STUDENTGUIDEANDCLEARINGSPECIAL

Thursday August 20 2009

Everything you need to know about student life and how to pick a university

2 1GX THETIMESThursdayAugust202009

Tips for coveringyourliving costs, takingout aloan andmaking thebestof a bad jobsmarket

Generous scholarshipsand the chance to jointhe international set offerstudents anew focus

Style tips

4-5

Put theThai beachonhold.With theBankofMumandDadunder pressure,manyschool-leavers are looking atsmarterways to spend theirgapyear

Studyingabroad hy bother going touniversityandrun-ning up thousandsof pounds of debt,with no guaranteeof your dream jobat the end of it?

One reason is that the prospects fornon-graduates are even less rosy than forthosewithdegrees.Rates of youth unemployment are ex-

pected to remain high even when Britaincomesoutofrecession,withtheleastquali-fied being the worst affected. Applicantswith degrees plus teamworking andpresentation skills will be much moreappealing toemployers.With 43 per cent of young people going

into higher education, competition istough but not necessarily overwhelming.There has never been a greater choice ofsubjects, ranging fromarchitecture to zoo-logy, and students no longer have tocommit themselves to a three-year, full-timeBAorBSc, taken in the flushofyouth.Thenumberofpart-timecourses isgrow-

ing tomeetdemand frommature students,while alternatives to traditional coursesinclude the two-year foundation degree.These often combine academic studywithwork-based learning. For example, thisyears first graduates of the Tesco retailfoundation degree learnt about consumerbehaviour, retail law and in-store market-ing. The degrees were awarded byManchester Metropolitan UniversityandtheUniversityof theArtsLondon.

Someuniversitiesofferhonours degreesin two years rather than three, withstudents giving up their long summerbreaktocraminextrawork.However, the traditional picture of a

school-leaver preparing to spend the nextthree years of their life at universityremains the norm. As well as expandingthemindandchallengingtheintellect,uni-versity still givesmany teenagers their firstchance to liveaway fromhome.The joysofshared living, cheap beer, new friendshipsand the chance to joinnumerous clubs andsocieties all await thisyears freshers.Sodoesthechancetomanageabudget,a

skill thatwill standgraduates in good steadif they do not immediately land a job. Stu-dentswho start university this summer areexpected to have an average debt of23,200 by the time they graduate, al-though theywill not have to start repayingit until they earn at least 15,000. Yet thisgenerationcancount itself relatively lucky.A review of tuition fees is due to begin thisautumn and is expected to recommendthat the3,000capon top-up tuition fees islifted. It is not inconceivable that annualfeescouldrise to5,000or7,000.While graduates are predicted to earn a

salary premium of more than 100,000overtheir lifetimecomparedtonon-gradu-ates, this can vary wildly by course andinstitution. Research suggests that gradu-ates indisciplinessuchasaccountancyandmedicine earn considerably more in theirworking lives than those who take history,art, FrenchorEnglish literature.The Times Good University Guide 2010

(published byHarperCollins and availableat timesonline.co.uk/gug) has more de-tailed information about every institution.Tables showhow the universities comparein individual subjects.

Ifyouhavequestionsaboutclearing,e-mailourexpertsateducation@thetimes.co.ukAnswerswillbepostedattimesonline.co.uk/student

A degree of controlover your future

Payingyourway

Gapyear

Webwise

14

12-13

Inside

19-23

As longas youhave access to the internet and cantweet theres noneed to invest in the latest gadgets

W

Keepupwith the cool crowdoncampuswithout bustingthe budget. Findoutwhere tobag thebest bargain outfitsandhow toput them together

ClearingSpecialA lookat 40universities likely to be offeringplaces

Student Guide 2009

10-11

timesonline.co.uk/clearing

The joys of sharedliving, cheap beerand numerous newfriendships awaitthis years freshers

8-9

If you want to getahead, a university placeis worth striving for,writes Nicola Woolcock

Playing to your strengths: graduates with teamworking skills have the upper hand in the race for jobs

BEN GURR

COVER ILLUSTRATION BY MILES DONOVAN: MILESDONOVAN.CO.UK

THETIMESThursdayAugust202009 1GX 3

ll is not lost iftodays resultsleaveyouwithouta place at univ-ersity. You willhave a secondchance throughthe clearing pro-cess that univ-ersities use to fill

their remaining vacancies. But success inclearing will require speed and decisive-ness especially this year. The systemoperates until the start of thenew termbutthemost desirable optionswill be snappedup indays.The number of places in clearing has

risen for several years 42,000 studentstook this route to higher education lastsummer. But the trend is likely to reversewhen the process starts today.Muchas theuniversitieswould like to recruitmore stu-dents, government restrictions on enrol-mentsmean thatadecline is inevitable.The eleventh-hour addition of 10,000

places will lessen the squeeze in thesciences, engineering and mathematics.But inother subjects, includingmost of thereallypopularchoices, theonlyquestion is:howsteepwill thedropbe?Admissions officers never know exactly

how many vacancies will be left whenA-level results have been published andthe first roundofoffersworks itselfout.Butbecause most of those offers were madebefore ministers decided to limit thenumberof places in a recordyear for appli-cations, it must be assumed that a biggershare thanusualof theavailable placeswillhavegonealready.Compared with last year there are

52,000 more applicants and only 13,000more places. Most experts believe thatthere will be a substantial cut in thenumberofplacesavailable forclearing.Butthis should leavemore than 20,000 placesup forgrabs fromtoday.The biggest increase in applications has

come from people in their twenties orolder, who are more likely than school-leavers to lack formal qualifications and tobe restricted by family circumstances toapplying for institutions within travellingdistanceofhome.The range of universities in clearing is

likely be narrower this year. Oxford andCambridge never appear in the listspublished on the website of theUniversities and Colleges AdmissionsService (Ucas) and the squeeze on placesmay produce more absentees. But mostwill have some places available in subjectswhere applications are low ironically,mainly in the areas in which extra placeshavebeenallocated.In the popular arts and social science

subjects the openings are more likely tocome at colleges of higher education anduniversities in the lower reaches of theleague tables. Some themhave recruited aquarter, or even a third, of their studentsthrough clearing in previous years, soplaces shouldbeavailable inmost subjects,at least in theearlydaysof clearing.The 40 universities profiled on pages

19-23 of this supplement are those thatdeclared the highest proportion of placesfilled through clearing in 2007. Somerefuse to divulge that figure, while othersreport surprisingly low clearing activity,perhaps because they think a high propor-tionreflectsbadlyontheuniversity.But the listings include the likes of

Reading andRoyalHolloway, from the top40inTheTimesGoodUniversityGuide.To stand a chance of winning a place at

such universities, it is essential to make anearly approach. The process will be evenquicker this year because there will be nopaper Passport to send through the post.Aswith the initial applications, everythingin clearing will be done online. Applicantswill findout throughUcassTracksystem iftheyareeligible forclearing.After that candidates can approach as

many universities or colleges as theywish, including any for which they turneddown an offer earlier in the year. Mostuniversities run clearing hotlines, whichare the first port of call for applicants.

Advisers will know where vacancies areavailableandpasscallerson to therelevantdepartment.Every eligible applicant those with-

out offers from any institution will beallocated a clearing number, which willappear on the welcome page of the Tracksystem. Universities will ask for this andwill use it if theymakeaprovisional or firmofferofaplace.The official advice from Ucas is to treat

clearing like a job application. By this itmeans that the process requires care andattention and should not be left to parentsor friends.The first task is to draw up a list of

realistic targets. The biggest danger inclearing is rushing into a course or institu-tion that turns out to be different fromwhat was expected. Research indicatesthat there is a higher drop-out rate amongthose who enter through clearing, oftenbecause the student has opted for a differ-entsubject tohisorher initial choiceandatahastily chosenuniversity.Speed is vital in clearing, but the normal

rules of decision making still apply.Consult teachers, glean what informationyou can from The Times guide and othersand visit the campus and department ifpossible. Scrutinise the syllabus of anyprospective course to ensure that it iswithin your capabilities and will keep youinterested for threeyearsormore.

A

Student Guide 2009Clearing process

Act fast to snap up a place

Treat clearing likea job application.The process shouldnot be left toparents or friends

Competition to make itto university throughclearing will be intensethis year as moreapplicants chasefewer vacancies, saysJohn OLeary

A-level students who have not secured a university place can still show their true colours during clearing

DAVID BEBBER

timesonline.co.uk/clearing

2 1GX THETIMESThursdayAugust202009

Tips for coveringyourliving costs, takingout aloan andmaking thebestof a bad jobsmarket

Generous scholarshipsand the chance to jointhe international set offerstudents anew focus

Style tips

4-5

Put theThai beachonhold.With theBankofMumandDadunder pressure,manyschool-leavers are looking atsmarterways to spend theirgapyear

Studyingabroad hy bother going touniversityandrun-ning up thousandsof pounds of debt,with no guaranteeof your dream jobat the end of it?

One reason is that the prospects fornon-graduates are even less rosy than forthosewithdegrees.Rates of youth unemployment are ex-

pected to remain high even when Britaincomesoutofrecession,withtheleastquali-fied being the worst affected. Applicantswith degrees plus teamworking andpresentation skills will be much moreappealing toemployers.With 43 per cent of young people going

into higher education, competition istough but not necessarily overwhelming.There has never been a greater choice ofsubjects, ranging fromarchitecture to zoo-logy, and students no longer have tocommit themselves to a three-year, full-timeBAorBSc, taken in the flushofyouth.Thenumberofpart-timecourses isgrow-

ing tomeetdemand frommature students,while alternatives to traditional coursesinclude the two-year foundation degree.These often combine academic studywithwork-based learning. For example, thisyears first graduates of the Tesco retailfoundation degree learnt about consumerbehaviour, retail law and in-store market-ing. The degrees were awarded byManchester Metropolitan UniversityandtheUniversityof theArtsLondon.

