Why go to university?

An Introduction to University,Personal Statements &

Finance

Schools and Colleges Liaison

The profession requires it

Many professions require employees to be trained to degree standard before they can work and the list increases year on year

• Doctor

• Dentist

• Veterinary Surgeon

• Solicitor

• Architect

• Journalist

• Primary School Teacher

• Software Programmer

• Pharmacist

Top marks from the Quality Assurance Agency

Enhance your subject knowledge

• Most students choose to go to university and study a subject that interests them

• There are over 37,250 HE courses to choose from across the UK

• Delivered by 376 universities and colleges

• There is something out there for everyone

High Student Satisfaction

Advantages of going to university

Career prospects and academic opportunities:

• Average starting salary £25,000

• Graduates on average earn a great deal more in a lifetime

• International recognition

• Route to higher level qualifications (Masters and research degrees)

Historic city centre location

To increase employment prospects

Gain and develop transferable skills

• Team work

• Research

• Independent thinking

• Presentation skills

• Time management

All of which employers really look for in a candidate.

World Class Research

What is different about university?

The way you learn:

• Lectures, seminars and tutorials

• Emphasis on self study

• A great deal of reading/research

• Self driven

• No one will chase you for work

Award winning community radio station

Students’ Union

• Enhances the student experience

• Organises sporting/social events

• Represents the student body

• Social life

• Meet new people

• Job shop

• Volunteering

£160 Million investment into the campus

Students’ Union

• Enhances the student experience

• Organises sporting/social events

• Represents the student body

• Social life

• Meet new people

• Job shop

• Volunteering

£160 Million investment into the campus

Personal Statements

• Appropriate academic qualifications

• A good personal statement

• A good academic reference

• A well prepared and thought out application- a last minute job will be easily noticed

World Class Research

What do tutors look for in your UCAS application?

Excellent graduate employment

The Personal Statement

Admissions tutors will question:

– Your interest in the course

– Research

– Your suitability for the course

– The qualifications you have/are working towards

– Can you work under pressure?

– How you will adjust to life at university

– Can you communicate effectively?

– Are you hardworking?

Personal Statement- Content

Example:

“Having studied law at college I found criminal law the most interesting aspect of the course and would like to concentrate on Criminology at university. The ideal career for me would be to investigate crime or deal with rehabilitation of offenders in the Probationary Service.”

Award winning community radio station

£160 Million investment into the campus

– What do I enjoy studying now and why?

– Have I undertaken any work experience/voluntary work alongside my studies?

– Have I gained any extra qualifications or achievements outside of your studies? e.g. DofE, EPQ

– What have I gained from any field trips or extra-curricular activities?

Personal Statement- Content

Personal Statement- Content

Example:

“At school I joined an activity known as Young Enterprise, an organisation that enabled a group of students to set up their own company. The company ran for around a year and in that time I learned many aspects of running a business. I gained skills in working in a group situation and working to a deadline. I gave the company my full commitment and as a result along with the rest of the group we succeeded.”

Times Higher Award Employer Engagement

The media archive for Central England is located on campus

Personal Statement- Content

Extra information to include:

– Positions of responsibility

– Gap year plans

– Sports, hobbies and interests

– Volunteer work

– Extra-curricular activities

Personal Statement- Content

Example:

“I enjoy music and have passed my Grade VIII Flute exam. I have taken an active part in the school orchestra, performing both solo and group pieces. I also like to be involved with school productions, appearing as a dancer in productions of ‘Grease’ and ‘Bugsy Malone’. More recently I became involved in a different way by joining the stage and sound crew for ‘Whistle Down the Wind’.”

Safest University in the East Midlands

Student as Producer initiative

Personal Statement- Content

Be positive:

– Being a dedicated team member of…

– The skills I have gained…

– My A level subjects have…

– My achievements include…

– As a volunteer of…

Personal Statement- Hints & Tips

•Use language effectively

– Not: ‘I am the captain of the football team’

– But: ‘My role as captain of the football team has helped me to develop leadership skills in planning home and away fixtures.’

