Notgoingtouni's guide to Higher Education in Further Education 2015

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GUIDE TO COLLEGE-BASED

HIGHER

EDUCATION

PLUS:

Five great reasons...

IN S IDE: Great advice on finding and applying for an HE in FE course

why you should consider getting an HE qualification.

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Study in central London at Westminster Kingsway College CLEARING HOTLINE: 020 7802 8345 PLACES STILL AVAILABLE* Higher Education Degrees & Foundation Degrees

Professional Development courses

Access to Higher Education Diplomas

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To download our Higher Education Guide or for more information, contact us on: www.westking.ac.uk/clearing or courseinfo@westking.ac.uk

*Subject to availability and meeting eligibility criteria.

Contact Westminster Kingsway College for the latest information and details of enrolment sessions.

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APPLY T

MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE

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ODAY!

A GOOD COLLEGE WITH OUTSTANDING FEATURES Ofsted 2014

GAIN YOUR UNIVERSITY DEGREE WITH AN HNC QUALIFICATION and progress to year two of a degree at one of our partner universities in London.

ONE YEAR HNCs IN: • Business • Health & Social Care • Interactive Media

SAV EU

£6,0 P TO 00 ON TUI T COS ION TS

WWW.TOWER.AC.UK/HE in partnership with

London Campus

subject to articulation

Graduate with Waltham Forest College Enrol Now Email myfuture@waltham.ac.uk Call 020 8501 8501 Available HE courses include: Advanced Practice in Work and Children and Families Higher National Certificate (HNC) Level 4 Art and Design Higher National Certificate (HNC) Level 4 Business Management Higher National Diploma (HND) Level 5 Computing and Systems Development Higher National Diploma (HND) Level 5 Fashion Higher National Diploma (HND) Level 5 Health and Social Care Higher National Diploma (HND) Level 5 Hospitality Management Higher National Certificate (HNC) Level 4 CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) Level 5

Fees starting from £3453.00 to £3924.00 Student Loans available

www.waltham.ac.uk

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Guide to college-based higher education

What is HE in FE? HE in FE (Higher Education in Further Education) is a means of studying for higher level qualifications through a further education provider such as a local college.

Higher qualifications available in FE include Foundation Degrees, Higher National Diplomas (HNDs) and Higher National Certificates (HNCs).

These are usually validated by and run in partnership with universities, who work with colleges to provide educational opportunities.

The popularity of college-based, higher education has increased in recent years. Every year, colleges educate and train over three million people and colleges deliver 83% of HNCs, 75% of HNDs and 55% of Foundation Degrees.

Whilst surveys indicate that people studying HE in FE would prefer to have a some resources, such as libraries which are solely for their use, the majority of HE in FE students (81%) were very satisfied, felt that their course was great value for money and felt well supported by tutors. 60% of students say that they would recommend HE in FE to others.

It is estimated that one in twelve higher education students attend further education colleges but this highlights the current lack of awareness about the availability of college-based higher education. The qualifications young people want to study could be available right on their doorstep – no need to go to away to college – but going to university is still seen as the default option for most students who want to do a degree.

Those who dismiss the prospect of going away to university due to the escalating fees should also bear in mind that the cost of college-based higher education is a lot lower than doing a degree at university. 70% of college higher education students live within 25 miles of the college, and if you’re worried about leaving home and the cost of living away, studying at a local college could be the perfect solution.

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Guide to college-based higher education

Why choose HE in FE? The last 10 years have seen a significant growth in people studying HE in FE – and no wonder!

University tuition fees have risen, maintenance grants have been abolished and many more people simply cannot see the point of racking up huge debts to gain a higher education qualification.

Well, you don’t need to – a different option is to study at your local college of further education. Here are just five good reasons to choose HE in FE.

1. Money

3. Contact Class sizes are usually a whole lot smaller at college, meaning lecturers will have more time to spend talking to you and helping you individually with any problems you may face. You’ll generally get more contact time as well.