Someuniversitiesofferhonours degreesin two years rather than three, withstudents giving up their long summerbreaktocraminextrawork.However, the traditional picture of a

school-leaver preparing to spend the nextthree years of their life at universityremains the norm. As well as expandingthemindandchallengingtheintellect,uni-versity still givesmany teenagers their firstchance to liveaway fromhome.The joysofshared living, cheap beer, new friendshipsand the chance to joinnumerous clubs andsocieties all await thisyears freshers.Sodoesthechancetomanageabudget,a

skill thatwill standgraduates in good steadif they do not immediately land a job. Stu-dentswho start university this summer areexpected to have an average debt of23,200 by the time they graduate, al-though theywill not have to start repayingit until they earn at least 15,000. Yet thisgenerationcancount itself relatively lucky.A review of tuition fees is due to begin thisautumn and is expected to recommendthat the3,000capon top-up tuition fees islifted. It is not inconceivable that annualfeescouldrise to5,000or7,000.While graduates are predicted to earn a

salary premium of more than 100,000overtheir lifetimecomparedtonon-gradu-ates, this can vary wildly by course andinstitution. Research suggests that gradu-ates indisciplinessuchasaccountancyandmedicine earn considerably more in theirworking lives than those who take history,art, FrenchorEnglish literature.The Times Good University Guide 2010

(published byHarperCollins and availableat timesonline.co.uk/gug) has more de-tailed information about every institution.Tables showhow the universities comparein individual subjects.

Ifyouhavequestionsaboutclearing,e-mailourexpertsateducation@thetimes.co.ukAnswerswillbepostedattimesonline.co.uk/student

A degree of controlover your future

Payingyourway

Gapyear

Webwise

14

12-13

Inside

19-23

As longas youhave access to the internet and cantweet theres noneed to invest in the latest gadgets

W

Keepupwith the cool crowdoncampuswithout bustingthe budget. Findoutwhere tobag thebest bargain outfitsandhow toput them together

ClearingSpecialA lookat 40universities likely to be offeringplaces

Student Guide 2009

10-11

timesonline.co.uk/clearing

The joys of sharedliving, cheap beerand numerous newfriendships awaitthis years freshers

8-9

If you want to getahead, a university placeis worth striving for,writes Nicola Woolcock

Playing to your strengths: graduates with teamworking skills have the upper hand in the race for jobs

BEN GURR

COVER ILLUSTRATION BY MILES DONOVAN: MILESDONOVAN.CO.UK

THETIMESThursdayAugust202009 1GX 3

ll is not lost iftodays resultsleaveyouwithouta place at univ-ersity. You willhave a secondchance throughthe clearing pro-cess that univ-ersities use to fill

their remaining vacancies. But success inclearing will require speed and decisive-ness especially this year. The systemoperates until the start of thenew termbutthemost desirable optionswill be snappedup indays.The number of places in clearing has

risen for several years 42,000 studentstook this route to higher education lastsummer. But the trend is likely to reversewhen the process starts today.Muchas theuniversitieswould like to recruitmore stu-dents, government restrictions on enrol-mentsmean thatadecline is inevitable.The eleventh-hour addition of 10,000

places will lessen the squeeze in thesciences, engineering and mathematics.But inother subjects, includingmost of thereallypopularchoices, theonlyquestion is:howsteepwill thedropbe?Admissions officers never know exactly

how many vacancies will be left whenA-level results have been published andthe first roundofoffersworks itselfout.Butbecause most of those offers were madebefore ministers decided to limit thenumberof places in a recordyear for appli-cations, it must be assumed that a biggershare thanusualof theavailable placeswillhavegonealready.Compared with last year there are

52,000 more applicants and only 13,000more places. Most experts believe thatthere will be a substantial cut in thenumberofplacesavailable forclearing.Butthis should leavemore than 20,000 placesup forgrabs fromtoday.The biggest increase in applications has

come from people in their twenties orolder, who are more likely than school-leavers to lack formal qualifications and tobe restricted by family circumstances toapplying for institutions within travellingdistanceofhome.The range of universities in clearing is

likely be narrower this year. Oxford andCambridge never appear in the listspublished on the website of theUniversities and Colleges AdmissionsService (Ucas) and the squeeze on placesmay produce more absentees. But mostwill have some places available in subjectswhere applications are low ironically,mainly in the areas in which extra placeshavebeenallocated.In the popular arts and social science

subjects the openings are more likely tocome at colleges of higher education anduniversities in the lower reaches of theleague tables. Some themhave recruited aquarter, or even a third, of their studentsthrough clearing in previous years, soplaces shouldbeavailable inmost subjects,at least in theearlydaysof clearing.The 40 universities profiled on pages

19-23 of this supplement are those thatdeclared the highest proportion of placesfilled through clearing in 2007. Somerefuse to divulge that figure, while othersreport surprisingly low clearing activity,perhaps because they think a high propor-tionreflectsbadlyontheuniversity.But the listings include the likes of

Reading andRoyalHolloway, from the top40inTheTimesGoodUniversityGuide.To stand a chance of winning a place at

such universities, it is essential to make anearly approach. The process will be evenquicker this year because there will be nopaper Passport to send through the post.Aswith the initial applications, everythingin clearing will be done online. Applicantswill findout throughUcassTracksystem iftheyareeligible forclearing.After that candidates can approach as

many universities or colleges as theywish, including any for which they turneddown an offer earlier in the year. Mostuniversities run clearing hotlines, whichare the first port of call for applicants.

Advisers will know where vacancies areavailableandpasscallerson to therelevantdepartment.Every eligible applicant those with-

out offers from any institution will beallocated a clearing number, which willappear on the welcome page of the Tracksystem. Universities will ask for this andwill use it if theymakeaprovisional or firmofferofaplace.The official advice from Ucas is to treat

clearing like a job application. By this itmeans that the process requires care andattention and should not be left to parentsor friends.The first task is to draw up a list of

realistic targets. The biggest danger inclearing is rushing into a course or institu-tion that turns out to be different fromwhat was expected. Research indicatesthat there is a higher drop-out rate amongthose who enter through clearing, oftenbecause the student has opted for a differ-entsubject tohisorher initial choiceandatahastily chosenuniversity.Speed is vital in clearing, but the normal

rules of decision making still apply.Consult teachers, glean what informationyou can from The Times guide and othersand visit the campus and department ifpossible. Scrutinise the syllabus of anyprospective course to ensure that it iswithin your capabilities and will keep youinterested for threeyearsormore.

A

Student Guide 2009Clearing process

Act fast to snap up a place

Treat clearing likea job application.The process shouldnot be left toparents or friends

Competition to make itto university throughclearing will be intensethis year as moreapplicants chasefewer vacancies, saysJohn OLeary

A-level students who have not secured a university place can still show their true colours during clearing

DAVID BEBBER

timesonline.co.uk/clearing

ewspapers havebeenfullofdoom-laden tales aboutgraduate employ-ment.The class of2009 has enteredone of the worstjob markets inrecent memory.But the impact of

the recession on students does not endthere: for those either startingor returningto a course this autumn the chances offindingpart-timeemploymentare likely tobesimilarlyaffected.For most full-time undergraduates,

part-time employment is a vital source ofsupplementary income. Many studiesindicate thatat least50percentof studentswork during term time and a higher per-centageduringholidays.About 70per centof those who work say they do so to coverbasic livingexpenses.Althoughstudentsnowfacegreatercom-

petition for such jobs, theycantakesteps tomaximise their chances. Most universitieshave a job shop, which will help to writeCVs and personal statements and adviseon interview techniques. Student unionsoften employ large numbers of studentstaff, usually on good pay. The trick is toapply before term starts because any jobsareusuallygonebyFreshersWeek.Self-employment can also be fruitful. If

youhaveparticular skills, suchasdesignorcomputer programming, you can adver-tise theseonsites suchasStudentGems.One of the most common questions the

NationalUnionof Students is asked is howmany hours a student should work: 16hours a week is often mentioned. How-ever, the answer depends on your circum-stancesahistory studentwith tenhoursof formal classes a week might be able toworkmore thanamedical studentwith 35.

Research indicates a correlation betweena high number of hours worked and thelikelihood of a lower degree classification.Consider when you work too; night shiftspay better but canhave a deleterious effecton coursework. You should be paid at leasttheminimumwage 4.83 an hour fromOctober if you are aged 18 to 21 or 5.80 anhour if older. All employees are entitled toawritten contract and a rest period if theirshift is sixhoursor longer.Alistof rights isavailableonwww.direct.

gov.uk/employees.Oneway to ensure thattheseareupheld is to joina tradeunion.Another issue to consider is tax. Stu-

dents are liable for income tax, contrary topopular belief.Most, however, do not earnabove thepersonal allowance (the amounteveryone can earn before tax is applied,6,475 in2009-10), andcanseekarefund.NationalAssociationofStudentEmploymentServices,www.nases.org.uk;www.studentgems.com;www.hmrc.gov.uk/incometaxDavidMalcolmisstudentfinanceresearcherattheNationalUnionofStudents

Part-time employmentwill be in short supplybut David Malcolm tellshow to lift your chances

Student Guide 2009Fiscal factors

NatWestStudentLivingIndex2009

Where tofind a jobto help payyour way

N Previous years ranking1 Brighton 42Liverpool 83Glasgow 134Reading *5Manchester 246Bristol 67Leicester 208Cambridge 29Oxford 2110Edinburgh 1811Birmingham 2212Leeds 713Plymouth 114Cardiff 1715Portsmouth 516Newcastle 1117Dundee 318Norwich *19Nottingham 1520York 19*new entry this yearAnalysisof weekly living costs comparedwithweekly earnings from part-timework

4 1GX THETIMESThursdayAugust202009 THETIMESThursdayAugust202009 1GX 5

How student bank accounts compare

Abbey

Barclays Bank

Clydesdale Bank

The Co-operative Bank

HSBC

Halifax

Lloyds TSB

NatWest

Royal Bank of Scotland

Smile

Yorkshire Bank

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5+

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5

None

Year 1Year 2Year 3

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5Year 6

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4

None

1,0001,2501,5001,8002,000

up to 2,000up to 2,000up to 2,000up to 2,000up to 2,000

1,4001,7002,000

up to 1,000up to 1,250up to 1,500up to 1,750up to 2,000

up to 3,000up to 3,000up to 3,000up to 3,000up to 3,000

1,5001,5001,5002,0002,0002,000

up to 1,250up to 1,400up to 1,600up to 1,800up to 2,000

up to 2,750up to 2,750up to 2,750up to 2,750up to 2,750

1,0001,4001,8002,000

9.9%

8.9%

Year 1 7.49% (up to 1,000)Year 2+ 7.49% (up to 3,000)

