A PARENT’S
GUIDE TO
HIGHER EDUCATION
3 5 7 8
Making the Right Choice Edge Hill University
A Great Place to Study
Understanding Funding and Finance
10 The Application Process 12 Support for Students
15 Starting University: How Parents can help 16 Useful Websites
The accuracy of the guidance in this booklet is based on the latest information available at the time of writing. However, such information is subject to change, sometimes at short notice. Printed October 2016.
i
This guide is not just for parents – it’s for anybody who is helping someone make decisions about higher education.
1
Contents
As the supporter of someone who is applying to university you will play an important role in helping them to make an informed decision about what and where to study.
This guide addresses some of the questions you may have about applying to higher education, and Edge Hill University in particular.
What are the benefits of going to university?
Studying at university is a life changing experience that will allow your son or daughter to:
Enhance employability Competition for jobs in today’s market is tough, and having a degree will give your child the edge against non-graduates. Not only will your child have a qualification they can be proud of, they will pick up valuable transferable skills along the way, such as; communication skills, teamwork, organisation and time-management. Our on-campus Careers Team help our students find work placements, paid work and voluntary roles to boost their employability even further.
Gain independence Studying at university, and possibly living away from home for the first time, is an experience like no other. Your son or daughter can gain their independence and increase their self-confidence and social skills.
Make friends for life Although university requires lots of hard-work, students will enjoy the social side and in the process make friends for life. Here at Edge Hill, we have a very close community which our students love being a part of.
When choosing a university course it is important to select a subject in an area that is enjoyable and that can bring benefits. With over 35,000 courses available nationally, at a variety of city and campus-based universities, there is a lot of choice.
3
Making the right choice
Opportunity from knowledge
Founded in 1885, Edge Hill is a thriving university providing an outstanding student experience with a strong focus on employability. Our award-winning campus features some of the best facilities you will see in higher education, set in 160 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds.
We were the proud winner of the Times Higher Education UK University of the Year Award in 2014 as well as being shortlisted in 2007/8, 2010/11 and 2011/12 – the only university to be shortlisted four times in seven years.
Great graduate employment prospects
The Edge Hill University experience is designed to prepare our students for their future careers. We have an excellent track record in graduate employment with 95% of Edge Hill University’s full-time and part-time degree and undergraduate award holders finding work or further study within six months of graduating. (HESA
Destination of Leavers Survey pub. June 2015, DLHE survey by the Higher Education Statistics Agency 2015).
Satisfied students
Edge Hill University offers an outstanding student experience and this is reinforced by our consistent success in national surveys: •
Best Student Experience in the North
•
Top 20 University for making a great first impression – making students feel at home straight away
•
Safest Campus in the North West for fifth year running
(Times Higher Education survey, 2015)
(Youth Sight 2014)
(Complete University Guide 2016)
5
Edge Hill University
The Edge Hill University campus is located close to Liverpool, Manchester and Preston. It is perfectly placed for students to benefit from the local countryside or the nearby cities, all of which are easily accessible by road or rail.
Our Ormskirk campus offers everything on site, from state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities to modern student accommodation, and a choice of places to study, socialise and relax.
Our cutting edge resources are designed to ensure students get experience of industry standard facilities to prepare them for the world of work.
Departmental facilities are complemented by the University Library, giving students access to thousands of books, journals, online resources and study spaces. Extensive IT and multimedia provision is available in the Learning Innovation Centre and there are Wi-Fi enabled social learning spaces across campus which are free to use.
The facilities across campus, together with the expertise of our teaching staff, easily accessible student support services and 24-hour security, provide peace of mind and an environment where our students are encouraged to succeed.
Edge Hill University has been ranked the safest campus in the North West (Complete University Guide 2016). Many new students appreciate the supportive, sociable and secure atmosphere that life in halls can offer. As we are campus based, everything is just a few minutes’ walk from the student accommodation.
Visit edgehill.ac.uk/accommodation for further information on our accommodation application and allocation process.
