
A school and college guide to providing information for parents and carers
Choosing what and where to study has a huge
impact on a student’s future. For parents and
carers, we know that this means balancing
the offer of support with enabling their
independence, however far away or close to
home the student may choose to study.
When it comes to preparing for university, it is
vital that parents and carers are kept informed
of the provision available at your school or
college as this will enable them to guide and
support the student throughout the process.
Legal bits
As young adults, students form a professional relationship directly with the university, so our communication about everything from attendance to exam results will be directly with them.
Open Days
We encourage parents and carers to attend open days with students. Many universities have dedicated sessions for parents and carers as well as information on personal statements and student finance. They can speak face-to- face with the university staff who deal with these specific areas to ask any questions they may have.
UCAS
It is essential that parents and carers are informed of key deadlines and how they can support the student whilst completing their university application, particularly the personal statement. They can also sign up to the UCAS monthly parent newsletter.
Student finance, what parents and carers need to know
The parent or carer will need to submit their
National Insurance number and details of
their household income as part of the student
finance application. This is to assess how
much funding will be available in relation to
their personal circumstances.
Managing money and understanding that every
penny counts whilst at university can be a big
adjustment, encouraging parents and carers
to have a conversation with the student about
budgeting can really help with this.
Support available from universities for parental engagement
Many universities will offer dedicated support for parents and carers of students applying to university, this may include:
- Presentations for parents and carers: university representatives can come and deliver a session at your school or college to cover everything they need to know about the application process.
- Information stands at careers and higher education fairs: these provide an opportunity for parents and carers to speak to staff or current students about studying at a specific institution.
- Online resources: parents and carers can access information tailored specifically to them on most university websites as well as UCAS.
Note from UniTasterDays:
Check out our new Parents' Guide to University - which includes the key information parents need to know about all aspects of university!
Want More Updates & Advice?

Teachers, careers colleagues and support staff: request your FREE UniTasterDays Teachers' Guide to University brochure.
This brochure has been produced by UniTasterDays.com in collaboration with HELOA - to support the university guidance that is provided in secondary schools and colleges.
Editorial has been provided by over 35 colleagues at universities and higher education institutions throughout the UK. On topics covering how to support students with their university decisions, university events, widening participation & fair access, UCAS applications (including writing school references) and more. It also includes the key student finance facts from Martin Lewis.
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