9.9%

3% abovebase rate

7.2%

8.2%

N/A

N/A

9.9%

Year 1 7.49% (up to 1,000)Year 2 + 7.49% (up to 3,000)

28.7%

Nil

29.99%

15.9%

3.5%

24.2%

8.2%

17.81%

29.84%

15.9%

29.99%

5-35

22

25

Nil

Nil

28

8-20

Nil

10

Nil

25

Specialist advice service and mobile broadband offer

Commission-free travellers cheques and currency

Discounts on mobiles, computer equipment and entertainment, specialist advice service and travel insurance

Breakdown cover and commission-free travellers cheques and currency

Specialist advice service, breakdown cover, discounts on mobiles and music downloads and commission-free travellers cheques and currency

Five-year railcard; discounts on broadband, laptops, shopping; specialist advice service

Three-year railcard;free USB stick; discountson broadband, laptops, holidays and entertainment

Commission-free travellers cheques and currency

Interest-freeoverdraft

Authorised overdraft interest rate

Unauthorised overdraft interest rate

Unauthorised overdraft charge Incentives

his year, above allyears, it will makesense for A-level can-didates to exploretheir options beyondthe conventionalfull-time degreecourse. Not only willdegree places be at apremium, but the jobs

market for graduates and non-graduatesalike is depressed and unpredictable.Those whose results do not secure theuniversity place they had hoped for willhaveanotherchance throughclearing.Buteven that will not do the trick for many ofthem, including some who will be unwill-ing to trade down to courses they wouldnothaveconsidered initially.About 14,000 university and college

applicantswithdraw fromtheUcas systemeachyear, rather thanfailing towinaplace.Some find jobs or apprenticeships, othersreturn to their studies to improve theirgrades, still others opt for professionalcoursesorgo travelling.Inevitably the pool of young people

seeking jobs or alternative courses will belarger this year. But therewill still be open-ings for those who are quick off the mark.One option is to take a part-time degreeandcombine itwithwork,where it is avail-able, or evenwith claiming the JobseekersAllowance. This is allowed as long as thecourse does not occupy more than 16hoursaweeksoyouareavailable forwork.From the Open Universitys distance

learning courses to foundation degrees atfurther education colleges, there areplenty of opportunities. At Birkbeck, theUniversity of Londons specialist providerof part-time courses, applications are upby 15 per cent a much bigger rise thanany university in the capital has attractedfor full-timecourses.Professor David Latchman, the Master

of Birkbeck, says: Particularly in a reces-sion, students like the fact that they canstart a course but still take a job if onecomes up that is right for them, or claimbenefits if they have to. We are probablydoing a bit better than average becausewehaveputa lot ofwork into finding financialsupport for students, but my impression isthatpart-timeapplicationsareup.As Birkbeck courses are designed to

occupy three quarters of the time taken tostudy a full-time course, students can beeligible for grants of up to 1,210, depend-

ing on their income. The college hasmadea 500,000donation thatwill attractmoremoney from the Government and help tosubsidiseup to 150morestudents.Financial support for part-time students

is notoriously complex, partly becausethereare somanydifferent typesof course.It is by no means as generous as that forfull-timecoursesbutthereismoreopportu-nity forpaidworkifyoucan find it.Another option is an apprenticeship,

which can be the first rung on a particularcareer ladderoradelayedroute intohighereducation. TheGovernment is committedto establishing 21,000 apprenticeships inthe public sector to add to those alreadyprovided by private companies. Theyinclude5,000 in theNHS.Even apprenticeships are not easy to

come by: the number has dropped duringthe recession, despiteministerial promisesof expansion. But 18-year-olds with thequalifications to enter higher education inprevious years will be in a good position tosecure thoseavailable.Recruitment in thatage group has been holding up better thanfor 16-year-oldsorolderapplicants.The other main avenue for those with

A levels is professional training, either

through a further education college, aprivate provider or an employer. Somefirms are still recruiting 18-year-olds andthere is a growing number of privatecolleges specialising in professional train-ing,mainly inbusiness subjectsor law.Pitman Training, for example, has been

offering secretarial and business coursesformanyyears,whileBPP,whichhasmorethan 5,000 students in London, Leeds andManchester, can even award degrees, andrecruits for somecourses throughUcas.But the most common route into the

professions, outside universities, isthrough further education colleges. Manyoffer foundation degrees, which can leadtoanhonoursdegreeora job.Maggie Scott, director of policy at the

Association of Colleges, says: Furthereducation colleges are readyandwilling totake more students this year but it is amatter of getting the funding. Those whomiss out on a university place should go totheir local college foranadvice session.Usefulwebsites:Narrowingoptions,www.notgoingtouni.co.uk;Apprenticeships,www.apprenticeships.org.uk;Grantsandloans,www.direct.gov.uk

Other optionsif you have tochange courseJohn OLeary considersthe alternatives toconventional full-timeuniversity studies

Student Guide 2009

TStudents can starta course but stilltake a job if theright one comes up

timesonline.co.uk/clearing

ewspapers havebeenfullofdoom-laden tales aboutgraduate employ-ment.The class of2009 has enteredone of the worstjob markets inrecent memory.But the impact of

the recession on students does not endthere: for those either startingor returningto a course this autumn the chances offindingpart-timeemploymentare likely tobesimilarlyaffected.For most full-time undergraduates,

part-time employment is a vital source ofsupplementary income. Many studiesindicate thatat least50percentof studentswork during term time and a higher per-centageduringholidays.About 70per centof those who work say they do so to coverbasic livingexpenses.Althoughstudentsnowfacegreatercom-

petition for such jobs, theycantakesteps tomaximise their chances. Most universitieshave a job shop, which will help to writeCVs and personal statements and adviseon interview techniques. Student unionsoften employ large numbers of studentstaff, usually on good pay. The trick is toapply before term starts because any jobsareusuallygonebyFreshersWeek.Self-employment can also be fruitful. If

youhaveparticular skills, suchasdesignorcomputer programming, you can adver-tise theseonsites suchasStudentGems.One of the most common questions the

NationalUnionof Students is asked is howmany hours a student should work: 16hours a week is often mentioned. How-ever, the answer depends on your circum-stancesahistory studentwith tenhoursof formal classes a week might be able toworkmore thanamedical studentwith 35.

Research indicates a correlation betweena high number of hours worked and thelikelihood of a lower degree classification.Consider when you work too; night shiftspay better but canhave a deleterious effecton coursework. You should be paid at leasttheminimumwage 4.83 an hour fromOctober if you are aged 18 to 21 or 5.80 anhour if older. All employees are entitled toawritten contract and a rest period if theirshift is sixhoursor longer.Alistof rights isavailableonwww.direct.

gov.uk/employees.Oneway to ensure thattheseareupheld is to joina tradeunion.Another issue to consider is tax. Stu-

dents are liable for income tax, contrary topopular belief.Most, however, do not earnabove thepersonal allowance (the amounteveryone can earn before tax is applied,6,475 in2009-10), andcanseekarefund.NationalAssociationofStudentEmploymentServices,www.nases.org.uk;www.studentgems.com;www.hmrc.gov.uk/incometaxDavidMalcolmisstudentfinanceresearcherattheNationalUnionofStudents

Part-time employmentwill be in short supplybut David Malcolm tellshow to lift your chances

Student Guide 2009Fiscal factors

NatWestStudentLivingIndex2009

Where tofind a jobto help payyour way

N Previous years ranking1 Brighton 42Liverpool 83Glasgow 134Reading *5Manchester 246Bristol 67Leicester 208Cambridge 29Oxford 2110Edinburgh 1811Birmingham 2212Leeds 713Plymouth 114Cardiff 1715Portsmouth 516Newcastle 1117Dundee 318Norwich *19Nottingham 1520York 19*new entry this yearAnalysisof weekly living costs comparedwithweekly earnings from part-timework

4 1GX THETIMESThursdayAugust202009 THETIMESThursdayAugust202009 1GX 5

How student bank accounts compare

Abbey

Barclays Bank

Clydesdale Bank

The Co-operative Bank

HSBC

Halifax

Lloyds TSB

NatWest

Royal Bank of Scotland

Smile

Yorkshire Bank

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5+

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5

None

Year 1Year 2Year 3

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5Year 6

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4

None

1,0001,2501,5001,8002,000

up to 2,000up to 2,000up to 2,000up to 2,000up to 2,000

1,4001,7002,000

up to 1,000up to 1,250up to 1,500up to 1,750up to 2,000

up to 3,000up to 3,000up to 3,000up to 3,000up to 3,000

1,5001,5001,5002,0002,0002,000

up to 1,250up to 1,400up to 1,600up to 1,800up to 2,000

up to 2,750up to 2,750up to 2,750up to 2,750up to 2,750

1,0001,4001,8002,000

9.9%

8.9%

Year 1 7.49% (up to 1,000)Year 2+ 7.49% (up to 3,000)

9.9%

3% abovebase rate

7.2%

8.2%

N/A

N/A

9.9%

Year 1 7.49% (up to 1,000)Year 2 + 7.49% (up to 3,000)

28.7%

Nil

29.99%

15.9%

3.5%

24.2%

8.2%

17.81%

29.84%

15.9%

29.99%

5-35

22

25

Nil

Nil

28

8-20

Nil

10

Nil

25

Specialist advice service and mobile broadband offer

Commission-free travellers cheques and currency

Discounts on mobiles, computer equipment and entertainment, specialist advice service and travel insurance

Breakdown cover and commission-free travellers cheques and currency

Specialist advice service, breakdown cover, discounts on mobiles and music downloads and commission-free travellers cheques and currency

Five-year railcard; discounts on broadband, laptops, shopping; specialist advice service

Three-year railcard;free USB stick; discountson broadband, laptops, holidays and entertainment

