|
|
Up for Learning in Glasgow
Frequently asked questions about going to college or university
Courses and outcomes
- Q. What kinds of courses are available?
- A. You can study just about anything, from accounting to zoology, from cooking
to plumbing, from dancing to tourism. You can go on with subjects you’ve enjoyed
in school, or choose something completely different. You can pick a course that
equips you with skills to do a particular kind of job, or do something that will
open up a whole range of careers. You can start your learning after S4, S5 or S6.
You can start at any level and work your way, directly or step by step, towards
the qualifications you want. Courses vary in length too: for example, a college
national certificate might last an academic year, from August to June. On the other
hand, if you want to be a doctor, you have to go to university for five years to
do a medical degree, and then work for some time afterwards before you are fully
qualified.
- Useful Links
- Useful Information
- Q. Where can I get information about colleges and universities?
- You can use the links within UfL to find out about local colleges and universities:
where they are; how to get there; the range of courses and subjects they offer and
what you need to get in. Of course, you may want to go to college or university
outside the local area. So, for information about courses elsewhere in Scotland,
go to the Learning Zone on PlanIT Plus, or for higher education opportunities elsewhere
in the UK, check out the UCAS website. There’s other important information you may
want to find out: sports and leisure facilities; campus social life; ICT setup;
laboratories or workshop provision; practice kitchens, salons or clinics; studios
and equipment; student accommodation and catering facilities.
- Useful Links
- Useful Information
- Q. What qualifications do I need?
- You can go to college and university open days or information sessions. There
may be summer school arrangements or taster sessions available through links between
your school and local colleges and universities too. Because there’s a broad range
of courses on offer, the entry qualifications vary too, depending on your starting
point. And sometimes, if a course is very popular, or the number of places is limited,
the entry qualifications go up. However, you can do a college based National Certificate
or National Qualification after sitting S grades. If you stay on and do a couple
of Highers you could go into a Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Higher National
Diploma (HND). Or, if you pass a group of relevant Highers you can go straight into
a degree course. And you can always move on to more advanced study like HNCs, HNDs
and degrees in stages, even if you start at an S grade entry course.
- Useful Links
- Q. What can I do once I’ve finished my course?
- Once you’ve worked out what your career aim is it’s up to you to investigate
all the alternative routes towards it and choose the course that suits you best.
Some courses enable you to get the skills to get into a specific job, then do further
training and learning once you’re in work. Others help you to gain skills and knowledge
that different kinds of employers are looking for, therefore opening up a range
of job opportunities. It’s a good idea to find out the kinds of jobs previous students
have gone into: you’ll get this information from admissions staff at institutions,
by going to open days and careers exhibitions and by discussing your plans with
a Careers Adviser.
- Useful Links
- Useful Information
Money and funding
- Q. What kind of financial help can I get if I go into further education full time?
- If you go to college straight from school to do a full time further education
course below Higher National Certificate level, like a national qualification or
Scottish Vocational Qualification, you can apply for an Educational Maintenance
Allowance or Bursary, depending on your age, location and family circumstances.
Support may include course fees, living costs, travel expenses and study materials.
Additional help is available for students who have an illness or disability, have
dependants or are lone parents, or are experiencing severe financial problems.
- Useful Links
- Useful Information
- Q. What kind of financial help will I get if I go into higher education full time?
- If you go to college or university to study full time for a higher education
course at Higher National Certificate or above, the support you can get (loan, payment
of tuition fees, bursary, supplementary grants, accommodation, travel expenses)
varies depending on your personal circumstances, such as your age, your family situation,
any health issues or additional support needs you have and also on the nature of
the course you are applying for. This is a complex area, so you need to do your
research very thoroughly, and take advice from the experts.
- Useful Links
- Q. Will I have to work part time while I am studying?
- Many students have to work part time to support themselves through their time
at college or university. (A recent report showed that 60% of Scottish 16 and 17
year olds in full time education also worked part time). There’s a plus side: you
get extra money for social life and holidays; you can impress future employers with
useful evidence of the skills you’ve picked up along the way, like time management
(juggling work and study) and communication skills (dealing with awkward customers);
and you may be able to make a dent in the student debt you’re likely to build up
as you go through your time at college or university. On the down side, if you don’t
get the balance right, your course work could suffer. It’s all about priorities,
and your priority has to be to come out at the end of your course with the best
qualification you can.
