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Home > Parents & Carers > Higher Education

Higher Education, Further Education & Study Abroad

Supporting your young person through the university process may seem exciting, but also can be daunting with many choices and considerations. Over 70% of our students choose to enter Higher Education, around 25% after taking a gap year, and at BHASVIC we have available plenty of support for our students. This is mainly delivered through the tutorial system but may well include advice and guidance from teaching staff, and expertise from our careers and HE advisors.

Although students are kept well informed; it may well be helpful for you to know what happens in college, and how you might be able to support your young person at home. Please see information below for tutorial support throughout A1 and A2 at BHASVIC.

We suggest looking carefully on any university website for specific requirements and please do contact university admissions officers, they will have email contact addresses as well as phone numbers.  All universities are keen to increase their numbers of applications and will want to help.

Parents and carers of A1 and A2 students are able to attend our Higher Education Information Webinars in February and March and our Specialist Applications Evening in May, please scroll down the page to view these under their specific subject headings). Our BHASVIC Parents' and Carers' Guide to Higher Education 2024-25 is full of helpful information and there are additional resources such as bitesize information, webinars and subject guides below.

What should your young person be doing at the moment to prepare for their UCAS application? Whatever stage of the UCAS journey students are following there is always plenty of help and support available. Alongside a range of resources, including Bitesize audio and information sessions in college, there is much information and guidance to help students along their way. Sessions in tutorial in both A1 and A2 years, support any student making a UCAS or degree level application for any course now, or in the future. All universities have plenty of virtual information available and we do encourage students to ask questions of admissions officers, particular those specific to a course they wish to apply for, and attend university open days.

Very experienced personal tutors support them in their UCAS, Oxbridge and Medics pathways, Teams channels and groups also support with regularly updated information and opportunities that come through to us. The welcome to UCAS Sharepoint page contains all resources available to both A1 and A2 Students. Students also apply through UCAS via the Visual Arts and Employability and Enterprise pathways – they also are well-supported by very knowledgeable specialists. Students should keep an eye out for updates and registering for the UCAS Hub provides useful UCAS-related content.

A quick listen to the Bitesize Audio presentations available below will provide an overview of information and considerations.  
If you require further support please email he@bhasvic.ac.uk.

Contact us for help

Please do email us with any BHASVIC specific or general questions regarding Higher Education.

We have a dedicated email address for questions, although please be aware that every higher education institution is different with different courses and requirements, and we often can’t give specific advice on institutions and courses.

HE@bhasvic.ac.uk

We will aim to reply in term time as soon as possible and emails are monitored most of holiday times, although there may be a short delay.

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Nikki Fabry

Guidance Manager, Higher and Further Education, Study Abroad 

Higher Education Noticeboard 

General HE info for Parents and Carers:

There is a huge amount of information online regarding university choices and higher education. This is just a few suggestions of websites to browse. It is worth spending time with your young person looking together researching the right courses and institutions for them. 

Please find more suggestions in the useful links section below including resources for:

Options & Careers/University Research/Finance/Scholorships/Open Days/Taster Days/Summer Schools/Events/Work Placements/Study Abroad/Gap Year/Volunteering.

 

Moving into Year 2 (for parents of A1 students) - February 2024

The webinar begins with an explanation of Progression from A1 into A2 and the different tutorial pathways which students choose for their A2 year. This is followed by an introduction to Higher Education , including the pros and cons of university-level study and how BHASVIC supports students to make suitable choices and apply to university.  The webinar was live streamed and recorded via our YouTube Channel.

Higher Education Information Evening (for parents of A2 students) - March 2024

This webinar goes through the funding process for Higher Education (university study) and will explain university fees, the student loans process, and the next steps which students need to take to confirm their places. The webinar was streamed and recorded via our YouTube Channel.

On the evening both events featured a live Q&A function, parents/carers were able to post their questions live during the session. 

Support at home in making these life changing decisions is critical, and all evidence shows that parents and carers have a huge influence on their young person’s decisions.  We were able to answer questions on the night, but please do not hesitate to email he@bhasvic.ac.uk with any queries – large or small.  If we haven’t got an immediate answer, we will point you in the right direction.

Please check the wealth of resources on our Higher Education website page (scroll down the page for further specialist pathway information including: Oxbridge, Medics, Conservatoires) and see the helpful BHASVIC Parents and Carers Guide to Higher Education 2024-2025, designed to support you as our students navigate their journeys. Specialist careers advisers can offer further support for careers, widening participation (WP), work experience and higher education, so please encourage your young person to book an appointment with them by emailing careers@bhasvic.ac.uk if they would like further advice. Our student services team also offer advice on counselling, bursaries, financial support and welfare, please find full information on our website Our Support Services. 