4. Choice

Studying at a local college can save you money. You can live at home, so there are no accommodation costs and college based HE fees are significantly less than university fees. Unlike university students, 74.5% of students studying HE in FE say that they receive value for money.

Vocational qualifications offered in colleges, such as HNCs, HNDs and Foundation Degrees are designed to give more career-minded individuals a chance to develop their work-based skills before heading out into the jobs market.

However, if you do decide that you’d like to study for an honours degree you can do so quite easily.

2. Facilities

5. Money again

Colleges often have great specialist facilities and they also offer a wide variety of academic and vocational courses. If you have already studied at your local college, the other advantage is that the transition to studying at a higher level can be a little easier and a high proportion of college students return to their college for HE.

You may find it easier to get a scholarship as fewer students attend college than go to university - so studying a higher education qualification at your local college makes total financial sense.

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Guide to college-based higher education CASE STUDY

IC T A N D COM PU T IN

Qualification: HNC in Computing and Systems development College: The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London Case Study: Paul Cowgill Paul Cowgill progressed to HNC Computing and Systems development after successfully completing his IT and Computing BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma at Conel College.

The HNC is equivalent to the first year of degree study and costs only a fraction of university tuition fees. From the HNC students can progress to the HND and finally top up in their final year to convert their qualification to a full honours degree at a university if they wish. HNCs and HNDs are vocational qualifications and so are also are also very useful for work.

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Paul has now progressed to full time employment at Halifax Bank.

Paul said: “During my one year at Conel College in which I completed my HNC course, I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. Everyone was extremely friendly and helpful from management down to fellow students and I would recommend this college and the course to anyone I speak to.”

The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London Contact Web: www.conel.ac.uk Tel: 020 8442 3055 Email: courseinfo@conel.ac.uk

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“DURING MY ONE YEAR AT CONEL COLLEGE IN WHICH I COMPLETED MY HNC COURSE, I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED MY TIME THERE” Paul Cowgill

CASE STUDY

S P ORT COAC H ING

Qualification: Foundation Degree College: Central College Nottingham Case Study: Jade Cito Following her dream to work in the world of sport seemed out of reach for Jade Cito whilst at school. That was until she chose a foundation degree…

Jade Cito really wanted to work in the world of sport. However, she felt that she would never be able to have a career in this field, so she took A-levels in subjects that she wasn’t really passionate about.

However, this all changed when she completed a personal training qualification at Central College Nottingham. Jade feels that doing that course really opened her mind to different career possibilities. She then joined the Foundation Degree in Sport Coaching (FdSc) at Central and hasn’t looked back since.

For Jade, the Foundation Degree was the ideal route to getting a universitylevel qualification. It meant that she would gain a higher education qualification, in just two years of study but would then have the flexibility to progress to university if she chose to.

She said: “At Central, the tutors are

extremely supportive and willing to go the extra mile to help you succeed. The college environment isn’t intimidating like some university campuses can be.

Jade is now 23 and it’s a very busy time for her. As well as playing ice hockey in the Women’s Premier League for the Sheffield Shadows, she recently starting working with the GB Women’s Ice Hockey Team when they found out about her college course.

She said: “I am now progressing onto the third year of a degree in Coaching and Sport Science at Nottingham Trent University. I have also been offered a job at an Elite League professional Men’s Ice Hockey Team for the 2015/16 season!

“IF YOU’RE THINKING OF JOINING A COURSE LIKE MY FOUNDATION DEGREE, I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT’S HARD WORK BUT YOU WILL HAVE SO MUCH FUN AND MAKE LIFELONG FRIENDS!” Jade Cito

“If you’re thinking of joining a course like my Foundation Degree, I can tell you that it’s hard work but you will have so much fun and make lifelong friends!”

