Parents/Carers

In keeping with our commitment to provide students with outstanding careers guidance and tailored support when exploring career ideas and choosing their next step after school, at Bishop Challoner Catholic College we use Unifrog; an award-winning, online careers platform.  

Unifrog brings into one place every university course, apprenticeship, and college course in the UK, as well as other opportunities, such as School Leaver Programmes, MOOCs and every college at Oxford and Cambridge. This makes it easy for students to compare and choose the best university courses, apprenticeships or further education courses for them. They can also explore exciting opportunities further afield by looking at English-taught undergraduate programmes available in Europe and the USA.  If your son/daughter isn’t sure where to start with their careers exploration, there are a number of tools and quizzes on there to give them a starting point.

Additionally, the platform helps students successfully apply for these opportunities by using Unifrog to write their personal statement, applications and CVs and guiding them through the process, allowing teachers to give live feedback.

Students access the platform by clicking a link in their welcome email, where they create a password and can begin using the platform. They login to Unifrog using their email address and password and they can do so from any computer, tablet or smartphone. We would encourage you to use the platform with your child so you can support them through the process of deciding their next step.

We have also set up a parent login so that you can use Unifrog as if you were a student yourself, allowing you to truly support your child. For more information, go to www.unifrog.org or contact Miss Darby, Careers Leader at: e.darby@bishopchalloner.bham.sch.uk.

University applications at Bishop Challoner

A large number of students from Bishop Challoner Sixth Form College decide to apply to university every year, and the Sixth Form Team have a lot of experience in supporting students with their applications.

Students begin looking at the benefits of Higher Education and different aspects such as accommodation, course choice and student finance from the very start of Year 12. 

We also work with a wide range of universities, both locally and nationally, to give students the opportunity to visit a university, meet university representatives and develop the best possible applications.

 

UCAS

UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) are the organisation that oversee applications to UK universities. When students apply to university, they complete one UCAS application that is then sent to up to 5 universities. UCAS have a wide range of resources aimed at parents and carers to help you support your students through their application to university, which can be found here. 

You can sign up for updates from UCAS using the tool below:

UCAS Parents/Carers

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Student Finance

 

Student Finance refers to the funding available to students to help pay for university tuition fees and the costs associated. 
In the UK the maximum tuition fees that universities can charge to English students is £9,535 per year.

Students need to apply for Student Finance in the March before they start university. Unlike the UCAS application, this is not coordinated through school and students will need to do this independently. 

The Student Finance application is done online on the government website here: https://www.gov.uk/apply-online-for-student-finance

Click here to view a 'A complete guide to the cost of university for the parents' from The Scholarship Hub

This article has great information about the costs you can expect that are associated with university, funding available and student budgets.

 

Disabled Students Allowance

Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is support to cover the study-related costs because of a mental health problem, long term illness or any other disability. DSA is applied for in addition to Student Finance and does not need to be paid back.

You may be eligible for DSA if you have a disability that affects your ability to study, such as a:

• specific learning difficulty, for example dyslexia or ADHD
• mental health condition, for example anxiety or depression
• physical disability, for example if you have to use crutches, a wheelchair or a special keyboard
• sensory disability, for example if you’re visually impaired, deaf or have a hearing impairment
• long-term health condition, for example cancer, chronic heart disease or HIV

More information on DSA can be found by clicking here.

 

What is an apprenticeship?

An apprenticeship is a job with training and the chance to gain qualifications. As with any job, an apprentice gets paid, but they also take part in formal on-the-job training and study for relevant qualifications linked to their role. Qualifications are paid for by the employer. Apprentices do not pay anything towards their qualifications.

Visit the National Apprenticeship Service website for more information on apprenticeships, and latest vacancies.

 

Apprenticeship Levels

There are four levels of apprenticeship:

• Intermediate – level 2 – equivalent to 5 GCSEs.
• Advanced – level 3 – equivalent to 2 A-levels.
• Higher – level 4-7 – equivalent to a certificate of higher education or foundation degree right the way up to a master’s degree (mostly give a bachelor’s degree).
• Degree – level 6-7 – achieve a bachelor’s or master’s degree on successful completion.

 

Parent's Guide to Apprenticeships

 

How to find an Apprenticeship

 

 

Training Providers

An alternative way of applying for apprenticeships is directly through a training provider. Training providers are the organisations that deliver the qualification element of an apprenticeship. Students can apply directly to a training provider who will support them to find an employer to complete their apprenticeship with.

For a list of local Training Providers please click here.