30 a month (£360 a year)

Repaying the Loans

• Sliding scale interest rate, linked to Inflation and earnings

• During study period = RPI + 3%

• Up to £21,000 rate = RPI only

• £21,000 + = RPI + 0.15% for each £1000 over £21,000

• £41,000+ = RPI + 3% This is the maximum rate

• Loan is cancelled if you have it for 30 years

• Does not affect credit rating

• Remember, the interest charged will not effect your repayments

Earning Potential

Average graduate starting salary1

£22,800 Average extra lifetime earnings compared to

non-graduates with 2 A levels2

25% UK Graduates currently aged 30-44 earn:

77% more than non-graduates of the same age3

1. APSCO Research for The Telegraph - Oct 2012

2. HECSU 2007

3. OECD 2007

Debt…

www.moneysavingexpert.com

“Some types of debt are much better than others, all debts are not the same”

Martin Lewis

“Many wrongly believe that due to the higher tuition fees, people will have less money in their pockets each month than currently.”

“Those earning above the £21,000 threshold will have £470-a-year more in their pockets than now… “

Help!

https://www.gov.uk/browse/education/student-finance

Customer helpline: 0845 300 5090

https://www.gov.uk/student-finance

www. nhscareers.nhs.uk

Important dates• June 2013

• UCAS launched to students.• Visit from Loughborough University Representative• 86 students registered in first 24 hours! • Higher Education Fair (74 students attended)• Tutors gave advice on Personal Statements

• September 2013• Students can apply to UCAS from mid-September• First draft of personal statement completed• UCAS online details to be completed• Additional Personal Statement workshops provided• Ox-Bridge support

• 15th October 2013• Deadline for Oxford/Cambridge• Deadline for ANY course in Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary science• UCAS ‘Advice Bus’ to visit school

Important Dates• 2nd December 2013

• School internal deadline for applicants

• January 15th 2014• UCAS deadline for all subjects (except some Art and Design)

• March 24th 2014 Art and Design Courses deadline• N.B some may have the January 15th Deadline• Check with institution

• May 7th 2014• Students must reply to offers and accept a FIRM choice and an

INSURANCE