Central College Nottingham Contact Web: www.centralnottingham.ac.uk Tel: 0115 914 6414 Email: enquiries@ centralnottingham.ac.uk

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Guide to college-based higher education CASE STUDY

CON ST RUC T ION

Qualification: HNC in Construction College: South & City College Birmingham Case Study: Joseph Waldron After Jo left school he started work in the construction industry and whilst he enjoyed it, he didn’t have any clear career progression. Jo enrolled on a level 3 construction management course at the college, and then continued onto an HNC in construction.

He is now close to promotion at work and will be completing a full degree at university which will take him one step closer to fulfilling his career goals.

“I had been working in construction since leaving school, gaining knowledge in a range of trades, including plastering, bricklaying and labouring.

After several years of hard labour and limited opportunity for professional development, I started to think about my future.I had done well in school but was capable of more. I hadn’t pushed myself as much as I should have and felt I didn’t leave with the qualifications I could have.

“It wasn’t until recently that I started thinking about my future and decided to go back to college so I could progress to a more fulfilling role for me within the construction industry. I felt the skills I had learned in the workplace would enable me to become a successful site manager or assistant foreman and knew 50

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that I was capable, but I needed the qualifications behind me.

“I realised I could do a course for three days a week at college, and continue working for the other two days. I knew it would be a struggle financially for a couple of years, but that I would be able to earn more in the long run.

“I really enjoyed the level 3 course, and upon receipt of outstanding grades, I quickly realised I had made the right decision and was determined to continue progressing in my chosen career path. I decided to enrol on the HNC in Construction Management which would give me the qualifications I needed to progress in a variety of construction-related careers, including assistant site manager or foreman.

“The HNC was perfect because it was only one day a week, which meant that I could work the rest of the time. It took a year and a halfcomplete which suited me perfectly.”

South & City College Birmingham Contact Web: www.southand city.com Tel: 0800 111 6311 Email: hello@southand city.com

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“THANKS TO THE HNC I AM NOW A CANDIDATE FOR PROMOTION.THE COURSE HELPED ME STAND OUT AT WORK AND IT HAS ALSO GIVEN ME CONFIDENCE IN THE WORKPLACE.” Joseph Waldron

Guide to college-based higher education

Finding and applying for a course

Finding an HE in FE course

Applying for a course

144,000 people study for HE qualification in colleges of FE. 254 colleges offer undergraduate and postgraduate level courses, 64% offer Foundation Degrees and colleges deliver 75% of all HNDs. The chances are, that you will be able to find what you want in a college.

Once you’ve decided that studying for a HE qualification at college is right for you, you can begin looking for the right course or college. You can search for information on courses, fees and modules on the UCAS website or directly through the college’s website. You can also check out student satisfaction ratings together with information like average salaries after completing the course for different colleges around the UK.

For full time courses you can generally apply via UCAS - simply follow their online instructions. Each UCAS cycle usually begins on the 1st September and ends on the 15th January, so be sure to apply within this time frame, as although students can continue to apply up until 30th June, colleges don’t have to consider your application through UCAS after the initial 15th January deadline – and some courses may close to applications altogether.

These details are naturally subject to change, so make sure to check the up-todate information available on individual college websites, no matter what course you’re considering.

If you choose to study part time, you will need to apply directly to your chosen college. Full details can usually be found on the college website along with instructions on whether you need to submit an online or paper-based application.

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NOT G OING TO U N

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RESULTS SURVIVAL GUIDE 2015

The Not Going To Uni Results Survival Guide is published by Not Going To Uni Ltd. The publisher has taken all reasonable measures to ensure the information detailed in The Not Going To Uni Results Survival Guide is correct at the time of going to print, and while every care is taken to avoid inaccuracies the publisher does not accept responsibility for any errors or omissions from any information within this edition. Views expressed in The Not Going To Uni Results Survival Guide are not necessarily those of Not Going To Uni Ltd. © Not Going To Uni Ltd. FACEBOOK.COM/NOTGOINGTOUNI TWITTER.COM/NOTGOINGTOUNI 52 FIND US ONLINE: NOTGOINGTOUNI.CO.UK All rights reserved, reproduction in whole or part without the publisher’s permission is strictly prohibited.