MATURE STUDENTS’ GUIDE FOR THOSE WHO ARE OVER 19 AND ARE THINKING ABOUT RE-ENTERING EDUCATION
Contents Introduction
3
What is Higher Education (HE)?
4
Why go to university?
5
Routes to university
6
What to study?/Where to study? Doing your research
2
Introduction
9 10
Applying to university
11
Student finance
12
Studying part-time/ Online and distance learning
17
Student Support
18
Useful websites
19
Studying a degree is an exciting opportunity. You may be taking your first steps towards a new career, studying to gain a promotion or even setting yourself a personal challenge. Regardless of the reason, studying a degree will help you gain the skills and experiences you need to compete in the fast-changing jobs market and give you a chance to really explore something you are passionate about. Understandably you may be a bit apprehensive about the time and effort it would require to complete a degree or to gain the qualifications needed to get onto a degree course. This is especially so if you already have work commitments or a family to support. This guide has been designed to be a helpful tool on your higher education journey and to show you that there is support available for those thinking about re-entering education.
You may be concerned about fitting into the university environment but you’ll find people from all different backgrounds and of all different ages at university. Around a quarter of full-time undergraduates at university are mature students. There will likely be other mature students on your course and if not there will be chances to network with other mature students at your university. All universities and higher education providers will tell you of the value of the mature students on their campuses who with their extra life experience benefit themselves and others. “I think that being older and wiser puts you in a stronger mind set. I would recommend it to anyone – it’s never too late.” Lee Moon BA (Hons) Fine Art University Centre Southend and Thurrock
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What is Higher Education (HE)?
Why go to university?
They are qualifications that are above level 3 (A-Levels, BTECs and Access to HE Diplomas). They are set at level 4 and above out of a possible 8 levels. You can study a HE course at a university or higher education college. Below are the different higher education qualifications you could take up to undergraduate level (level 6).
Types of higher education qualifications Bachelor’s Degree (BA/BSc/BEng) (level 6)
Foundation Degree (FD) (Level 5)
This is the most popular qualification to take at Higher Education level. You can study a Bachelor’s degree in almost any subject.
These are vocational qualifications that are designed to equip you with skills needed by employers. The course will be a combination of academic and workbased learning.
A Bachelor’s degree takes three years full-time to complete. Many Bachelor’s degrees can be studied part-time and will take approximately six years to complete. On completion you will become a graduate and this will open up a whole range of opportunities in employment and postgraduate study.
Higher National Certificate (HNC)/ Higher National Diploma (HND) These are vocational qualifications that will provide you with the skills you need to work in a certain occupational area. nn A
HNC is a level 4 qualification and takes one year to complete full-time.
nn A
HND is a level 5 qualification and takes two years to complete full-time.
On completion of a HND course you may have the option to do a ‘top-up’ year for a Bachelor’s degree.
A FD takes two years to complete full-time. On completion you may have the option to do a ‘top-up’ year for a Bachelor’s degree.
Greater employment prospects
Increased earning potential
Graduates have higher employment rates and are more likely to work in high-skilled jobs than non-graduates.*
The graduate median salary is £32,500 compared to the non-graduate median salary of £22,000.*
Opportunities for travel
Social life
Many universities allow their students to spend a year working or studying abroad. This could be a great opportunity to practice or learn a new language. There are also opportunities across the world in English-speaking countries such as the USA, Canada and Australia.
Transferable skills
Pursue an area of interest
Students gain ‘transferrable skills’ that employers look for such as problem solving, team work, initiative and communication.
There are over 35,000 higher education courses so there is something for everyone. You will be able to study a subject that you are interested in with experts from that field.
You will never run out of things to do. There are events throughout the year and lots of sports clubs, societites and volunteering opportuntities that you can do whilst studying.
* BIS, Graduate Labour Market Statistics April-June Q2 2015
“Just do it….. it’s absolutely marvellous.” Tracy Blair Certificate of Higher Education Business Administration University Centre Colchester
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Routes to university Entry requirements Usually to gain entry onto a university course you will need a level three qualification such as A-levels, BTECs or Access to HE course. You’ll be able to find out what the entry requirements are for a university and their individual courses on their website and prospectus. If you do find a course and a university you are interested in it is always worth getting in contact directly with the university’s admissions team before you apply. They will be able to provide guidance on what qualifications they are looking for, and importantly their entry requirements may differ for mature students compared to those advertised for school leavers. If you did not get the chance to study A-Levels or BTECs at school an Access to HE course may be for you.
