What should I be doing this month?
What to think about this month - May 2013
As the exam tsunami sweeps over you, it can wash away all thoughts of uni applications. Fair enough – getting the grades has got to be priority number one. But, if you’re in 13, don't forget you’ve got a deadline this month for applying for student finance and, if you're in year 12, it’s worth keeping one eye on the next wave on the horizon.
If you're in year 12
If you're in year 13
What to think about if you're in year 12
Exam season is here. If you missed any of our revision tips in last month’s newsletter, catch up
here.
In
between cramming and revising, it’s worth thinking about what you're
going to do during that time after you’ve finished your exams but before
the start of the summer break?
Your school of college might
already have loaded down your timetable like Extreme Buckaroo, you might
be planning a little well earned chill time. Either way, it’s a good
time to schedule your post-exam recovery around some uni visits to check
out what they’re really like.
Unis usually hold several
official open days a year, but you don’t have to wait – most unis are
happy for you to come any time. Some will ask that you let them know
you’re coming and it's only polite. Besides, they may be able to make
sure you're getting the most out of your trip.
But don't just
think about what they're most proud to show you. What do you want? How
does what's on offer here suit you? Has it got what it takes to become a
place you'd call home?
Of course, you can’t visit all 140-odd
universities during this time. In fact, getting even to 4 or 5 will be a
pinch. How do decide which ones are worth the train fare? Our friends
at QAA have made this
video about how to start your search. Among their
suggestions is to look at Push, where you’ll find the Uni Chooser to
help you narrow down your search.
What to think about if you're in year 13
The deadline for applying for student finance is 31 May. So if you haven’t completed your application, strap on the skates.
You
can still apply after this deadline, but there’s a chance that you'll
get to uni before the money does. You might find yourself starting uni
with only the change from down the back of the sofa.
There are two types of money you can apply for:
loans (which you have to pay back) and
grants (which you don’t).
This money will pay for the following things:
Your tuition fees: covered by a loan.
The
money you need to live on: this is often called ‘maintenance’ and
basically covers anything that isn’t fees including rent, bills, food,
travel, textbooks, nights out etc. Depending on what money you or your
family has, what you're studying and even where, you'll either get a
loan for this or a grant.
Who you apply to depends on where
you’re from, not where you’ll be studying. The places to apply are
Student Finance England, Student Finance Wales, Student Finance Northern
Ireland and Student Finance Scotland.
TOP TIP: There are often a
whole load of other grants or bursaries you can apply for from your
uni. They'll all have different criteria and deadlines, but check with
your chosen unis what they've got and what you need to do to get it.
Last updated on: 13 May 2013