Parents & Guardians
Helping your child or someone that you care for decide on the right path for them can be quite daunting. Thankfully there are lots of resources available to help.
Helping your child or someone that you care for decide on the right path for them can be quite daunting. Thankfully there are lots of resources available to help.
Simply put, higher education is education or training undertaken after you leave school and sixth form college, usually at a university. It most commonly involves undergraduate and postgraduate study. However, it can also include a multitude of other qualifications.
Higher education is often confused with Further Education; however, they are not the same. Further education covers all qualifications lower than a degree that are undertaken after GCSEs. An example of further education would be A-Levels. However, higher education is undertaken after this.
As the job market has changed over time, many professions now have a minimum requirement of a degree level qualification (e.g. nursing, law, education).
By gaining a Higher Education qualification your child can increase their career prospects and potential earnings. Did you know that graduates on average earn £10,000 more than non-graduates?
Higher Education is more than a qualification, students also gain transferable skills which make them more employable. Students can develop skills in time management, organisation, independence, budgeting, confidence and problem solving.
Going to university is also the perfect opportunity to study something they really enjoy, meet new people and expand their horizons. Students can get out of their comfort zone and try something new by joining clubs and societies. They can also gain vital life experiences such as learning to cook, pay bills and live away from home; university is a perfect supported step into adulthood.
One of the biggest concerns for parents and carers is the cost of university. See below for a breakdown of what you need to know about fees, finance, and repayment.
Every UK student is potentially eligible for two loans: a Tuition Fee Loan, which will cover the cost of your first undergraduate course, and a Maintenance Loan, which can support your living costs. Both of these loans are provided by Student Finance Wales (SFW).
Your maintenance loan is calculated based on where you plan to study and the amount you are provided with depends on your household income.
SFW provide really useful information for parents and partners
You may also be eligible for a scholarship or bursary. We recommend researching your chosen university to find out what financial support is available to you.
Universities offer a range of scholarships and bursaries based on different criteria.
If you have a disability, or physical/mental health condition, SFW may be able to provide extra funding to support you
If you are a young carer, have any children, or anyone that you have to support financially, SFW may also be able to help.
When considering your next steps in education, whether it’s university or an apprenticeship, people might start using words and phrases you don’t understand. We’ve created a jargon buster to help you become more familiar with some commonly used words.
There are a number of myths that you may hear about university, some could even have the potential to put you off applying to university altogether.
You might believe that you don’t need to start thinking about university until sixth form or college however we would argue that this is not the case. It’s never too early to start thinking about and planning for your future.