University Guidance

At Haileybury, our careers and universities advice service equips pupils with the information, guidance and assistance they need to plan their next steps.

Help with planning gap years

For many pupils, a gap year offers a welcome break from study before embarking on their degree. But others take a gap year for additional reasons such as:

• Exploring some of the interests they have nurtured at school to help inform them whether this was the right career path
• Gaining work experience in a chosen field in order to benefit their future studies or career
• Gaining experience of different cultures and lifestyles – perhaps working for a charity in the UK or abroad.

Our Careers Department is there to help pupils with advice and information on suitable placements and projects. We also have a number of links with overseas charities and have information on funding and sponsorship.

Work experience

Work experience is a fantastic way for every pupil to explore their potential and capabilities. It is also an advantage when the time comes to write personal statements.

We encourage pupils to embark on some form of work experience during the Lower Sixth and the summer holidays. One-day placement schemes run by careers guidance service ISCO are an ideal opportunity to do this and to make initial contact with a company.

Careers Fair

For pupils looking to explore opportunities, or to learn more about a chosen career path, the Careers Department hosts a Careers Fair each year.

It gives pupils an opportunity to talk informally with recent graduates and new recruits to professions, in order to gain an insight into various professions.

The department also holds a great deal of information on careers in industry and pupils are encouraged to use this facility.

Sponsorship

With increasing financial pressures on students at university, there has been an increased interest in sponsorship opportunities from companies looking to support students through university.

Such awards are usually tied to future employment and so must therefore be considered with care. The department is ideally placed to offer advice on gaining sponsorship.

Scholarships with the Armed Forces

Haileybury has had a long-standing link with the Armed Forces and a number of our pupils apply for Forces scholarships. We can provide tailored advice to all pupils wishing to apply for a scholarship with the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force or the British Army.

Applying for university

Our aim is that every pupil should gain a place at their first choice university. This means that the most significant role of the Careers Department is to offer advice with regard to universities and degree courses.

With this in mind, pupils must complete their university applications in the Upper Sixth year with all Sixth Formers invited to meet with the university adviser to discuss future plans.

UK, America and Europe

The department offers advice and information on applications to universities in the United Kingdom, as well as for a number of American and European universities.

All university applications to UK universities are completed through the central Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. Pupils are required to complete an online application form.

Applications to universities outside the UK are arranged through the Fulbright Commission rather than through the school.

Personal statements

A core component of applications is the personal statement.

We encourage our pupils to start writing the personal statement at the end of the Lower Sixth, and to ask their personal tutors to comment on several drafts of this statement.

Essential information for careers and university

The links below will provide pupils with more information about applying for university.

• The Fulbright Commission
• Universities & Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS)

Not just for Sixth Form

Although careers and university advice is usually sought by pupils in the Sixth Form, we believe every pupil should seek to find their passion early on in their time here. For this reason, we invite everyone to use this service.