Commission-free travellers cheques and currency

Interest-freeoverdraft

Authorised overdraft interest rate

Unauthorised overdraft interest rate

Unauthorised overdraft charge Incentives

his year, above allyears, it will makesense for A-level can-didates to exploretheir options beyondthe conventionalfull-time degreecourse. Not only willdegree places be at apremium, but the jobs

market for graduates and non-graduatesalike is depressed and unpredictable.Those whose results do not secure theuniversity place they had hoped for willhaveanotherchance throughclearing.Buteven that will not do the trick for many ofthem, including some who will be unwill-ing to trade down to courses they wouldnothaveconsidered initially.About 14,000 university and college

applicantswithdraw fromtheUcas systemeachyear, rather thanfailing towinaplace.Some find jobs or apprenticeships, othersreturn to their studies to improve theirgrades, still others opt for professionalcoursesorgo travelling.Inevitably the pool of young people

seeking jobs or alternative courses will belarger this year. But therewill still be open-ings for those who are quick off the mark.One option is to take a part-time degreeandcombine itwithwork,where it is avail-able, or evenwith claiming the JobseekersAllowance. This is allowed as long as thecourse does not occupy more than 16hoursaweeksoyouareavailable forwork.From the Open Universitys distance

learning courses to foundation degrees atfurther education colleges, there areplenty of opportunities. At Birkbeck, theUniversity of Londons specialist providerof part-time courses, applications are upby 15 per cent a much bigger rise thanany university in the capital has attractedfor full-timecourses.Professor David Latchman, the Master

of Birkbeck, says: Particularly in a reces-sion, students like the fact that they canstart a course but still take a job if onecomes up that is right for them, or claimbenefits if they have to. We are probablydoing a bit better than average becausewehaveputa lot ofwork into finding financialsupport for students, but my impression isthatpart-timeapplicationsareup.As Birkbeck courses are designed to

occupy three quarters of the time taken tostudy a full-time course, students can beeligible for grants of up to 1,210, depend-

ing on their income. The college hasmadea 500,000donation thatwill attractmoremoney from the Government and help tosubsidiseup to 150morestudents.Financial support for part-time students

is notoriously complex, partly becausethereare somanydifferent typesof course.It is by no means as generous as that forfull-timecoursesbutthereismoreopportu-nity forpaidworkifyoucan find it.Another option is an apprenticeship,

which can be the first rung on a particularcareer ladderoradelayedroute intohighereducation. TheGovernment is committedto establishing 21,000 apprenticeships inthe public sector to add to those alreadyprovided by private companies. Theyinclude5,000 in theNHS.Even apprenticeships are not easy to

come by: the number has dropped duringthe recession, despiteministerial promisesof expansion. But 18-year-olds with thequalifications to enter higher education inprevious years will be in a good position tosecure thoseavailable.Recruitment in thatage group has been holding up better thanfor 16-year-oldsorolderapplicants.The other main avenue for those with

A levels is professional training, either

through a further education college, aprivate provider or an employer. Somefirms are still recruiting 18-year-olds andthere is a growing number of privatecolleges specialising in professional train-ing,mainly inbusiness subjectsor law.Pitman Training, for example, has been

offering secretarial and business coursesformanyyears,whileBPP,whichhasmorethan 5,000 students in London, Leeds andManchester, can even award degrees, andrecruits for somecourses throughUcas.But the most common route into the

professions, outside universities, isthrough further education colleges. Manyoffer foundation degrees, which can leadtoanhonoursdegreeora job.Maggie Scott, director of policy at the

Association of Colleges, says: Furthereducation colleges are readyandwilling totake more students this year but it is amatter of getting the funding. Those whomiss out on a university place should go totheir local college foranadvice session.Usefulwebsites:Narrowingoptions,www.notgoingtouni.co.uk;Apprenticeships,www.apprenticeships.org.uk;Grantsandloans,www.direct.gov.uk

Other optionsif you have tochange courseJohn OLeary considersthe alternatives toconventional full-timeuniversity studies

Student Guide 2009

TStudents can starta course but stilltake a job if theright one comes up

timesonline.co.uk/clearing

6 1GX THETIMESThursdayAugust202009

Healthy recipesto entice theketchup addicts

Nick Wyke joins afreshers cookery courseto learn how to shopand cook on a budget

Student Guide 2009Cooking

TOM PILSTON

t a house in Rickmans-worth,Hertfordshire, teen-agers are learning how toput the fresh into fresherscuisine.Everyone will want to

sharewith us, saysElean-or Batterham, 18, from Bath, who is goingto study at Edinburgh University after hergap year. We could even start a supperclub, adds Sishy Goodall, 17, fromOxford,who wants to study languages at theSchool of Oriental and African Studies inLondon. Judging by their salad mixedleaves, fresh figs, goats cheeseandcrushedwalnuts with an orange and fennel seed

dressing served with homemade lambburgersandchillimarinadedchicken, theywillbe thetoastof first-yearkitchens.The day-long Food for Freshers course,

whichcosts230, ishostedbyKumudGan-dhi of The Cooking Academy. The daystarts with an exploration of store-cup-boardingredients. Theseareyourfounda-tion. Learn what they can do and the restflows fromhere, saysGandhi.The course is chatty and hands-on.

Garden fresh herbs are torn, rubbed,sniffed and nibbled and spices tested forheat. The students learn how to chop anonion, use correct measurements and thehealth benefits of various ingredients. Forexample, fennelhelps ease indigestionandheart burn, while chilli and ginger canboostpoorcirculation.Moving away from home and starting

college can be a very stressful time, saysGandhi. Cooking is a basic life skill nottaught at school. The course aims to giveteenagers the confidence to play aroundwithgood food.The students learn step-by-step how to

prepare eight simple, nutritionally bal-anced recipes (includingmixed bean chillicon carne, poached salmon, fish pie and afreshers flu remedy).Initially, they all profess that they love

the ideaof cookingbut lack practical expe-rience. Idonthave theconfidence tocooklike mum, says Batterham. Goodall con-fessestoaketchupaddiction(evenwithri-sotto) and reckons that if she does nothave fresh food, she will be lethargic andsleepthroughmostofuniversity.

Gandhi says that the kitchen cupboardpromises to offer more effective solutionsto our health problems than the medicinecabinet. She includes oily fish, spinach,nuts, sunflower seeds, broccoli, honey andfruits high in antioxidants on her list ofperformanceenhancing foods.Starting thedaywithahealthybreakfast

and drinking lots of water, Gandhi adds,are two of the most important dietaryhabits to formearlyon.timesonline.co.uk/recipes

A Kumud Gandhi showsher students how toput the fresh intotheir freshers cuisine.The cost of the day-longfood course is 230

THETIMESThursdayAugust202009 1GX 7

reshers Week is a timefor rituals, and none isolder or more reliablethan the outbreak offreshers flu, the bacteri-al and viral fiesta thattakes place when illness-es from various parts ofthecountryfindanabun-dance of new hosts in

which to multiply. Students are arguablymore effective at spreading disease amongthemselves than they are at doing any-thing else in their first week at university.Thecombinationof libertarianattitudes tosnogging and medieval standards of hy-giene means that undergraduates take toflu likeFrenchmentohigh-tar cigarettes.This usually results in little more than a

spike in the sales of Sudafed, but universi-ties are genuinely worried this year aboutan outbreak of swine flu. The studentunion at LeicesterUniversity, for example,isanticipatinghavingtocancel somefresh-ers events. Other seats of learning havedrawn up plans to quarantine students intheirhallsofresidence inthenameofkeep-ing their undergraduates alive. This isworrying indeed.Whatpricedeathwhenthealternative is

a generation of students who have noidea whether it is possible to drink a halfpint in every pub in the high street of theiruniversity town?Douniversityauthoritieshavenoregard

for the fast food industry? Freshers Weekis to kebab shop owners as the GrandNational is tobookies.Theyset themselvesup for the financial year and establish aloyalcustomerbaseat thesametime.FreshersWeek is, formost students, the

high-water mark for frivolity. The rest ofstudent life is comparatively staid com-pared to the orgy of permissiveness thatcomeswith thesuddenrealisation thatyouhave all of the freedoms of adult life with-outanyof the responsibilities.Those livingin catered halls of residence do not evenhave tobuytheirown lavatorypaper.To be slightly melodramatic, it is the

supernova of childhood the last fireballofadyingstar thatwill sooncollapseunderits own weight and begin to suck light outof theuniverse.Rulesaresofluidthat it isconsideredper-

fectly all right to decorate your room withclumsily whittled ornaments acquired onyour gap year, or quasi-humorous postersabout themeritsofdrinkingbeer.Activities thatwould be cringeworthy at

anyother stageof lifeare suddenlyencour-aged.There are, just this once, nopenalties

for wearing a leather waistcoat, subsistingonadietof cooked-breakfast-in-a-tin, pro-fessing an interest in Scientology, opiningthattheworldcanonlytrulybeunderstoodthrough the films of WimWenders, wear-ing your hair like Danny from McFly, ordrinkinga volumeof cider thatwould elicitadisapprovingglance fromOliverReed.During FreshersWeek, as in traditional

festivities suchasTwelfthNight, judgmentis suspended and eccentricity celebrated.Although swine flu is unlikely to prohibitall of this exuberance, it seems likely thatthe most extravagant parts will be cur-tailed.Thismayhaveitsadvantages.Fresh-ers Week can be disconcertingly expen-sive at a time when you need to set aside

moneyfor lesshedonisticaccessories, suchas books vital for your course. Freshers areunder constant pressure to buy tickets forevents usually with dubious-soundingnames such as The Romp with thethreat that failure to attend will result insocial ignominy. The threat is alwaysempty. It is easy to make friends in otherways, and doing so while in swine fluquarantinemaybeasgoodasanyother.A reduced amount of hedonistic behav-

iour may also inhibit another importantritual: forming a large and unwieldy groupof friends in the first week and then at-tempting to avoid them for the rest of theyearwhenyoudiscoverthat theyareghast-ly. This tradition of shedding acquaintanc-

es may seem unnecessary, but is an ex-tremely effective way of working out whatmakes a good friend. Like mumps, it is anexperience worth going through early.Working out that you dislike someoneonlyafteryouhaveagreed to shareahousewiththemisnothingshortofdisastrous.Themost important thing to remember,

however, is that there is nothing to fear.There will be so many people of your agefrom such a diverse cross-section ofsociety that you will always find someoneto like.Nomatter howshyor eccentric youare, there will be people who understandyou or who make you look exuberant andsuavebycontrast.Revel in itandremem-ber towashyourhandsafter sneezing.

