Parent and Carer Information

This is to ensure that there is sufficient processing time to meet the UCAS application deadlines. Once a student has completed their parts of the application the Achievement Tutor needs time to check for errors and then add a 4,000-character reference before sending it off to UCAS. This can take up to 10 working days. Internal deadlines keep everyone on track to meet the external deadlines and guarantee your application with be processed promptly.

Your child can apply for the same subject at up to five different universities. It is possible to apply for different subjects at different universities, but this can make it hard to write a strong personal statement. We would strongly advise your child not to apply for five different courses at the same university. Further guidance from UCAS is available here: https://www.ucas.com/how-write-personal-statement-works-multiple-courses

Yes, this is fine, so long as all five courses are similar enough to allow for a strong personal statement.

As it explains here https://www.ukuniversitysearch.com/blog/post/university-foundation-year, foundation years are an extra year of study at the start of the course that allows students who don’t have the required entry requirements to study a degree. They support students to develop the skills and knowledge they need to progress onto the first year of a degree. They are for people who haven’t studied the A-levels that the degree requires, or who didn’t get the grades they needed, or whose qualifications aren’t accepted for the course.

A foundation degree is equivalent to the first two years of a full degree and will take two years to complete if you’re studying full-time. A student can ‘top up’ their foundation degree to a full undergraduate degree with an extra year of study. The entry requirements for a foundation degree are usually more flexible than those for a full undergraduate degree. Find out more here: https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/what-and-where-study/choosing-course/foundation-degrees

Students can apply for both foundation years and foundation degrees through UCAS.

When your UCAS application is sent to the universities you’ve chosen, they can’t see where else you’ve applied, or which university you put last – or first. So, this won’t affect the likelihood of you being offered a place by any particular university.

You will need to wait until all the universities you’ve applied to have sent you a response. If more than one university offers you a place, you can pick which one you’d prefer to go to and make this your firm choice. You can then pick a second university as your back-up plan and make this your insurance choice. Usually, the insurance choice has lower entry requirements. You can read more about this here: https://www.ucas.com/connect/blogs/replying-offers-%E2%80%93-your-questions-answered (Please ignore the deadlines given; these relate to current U6 students.)

Yes. If students wish to study abroad, or apply for degrees that include a placement year abroad, the Careers Department can support them in their research.

If your child wants to study their whole degree abroad, UK student finance is unlikely to be available. If your child is a UK national, they will need to contact any universities they’d like to study at to ask what their fees will be and whether they will be eligible for financial support. 

A UK student studying in the EU may need to rely on savings, parental support and part-time work to cover living costs.

Student finance consists of a tuition fee loan, which is paid directly to the university, and a maintenance loan, which the student is paid at the start of each term.

All UK nationals can apply for the tuition fee loan (see this webpage for eligibility details https://www.gov.uk/student-finance/who-qualifies) but how much maintenance loan your child receives will depend on your household income. University students who live at home receive a lower loan amount than those who live away. You can read more about this here: https://www.gov.uk/student-finance/new-fulltime-students

You can also use this student finance calculator to estimate the loan your child will get: https://www.gov.uk/student-finance-calculator

This depends. If the foundation year is an integral part of a course and, when they enrol at university, the students enrols for the entire course, then they can access student finance. If the foundation year prepares students to take a higher education course, then it may not be covered. We’d strongly advise students considering a foundation year to contact the college or university offering it to check if it’s eligible for student finance.

You can find out more about this here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/student-finance-how-youre-assessed-and-paid/student-finance-how-youre-assessed-and-paid-2022-to-2023

Experience of the workplace is a vital part of our careers programme. All our students have opportunities to gain this experience through their curriculum subjects. This is an example: https://www.notredamecoll.ac.uk/news/investment-win-economics-students

In addition, students who wish to progress into certain degree subjects, or who intend to go into an apprenticeship or full-time employment after college, are advised to arrange and attend an onsite placement if possible. This can take place at the end of lower sixth during the summer break or during any college holiday. Students should not miss lessons to attend a work experience placement.

Universities and employers have been more flexible about their work experience requirements in recent years due to the number of companies who now work from home or whose work placement offer remains limited due to Covid.

Any students who’d like support with experiences of the workplace can speak to the Careers Department.

Yes. All students receive information and guidance regarding apprenticeships as part of their tutorial programme. Anyone who wishes to progress into an apprenticeship or employment after completing their studies at college is provided with targeted support during upper sixth (and beforehand if they visit the Careers Department).

This support includes an introductory workshop on alternatives to higher education, one-to-one careers appointments, the annual college Careers Fair, and further workshops covering CV writing, searching for jobs, finding and applying for apprenticeships, and taking a gap year. In addition, regular job bulletins will be emailed to upper sixth students promoting apprenticeship/employment vacancies and upcoming events/webinars.

We keep in touch with these students over the summer term and after results day to check how they are getting on and offer further support as needed.

Mock grades will contribute but not entirely. UCAS predicted grades are based on a balanced view of a student's performance across all assessments given, combined with knowledge of their minimum target grade (a performance indicator from GCSE results) and teachers view of potential for growth within the subject based on factors like Attitude to Learning. 

Anyone taking a gap year can apply through UCAS as an ex-Notre Dame, which means that the college will support them with their application, write a reference for them, and provide feedback on their personal statement. Before they step down from upper sixth, students are asked to let the Careers Department know if they intend to take a gap year, so that appropriate guidance can be provided for them. Students take a gap year will need to start working on their UCAS application as soon as possible after A-level results day.

There are always places available on some degree courses at some universities on A-level results day and usually for a few days afterwards. However, we can’t guarantee that a place will be available at the university / on the course that your child would prefer e.g. for medicine at a Russell Group university.

The Careers Department will be in college on A-level results day to support students, and will continue that support during the following days either in person or by phone or email.

Absolutely yes, it is extremely valuable for students to attend open days. This would be supported by authorisation, providing evidence is shown to their Achievement Tutor prior to the day.

We would encourage these students to make an appointment with the Careers Department to explore their options.