Access to HE courses These courses are designed specifically for adult learners and will equip you with the skills and the level of qualification you need to study for a degree. These are taught at Further Education (FE) and Adult Education colleges. You will study an Access course in an area you would like to study at degree level such as Art and Design or Business. An Access to HE course takes one year to complete full-time but at some colleges can be studied part-time over two years. You can find out more about Access to HE courses and search for courses near you on the Access to Higher Education website: www.accesstohe.ac.uk
Other routes Your previous experience in work or voluntary activities may qualify you for entry on to a Higher Education course, and you may be able to use your previous experience and learning towards academic credits on your course avoiding topics that you have previously studied. This is referred to as APL (Accreditation of Prior Learning). All universities will be different in what they accept and what evidence they require so you will need to contact the admissions team at the university that you wish to apply for more information.
Funding your Access to HE course Advanced Learner Loan If you are aged 19 and over you can apply for a loan to cover the tuition fees of your level 3 course, such as an Access to HE course. To apply you will need to check with your college or training provider that the course qualifies for the loan. If the course qualifies you will need to ask them for a ‘Learning and funding information’ letter. You can then apply online or by post. If your application is accepted you’ll get a letter confirming your loan usually within a couple of weeks (it will take longer if you use a paper form). How much will you get? The amount will depend on the type of course, course fees and the maximum loan available for your course. You do not have to borrow the full amount available to you, but the minimum is £300.
Our partner institutions Colchester Institute and South Essex College offer these courses in a variety of subject areas, so it is worth contacting them if you are interested in finding out more.
Loan eligibility doesn’t depend on your income and there are no credit checks.
What you need
Repayment of the loan takes the same structure as a student loan for a higher education course (please see Student Finance). Importantly, Student Finance England will ‘write off’ any outstanding Advanced Learner Loan balances you owe for an Access to HE course once you complete a higher education course (the higher education course must be eligible for student finance).
To study an Access to HE course you will usually need to prove that you have English and Maths at level two (GCSE level), and colleges may ask you to complete a short assignment to prove that you are working at this level. Many universities will require that you have GCSE English and Maths, so if you do not have a formal qualification in this area some colleges will let you study a GCSE alongside your Access course.
Repayment
Additional funding
“The Access course was fantastic preparation for H.E. The course tutors were knowledgeable, passionate and enthusiastic.”
There is a bursary fund available if you need help with extra costs such as childcare or travel. You will need to apply to your course provider directly and you can apply as soon as you’ve received the letter confirming your loan.
Jo Hibbs Access to Higher Education University Centre Southend and Thurrock
Further information can be found at: gov.uk/advanced-learning-loans/overview You can apply at: logon.slc.co.uk/cas/login
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What to study? There are over 35,000 higher education courses available so there is plenty to choose from. Making the choice to study a subject at degree level is a big commitment, so it is worth spending time researching courses and seeing where they lead. When deciding what course to study the most important thing to consider is whether you enjoy it. You will be required to do a lot of independent work at university so it is important that you are able to motivate yourself to work when the going gets tough! You don’t necessarily have to study full-time. Please see Part-time for further information.
Where to study? There are over 150 places to study in the UK which all offer something different. Things you may want to consider include: nn City
or campus
nn Distance
from home
nn Accommodation
(some universities have family rooms available but these will be in short supply, so if there are any it is worth enquiring as soon as possible!)
nn League
tables
nn Bursaries
and Scholarships
nn Childcare
facilities (some universities have nurseries on site. If not, they will be able to direct you to local registered childcare providers).
You do not have to move away to study at university, more and more students are deciding to stay local. If you decide to stay in Essex you could study at: nn Anglia
nn University
Centre Colchester
nn University
Centre Southend & Thurrock
nn University
of Essex
nn Writtle
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Ruskin University
University College
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Doing your research
Applying to university
Online
Full-time degree level courses
You can find a full A-Z list of the 35,000 courses available to study at university on the UCAS website (ucas.com). You will be able to find further details about individual courses on a university’s website including information on the structure of the course, entry requirements and bursaries and scholarships.
If you are applying to a full-time degree level course (e.g. BA, BSc, BEng) you’ll need to apply through the University and College Admissions Service (UCAS). This is the centralised service that handles most university course admissions.
To compare courses you can use Unistats (unistats.direct.gov.uk) to see statistics on student satisfaction and employment prospects.
Prospectuses A prospectus is a catalogue of all the courses a university offers with typical entry requirements. It also contains information on life at the university and accommodation. Visit a university’s website to see an online prospectus or to request a free printed copy.
Open Days These are the best way to find out more about a university. These are days where you can visit a university you are interested in to see what the campus is like, meet current students and talk to academics teaching your course. Open day dates will be publicised on a university’s website and in their prospectus, or you can visit opendays.com to see a full list.