Student Guide 2009Freshers Week

Time to party if swine fludoes not spoil the fun

F6Unavoidable topicsofconversation include:A levels,gapyears, sex,politics, vegetarianismandtheweirdoat theendof thecorridor.

6Apparentlyesotericgapyearactivities, somedistinctlyunpleasant,willhavebeenundertakenbyasurprisingly largenumberofpeople.

6Retro iscool inclothes,childrens televisionprogrammesandgadgetssuchasaSodaStream.

6Youwill beshoweredwith freebies, all ofwhichwill beworthless.

6Guitarsandbongoswillbeendearingat first, thenwill eitherbe forgottenorbecomemonstrouslyirritating.

6Therewill beGoths. Theyusuallystudyphysics.

6GirlswhowearpinkpashminasanddriveVolkswagenPolosstudyhistoryof art.

6The librarywill havethreecopiesofa textconsidered indispensableto 1,000students.

SOURCES:TheBluffers Guide toUniversity,Timesarchive

Frivolity and excess willbe curtailed if studentsend up in quarantine,writes Jack Malvern Theknowledge

i

Freshers Week is thehigh-water mark forfrivolity. Studentsdiscover they have allthe freedoms ofadulthood without theresponsibilities

DAVID BEBBER

timesonline.co.uk/clearing

6 1GX THETIMESThursdayAugust202009

Healthy recipesto entice theketchup addicts

Nick Wyke joins afreshers cookery courseto learn how to shopand cook on a budget

Student Guide 2009Cooking

TOM PILSTON

t a house in Rickmans-worth,Hertfordshire, teen-agers are learning how toput the fresh into fresherscuisine.Everyone will want to

sharewith us, saysElean-or Batterham, 18, from Bath, who is goingto study at Edinburgh University after hergap year. We could even start a supperclub, adds Sishy Goodall, 17, fromOxford,who wants to study languages at theSchool of Oriental and African Studies inLondon. Judging by their salad mixedleaves, fresh figs, goats cheeseandcrushedwalnuts with an orange and fennel seed

dressing served with homemade lambburgersandchillimarinadedchicken, theywillbe thetoastof first-yearkitchens.The day-long Food for Freshers course,

whichcosts230, ishostedbyKumudGan-dhi of The Cooking Academy. The daystarts with an exploration of store-cup-boardingredients. Theseareyourfounda-tion. Learn what they can do and the restflows fromhere, saysGandhi.The course is chatty and hands-on.

Garden fresh herbs are torn, rubbed,sniffed and nibbled and spices tested forheat. The students learn how to chop anonion, use correct measurements and thehealth benefits of various ingredients. Forexample, fennelhelps ease indigestionandheart burn, while chilli and ginger canboostpoorcirculation.Moving away from home and starting

college can be a very stressful time, saysGandhi. Cooking is a basic life skill nottaught at school. The course aims to giveteenagers the confidence to play aroundwithgood food.The students learn step-by-step how to

prepare eight simple, nutritionally bal-anced recipes (includingmixed bean chillicon carne, poached salmon, fish pie and afreshers flu remedy).Initially, they all profess that they love

the ideaof cookingbut lack practical expe-rience. Idonthave theconfidence tocooklike mum, says Batterham. Goodall con-fessestoaketchupaddiction(evenwithri-sotto) and reckons that if she does nothave fresh food, she will be lethargic andsleepthroughmostofuniversity.

Gandhi says that the kitchen cupboardpromises to offer more effective solutionsto our health problems than the medicinecabinet. She includes oily fish, spinach,nuts, sunflower seeds, broccoli, honey andfruits high in antioxidants on her list ofperformanceenhancing foods.Starting thedaywithahealthybreakfast

and drinking lots of water, Gandhi adds,are two of the most important dietaryhabits to formearlyon.timesonline.co.uk/recipes

A Kumud Gandhi showsher students how toput the fresh intotheir freshers cuisine.The cost of the day-longfood course is 230

THETIMESThursdayAugust202009 1GX 7

reshers Week is a timefor rituals, and none isolder or more reliablethan the outbreak offreshers flu, the bacteri-al and viral fiesta thattakes place when illness-es from various parts ofthecountryfindanabun-dance of new hosts in

which to multiply. Students are arguablymore effective at spreading disease amongthemselves than they are at doing any-thing else in their first week at university.Thecombinationof libertarianattitudes tosnogging and medieval standards of hy-giene means that undergraduates take toflu likeFrenchmentohigh-tar cigarettes.This usually results in little more than a

spike in the sales of Sudafed, but universi-ties are genuinely worried this year aboutan outbreak of swine flu. The studentunion at LeicesterUniversity, for example,isanticipatinghavingtocancel somefresh-ers events. Other seats of learning havedrawn up plans to quarantine students intheirhallsofresidence inthenameofkeep-ing their undergraduates alive. This isworrying indeed.Whatpricedeathwhenthealternative is

a generation of students who have noidea whether it is possible to drink a halfpint in every pub in the high street of theiruniversity town?Douniversityauthoritieshavenoregard

for the fast food industry? Freshers Weekis to kebab shop owners as the GrandNational is tobookies.Theyset themselvesup for the financial year and establish aloyalcustomerbaseat thesametime.FreshersWeek is, formost students, the

high-water mark for frivolity. The rest ofstudent life is comparatively staid com-pared to the orgy of permissiveness thatcomeswith thesuddenrealisation thatyouhave all of the freedoms of adult life with-outanyof the responsibilities.Those livingin catered halls of residence do not evenhave tobuytheirown lavatorypaper.To be slightly melodramatic, it is the

supernova of childhood the last fireballofadyingstar thatwill sooncollapseunderits own weight and begin to suck light outof theuniverse.Rulesaresofluidthat it isconsideredper-

fectly all right to decorate your room withclumsily whittled ornaments acquired onyour gap year, or quasi-humorous postersabout themeritsofdrinkingbeer.Activities thatwould be cringeworthy at

anyother stageof lifeare suddenlyencour-aged.There are, just this once, nopenalties

for wearing a leather waistcoat, subsistingonadietof cooked-breakfast-in-a-tin, pro-fessing an interest in Scientology, opiningthattheworldcanonlytrulybeunderstoodthrough the films of WimWenders, wear-ing your hair like Danny from McFly, ordrinkinga volumeof cider thatwould elicitadisapprovingglance fromOliverReed.During FreshersWeek, as in traditional

festivities suchasTwelfthNight, judgmentis suspended and eccentricity celebrated.Although swine flu is unlikely to prohibitall of this exuberance, it seems likely thatthe most extravagant parts will be cur-tailed.Thismayhaveitsadvantages.Fresh-ers Week can be disconcertingly expen-sive at a time when you need to set aside

moneyfor lesshedonisticaccessories, suchas books vital for your course. Freshers areunder constant pressure to buy tickets forevents usually with dubious-soundingnames such as The Romp with thethreat that failure to attend will result insocial ignominy. The threat is alwaysempty. It is easy to make friends in otherways, and doing so while in swine fluquarantinemaybeasgoodasanyother.A reduced amount of hedonistic behav-

iour may also inhibit another importantritual: forming a large and unwieldy groupof friends in the first week and then at-tempting to avoid them for the rest of theyearwhenyoudiscoverthat theyareghast-ly. This tradition of shedding acquaintanc-

es may seem unnecessary, but is an ex-tremely effective way of working out whatmakes a good friend. Like mumps, it is anexperience worth going through early.Working out that you dislike someoneonlyafteryouhaveagreed to shareahousewiththemisnothingshortofdisastrous.Themost important thing to remember,

however, is that there is nothing to fear.There will be so many people of your agefrom such a diverse cross-section ofsociety that you will always find someoneto like.Nomatter howshyor eccentric youare, there will be people who understandyou or who make you look exuberant andsuavebycontrast.Revel in itandremem-ber towashyourhandsafter sneezing.

Student Guide 2009Freshers Week

Time to party if swine fludoes not spoil the fun

F6Unavoidable topicsofconversation include:A levels,gapyears, sex,politics, vegetarianismandtheweirdoat theendof thecorridor.

6Apparentlyesotericgapyearactivities, somedistinctlyunpleasant,willhavebeenundertakenbyasurprisingly largenumberofpeople.

6Retro iscool inclothes,childrens televisionprogrammesandgadgetssuchasaSodaStream.

6Youwill beshoweredwith freebies, all ofwhichwill beworthless.

6Guitarsandbongoswillbeendearingat first, thenwill eitherbe forgottenorbecomemonstrouslyirritating.

6Therewill beGoths. Theyusuallystudyphysics.

6GirlswhowearpinkpashminasanddriveVolkswagenPolosstudyhistoryof art.

6The librarywill havethreecopiesofa textconsidered indispensableto 1,000students.