Our Specialist Application Evening for parents and carers of our A1 cohort will take place in May 2024, please see the sections for the Oxbridge and Medics pathways below. Further resources can be found on our Careers & Employability page.

These events are deliberately timed to prepare parents and carers for supporting their young person through Progression Week in the Summer Term.  

 

BHASVIC Subject Advice Higher-Tier Universities

BHASVIC Oxbridge Pathways Information

BHASVIC Medical Careers Pathway Information

BHASVIC Support for Studying Abroad

Useful Links

Options & Careers

University Research

Finance / Scholarships

Open days / Taster Days / Summer Schools / Events

Work Placements

Study Abroad

Gap year

Volunteering

The following calendar gives you some idea of how we support students at BHASVIC in deciding whether to apply for higher education and if they do decide to apply, how to select their university and relevant course, and how to complete the application process. We are currently updating this information.

Applying to BHASVIC

  • Careers staff available – students encouraged to book appointments with our careers staff
  • How parents/carers can support: Talk to students about their BHASVIC course choices, future plans.

A1 Year (Spring) 

  • My Future Plans - Tutor sessions considering pathways – higher education, apprenticeships
  • Futures Fair – wide range of exhibitors from all sectors
  • A1-A2 Transfer - Students make their second year course choices
  • Higher Education/Specialist evenings for parents/carers – parents evenings
  • Careers staff available – students encouraged to book appointments with our careers staff
  • How parents/carers can support: HE evening for parents/carers, talk to students about their BHASVIC course choices, future plans.

A1 Year (Summer)

  • Open days – Students begin to attend open days at universities they may be interested in. There is a lot of useful info online. Students will be spending a lot of time and money at University and we strongly suggest visiting universities to check they are right for them. Prime times are June/July and September/October. Students need to plan and book online in advance. We will authorise absences on receipt of evidence (emails) to reception.
  • UCAS Open Days search tool: https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/events-and-open-days
  • Progression Week – Students have an opportunity to attend a local university
  • Skills Week -  Students are able to gain an understanding of opportunities through work placements. 
  • Careers Enrichment Day – Students must attend pathway sessions and have an opportunity to attend a local university and begin researching options.
  • Careers staff available – students encouraged to book appointments with our careers staff
  • Personal Statements – Students introduced to personal statements – an important aspect of their applications
  • Contextual Information – Students give draft information to tutors to help them write information in support of their UCAS application.
  • Student Reports –are completed in July. Subject references are made available via Parent Advantage to parents / carers at the end of term
  • Predicted Grades – are completed in July. They are made available via the Parent Portal to parents/carers at the end of term
  • Tutor Contextual Information – students check and update information with tutors prior to the application being sent off to UCAS.
  • Preparation work for Personal Statements – to be completed in the autumn term
  • Summer schools and taster days – in preparation for applying to university
  • How parents/carers can support: Support students in researching options. Support and encourage students to attend university open days. Discuss choices and encourage matching preferred choices with realistic predicted grades. Home will receive subject references.

A2 Year (Autumn) 

  • College Internal Deadlines for all guaranteed UCAS applications
    • Early Application deadline Usually the third week of September for Oxbridge and Cambridge.
    • Internal Priority Application deadline mid-November for guaranteed processing before the national deadline.
    • Internal Standard deadline Early December after the Christmas break.
    • Ex-student deadline Early December.
  • Personal Statements – focus in tutor on writing Personal Statements (5/6 sessions) and support given by tutors on draft statements to improve quality. Additional support offered to WP students.
  • UCAS Apply Sessions – BHASVIC runs regular sessions (every lunchtime through mid-October to end of November) where Guidance managers will check students online applications. Students MUST attend a session for their application to progress
  • Contextual Information, Predicted Grades and Personal Statements – checked and reviewed in tutor sessions
  • How parents/carers can support: Continue to support researching options. Open days will still be available early in the autumn term. Read through personal statements. Encourage to be realistic about choices reflective of predicted grades. Remind students to check their emails.
  • Ensure deadlines are met: This is crucial. Our general office staff (and university staff) are term time only so do not work over Christmas.
  • Encourage email checking: If there is an error on a student’s Apply form we will need to contact the student to ask them to correct the information. If students do not check their emails regularly this becomes problematic.
  • Aspirational/Solid/Safe: We encourage students to make a mix of applications. Aspirational choices will be slightly above predicted grades, solid will predict their grades and safe may well be slightly under. This will ensure they are able to make effective Firm and Insurance Offers when universities make offers later on.
  • Firm/Insurance offers: There is lots of really good information online regarding offers.