For most courses you will need to apply by 15 January the year that you wish to study. For Oxford, Cambridge, Veterinary Science and Medicine there is an earlier deadline of the 15 October. For some Art and Design courses there is a later deadline of 24 March. You are able to apply to five different universities. Once you have applied you will receive either a rejection, conditional or unconditional offer. You will then need to decide which institution will be your insurance choice and which institution will be your firm choice based on the offers you receive. As part of your application you will need to submit a personal statement. This is your opportunity to impress the universities that you apply to with your enthusiasm for your chosen subject and to explain why you would be a great candidate. Make sure you ask someone to read through your personal statement to check for spelling and grammatical errors. The UCAS website has some great resources to help you write your personal statement: ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/when-apply/writing-personal-statement You will also need to supply a reference with your application. How you do so will vary depending on how you are applying. More information can be found on the UCAS website: ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/apply-and-track/how-get-reference For further information on any parts of the application process please refer to the UCAS website: ucas.com
Part-time study and other higher education courses If you apply to a higher education course that is not degree level (Foundation degree, Higher National Certificate, Higher National Diploma) or any part-time course (this includes degree level) you apply direct to the institution that you wish to study. It is best to apply as early as possible before the September that you wish to study to ensure your place. For further information contact the admissions teams at the universities that you wish to apply who can advise you on next steps.
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Student finance You may be concerned about whether you would be able to afford to study, especially if studying would involve giving up a full-time job or if you have a family to support. However, there is lots of financial support available for students provided by the government and universities to help with tuition fees and living costs to make higher education accessible to everyone.
Tuition fees and loan The maximum a higher education provider can charge for a degree course is £9000 a year for full-time courses and £6750 a year for part-time courses. To cover this cost you can apply for a loan from the government which will cover the whole cost of your tuition fee. Tuition fees are not upfront fees so once your application has been processed the money is paid direct to your university. You won’t need to do anything other than register at your university at the start of the academic year.
Maintenance loan If you study full-time you can apply for a loan from student finance to help with living costs. It is split into two parts: a non-income assessed and income assessed part, with the overall amount that can be received depending on where you choose to study. If you would like to take out the income assessed part of the loan you will have to provide Student Finance England with details of your household income. If you’re over 25 you will automatically be classed as an independent student so parents’ income will not be taken into account when working out household income. However, if you have a partner who you live with or a partner who you don’t live with but consider yourself married (e.g. your partner usually lives and works abroad) their income will be assessed instead. If you’re under 25 you’re household income will include your parents’ or a parent and partner’s income if you depend on them financially. You may apply to be considered as an independent student if any of the following apply: nn You’ve
supported yourself for at least three years before the start of your course.
nn You
have the care of a person under the age of 18 on the first day of the academic year.
nn You’ve
been married or in a civil partnership before the start of the academic year, this includes if you have been divorced or separated.
For any of the above you will have to provide Student Finance England with evidence.
Repayments Your tuition fee loan and maintenance loan are added together and you will start repaying once you have finished university and are earning over £21,000. Once you earn over £21,000 you will pay back 9% of any income over this amount. If your earnings ever drop below £21,000 the repayments will stop. An example of the amount repaid monthly: Income each year (before tax)
Monthly salary (before tax)
Approximate monthly repayment
£18,000
£1,500
£0
£21,000
£1,750
£0
£24,000
£2,000
£23
£30,000
£2,500
£68
£36,000
£3,000
£113
£40,000
£3,333
£143
You will make repayments until you pay off the loan in full or for 30 years, after this time anything remaining is written off. Repayments are made via the tax system so you will not have to worry about setting aside a portion of your income, as it will automatically be taken if you are earning over £21,000.
Interest rates Interest accrues on your loan as soon as you start your course, but once you graduate the interest rate will vary based on your earnings. Salary
Interest rate
Whilst Studying
RPI, plus 3%
£21,000 or less
RPI only
£21,000 to £41,000
RPI, plus a rate of up to 3%
£41,000 or more
RPI, plus 3%
The most important thing to remember in regards to student finance is that repayments are based entirely on how much you earn, not how much you borrowed.
For more information and to apply please see the student finance website: gov.uk/student-finance/overview To see an estimate of how much student finance you may receive: gov.uk/student-finance-calculator
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Other support from the government for living costs You will not be required to pay any of the following back unless you are overpaid or leave your course early.