SOURCES:TheBluffers Guide toUniversity,Timesarchive

Frivolity and excess willbe curtailed if studentsend up in quarantine,writes Jack Malvern Theknowledge

i

Freshers Week is thehigh-water mark forfrivolity. Studentsdiscover they have allthe freedoms ofadulthood without theresponsibilities

DAVID BEBBER

timesonline.co.uk/clearing

8 1GX THETIMESThursdayAugust202009

Student Guide 2009Style on a shoestring

Combinecut-pricewith cool

tudents used to have amonopoly on the musty,fusty interiors of charityshops and the likes ofPrimark and New Look.But in thesedifficult timesstudent shopping meccasareoverrunbynewlycon-verted bargain hunters.As the recession sweeps

the country, charity andbargain basementshops are thriving and students are havingto compete with the crme de la crme ofcannyshoppers.Cancer Research was forced to launch a

campaignearlier this yearurgingpeople todonate more clothes as demand out-stripped supply.MaryPortas, the shoppingguru,hasnotmade the situationanyeasierby sprucing up the outlets in her TV showMary Queen of Charity Shops and drawingin the fashioncrowd.We travelled to Oxford, Brighton and

Sheffield to check out student shoppinghabits and found that students are expertsat looking good on a budget. Few opted fordesignergear,makingdowithhome-madeclothes, five-year-old high street buys andmanyacharityshop find.That is not to say that theywere slipping

in the style stakes. After roaming aroundthe campuses we found that their thriftyattitude to clothes shopping had producedindividual and trendyresults.Therewas theoddripped jeanandmany

outfits were well worn but none of thestudentshadlet it allhangoutandrevertedto Nineties grunge. Some used the trick ofone investment piece to make an outfitlook fashionableapair of slightly priceysunglasses or a good leather bag that willlast foryears.Others relied on Topshop for their up-

to-the-minute pieces. There is a magicingredient to this fashion recipe. With

some courses clocking up just nine hoursof compulsory lectures a week, studentsare cash-poor but time-rich. They havetime to rummage through racks of clothesat TK Maxx, time to try on four differentoutfitsbefore leavingthehouseandtimetospend four hours shopping and comeawaywith justapairof tights.Pia Bramley, a third-year illustration

student at Brighton University, advisesstudents in search of a bargain to look offthebeaten track.Its difficult to find nice clothes in the

charity shops here as the good stuff is soldreally quickly. I go home to Kent to shop,itsmuchbetter, shesays.Other students have found innovative

ways of saving money. Alicia Awad, aperformance and visual arts student fromBrighton,makes all herownclothes: I buyclothes that are too small and adapt thembecause the fashion industry does notcater for people my shape. I spend about30 a month on clothes, including fabrics.You can get a whole roll of fabric from themarket for3.Meanwhile, Sheffield student Robert

Bigio endorses the wear it until it fallsoff your back approach. I havent reallyhad any new clothes in two years, he says.I dress mostly in hand-me-downs fromfriends and family and charity shops. Ihave had the same wardrobe for a verylong time.Almost all the students agreed that

when it came to campus style, anythinggoes. Sheffield student Alex Webb says:Some people turn up to lectures lookinglike theyarewearing theirpyjamas.So how can you bag a bargain? Skip the

vintage shop and go straight to the charityshop. Fashions are so fleeting nowadaysthat people often donate this seasonsstyles tocharity.Go with a shopping list. Make up basics

from the high street and find your coolpieces second hand. Look out for designercollections created specially forhigh streetstoresJimmyChoo shoeswill appear inH&Mthisautumn, forexample.If you insist on designer labels visit

shopping outlets such as Bicester Villageor go online to www.theoutnet.com,the latest website from Net-A-PortersNatalieMassenet.And look fornearlynewclothes and discount designer items oneBay.

1

Corinne Abramsoffers tips for baggingbargain outfits withoutforsaking campus cred

SMake investmentpurchases A smarthandbag like this canturn an outfit around

THETIMESThursdayAugust202009 1GX 9

Student Guide 2009

2

ProuLiptapanlop,21studyingeconomics

andmanagementatStHughsCollege,Oxford,says: I relyonchainstoresforbasicsbutbought thisbag inSpitalfieldsmarket,London, for50.The top isfromThailand,where Imfrom.

JessicaHartley, 19studyingbiologyat

Sheffield , says: I havechangedmystylesincecomingtouniversity. Immoreexperimental now.Hershoes,15, and tights,9,areTopshop, herT-shirtAmericanApparel, 20, andherbagwas10 inaMissSelfridgesale.The jacket,seen inamagazine for95,cost15atFreshmansVintage,Brighton.

RobertSmallman,25whois studying

sculptureatBrighton, sayshespends next tonothingonclothes.His jumper ishisbestmatesandhiscagoulecost1.75 fromacharityshop.

CeceAbbassi,24amusic, visualart and

performancestudentatBrighton, likesclothesbutfindsshoppingboring. I justgetsomething if I comeacross it.HershoesareOffice, 15, skirtand top6,all fromTraid,Brixton,London.ThebagcamefromAccessorizeyearsago.

ChrisMoger,21aphilosophystudentat

Sheffield,buysclothes forfun . Igo toall thevintageshops inSheffield.Hisshoescost15,bag, 15, andT-shirt, 10; theTommyHilfigershortscamefromhis fatherand thecardigan,fromUniqlo,wasapresent .

RichardStacey,22amusicandvisual art

studentatBrighton, spends50to100amonthonclothes. If there issomething I like, Ill get it.Hisshoes, 2, andhatcamefromCamdenmarket,London,his jeans fromDirtyHarrys,Brighton,wherehealsoboughthis jumper.Thebag is fromafestival andhiswatchwasapresent

53

Make a statementUniversity is thetime to experimentwith your style

Swap clothesMost of Robertsoutfit is borrowedfrom friends

Be creativeChriss jumpercomes from thewomens section 6

4

2

3

4

5

6

1Where toshop

i

Go for secondsCece buys mostof her clothes atdiscount shops

Do not be afraidto accessoriseThe hat, bag andwatchmake this outfit

timesonline.co.uk/clearing

8 1GX THETIMESThursdayAugust202009

Student Guide 2009Style on a shoestring

Combinecut-pricewith cool

tudents used to have amonopoly on the musty,fusty interiors of charityshops and the likes ofPrimark and New Look.But in thesedifficult timesstudent shopping meccasareoverrunbynewlycon-verted bargain hunters.As the recession sweeps

the country, charity andbargain basementshops are thriving and students are havingto compete with the crme de la crme ofcannyshoppers.Cancer Research was forced to launch a

campaignearlier this yearurgingpeople todonate more clothes as demand out-stripped supply.MaryPortas, the shoppingguru,hasnotmade the situationanyeasierby sprucing up the outlets in her TV showMary Queen of Charity Shops and drawingin the fashioncrowd.We travelled to Oxford, Brighton and

Sheffield to check out student shoppinghabits and found that students are expertsat looking good on a budget. Few opted fordesignergear,makingdowithhome-madeclothes, five-year-old high street buys andmanyacharityshop find.That is not to say that theywere slipping

in the style stakes. After roaming aroundthe campuses we found that their thriftyattitude to clothes shopping had producedindividual and trendyresults.Therewas theoddripped jeanandmany

outfits were well worn but none of thestudentshadlet it allhangoutandrevertedto Nineties grunge. Some used the trick ofone investment piece to make an outfitlook fashionableapair of slightly priceysunglasses or a good leather bag that willlast foryears.Others relied on Topshop for their up-

to-the-minute pieces. There is a magicingredient to this fashion recipe. With

some courses clocking up just nine hoursof compulsory lectures a week, studentsare cash-poor but time-rich. They havetime to rummage through racks of clothesat TK Maxx, time to try on four differentoutfitsbefore leavingthehouseandtimetospend four hours shopping and comeawaywith justapairof tights.Pia Bramley, a third-year illustration

student at Brighton University, advisesstudents in search of a bargain to look offthebeaten track.Its difficult to find nice clothes in the

charity shops here as the good stuff is soldreally quickly. I go home to Kent to shop,itsmuchbetter, shesays.Other students have found innovative

ways of saving money. Alicia Awad, aperformance and visual arts student fromBrighton,makes all herownclothes: I buyclothes that are too small and adapt thembecause the fashion industry does notcater for people my shape. I spend about30 a month on clothes, including fabrics.You can get a whole roll of fabric from themarket for3.Meanwhile, Sheffield student Robert

Bigio endorses the wear it until it fallsoff your back approach. I havent reallyhad any new clothes in two years, he says.I dress mostly in hand-me-downs fromfriends and family and charity shops. Ihave had the same wardrobe for a verylong time.Almost all the students agreed that

when it came to campus style, anythinggoes. Sheffield student Alex Webb says:Some people turn up to lectures lookinglike theyarewearing theirpyjamas.So how can you bag a bargain? Skip the

vintage shop and go straight to the charityshop. Fashions are so fleeting nowadaysthat people often donate this seasonsstyles tocharity.Go with a shopping list. Make up basics

from the high street and find your coolpieces second hand. Look out for designercollections created specially forhigh streetstoresJimmyChoo shoeswill appear inH&Mthisautumn, forexample.If you insist on designer labels visit

shopping outlets such as Bicester Villageor go online to www.theoutnet.com,the latest website from Net-A-PortersNatalieMassenet.And look fornearlynewclothes and discount designer items oneBay.

1

Corinne Abramsoffers tips for baggingbargain outfits withoutforsaking campus cred

SMake investmentpurchases A smarthandbag like this canturn an outfit around

THETIMESThursdayAugust202009 1GX 9

Student Guide 2009

2

ProuLiptapanlop,21studyingeconomics

andmanagementatStHughsCollege,Oxford,says: I relyonchainstoresforbasicsbutbought thisbag inSpitalfieldsmarket,London, for50.The top isfromThailand,where Imfrom.

JessicaHartley, 19studyingbiologyat

Sheffield , says: I havechangedmystylesincecomingtouniversity. Immoreexperimental now.Hershoes,15, and tights,9,areTopshop, herT-shirtAmericanApparel, 20, andherbagwas10 inaMissSelfridgesale.The jacket,seen inamagazine for95,cost15atFreshmansVintage,Brighton.

RobertSmallman,25whois studying

sculptureatBrighton, sayshespends next tonothingonclothes.His jumper ishisbestmatesandhiscagoulecost1.75 fromacharityshop.

CeceAbbassi,24amusic, visualart and

performancestudentatBrighton, likesclothesbutfindsshoppingboring. I justgetsomething if I comeacross it.HershoesareOffice, 15, skirtand top6,all fromTraid,Brixton,London.ThebagcamefromAccessorizeyearsago.

ChrisMoger,21aphilosophystudentat

Sheffield,buysclothes forfun . Igo toall thevintageshops inSheffield.Hisshoescost15,bag, 15, andT-shirt, 10; theTommyHilfigershortscamefromhis fatherand thecardigan,fromUniqlo,wasapresent .