A2 Year (Spring)

  • FINAL UCAS Application deadline January
  • Tutor – University preparation - accommodation / Student Finance / Independent Living
  • May – Deadline for offers and replies otherwise they disappear
  • Student Finance Applications - Opens around the end of February. Deadline usually end of May.
  • How parents/carers can support: Remind students to check their emails and UCAS track. Students need to register for student finance around Feb-March May. They will need their NI number. If they delay their finance maybe delayed, including their maintenance loans for September. They will confirm after results day when accepting their offers. 

A2 Year (Summer)

  • Deadline for University replies and offers – check UCAS website
  • Clearing and UCAS Extra opens for late applications.
  • Study leave and revision!
  • How parents/carers can support: Support students with revision. Planning for University – discuss accommodation and finance. Encourage learning skills of Independent Living including budgeting, basic cooking skills etc.

A2 Year (Results day)

  • Mid-August – BHASVIC Helpdesk opens (until end of August)
  • UCAS Adjustment opens
  • UCAS Apply 31st August Offer conditions must be met & Adjustment ends
  • How parents/carers can support: Support students with acceptances/offers/clearing. Students may contact universities through clearing or adjustment (when grades are better than expected).

Please do take a look at our subject guides which give useful information on what to ask on an open day, what to add on a personal statement, skills gained and entry requirements often required.

BHASVIC HE Guide Architecture, Building, Planning 24-25

BHASVIC HE Guide Business, Economics, Maths 24-25

BHASVIC HE Guide Computer Science 24-25

BHASVIC HE Guide Creative Arts 24-25

BHASVIC HE Guide Engineering & Science 24-25

BHASVIC HE Guide English, Drama, Film and Media 24-25

BHASVIC HE Guide Geography and Environmental Science 24-25

BHASVIC HE Guide History, Classics, Art History and Archaeology 24-25

BHASVIC HE Guide Languages & Linguistics 24-25

BHASVIC HE Guide Law, Philosophy, Politics and Religious Studies 24-25

BHASVIC HE Guide Medical Careers 24-25

BHASVIC HE Guide Anthropology, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology, Teacher Training 24-25

BHASVIC HE Guide Sport, Sport and Exercise Science 24-25

 

The Medical Careers tutorial pathway is intended to prepare students for making applications to medicine, dentistry or veterinary science, and meeting the early UCAS deadline for applications in these subjects.

It is enhanced by specialist enrichment activities during A1 year which students can choose to attend. Medsoc our medics enrichment society provides a wide variety of speakers across medicine, vet med and dentistry as well as wide healthcare opportunities. Students will move into a Medics tutor group in the final half term of their A1 year and during Progression Week, students will commit time to completing further detailed research into different medical schools and universities, as well as different course entry requirements and any additional requirements required or suggested by the higher education providers (for example, work experience, extra-curricular activities, entrance exams).

Please see the additional information below or contact Stella Coleman, Our Medics Coordinator through s.coleman@bhasvic.ac.uk.

As a parent/carer, you may find the following information and links helpful in preparing to support your young person with their next steps:

The Oxbridge tutorial pathway is intended to prepare prospective Oxbridge applicants for making a competitive application, and meeting the early UCAS deadline required for these colleges. Students interested in applying for an Oxbridge pathway will have the opportunity to attend enrichment after college in A1 year and can choose to join an Oxbridge tutor group in June of their first year.

During Progression Week, students follow a programme of events and activities which helped them to understand the process of applying to Oxford or Cambridge. They are expected to complete detailed research into the different colleges, as well as course entry and other special requirements. After Progression Week, they began the A2 tutorial programme led by Natalya Luck, our experienced Oxbridge Co-ordinator.

All Oxbridge tutees should expect to commit time to complete the personal statement assignments set by their Oxbridge tutor to ensure they are best placed to make a competitive application. They will also begin preparation for entrance exams.

If students require further specific information or support with their Oxbridge research, please encourage them to chat with Talya or Nikki through the Oxbridge Enrichment Team.

