The annual ‘mad’ season is almost upon us. Exam results and even more anxiety amongst our students and clients about whether they can get a place at university or college, and whether they will be able to afford it.

However there is some good news, including course vacancies at good universities, bursary and scholarships for those without enough funding; and some international alternatives that do not cost more than the UK or are even less. Please feel free to use and pass on any of the enclosed shortcuts and links.

CLEARING VACANCIES

We have reports that the national media hysteria about a shortage of places is not universal. Several universities including prestige research institutions are still offering places for good grades, especially in the Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Part of this is due to ‘grade relevancy’ whereby institutions are accepting that a grade B at a particular school maybe more of an indication of academic ability than a grade A from a leading independent. Similarly, some institutions will be enforcing grade offers and declining some students whose results were disappointing, opening a possible place for one of yours.

Top Tip: Get your students and clients (or you!) to ‘phone individual departments at colleges and universities before exam results day. They often know about vacancies on their courses before the central uni/college authorities, UCAS or the clearing lists in the media. Your students can then be primed on results day to start ‘phoning the relevant course immediately they have their grades, ahead of everyone else.

FINANCE HELP FOR STUDENTS

For those going on to uni and college, finance is often the critical subject. Getting quick information on individual universities’ bursary and scholarship schemes can be vital. We are aware of one website that has done the legwork in identifying specific onsite locations of this info on each individual university site. This could allow your students and clients to access the information without having to open 30 pages on each uni or college site, and spend more of their time asking how much support they can get.
See: our Bursaries and scholarships page

INTERNATIONAL ALTERNATIVES

The U.S. — Cheaper than the U.K.? Click here
Australia: degrees for work Click here