7
A great place to study
Understanding Funding and Finance
The standard undergraduate tuition fee at Edge Hill University will be £9,250, subject to Government approval, for all BA, BSc and LLB degrees. Full-time students who are studying for their first degree can benefit from a range of financial support.
Tuition Fee Loan - No upfront tuition fees Eligible students (UK/EU) can borrow the full cost of their tuition fee, which will be £9,250, subject to Government approval, in the form of a loan, subject to previous degree or higher level study, and should not have to pay for their course upfront.
Maintenance Loan A maintenance loan is available to help students with living and study costs. All students (full-time, UK/EU), who live away from home and outside London, will be eligible for a loan of up to £8,430. Those who choose to live with their parents will be eligible for a loan of up to £7,097. Students will only be required to start repaying student loans (tuition and maintenance) after they have graduated and are earning over £21,000 per annum. When it comes to repayment terms, tuition fee and maintenance loans are combined to make one monthly repayment. Graduates’ monthly repayments are based on the amount they earn and not on how much they have borrowed. For further details see our website at: edgehill.ac.uk/undergraduate/fees
Applying for Student Finance As the parent of a student, you will usually have to support their student finance application if the student is applying based on their household income. Three things you can do to support an application are: 1. After your son or daughter has submitted their application, you will be sent an email asking you to confirm your income. 2. If you expect your income to drop by 15% or more, you can let Student Finance know. 3. Student Finance may ask for more details and evidence of your income or circumstances. For more information, and details of what evidence you may have to supply, visit gov.uk/apply-for-student-finance/parents-and-partners
When Student Finance start processing applications they get incredibly busy, so it is worth encouraging your son or daughter to regularly check their ‘To Do’ list on their on-line account and to get in touch with them to ensure they have all the information they need. Any delays in providing documents/evidence to Student Finance could result in your son or daughter not getting their first instalment of maintenance loan at the start of term. Payments will only be made once the application is approved in
9 full, the declaration has been signed and returned, and the student is fully enrolled with their university.
Additional financial support at Edge Hill University
Our range of scholarships for students recognise determination, commitment and achievement in creative arts, performing arts, sport and volunteering, and also reward outstanding examination results.
What is a scholarship? A scholarship is a financial award in recognition of excellence to support your son or daughter while they are at university. It is awarded purely on merit and does not have to be repaid.
High Achievers Scholarship Outstanding students who achieve 144 UCAS Tariff points (AAA at A Level, DDD in BTEC) from a maximum of three subjects taken in one sitting in the last three years, awarded from 1 September 2014, may qualify for a High Achievers Scholarship, worth up to ÂŁ1,000, paid within the first year of study. A combination of suitable A-Level/BTEC grades is permissible.
Excellence Scholarship If an applicant can demonstrate determination, commitment and achievement outside of work or study, they could make a substantial difference to their student life and finances by applying for an Excellence Scholarship, worth up to ÂŁ2,000 paid over the duration of the course.
Sports Scholarship If an applicant is talented at sport, participates at a competitive level or coaches and can demonstrate the ability and ambition to improve whilst they are studying here, they could receive a Sports Scholarship worth up to ÂŁ1,000 per academic year. Visit edgehill.ac.uk/scholarships for more information.
Earn while you learn
Students gain valuable skills and experience through working alongside their studies, and with plenty of part-time job opportunities available on and off the campus, this can be a perfect stepping stone from study to employment. The Edge Hill Careers Centre offers an online vacancy service where students can search for part-time and casual vacancies as well as work placements and volunteering opportunities. Visit edgehill.ac.uk/careers for more information.
The Application Process
Students apply to university through an online system called UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Students can apply to a maximum of five choices, in no particular order. Some students make just one choice, others go for two different courses; the majority of students pick a similar subject at five different universities. A point to note is that the same Personal Statement will be used for all five choices.
What happens next?
Once UCAS has received a completed application, the next steps are:
1. 2. 3. 4.
UCAS will process the application. They will send a welcome letter confirming personal details and choices. The University can view the application online. The University will then decide whether to make an offer of a place or not.
