Parents
& Carers
Parents
Aimhigher are here to provide you with information about higher education to help support your child’s future choices.
Aimhigher Parent and Carer GuideHigher Education is the next step in education after students have completed their BTEC, A-levels or equivalent qualification at College or Sixth Form. You can study a Higher Education course at a university, a college or as part of a higher or degree level apprenticeship.
Take a look at our Jargon Buster for a breakdown of some of the key terms and phrases you might hear when people talk about higher education. We’ve also compiled some of the most common higher education myths and misconceptions.
Jargon Buster Myth Buster
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 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 join 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.
Student Finance
There are lots of decisions to be made as your young person moves through school so we have pulled together some of the key ones and how you can provide support.
Choosing which GCSE subjects to study can be a challenging decision, with a range of choice and subjects that can open up a range of career options. Encouraging your young person to consider which subjects they are most interested in and which they think they would be good at is a great place to start. We’ve pulled together a breakdown of GCSE subjects over on our student page.
Find out more Whilst completing their GCSEs, young people are faced with their next big decision – what to do after Year 11. We’ve created a helpful video which could help you to support the question of college or sixth form.
Watch Video There are a number of factors to consider when helping young people consider the pros and cons of traditional degree and apprenticeship pathways. Degree apprenticeships allow you to earn and learn at the same time but they are typically highly competitive and limited in number. There is no right or wrong answer and both options improve career prospects and earnings.
Learn more about the alternative options to university on our student page.
Learn more
There is a lot of misinformation about university and student finance out there, but this information will help you find out what student finance you could access and how it all works.
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We know that there are lots of words and phrases about higher education which might be new to you so we’ve created a jargon buster to help you become more familiar with some commonly used words.
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There are several myths that you may hear about university and higher education so we’ve created a myth buster to help!
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If you are in Year 10 and want to experience a real taster of university life, take a look at our UniFest summer school.
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