SHOWING WE CARE A GUIDE FOR CARE LEAVERS
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Telling people you’re at Staffordshire University really counts for something. All the lecturers are really friendly, knowledgeable and approachable and will always make time to see you.
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James Holmes, LLB(Hons) Law
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Showing we care
Caring about care leavers. Going to university is a big step for anybody. That’s why, at Staffordshire University, we offer lots of advice and guidance for all our new students. If you’re leaving care to go to university, however, we believe you deserve a little extra support - all to help you make the right choices, get the financial help and assistance you’re entitled to, and settle in really quickly. Over the following pages, you can read about just some of the ways we’ll be on hand to help and advise you – from welcoming you on one of our Open Days to helping you arrange accommodation in our halls of residence. We also believe that if you choose Staffordshire University, you’ll quickly feel at home and get into the swing of things. Plus if you do encounter any problems after you join us, you’ll find that first class help is never far away. If you have any questions whatsoever about applying to Staffordshire University, please don’t hesitate to call us on 01782 294400 or email: enquiries@staffs.ac.uk
Working with the Buttle Trust, we are committed to raising aspirations and helping as many care leavers as possible go to university. To find out more about the Buttle Trust, visit www.buttleuk.org
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A dedicated to
personadvise You’ll find there are lots of ways that we can help and advise you over the coming months.
you.
But before we go any further, we’d like to introduce you to Elsa Heffernan – our dedicated University contact for care leavers. Elsa is available to help with all your questions about coming to study at Staffordshire University. She can guide you through the UCAS application process and tell you all about the benefits of coming to one of our Open Days.
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And she knows exactly who to contact at the University if you need advice on finance, accommodation, learning or disability support.
Not quite ready to take a degree?
With your consent, she can also work alongside your Leaving Care Team to introduce you to university life and what to expect during those first few weeks on campus. Most important of all, Elsa will be there to help with any anxieties you might have - and to provide you with ongoing support and advice when you become one of our students.
They include:
To find out more, call or email Elsa: T: 01782 294517 E: e.c.heffernan@staffs.ac.uk
To find out more: T: 01782 294400 E: enquiries@staffs.ac.uk
Showing we care
Then why not join in one of our great, fun activities to see if Higher Education is for you?
• Maths and English Summer Schools • Step Up to HE – get a taste of uni before you apply • UniLife Summer School residential breaks
Come along to Day. anOpen If you’ve not yet been to visit us, an Open Day is the perfect way to see what life at Staffordshire University is like. You’ll be able to have a good look around, talk to staff and students and gather lots of practical information. Come along to an Open Day and you can: • Take a tour of our campuses and industry-leading facilities • Meet our expert lecturers and speak to current students • Attend presentations about the courses you’re interested in • Check out our sports facilities, clubs, societies and the Students’ Union • Find out about the wide range of support services we offer • Find out more about student accommodation and visit our halls of residence To book onto one of our Open Days, visit: www.staffs.ac.uk/opendays
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Funding your study. There’s a good chance you’ll be entitled to all sorts of financial support to help cover the cost of going to University. The precise amount you’ll receive each year will depend upon your individual circumstances, so please speak to your Leaving Care Worker for details or contact Money Doctors, which is part of our Students’ Union Student Advice Centre. You may also be eligible for a University bursary of £1,500 (£500 per year of study).
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Showing we care
Student finance at-a-glance: Tuition Fee Loan
This is a loan from the government to cover your tuition fees. You don’t have to pay anything back until you have graduated and are earning more than £21,000.
Student Maintenance Loan
This loan is to help with living costs, such as rent, food, bills, books and travel. Depending on your circumstances, you could receive up to £5,500. Again, there’s nothing to repay until you have graduated and are earning more than £21,000.
Non-repayable Student Maintenance Grant
This grant provides extra money towards living costs and is available to lower income families. Depending on your circumstances, the maximum you could receive in 2012/13 is £3,250. If you are entitled to this grant you will receive a smaller Student Maintenance Loan.