RichardStacey,22amusicandvisual art

studentatBrighton, spends50to100amonthonclothes. If there issomething I like, Ill get it.Hisshoes, 2, andhatcamefromCamdenmarket,London,his jeans fromDirtyHarrys,Brighton,wherehealsoboughthis jumper.Thebag is fromafestival andhiswatchwasapresent

53

Make a statementUniversity is thetime to experimentwith your style

Swap clothesMost of Robertsoutfit is borrowedfrom friends

Be creativeChriss jumpercomes from thewomens section 6

4

2

3

4

5

6

1Where toshop

i

Go for secondsCece buys mostof her clothes atdiscount shops

Do not be afraidto accessoriseThe hat, bag andwatchmake this outfit

timesonline.co.uk/clearing

10 1GX THETIMESThursdayAugust202009

The best things inlife are free onceyoure on the net

Never mind all thecostly gadgetry, webaccess is all you need,says Murad Ahmed

Student Guide 2009Technology and gadgets

tudents may think they needthe latest technology to seetheir way through universitylifethenewest iPhone,aflat-screen TV and all the rest. Inreality, all you really needthese days is the internet.

Insistonadecentconnectionandthenbuya device that gets you on to the web asquicklyandascheaplyaspossible.Start by looking into netbooks. These

are small, cheap laptops whose sole pur-pose is to get you on the net. If you want a

large hard drive, capable of storing a lot ofstuffsuchasyourextensivemusiccollec-tionbeprepared topaymore.A cut-price option is the Dell Inspiron

Mini 10, at around 199. The cheapestversion has just an 8MB hard drive lessmemory than some iPods. You may wantto pay 50more for a version with 160GB,enough for most needs. Either way, it isslim, sleek and small. Amore costly optionis theHPMini-Note2140,anexcellentnet-bookwithmorebatterypower thanothers.However, at 380, youmight be able to geta low-end laptopat thesameprice.When it comes to music, iPods are still

the main option for good, portable musicplayers. But who needs a huge digitalmusic collection these days? If you down-load the free music streaming service,Spotify, you can access more than six mil-lion tracks. Last.fm is also music softwareworth downloading. You will have toput up with hearing adverts on theseservices, butat least theycostnothing.

You may need to invest in some speak-ers.Creative andLogitech aregoodbrandsthatoffervalue formoneybut thecheapestoption is aUSB speaker that plugs straightinto a netbook. One example is the B-Flex2 speaker by JLab. For 22.99, it beats thetinnysoundofmost laptops.Whatabouttelevisionandmovies?Well,

between the BBCs iPlayer and numerousvideo-streaming services just out or set tolaunch soon including Hulu and theMSNvideoplayerthere should bemore

than enough decent programmes that youcanstreamandviewfromyourPC,all free.That said,DVDshavebecome as impor-

tant as teabags and clean underwear tomany.Somemight invest inadecent laptopwithaDVDplayer.Analternative is aport-able DVD drive, which you can just plugintoyourcomputerwhenyouwant it.Sam-sung has a good slimline drive for around44, or there is a slightly better one byBuffalo for about 73. Check Amazon andpricecomparisonsites for thebestdeals.

Listen to an MP3 player while studying or try streaming free music with Spotify ThedaysofneedingacomputerwithMicrosoftOfficeare longgone.ForanyonewithaGoogleaccountonline,GoogleDocs is freeanddoesmostthingsyoumightneed foryourstudies, suchaswordprocessing.These filesaresavedonyouraccountontheweb,whichmeansyoucanaccess themwhereveryouareand fromwhatevercomputeryouareusing.

DVDs havebecome asimportant asteabags andclean underwearto many

SGototheDocs

i

JIM CRAIGMYLE/CORBIS

THETIMESThursdayAugust202009 1GX 11

niversities have started us-ing Twitter to communi-cate with students, keep intouch with alumni and re-cruit prospective appli-cants. If you are off to col-lege this term, armyourself

with a Twitter account, so you do notmissa moment of Freshers Week and youknow what your new friend got up to lastnightandhowthey feel themorningafter.Student unions and lecturers also use

the micro-blogging site to announce gigsand ask students their thoughts on lec-tures in140characterupdates. It isestimat-ed that half the universities in the UK areon Twitter. Many have only just started,but not all of them aremaking themost ofit, according to Nic Mitchell, who runsTeessideUniversitysTwitteraccount.All they do is announce the latest press

releases, he says. What we are trying todo, if people are saying something aboutus, is respond to enter some sort of debate.Its social networking for grown-ups, itsnot likeFacebook.Evenbefore studentsarrive thisautumn,

universities are encouraging them tofollow the institutions Twitter feed. Gold-smiths, theLondonUniversity college, hasa Twitter account for new students withguides to the college, information aboutjobs on campus and ways to beat thequeuesduringregistration.Somewill announce the few places they

have in clearing with up-to-the-minutenumbers on the site. Thames Valley Uni-versity has a Clearing Guru on Twitter tohelpstudents tonavigate theprocess.Ucas, theadmissionsservice, also tweets

and will be offering students advice. BethHayes,whoedits theUcaswebsite, says: Alot of people are jumping on the Twitterbandwagon but we put off setting up anaccount until we had thought it throughcarefully.Wearentusing itasapromotion-al tool. Were using it as an informationtool tohelpapplicants.Lecturers at Sheffield Hallam use Twit-

ter to gather student opinion on lecturehalls and study areas. Liz Aspden, seniorlecturer in curriculum innovation, says:Theres a lot of potential. Tools and appli-

cations likeTwitpic andhashtag topics canhelp us tailor its use within an academicenvironment. Students upload picturesvia Twitpic or join in conversations byadding a hashtag to a subject they wanttodiscuss.The long arm of Twitter even reaches

thosewho are leaving or have left univers-

ity, with careers service and alumniaccounts in action at Keele, Robert Gor-donandUniversityofCentralLancashire.A final tweet-length word of warning:

tweetingmay be the new texting but dontspend all your time behind a screen atuniversity or you will have nothing totweetabout.

Student Guide 2009Virtual campus

Well be brief about this . . .

Twitter is being used toget information to newstudents and to adviseon clearing places

U

DUNCAN USHER/ALAMY

Colleges are learningto use Twitter to gettheir message across,says Joanna Sugden

timesonline.co.uk/clearing

10 1GX THETIMESThursdayAugust202009

The best things inlife are free onceyoure on the net

Never mind all thecostly gadgetry, webaccess is all you need,says Murad Ahmed

Student Guide 2009Technology and gadgets

tudents may think they needthe latest technology to seetheir way through universitylifethenewest iPhone,aflat-screen TV and all the rest. Inreality, all you really needthese days is the internet.

Insistonadecentconnectionandthenbuya device that gets you on to the web asquicklyandascheaplyaspossible.Start by looking into netbooks. These

are small, cheap laptops whose sole pur-pose is to get you on the net. If you want a

large hard drive, capable of storing a lot ofstuffsuchasyourextensivemusiccollec-tionbeprepared topaymore.A cut-price option is the Dell Inspiron

Mini 10, at around 199. The cheapestversion has just an 8MB hard drive lessmemory than some iPods. You may wantto pay 50more for a version with 160GB,enough for most needs. Either way, it isslim, sleek and small. Amore costly optionis theHPMini-Note2140,anexcellentnet-bookwithmorebatterypower thanothers.However, at 380, youmight be able to geta low-end laptopat thesameprice.When it comes to music, iPods are still

the main option for good, portable musicplayers. But who needs a huge digitalmusic collection these days? If you down-load the free music streaming service,Spotify, you can access more than six mil-lion tracks. Last.fm is also music softwareworth downloading. You will have toput up with hearing adverts on theseservices, butat least theycostnothing.

You may need to invest in some speak-ers.Creative andLogitech aregoodbrandsthatoffervalue formoneybut thecheapestoption is aUSB speaker that plugs straightinto a netbook. One example is the B-Flex2 speaker by JLab. For 22.99, it beats thetinnysoundofmost laptops.Whatabouttelevisionandmovies?Well,

between the BBCs iPlayer and numerousvideo-streaming services just out or set tolaunch soon including Hulu and theMSNvideoplayerthere should bemore

than enough decent programmes that youcanstreamandviewfromyourPC,all free.That said,DVDshavebecome as impor-

tant as teabags and clean underwear tomany.Somemight invest inadecent laptopwithaDVDplayer.Analternative is aport-able DVD drive, which you can just plugintoyourcomputerwhenyouwant it.Sam-sung has a good slimline drive for around44, or there is a slightly better one byBuffalo for about 73. Check Amazon andpricecomparisonsites for thebestdeals.

Listen to an MP3 player while studying or try streaming free music with Spotify ThedaysofneedingacomputerwithMicrosoftOfficeare longgone.ForanyonewithaGoogleaccountonline,GoogleDocs is freeanddoesmostthingsyoumightneed foryourstudies, suchaswordprocessing.These filesaresavedonyouraccountontheweb,whichmeansyoucanaccess themwhereveryouareand fromwhatevercomputeryouareusing.

DVDs havebecome asimportant asteabags andclean underwearto many

SGototheDocs

i

JIM CRAIGMYLE/CORBIS

THETIMESThursdayAugust202009 1GX 11

niversities have started us-ing Twitter to communi-cate with students, keep intouch with alumni and re-cruit prospective appli-cants. If you are off to col-lege this term, armyourself

with a Twitter account, so you do notmissa moment of Freshers Week and youknow what your new friend got up to lastnightandhowthey feel themorningafter.Student unions and lecturers also use

the micro-blogging site to announce gigsand ask students their thoughts on lec-tures in140characterupdates. It isestimat-ed that half the universities in the UK areon Twitter. Many have only just started,but not all of them aremaking themost ofit, according to Nic Mitchell, who runsTeessideUniversitysTwitteraccount.All they do is announce the latest press

releases, he says. What we are trying todo, if people are saying something aboutus, is respond to enter some sort of debate.Its social networking for grown-ups, itsnot likeFacebook.Evenbefore studentsarrive thisautumn,

universities are encouraging them tofollow the institutions Twitter feed. Gold-smiths, theLondonUniversity college, hasa Twitter account for new students withguides to the college, information aboutjobs on campus and ways to beat thequeuesduringregistration.Somewill announce the few places they

have in clearing with up-to-the-minutenumbers on the site. Thames Valley Uni-versity has a Clearing Guru on Twitter tohelpstudents tonavigate theprocess.Ucas, theadmissionsservice, also tweets

and will be offering students advice. BethHayes,whoedits theUcaswebsite, says: Alot of people are jumping on the Twitterbandwagon but we put off setting up anaccount until we had thought it throughcarefully.Wearentusing itasapromotion-al tool. Were using it as an informationtool tohelpapplicants.Lecturers at Sheffield Hallam use Twit-

ter to gather student opinion on lecturehalls and study areas. Liz Aspden, seniorlecturer in curriculum innovation, says:Theres a lot of potential. Tools and appli-

cations likeTwitpic andhashtag topics canhelp us tailor its use within an academicenvironment. Students upload picturesvia Twitpic or join in conversations byadding a hashtag to a subject they wanttodiscuss.The long arm of Twitter even reaches

thosewho are leaving or have left univers-

ity, with careers service and alumniaccounts in action at Keele, Robert Gor-donandUniversityofCentralLancashire.A final tweet-length word of warning:

tweetingmay be the new texting but dontspend all your time behind a screen atuniversity or you will have nothing totweetabout.