- Useful Links
- Q. What are the long term benefits of studying at college or university?
- No matter how you look at it, the benefits of getting qualifications speak for
themselves: • the lower your qualifications, the lower your earning power over your
whole working life and the more likely you are to be unemployed; • the higher your
qualifications, the more you are likely to earn throughout your working life; •
there is a predicted increase in the number of job opportunities for people with
higher level qualifications in Scotland
Applying to college or university
- Q. How do I apply to college?
- You usually apply directly to each college that interests you, either on line
or by completing an application form.
- Useful Links
- Useful Information
- Q. How do I apply to university?
- There is a centralized electronic system for applying to university in the UK:
UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. You’ll get all the information
you need about how it works in school. There’s a specialist application system for
nurse education too (CATCH) and one for some UK music schools (CUKAS).
- Useful Links
- Useful Information
- Q. Are there closing dates or deadlines?
- It’s always a good idea to apply early, by April for college courses starting
in August and November for courses with a January start. UCAS, the system for applying
to university, has different deadlines, which vary slightly depending on the course,
and there are special arrangements for some music and drama courses at the Royal
Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. And some art related courses will have a deadline
for sending in your portfolio.
- Useful Information
- Q. Will I have an interview to get in?
- Some courses invite you for interview as part of the selection procedure; others
will want you to provide evidence of ability or interest or both, which could mean
going for an audition or getting a portfolio together. The interview is your chance
to convince course leaders that you are the kind of student they are looking for.
There are some courses too which want you to have relevant experience to prove your
interest before you start.
- Useful Information
Student life
- Q. What will college life be like?
- It’ll be different from school, that’s for sure: because you’ve made the choice,
it’s up to you to make the most of the chance to be independent, enjoy the freedom,
and yet put the work in, because that’s how you get results. You’ll have to get
used to new ways of learning and thinking, and adjust to managing your own time
and organising your own schedule. You won’t have classes all day and every day either
so you have to learn to use that ‘free’ time in a constructive way. You’ll also
meet lots of new people from different backgrounds, with different points of view.
Depending on your subject, the way you learn may be much more hands on and less
exam focussed.
- Q. What will university life be like?
- It’ll be different from school, that’s for sure: because you’ve made the choice,
it’s up to you to make the most of the chance to be independent, enjoy the freedom,
and yet put the work in, because that’s how you get results. You’ll have to get
used to new ways of learning and thinking, and adjust to managing your own time
and organising your own schedule. You won’t have classes all day and every day either
so you have to learn to use that ‘free’ time in a constructive way. You’ll also
meet lots of new people from different backgrounds, with different points of view.
Depending on your course you could have opportunities to travel, to get practical
experience and even to work directly with real clients, patients or service users.
Be prepared for culture shock: even the smallest university is on a much grander
scale than the largest school and classes can be large and anonymous. In contrast,
tutorials and labs can be challenging in a different way because your active participation
is vital to your learning. If you move away from home to study, there’s even more
to get used to: coping on your own, financially and socially, being homesick, doing
your own washing and ironing, making sure you eat the right kind of food and getting
enough sleep.
- Useful Links
- Useful Information
- Q. Who’s there to support me once I’m at college or university?
- Having attracted you into one of their courses, universities and colleges are
keen for you to succeed once you’re there. To enable you make the most of your studies
there’s a whole range of specialist staff to support you. So you’ll be able to access
learning and study support; get help if you have a disability, illness or additional
support needs affecting your studies; and get practical assistance with finance,
child care and accommodation issues. These experts are there for you not just when
you hit a snag, but more importantly to help you take steps to avoid problems occurring.
- Q. Will I get help to find a job once I finish my course?
- All college and universities have dedicated career education and advisory services
to help you all the time you are there. They can help you with part time or vacation
work as well as working with you to get that job you always dreamed of. There will
be plenty of chances to get your CV sorted, they’ll be able to help you to get in
touch with prospective employers and give you support to prepare for interviews.
- Useful Links
If you have other questions not answered here, contact us on 0800 44 22 22
or email your enquiry to help@upforlearning.net.
|