Special Support Grant
If you are a single parent, receive disability benefits or have a partner who is also a full-time student, you may be entitled to this grant instead of a Student Maintenance Grant. Receiving this grant will not affect the amount of Student Maintenance Loan you could receive.
£2,000 Care Leaver’s Bursary
As part of your Pathway Plan, you may be entitled to a £2,000 Higher Education Bursary from your Local Authority. Your Pathway Plan should also include information on your plans for University, accommodation, independent living, financial and other support.
Financial help from Staffordshire University
To make a university education as affordable as possible, we have put together a number of non-repayable financial support packages for new students starting in September 2012. They include: the National Scholarship Programme, University bursaries of £1,500 (£500 per year) and fee waivers of £1,000 per year of study. If you apply to Staffordshire University, we will contact you if you are entitled to receive support.
Please note: if you are applying to study full-time on a nursing or midwifery course, there is a different funding system in place to support you financially whilst you are studying.
To find out more about what you may be entitled to financially, contact: Money Doctors Student Advice Centre T: 01782 294469 (Stoke Campus) or 01785 353311 (Stafford Campus) E: moneydoctors@staffs.ac.uk www.staffsunion.com/moneydoctors Care Leavers
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UNIVERSITY
ACCOMMODATION
Student accommodation at Staffordshire University is modern, secure, well maintained and among the most affordable in the country. Best of all, if you make Staffordshire University the firm choice on your UCAS application, and come to study with us, you’ll be offered accommodation in our halls of residence for 52 weeks a year. If you come to Staffordshire University as your insurance choice, or through clearing, we will still do our best to find University accommodation for you. Our study bedrooms are fully furnished and have access to shared kitchens, dining rooms and shower facilities. Plus some en-suite rooms are also available. If you’d prefer to live off campus, just ask about our local landlord registration scheme. To find out more, contact: Accommodation Office T: 01782 294217/18/19 E: accommodation_stoke@staffs.ac.uk E: accommodation_stafford@staffs.ac.uk www.staffs.ac.uk/accommodation
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Showing we care
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Living in halls of residence is a great step towards living on your own. It gives you independence, plus it’s ever so reasonably priced. You even get a starter pack containing all those essentials you may have forgotten. As for making friends, it’s the perfect way to meet people.
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Thomas Hutchinson, BSc(Hons) Computer Science
Supportingyou way. allthe
Come to Staffordshire University and we’ll do everything we can to support you and help you settle into university life. Plus we’ll also be on hand to help and advise should you have any worries – whether it’s looking after yourself, managing your money, living in University or private accommodation or coping with exams and study. As well as helping to make sure you have a fantastic university experience, our amazing Students’ Union offers friendly support and advice. Read on to find out more about the wide range of support services we provide. The Students’ Union www.staffsunion.com
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AcademicAdvice and Guidance
You’ll be allocated a Personal Tutor when you join us. He or she will supervise your progress and help with any problems on the academic side of things. Every faculty has a Student Guidance Advisor. Their job is to help with any questions or problems regarding your course. They can advise on a wide range of educational issues as well as answer any questions you may have before you begin your studies. We also have a Student Guidance Officer. Based at Stoke campus, they can provide advice on fees and funding, changing course and taking time out. To find out more, contact: Student Guidance Officers T: 01782 292768 (Stoke) T: 01785 353749 (Stafford) Learning and Study Skills We offer free support and training for all students who are keen to improve their academic and study skills. Find out more at: www.staffs.ac.uk/studyskills
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Showing we care
Health and Wellbeing Support
Doctor’s surgery
We have a doctor’s surgery at both our Stoke and Stafford campuses and recommend that you register with one of our doctors when you enrol.
Counselling
We also have a Counselling Service that offers free, confidential short-term support to students experiencing emotional difficulties during their studies. Ongoing support is available following GP referral.