Childcare grant If you have dependent children aged under 15 (or 17 if they have special educational needs) in registered or approved childcare this grant will help with these costs. Depending on your household income you can get 85% of childcare costs covered up to a maximum of £155.24 a week for one child or up to £266.15 a week for two or more children: gov.uk/childcare-grant/overview
Adult Dependents’ Grant If an adult depends on you financially this grant can help with these costs. Depending on your household income you can receive up to £2,757: gov.uk/adult-dependants-grant
Parents’ Learning Allowance If you have dependent children you can receive up to £1,573 a year to help with your educational costs. This can be used to help pay for books, study materials and travel. How much you will receive will depend on your household income: gov.uk/parents-learning-allowance/overview
Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) These can help with the extra costs you might have as a direct result of your disability. This includes long-term health conditions, mental-health conditions or specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia or dyspraxia. How much you will receive depends on your individual needs not your household income: gov.uk/disabled-students-allowances-dsas
Support from universities Bursaries and Scholarships Provision varies from one higher education provider to the next but all universities have funds set aside to help students pay for the costs of studying. Bursaries are usually given to students who have a low household income to help make education accessible to them. Provision and the value of bursaries vary so it is worth contacting individual universities to find out more. Scholarships are given to students that perform well academically or students who excel at sport or music. It is worth researching each institution you apply to see what extra funding is available. Some bursaries will be automatically awarded and others you will be required to submit an application. So make sure you don’t miss out! The best place to find out what bursaries and scholarships a university offers is on their website. 14
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Studying Part-time If you’re concerned that you would not be able to fit in your existing commitments with studying, studying part-time might be for you. Studying part-time gives you a lot more flexibility compared with studying a full-time course. There are lots of different options for part-time study as many full-time degrees and higher education qualifications can be studied part-time. Typically a student who studies a part-time degree level course would take half the amount of units of study in each year and would generally complete a degree course in six years. Follow this link for more information on student finance for part-time students: gov.uk/student-finance/parttime-students Our partners deliver a range of part-time courses so it is worth looking in their prospectuses and on their websites to find out more (their websites can be found at the back of this guide).
Online and Distance Learning An online or distance learning course gives you the added flexibility of being able to study at home without needing to live close to your higher education provider. You would achieve the same level of qualification as anyone else and would even be able to attend a graduation ceremony at the campus of the university where you studied. Our partners the University of Essex and Anglia Ruskin University both offer online degrees, so it is worth checking with them if you are interested in pursuing an online degree course. The Open University also offers a wide range of degrees that are studied online. “Online learning brings the classroom to you. Interactive lessons take place via online seminars that give both visual and audio dialogue with a real tutor and classmates at a convenient time of day.” Matthew Jones BA (Hons) Business and Management University of Essex Online
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Student support
Useful websites
Re-entering education and studying a degree is a big challenge but a worthwhile one. There’s lots of support on campus to help you while you are studying:
accesstohe.ac.uk Information and search tool for Access to HE courses
online.essex.ac.uk The website for online degrees from the University of Essex
distancelearning.anglia.ac.uk The website for online degrees from Anglia Ruskin University
prospects.ac.uk The UK’s official graduate careers site
Before the start of the new academic year many universities run sessions with their mature students to help them settle into university life and meet other mature students.
Universities can offer specialist and impartial advice to students on student finance, entitlement to welfare benefits and general advice on managing money.
All universities will have student support services on campus that can offer advice and counselling on a variety of issues
Universities are able to offer advice to students with disabilities to help them find out what support is available from the government and from the university.
Many universities assign each student a point of contact in their department who can offer support with academic matters.
Universities offer study skills sessions for students to help develop their academic skills, such as academic writing and research.
gov.uk/student-finance Further information on student loans and to apply gov.uk/student-finance-calculator For a quick estimate of how much student finance you could receive icould.com Career stories of over 1000 people and detailed job information
studentcalculator.org An online calculator to help you work out how much money you will have whilst at university thestudentroom.co.uk Find out more about university from prospective and current students
ucas.com The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service
unistats.direct.gov.uk Compare UK universities based on course data, student satisfaction scores, and jobs and salaries after graduation
open.ac.uk The website for the Open University
university.which.co.uk An independent guide to university
opendays.com Find out the dates of university open days
whatuni.com An independent guide to university
Local places to study: Anglia Ruskin University www.anglia.ac.uk Colchester Institute/ University Centre Colchester www.colchester.ac.uk University of Essex www.essex.ac.uk
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push.co.uk An independent guide to university
South Essex College/ University Centre Southend and Thurrock www.southessex.ac.uk Writtle University College www.writtle.ac.uk
Essex Collaborative Outreach Network E
[email protected] T 01206 873707 www.essexoutreachnetwork.org.uk @OutreachEssex