As a parent/carer, you may find the following information and links helpful in preparing to support your young person with their next steps. 

UCAS is the application service for performance-based music, dance, drama, and musical theatre courses
at conservatoires in the UK – at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Please find more information in our BHASVIC Conservatoires Guide 2024-25.

Conservatoire courses are very much based on practical training and performance, rather than the more academic courses available through UCAS Undergraduate. If your young person is interested in a practical discipline, such as instrumental or vocal performance, then a conservatoire course may be a more beneficial route for them.

BHASVIC fully supports students taking the Conservatoire route and many of the application processes are similar to a standard UCAS application.

A key difference is the need for both an academic and a practical reference. We can help. Please email HE@bhasvic.ac.uk for more information.

 

Every year a small number of our students choose to study abroad. Popular choices have included studying in the Netherlands, where many courses are taught in English, the USA and elsewhere in Europe although in the past few years we have had students apply as far a field as Australia, Taiwan and Japan.

The application process can be complex. There is no UCAS system for Higher Education Institutions worldwide so individual deadlines, courses and entry requirements need to be carefully researched by students. A key consideration is funding as Student Finance England (student loans) do not cover study abroad.

We have a dedicated share point page for Study Abroad covering many different countries worldwide which should be a first point of call for any student interested.

Students will need to undertake their own independent research as institutions worldwide can differ.

We can support any application to an institution abroad. Institutions may require transcripts and a variety of documents to support an application and it is useful to have time to prepare these in advance. It is really helpful if students can give us plenty of notice if thinking of taking this route by emailing HE@bhasvic.ac.uk as our references here in the UK do not always match what is required worldwide.

There are options run by many universities for students to study part of their degree abroad. The benefits for this are that universities manage accommodation through link universities and it is generally covered by UK Student Finance. This is an attractive option across a range of courses and universities. More information and how to research study abroad options in UK degrees is covered in our Bitesize Study Abroad PowerPoint (please see Bitesize section above) and also on our share point page Study Abroad.

Students Destinations

UCAS

  • BHASVIC processed 1457 University applications by the national deadline of January 2024 from current and ex-students – an increase from 893 in 2015
  • Around 70% of our students enter Higher Education with around a quarter taking a gap year before they go.
  • We continue to be pleased that our percentage of Higher Education acceptance routes for Widening Participation (including low income, first in family to go to university, care-leavers) and BAME groups is significantly higher than the national average.
  • 61% of BHASVIC students accepted a place at a high tariff university (including Oxbridge & Russell Group), substantially higher than the national average of 35%.
  • Number of Oxbridge offers continues to increase year on year with over 380 offers in the past seven years – making us the highest non-selective state provider to Cambridge.
  • We have seen a sustained increase in Medics, Veterinary and Dentistry offers with an offer rate of around 1:2 compared to 1:10 nationally.
  • HESA data shows 93.3% of our students achieve first or 2:1 degrees, substantially higher than the general sixth form sector. Excellent success rates at university study are replicated amongst low participation wards and First-generation scholars.
  • 70% of our vulnerable and disadvantaged students (low income, young carers, in care, care leavers) go onto university and 60% of our students receiving learning support – figures equal to our main student cohort.
  • 9% of our students’ progress into specialised further education, including very successful art foundation entry.

HESA Data 

  • HESA data shows our students are more likely to complete university compared to the general sixth form, state and independent sectors
  • 92.5% of our students achieve first and 2:1 degrees, substantially higher than the independent, state and sixth form sector in general. For students from low participation wards for all UK universities the figure is 92% compared to 84% for the state sector and 91.5% for the Independent sector.
  • Additionally, we know that our students from disadvantaged backgrounds perform higher than any other sector and are more likely to continue at university.

ESOL

  • 32 completed June 2023
  • 14 different nationalities, 5 different first languages
  • ESOL students go onto a variety of pathways including academic studies at BHASVIC, vocational courses in the local area and employment.

Deadlines for 2024-2025 to be confirmed.

Internal Deadlines: Please encourage your young person to meet these deadlines/ It is in their best interest and we processed over 1457 applications in 2024. 

  • Last week of September: Early Application Internal deadline for completion of all Oxbridge/Medics applications to process for the national deadline 16/10/23.
  • Mid-November: Internal Priority deadline for completion of UCAS applications. Applications completed by this date are likely to be processed more quickly by both BHASVIC and universities.
  • 1st December : Internal Standard deadline for completion of UCAS applications. Applications completed by this date are likely to be processed after the Christmas break in time for the national deadline.