Mental health and wellbeing
Our Specialist Student Advisors can provide one-to-one confidential advice and support for practical, emotional and academic worries at any time during your studies. They can also help identify and access your individual support needs. To find out more, contact: Student Enabling Centre T: 01782 294977 E: disability@staffs.ac.uk E: counsellingreception@staffs.ac.uk
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Childcare spiritual Disability Support Support Support If you have a disability, a mental health condition (such as anxiety or depression) a specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), please contact our Student Enabling Centre as soon as possible. This will help them to make sure that your individual needs are met before your studies begin. The Centre will also be able to help you apply for any Disabled Students Allowances that are needed to cover the cost of additional equipment and support. To find out more, contact: Student Enabling Centre T: 01782 294977 E: disability@staffs.ac.uk 12
Showing we care
If you are a parent, we can provide childcare support at both our Stoke and Stafford campuses. For full details, including nursery fees, funding and booking places, contact one of our nurseries.
We have multi-faith Chaplaincy Centres that are open to everyone. We also offer spiritual and pastoral care to all religions and faiths.
To find out more, contact: T: 01782 294981 (Stoke nursery) T: 01785 353371 (Stafford nursery) E: nursery@staffs.ac.uk www.staffs.ac.uk/nursery
Find out more at: www.staffs.ac.uk/chaplaincy
careers advice and Guidance
If you’re undecided about what you want to do after graduation, don’t worry. Our friendly Careers Centre team has information on all career areas. They offer tailored careers advice, can help prepare you for interviews and even provide practical advice on CV writing, applying for jobs and boosting your skills through voluntary work. The team also runs a student recruitment agency, holds regular job fairs and publishes hundreds of vacancies every year. To find out more, contact: Careers Centre T: 01782 294991 (Stoke) T: 01785 353233 (Stafford) E: careers@staffs.ac.uk
Howto
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student life If you want to earn some extra cash to help towards the cost of student life, we’ve some top suggestions. Every year, our Students’ Union recruits over 200 students to work across its venues and shops – and to help run the organisation. At the same time, the University employs around 200 Student Ambassadors to act as guides on Open Days, assist our staff and work with young people in schools and colleges. To find out more, contact: studentambassadors@staffs.ac.uk, or visit: www.staffsunion.com
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why staffordshire university?
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Our commitment to equipping you to become a ‘Staffordshire Graduate’ – with the knowledge, expertise and attributes that employers look for.
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Our industry leading vocational and teaching facilities – all designed to give you a head start in the world of work.
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Our close links with national and international businesses such as Cisco, Vodafone and Lloyds.
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Our lecturers with real world experience – they know exactly what you’ll need to succeed.
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Our status as a ‘top 50’ university for graduate employability (The Sunday Times, September 2011).
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Our continual investment in your learning environment - such as our new £30m Science Centre.
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Our diverse multicultural environment – with over 1,500 international students on campus in the UK.
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Our hands-on, practical approach to learning – it’s not just about learning from books.
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Our central location, low cost of living and vibrant social scene.
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Our first-class levels of support for all Staffordshire University students.
Showing we care
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I would recommend Staffordshire University because it is warm and inviting, it makes you feel right at home and comfortable. It has a great atmosphere and the facilities are fantastic.
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Paige (age 17) who visited our Open Day in November 2011
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Undergraduate courses More detailed information about our courses and studying at Staffordshire University: www.staffs.ac.uk/undergraduate An A-Z list of our courses and to download subject guides: www.staffs.ac.uk/ugsubjects Local colleges that offer some of our courses: www.staffs.ac.uk/partnerships Tuition fees, student finance and support Our current undergraduate tuition fees, plus advice on loans, grants and bursaries: www.staffs.ac.uk/feesandfunding How and when to apply for student finance: www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance Free, impartial advice on all aspects of student finance: www.staffsunion.com/moneydoctors Additional financial support for students in hardship: www.staffs.ac.uk/askalf How and when to apply for an NHS Bursary: www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students
For more detailed information on courses or studying at Staffordshire University visit staffs.ac.uk/undergraduate
UCAS The UCAS application process: www.ucas.com/apply
Find us on:
Tracking your UCAS application: www.ucas.com/track
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To book a place at our Open Days visit staffs.ac.uk/opendays
The Who Cares? Trust A care leaver’s guide to Higher Education: www.thewhocarestrust.org.uk/pages/the-h.e-handbook.html