Student Guide 2009Virtual campus

Well be brief about this . . .

Twitter is being used toget information to newstudents and to adviseon clearing places

U

DUNCAN USHER/ALAMY

Colleges are learningto use Twitter to gettheir message across,says Joanna Sugden

timesonline.co.uk/clearing

12 1GX THETIMESThursdayAugust202009

ost school-leavers with wanderlust whofancy studying in America dream of IvyLeague universities such as Harvard andYale. But there is a little-known and farcheaper alternative that virtually guaran-tees talented British students a place at anAmericanuniversityorcollege.A consortium of state universities and

smaller colleges in the United States iskeen to attract British students and offersgenerous scholarships to lure them acrossthe Atlantic. Although such institutionscost less to attend than household names,such as Princeton and Columbia, they stillcharge between $20,000 (about 12,250)and$43,000ayear (including living costs).However, academic and sports scholar-shipscancoverat leasthalf that.The universities are said to be keen to

attract British students to bring aninternational flavour to their campusesandtoboost their reputations.InTuitionScholarships,whichdescribes

itselfasamini-Ucas, represents 120univer-sities across America. It guarantees thatevery suitable sports applicant will receiveaminimum of nine offers and five of thesewill cover at least half the students tuitionandlivingcostseachyear.At least 15 offers are guaranteed for

suitable candidates seeking academicscholarships. These are awarded based onstudentspriorachievementaswell as theirpotential and willingness to share ideasand experiences with classmates fromother countries. Candidates should be inline toachieveat least twogoodAlevels.Ratherthanapply to individualuniversi-

ties, which is time consuming and expen-sive, students can go through InTuition,the central point set up by the institutionsto handle scholarship applications. Thoserepresented include universities in NorthDakota, Wisconsin, Florida, Iowa, Okla-homaandMichigan.InTuition negotiates with appropriate

universities to secure offers then these arepresented together in a report so the stu-dentcancompare thembeforechoosing.Sports-mad teenagers who want to take

advantage of the facilities at Americanuniversities can apply for scholarships intennis, golf, footballorbasketball.Eligible candidates attend an annual

trial showcase in Florida each July, wheresports coaches and admissions directorsfrom the universities come to watch thestudents play. They assess their talents,confidence and attitude and make themoffers accordingly.An Intuition spokesman says: There

has definitely been an Obama effect sinceJanuary this year, in terms of numbersapplying for scholarships in the UnitedStates. It may be due also to the issue oftop-uptuition fees [atBritishuniversities].Mainstreamstate colleges are striving to

attract more international students, thespokesmanadds.Prospective students do have to pay

InTuition upfront to apply but this sum isrefunded if they donot receive guaranteedscholarshipoffers.Applyingforanacadem-ic scholarship costs $2,400 and the sportsaward programme costs $3,250, whichincludes two weeks in Florida. InTuitionestimates that the amount payable after ascholarship is still considerably less thanthe total cost of tuition, board and lodgingat a British university because the cost ofliving ischeaper in theUnitedStates.

My biggestextracurricularcommitment isas a journalistfor the collegenewspaper

Generous scholarshipscould lure UK studentsacross the Atlantic,says Nicola Woolcock

Student Guide 2009Studying abroad

Game on for the Amer

decided tostudy inAmericaaftermycuriosity foralternatives toOxbridgewasaroused.WhenmyASlevel results cameout IbrowsedAmericanuniversitywebsitesand foundmyselfmotivated tocompleteanapplication toHarvard.The listsofextracurricularopportunitieswerealmostoverwhelmingandI

loved the ideaofHarvards internationalstatusanddiverseassortmentof students.I completed theapplication in sixweeks

andgenerally found theprocess tobemore toil thanchallenge.AlthoughtheSATexams( the standardisedUStests forcollegeadmission)are long, themultiple-choice format isnot toodifficult.However, Ineededadvice fromthosefamiliarwith theAmericansysteminorder towritemyapplicationessays, as thefocusonpersonal charactermeans they

arecompletelydifferent fromthemoreacademicBritishessays.Iwasacceptedandhavespent thepast

twoyearsatHarvard,whichhavepassedatwhirlwindspeed. Inmyfirst semester, Ifoundmyself being taughtbyaPulitzerprizewinnerandwas submerged ina levelofworkcomparable to theA-levelcrammingperiod.I soonbecameaccustomedto feeling

star-struck,as incredibleachievementsamongfacultyandstudents are thenorm,while renownedfigures, includingAlGoreandBanKi-moon, frequentlyvisit togivetalks to students.IdontknowasingleHarvardstudent

whois contentwithmerely tackling theimmenseamountofwork,andmost takeontwoor threeseriousextracurricularactivities.Myownbiggestcommitment isasa journalist for theopinionsectionofthecollegenewspaper,TheHarvard

Crimson. Thedailypaperowns itsownprintingpress andpresentsan incredibleopportunity topractiseprofessionaljournalism.Livingonanother continenthashada

major impactonmyuniversityexperi-ence. Inadditiontohaving toadjust toanewsetof customsandbeinga foreigner, IhavegainedperspectiveonBritainsplacein theworld.Myclose friends fromNewZealand,BrazilandEgyptmeanInolongerconsiderEnglishcustoms,educationandpolitics tobe standardpracticeandhavebeenexposedtoahugevarietyofculturalbackgrounds.LifeatHarvardcansometimes seem

overwhelming, simplybecauseof therangeofopportunitiesonoffer.However,thebreadthofmyuniversityexperiencesandthediversityof students Imeetmeanthat thechallenge isworthwhile.OliviaGoldhill

I

M

Just out of curiosity, I ended up at Harvard

THETIMESThursdayAugust202009 1GX 13

New friends andnew places to go

icyclesclatteralongcobbledstreets,studentsdrinkcoffee insunnysquaresandariver runs throughthecity.But this isnotOxbridgeorDurham.This isMaastrichtUniversity in theNetherlandsan

English-speakingcollegeofferingdegreesathalf thepriceofEnglish tuition fees.Close to thebordersofBelgiumand

Germany, theuniversityhas students fromalloverEuropebutonlyahandful fromtheUK,despitebeingashort journey fromtheChannelTunnel. Wemiss theBritish,saysProfessorReindeWilde,deanof thefacultyof artsandsciences.Maastricht ismost famous for the 1992

treaty thatcreated theEuropeanUnionandgavebirth to theeuro.Thetreatys

associationwithgreyingpoliticianshastaintedMaastricht sincebut this reputa-tionmasksa livelyandpicturesquecity.Thecosmopolitanuniversity,housed inhistoricbuildings,providesahighlycrediblealternative tohighereducation inBritain,professorsandstudents say.Tensof thousandsofgoodstudentswill

missoutonuniversity in theUKthisSeptemberbecauseof theunprecedentednumberapplying.DrJoRitzen,presidentofMaastrichtUniversity, is encouragingBritishstudents tosee thisasanopportuni-ty to studyoverseas instead.Thestudentswill reportbackthat this

was thebest thingthateverhappenedtothem,hesays. Theywill congratulate theUKgovernment for limitingplacesandgivingthemthechancetostudyinEurope.Afewgroundbreakershavealready

madetheirwayacross theChannelandaretaking theirdegreeshere.Alexandra

Chorlton, 19,hadoffers fromthreeUKuniversitiesbut choseMaastrichtbecause itwas thecheapestand themostinternationaloption.Ihavenever regretted thedecision,

shesays. Iknewthatyoucoulddoanexchange inmanymorecountries thanyoucould in theUK.Chorlton, likeallherclassmates, is goingoverseas this summertoapartneruniversity. Shewill spendasemester studying inPerth,Australia.Yougetan internationalexperience for

next tonomoney, sheadds. If yourecoming fromtheUKyoudohave tobeabitbrave togoabroad.Onceyougethere itsreallyworth it.Sowhats thenightlife like?Shegrimaces

Well, thereare lotsofhouseparties.Hardcoreclubberswouldnotbehappyhereas thescene isnotequivalent tobigcities intheUK.Mostplacescloseby2am.TheNetherlands is renownedfor its

coffee-shopculturewithaplentifulsupplyof legaliseddrugs. Whenyouarrive, saysArianeSketcher, 21,a lotofstudentsare like wahey! but Idont thinkabout it anymore.Afterall thepartying there is stillwork

tobedone.Students learn insmallgroupsof 12.Theydiscuss theweeksquestionbeforegoingaway toreadmorewidelyandcomeback together to thrashoutananswer.Thisproblem-based learningtechnique, complementedbyaweeklylecture, is best suited toarts subjects ratherthandegrees that leave little roomfordebate, suchasmaths.DrLouisBoon,deanofUniversity

CollegeMaastricht, says: Groupworkensures that studentsput in theeffort.Theygetmotivated to look intosomethingbecause they realise theydontknowabout it.JoannaSugden

Student Guide 2009

rican dream

B

Even going to collegeat home can turn youinto a globetrotter,says Nicola Woolcock

6Tuition fees 1,620 (1,400) less thanhalf thecostofBritishuniversities6Studygroupsof 126All studentsspendasemester inauniversityabroad6 International studentscandopaidwork forupto tenhoursaweek6Easyaccess toAmsterdam,Berlin,ParisorLondonaswell asBrussels,Lige,Aachen,CologneandDsseldorf

MatthewNicholson-Lewis, l eft, plays tennisatnational levelandwillprobablyusehisskills tosecureaplacenextyearatanAmericanuniversity.

Nicholson-Lewis, 17,wholivesnearCambri