The document outlines the support and resources provided to students and parents for the post-Aquinas education options, including advice on university applications, personal statements, and career opportunities. It includes key dates for application deadlines, student finance information, types of loans and grants available, and guidance on how to prepare for university or apprenticeships. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of understanding career choices and financial implications of higher education.

1. Post Aquinas Options -
Support For Students
Parents’ Information Evening 2012

2.  Advice  Subject Tutors
 Group Tutors
 Guidance  Senior Tutors
 Principal
 Support  Vice Principal
 Student Support
Advisers
 Careers Team
 Parents

3. Spring Term
Tutorials
▪ making choices – debate on options
▪ apprenticeships – guest speaker
▪ student finance – cost of university
▪ researching information on UCAS and
individual university websites
▪ interest guides on moodle

4. Summer Term
 UCAS tariff system
 Opportunity to speak to Universities and
Apprenticeship providers – May 10th
 Personal profiling – skills and subject interests
 Open days - www.opendays.co.uk
 Career sampling week 25th – 29th June
 Careers day – Wednesday 4th July
 UCAS day – Thursday 5th July

5. The Application Process
Thursday 5th July 2012
 Registration day for
 UCAS Apply
 National Apprenticeship Service
 National Careers Service
 Personal statement writing – guest speaker
from a local University will be giving a
presentation on ‘How to write an excellent
personal statement’

6. Personal Statement
 Two of the most important things to include
are:
 Why they are applying for the course
 reasons why that subject interests them.
 include evidence that they understand the content of
the course.
 explain why they want to go to University – career
progression.
 Why they are suitable for the course:
 explain the skills and experience they have that will
help them to succeed on the course.
 explain how current studies relate to the course.

7. Personal Statement
Reasons given by Universities for rejecting a
personal statement
 Your personal statement does not strongly
support your desire to study your chosen
degree.
 Your personal statement did not show
sufficient understanding, relevance or
knowledge about the course you are applying
for.
 You failed to demonstrate sufficient knowledge
and interest in the subject in your personal
statement.

8. Summer Holidays
 Additional career sampling
 Further research – university or apprenticeship
 University open days
 Complete draft of personal statement
 AS level results – Thursday August 16th
 Enrolment interviews in college – week
beginning 20th August

9. Additional Entrance Tests
 BMAT Medicine – Oxford, Cambridge,
UCL, Imperial College, Royal
Veterinary College
 UKCAT Medicine – National test for
medicine
 LNAT Law
 HAT History
 ELAT English

10. UCAS Application Process
 students complete the application form
 application form checked by Group Tutor
 reference written by Group Tutor
 application form checked by Senior Tutor
 student then pays online
 application form checked by Vice Principal
 application form sent by the college to UCAS

11. Autumn Term Deadlines!!
o Medicine, Veterinary
Medicine, Dentistry, Oxford & Cambridge –
◦ 21st September (college deadline)
◦ 15th October (UCAS deadline)
o all other applications
◦ 30th November (college deadline)
◦ 15th January (UCAS deadline)
For Competitive Courses
THE SOONER THE BETTER!!

12. Autumn and Spring Term
 mock interviews if required
 university interviews
 offers – conditional or unconditional
 decisions – firm and insurance usually to
be made by 31st May 2013.

13. If things don’t go to plan
o UCAS Extra – March/June 2013
o Results day 15th August 2013
o Come into college for advice !!
o Clearing – August 2013

14. Financial Support For
Students
www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance
Parents’ Information Evening 2012

15. Student Finance
 Some Careers require a degree.
 Students should think about the cost of
University as an investment in their future not
a loan.
 Don’t have to pay anything up front.
 Don’t pay anything back unless earning more
that £21,000 per year.
 If a career break is taken – repayments stop.
 Loan cleared after 30 years.

16. Financial Support for
Students
Expenses at University fall broadly
into two categories:
 Tuition fees – which help meet the cost of
a course.
 General living costs – including
accommodation, educational expenses, books

17. Loans
o All students can take out a Tuition Fee Loan
to cover the tuition fees. Universities can
charge new students up to a maximum of
£9000 a year for their courses.
o All students can take out a Maintenance
Loan to cover their living and study costs.
o Loan up to £5,500 live away from home
outside London,
o Loan up to £7,675 if studying in London,
o Loan up to £4,375 if live with parents.
o These loans have to be repaid

18. Maintenance Grant
 Maintenance grant – help with living and study
costs.
 It is income assessed.
 Household income up to £25,000 - full grant £3,250.
 Household income between £25,000 and £42,600 -
grant between £50 and £3,250.
 Above £42,600 – no grant.
 It does not have to be paid back.
 If a grant is received the amount of maintenance
loan is reduced.
 http://www.studentfinance.direct.gov.uk

19. Disabled Student Allowances
 The amount a student gets depends on the
type of help they need and it does not have to
be re-paid.
 What can DSAs be used for?
 specialist equipment e.g. computer software
 non-medical helpers, such as a note-taker or reader
 extra travel costs you have to pay because of your
disability
 other costs - for example, tapes or Braille paper

20. Help from the University
 Universities charging the maximum tuition fees
must provide extra help to students from low
income households.
 These could be in the form of bursaries, fee
waiver, help with accommodation fees.
 Details will be contained on the individual
university websites.
 Students must research what is available.

21. Loan Repayment
Comparison - proposals
Approximate monthly payment
Income before tax Now – old system New system
£15,000 £0 £0
£16,000 £8 £0
£18,000 £23 £0
£21,000 £45 £0
£24,000 £68 £23
£27,000 £90 £45
£30,000 £113 £68
£33,000 £135 £90
£36,000 £158 £113
£40,000 £188 £143

22. How to apply
o Students register and apply on-line
o Students can apply from around January.
o Deadline 31st May.
o The sooner the better – it does not matter if
the student has not made their firm choice as
details can be changed.
o Further information is available on the
College Careers Moodle site and from
www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

23. Students must decide
o Do they want to go to University?
o If so
◦ Research the courses and content very carefully.
◦ Research the location.
◦ Then research the financial help available.
◦ Apply by deadlines.
o University not for them!
◦ Register with approved training providers.
◦ Look at training opportunities with large employers.
◦ Keep their CV up-to-date.
◦ Gain as much work experience as possible.