•Only include information you would be happy to answer questions on in an interview

•Humour does not work

•Type out in Word first

Excellent Scholarship Packages

I am passionate about a career in Business Management especially the fashion trade, therefore chose to take a more practical BTEC qualification in preference to the traditional three A levels, as this is more relevant to my proposed career. I have also supplemented this with an A level and I am hopeful of obtaining good grades. I am conscious of the competition for places in Business Management, but would stress that I am thoroughly motivated. I have undertaken work experience with an both an insurance company and in a Birmingham department store. This has given me good experience, helped to focus on my career aim and developed my social skills.Membership of a drama society and work with local charities has developed my communication skills, team work and ability to think and work on my own. I am concerned about pollution and have campaigned for the introduction of recycling in my college. With a great interest in music from classical to more popular, I play the flute and have achieved grade 8 in my recent exams. My reading ranges from poetry to politics and last year I attended a Shakespeare Summer School at Stratford, taking part in a production of Hamlet.

Personal Statement- good example

Journalism and Psychology top 10 in the country

rancid therapy slipknot run dmc ronisize

rage against the machine blink 182 hip hop

madness nirvana sex pistols sugarhill gang

iggy pop sepultura blondie a specials kittieprodigy eels deftones beastie boys

Personal Statement- bad example

Industry accreditations across our courses

Student Finance

2014

Schools and Colleges LiaisonStudent Finance 2015

• No upfront payments required

• Bigger borrowing does not increase repayment amount

• Loans will be written off

The things you need to know

World Class Research

• Tuition fee loan

• Maintenance loan

• Maintenance grant

• Additional funding sources

The Financial Support

Excellent graduate employment

• Fees up to £9,000

• Everyone entitled to the loan

• Can be a full or partial loan

• Paid directly to institution

• Apply for each year of study

Tuition fee loan

Historic city centre location

• Available to all; partly means tested

• 100% amount depends on where you decide to live whilst at university

£4,565 at home £5,740 away from home£8,009 away from home, in London

• Three instalments

• The exact amount you get is based on your household income (thresholds are £25,000 to £58,200 at home, £62,143 outside London, £69,766 in London)

• This loan is applied for each year you study

Maintenance loan

Award winning community radio station

• Additional help for low household income students and is wholly means tested

• The maximum students will receive is £3,387

• The thresholds for household income are £25,000 to £42,875

• This grant is not repayable

• Applied for each year you study

Maintenance grant

£160 Million investment into the campus

• Disabled Students’ Allowance

• Adult Dependents’ Grant

• Childcare Grant

• Parents’ Learning Allowance

• All of the above are non-repayable

• Applied for each year you study

Potential extra support

The media archive for Central England is located on campus

• NHS

• University scholarships/bursaries

• Worthy cause funding

• Always check

Other funding sources

Excellent Scholarship Packages

• Two loans added together- one overall repayment amount

• Repayments start in the April following graduation

• Earning more than £21,000 per annum

• Deducted directly from salary

Repaying the loans

Accountancy and Finance ranked 1st in the country for the last 5 years

• Repayment amount is 9% of your gross salary, once earning above £21,000

• At a starting salary of £25,000 – the repayment will be £360/year or £30/month (9% of £4,000)

• Lump sum payments can be made

• Interest accrued from day one of the loan

What you pay

Journalism and Psychology top 10 in the country

• Applications for the main loans and grants made online or on paper via Student Finance England

• SFE deadline 31st May

• Individual university bursaries and scholarships- check with institution

• Other sources- check on how to apply via the institution or funding website

How to apply

Lincoln Cathedral celebrated as one of the finest medieval landmarks in Europe

• slc.co.uk

• gov.uk/student-finance

• gov.uk/unimoney

• scholarship-search.org.uk

• unigrants.co.uk

• studentcashpoint.co.uk

• moneysavingexpert.com/students

• Student Finance England Customer Support Line: 0300 100 0607

Resources:

First School of Engineering built in the last 20 years

Open days 2014• Saturday 7th June

• Saturday 12th July

• Saturday 20th September

• Saturday 4th October

• Saturday 18th Ocotber

• Saturday 15th November

• Wednesday 3rd December

All of our open days can be booked online and we run informal tours regularly

Thank you for listening | Any questions?

Contact Us:

lincoln.ac.uk

enquiries@lincoln.ac.uk

01522 886644

/UniversityOfLincoln @UniLincoln

£160 million investment into the campus