Students can access their application via ‘Track’ on the UCAS website. Track is an online system which allows applicants to view their application, make changes to their personal details, view decisions made by the universities and colleges and reply to any offers received. The majority of communication about applicants and their places will come via UCAS, rather than direct from the universities.
Students will most likely receive either an unconditional offer, which means that they have got a place, if they want it, with no conditions attached, or a conditional offer, which means they may have to get certain grades to secure a place on their chosen course.
What to do and when
September – December • Complete UCAS application, including an excellent personal statement • Attend Open Days at chosen universities.
January – April • The deadline to submit a UCAS application is 15 January at 6pm • Begin applying for Student Finance. Visit gov.uk/student-finance for more information • Await decisions from universities and colleges • Accepting and declining offers – choose one university as a FIRM choice and one as an INSURANCE choice • Apply for accommodation at Edge Hill if we are your FIRM choice.
11 May – July • Check the UCAS website for important deadlines: ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/apply-and-track/key-dates • Look out for further information from us, this may include pre-course information such as reading lists. This information will be sent to the email address on your son or daughter’s UCAS form. To ensure they don’t miss any important information, if their email address changes they need to inform UCAS and the University as soon as possible • Results published for some qualifications such as BTECs. If a completed BTEC qualification is a condition of an offer, confirmation of a place will be sent out from us. If the conditions of the offer are not met, each application will be individually reconsidered and the student may still be offered a place on their chosen course or an alternative course • Apply for Student Finance by the end of May for funding to be in place for the start of term.
August • A level results day and clearing opens. Clearing enables students who have not secured a university place to apply for course vacancies • If a place is secured welcome information will be sent out from us.
September • Enrolment – the process to officially join the University. Further details will be sent nearer the time; however we advise that you do not plan to be away beyond the first week in September • Moving in day – this is when students who have been allocated on-campus accommodation complete the enrolment process, collect their keys, and move in • First Week starts. i
Ensure that all the appropriate documentation is brought to enrolment. You can check what is required by visiting our website from early September.
Support for Students
Student Services can help with almost anything to do with student life. Most services are accessed via our dedicated on-campus Student Information Centre, and the teams within Student Services offer advice on accommodation, money, wellbeing and much more. The aim of Student Services is to ensure that everyone in the Edge Hill community can make the most of the opportunities for study and learning and that all our students feel valued as individuals. Some of the help offered by Student Services is detailed below:
Accommodation The Accommodation Team provide support for students living on-campus as well as advice for those living off-campus. The Campus Life team are on hand to help new students settle into university life and also organise social events to enhance their halls experience. In addition, Student Assistants are existing students that live on campus and act as a first point of contact for residential students, signposting available services and departments. Visit edgehill.ac.uk/studentservices/ accommodation to find out more.
Counselling The Counselling Service provides one-to-one counselling, a daily drop-in during term-time and a range of workshops, seminars and training to all students, both full and part-time to support them through their time at university. The workshop programme includes the following: • • • • • •
Overcoming Homesickness Confidence Building Assertiveness Expressive Arts Mindfulness Programmes Seminars on issues such as worry and perfectionism.
Visit edgehill.ac.uk/studentservices/counselling to find out more.
Health and Wellbeing Throughout their journey at Edge Hill, there may be times when students feel overwhelmed, stressed, anxious or low in mood. If they do feel like this or are finding things difficult in any other way, the Student Wellbeing team offers support and advice to all students in relation to any issue which may be impacting on their wellbeing. Assessments, short-term follow-up, and signposting and liaison with both internal and external teams is also provided. Visit edgehill.ac.uk/studentservices/ the-health-well-being-centre to find out more.
13 Inclusion The Inclusion team can offer advice and support to students with a range of needs arising from physical or sensory impairments, mental health needs or other disabilities. The team provides advice about reasonable adjustments to study, based on the student’s individual requirements. Visit edgehill.ac.uk/studentservices/inclusive to find out more.
Money Advice The Money Advice Team are on hand all year to offer guidance on all things moneyrelated. Holding regular drop-in sessions, they provide confidential, professional information and advice in relation to money management and the range of financial support that students may be able to access. In addition, they administer the University’s Hardship Fund. Visit edgehill.ac.uk/studentservices/moneyadvice and edgehill.ac.uk/moneymatters to find out more.