Please note staff DO NOT work over the Christmas break and may have January work priorities that may delay processing UCAS applications after Christmas.

UCAS National Deadlines: Dates and deadlines for uni applications | Undergraduate | UCAS

Our approach to predicted grades

UCAS Predicted Grades are generated by teachers in June of the A1 year.  The grade is an evidence-based, professional judgement formulated by the teacher using a holistic assessment of potential and performance across the first year of study. We provide UCAS Predicted Grades in a student’s reference. These grades are most commonly used for a student’s UCAS application, but they can also be used by the college for other student application processes and reference requests. The UCAS Predicted Grade is not used in any final assessment judgements and sits outside of any assessments required of the college from awarding bodies. As such, the college aims to provide an “aspirational but achievable” UCAS Predicted Grade and this is not normally lower than the grade achieved in the A1 Summer Exam or key BTEC Unit assessments during the first year.

Any grade that is predicted by a teacher is their judgement of the most likely achievable final result, but it is obviously not a guarantee of that grade. Assessment evidence and progress reports across the second/final year of study, especially in the Spring and Early Summer Terms, will be the most accurate predictor of the likely final grade but that is not a reason to be cautious rather than aspirational.

Communication to students

Students will be introduced to UCAS Predicted Grades (how they are generated and when they are used) in A1 tutorial, when they are exploring their progression plans. This comes late enough for A1 students to put the information into context, but early enough so that they can act on it in support of their ambitions. 

Queries regarding UCAS Predicted Grades

We ask students and their parents or carers to avoid lobbying teachers or Personal Tutors to have their UCAS Predicted Grade raised. We ask this because over-predicting grades can be counter-productive for students and many universities and colleges monitor the accuracy of schools’ and colleges’ predictions – we do not want to disadvantage current and future students by creating a reputation of making unrealistic and over-optimistic predictions.

If they believe their Predicted Grade is incorrect students are asked in the first instance to contact their course teacher to seek advice and guidance with regard to their predicted grades. We would hope that students will understand how the grade has been generated and its relationship to their progress grades and other assessment history. If a student, parent or carer believes that a UCAS Predicted Grade is very clearly incorrect, then the student should speak with their subject teacher, providing a very clear set of information to their teacher (on-course assessments, mock exam results and other formal assessments) which clearly make a case for consistently higher performance than the prediction. If a grade is not changed and the student, parent or carer remains absolutely certain that the prediction is incorrect, the college’s Complaints Policy should be followed.

Requests for Predicted Grades for Ex-students

BHASVIC is able to offer predicted grades for students undertaking exam resits. This is normally agreed to be either the original predicted grades or a grade higher than the grade gained in final exams. Please direct all enquiries to General Office who will be managing ex-student applications.

 

There will be lots of students in this position due to linear changes to qualifications from all sectors of colleges/FE. 

Every university is different so it is worth discussing with individual universities (ringing admissions officers who will want to be helpful) what they might offer. Linear exams are new to universities too and they are yet to revise offers regarding 3 full A levels BUT it is a student’s market and discussions with regard to individual choices would be of benefit.

Students will have to investigate universities offering on points – there is a wide range although some of the competitive higher tariff universities will be out of range due to probably insisting on 3 full A levels. We cannot speak for them – students will have to research.

An additional AS/BTEC certificate will add 12-28 points for a good pass to distinction which would be useful. There is the added option of an EPQ to raise the possible points to apply with which is a gain of points that add more than an AS level – another 20-28 points for a good pass.

An additional option is to apply for a third year of further education elsewhere which offers possibly a BTEC in a year. Some students will choose this option.

Or a very good option is to choose a university offering a foundation year. 4th year added to a degree which supports a change of progression plans to pick up maths for example, or to apply with lower grades. A good example of this is the Sussex Foundation degree which asks for the equivalent of CCC (but may well be flexible) to apply for a second year entering AAA degrees. Other examples in UCAS Extra including nursing degrees with foundation asking DD.

Without knowing a student’s particular progression plans it is hard to comment further and responsibility will be down to students to research carefully, contact universities and ask. There may well be preference in any recovery course so it is worth finding out. The long and short is that there will be a cohort in the position.

Generally I would advise looking at the high number of quality universities prepared to offer on UCAS points – there are plenty, or Foundation years – which are really good courses and growing in number in a range of high/mid/lower tariff universities.