Careers Centre The Careers Centre aims to help students develop their employability, offering opportunities to learn, gain transferable skills and acquire relevant work experience. We encourage all students to use our services from their first year onwards. The Careers Centre can help with finding: part-time work, volunteering opportunities and summer jobs both in the UK and abroad. Visit edgehill.ac.uk/careers to find out more.
Course Support In a student’s first year they will be allocated a personal tutor who will be their first point of contact for queries and concerns. Some courses also have a Peer Mentoring Scheme where second and third year students help first years to settle into the course.
IT and Library Support Our students have access to an impressive library, IT and study support facilities, access to 15,000 e-journals, over 150 online databases, 70,000 e-books and 230,000 books and DVDs. There is 24-hour PC access, free wireless internet across campus and teams to support them with a range of academic skills. Visit edgehill.ac.uk/ls to find out more.
Settling in We provide all our students with the warmest of welcomes. The first week can be a daunting time so we arrange activities to allow first year students to acclimatise to their new surroundings. There are group activities providing course information, introductory sessions with the University Library and individual meetings with their personal tutor.
Students’ Union Edge Hill Students’ Union is a member-driven organisation, representing all students who attend Edge Hill University. Our vision is to be an essential part of Edge Hill University significantly adding value to the student experience. Specifically, we aim to: •
•
•
Be recognised by Edge Hill students and the University as the provider of excellent, effective advice and representation on academic and welfare matters Provide quality, well-used membership and commercial services for our diverse student body Be acknowledged by our members as having made a positive difference to their lives.
To help achieve this we listen to our members, whilst ensuring we offer guidance, support and help if things go wrong.
The Union is led by four elected officers; President, Vice President Welfare, Vice President Academic Representation and Vice President Activities. The Officers’ roles are to represent the student body on a variety of issues that affect our members.
As part of our ongoing commitment to delivering the services that our members want and need, we have over the past couple of years developed and grown to provide an advice centre, bar, shop and a range of activities through our student led groups (Sports & Societies). For further information visit edgehillsu.org.uk
Seeing your son or daughter go off to university is an important step for you, as well as them. Most parents describe mixed emotions and report that it can take time to adjust to the change. Your son or daughter will probably experience similar feelings, but on top of this they will be dealing with new ways of behaving.
Below are some top tips on how you can help your child have a positive first month at university:
1. Take up opportunities to get involved in as much as possible. 2. If your child experiences homesickness, reassure them that this is perfectly normal. 3. If they experience any problems in their on-campus accommodation, they should look to the Accommodation Team for advice. Each halls of residence has a Student Assistant who will also be a good contact if there are any issues. 4. Suggest that they take part in things they enjoy, for example, joining a sports team or going to a yoga class. 5. Remind them that opportunities will continue to present themselves so friendships will continue to develop past the first month. 6. Undertaking voluntary work or fundraising can be a really positive thing to be involved with, your child can gain essential skills and make friends along the way. i
For more information, and to find out what else you can do to help, please visit;
edgehill.ac.uk/studentservices/counselling/how-we-can-help-you
and click on ‘Information for parents.’
15
Starting University: How Parents Can Help
Support for Students
Edge Hill information Edge Hill University EHU Students’ Union
Choosing a course and university UCAS What Uni Finance and budgeting Direct.gov Student Calculator General information NUS Department for Education
edgehill.ac.uk edgehillsu.org.uk ucas.com whatuni.com gov.uk/studentfinance studentcalculator.org.uk nus.org.uk education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching
For any questions you may have about Edge Hill University please contact our Course Enquiries Team: T: 01695 657000 E: study@edgehill.ac.uk
Liverpool
Manchester
Birmingham
London
Edge Hill University St Helens Road Ormskirk Lancashire L39 4QP United Kingdom
w
edgehill.ac.uk
f
facebook.com/edgehilluniversity
i
instagram.com/edgehilluniversity
t
twitter.com/edgehill