General advice when applying for a Healthcare course.

Do your research

Understand the course and that you are applying for. You need to be able to demonstrate why you want to be on the course. An important part of this is showing understanding of the profession and the actual job you will be doing after you graduate. Have you booked on University Open Days, they are invaluable for information and meeting tutors?

Check before you apply that have the correct entry requirements, you may wish to email the University Admissions tutor and ask if you are unsure.

If you don’t have the correct entry requirements such as GCSE 5 in Maths or Level 3 qualifications it’s unlikely that you will be offered a place. Mature students may have relevant experience that can be used for an alternative entry route.

Demonstrate relevant experience

It can help you stand out from others if you have sought work experience or shadowed an individual currently carrying out a role linked to the course for which you are applying for.

Get your personal statement right

The personal statement is an important part of applying for university. It’s your chance to describe your ambitions, skills and experience. Make sure that you tailor your personal statement so that it reflects the course that you are applying for. For example an admissions tutor for nursing does not want to see a general statement saying how much you want a career in HR – it really happens!

The personal statement is an important part of applying for university. It’s your chance to describe your skills, experience and ambitions. Make sure that you tailor your personal statement so that it reflects the course that you are applying for. Look on UCAS for tips. For example an admissions tutor for nursing does not want to see a general statement saying how much you want a career in HR – it really happens!

Course descriptions will help you identify qualities, skills and experience they are looking for
Make sure you get across why the subject interests you and why you want to do the course at that particular university
Make sure that you mention employment experience but focus on those which are linked to the course the most
Also don’t forget extra curricular activities such as sports, clubs and awards like Duke of Edinburgh but say what you have learnt that will be of value to the course. If you have a part-time job dealing with people, this will give you communication skills – vital to health care careers.
UCAS has some good pointers on personal statements, click the button below to see them:

Course descriptions will help you identify qualities, skills and experience they are looking for
Make sure you get across why the subject interests you and why you want to do the course at that particular university
Make sure that you mention employment experience but focus on those which are linked to the course the most
Also don’t forget extra curricular activities such as sports, culbs and awards like Duke of Edinburgh
UCAS has some good pointers on personal statements, click the button below to see them:

Tips for personal statements

Prepare for your university interview

Know where to go

Make sure you arrive in plenty of time. University campuses can often be large and it can take 20 minutes to walk from one side to another. So make sure you research where you need to go before the day.

Think about what questions they may ask

Top of this list is often why have you applied for this course, and why this university? Make sure you have thought about your response to this. You could even make a few notes and take this in with you…

Show you understand the nature of the course you have applied for. A good way to show understanding is to provide current examples.

Read and follow the instructions

Where to go, what to expect, how long you will be there, even what to wear will all be communicated to you in an interview invitation letter. Generally it’s a good idea to make a bit of an effort with what you wear!

Remember interviews are two-way

This is your opportunity to ask questions about the course and its delivery. It’s also a good way of checking understanding. Don’t be afraid to ask for a question to be repeated or rephrased to check understanding!

And Finally…

Remember to switch your phone off! DO NOT look at social media or allow yourself to get distracted.

Numeracy and Literacy Testing

Some health care course require you to sit a pre course entry assessment in numeracy and literacy as there will be a module in the course that requires you to achieve 100% pass in numeracy and competence in literacy.

You can practice the types of questions you may see in these assessments at www.snap-ae.com .

These tests are normally weighted at about 20%.

It’s useful to have a practice before your interview day. Use code SIHED when you check out and you will receive free access to the practice assessments and resources.

What can go wrong at the interview

The most common place where individuals let themselves down is by not showing they understand what the course is about they are applying for. Often it is not like the drama’s and soaps would have us believe – so don’t base your knowledge on ‘Call the midwife’.

Make sure you do your research to show you understand the role. Often the professional body websites can be good for this:

Nursing and Midwifery Council	https://www.nmc.org.uk/
Royal College of Nursing	https://www.rcn.org.uk/
College of Paramedics	https://www.collegeofparamedics.co.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlMWXtvLJ6AIVRIjVCh23dwdIEAAYASAAEgKH9vD_BwE
College of Podiatry	https://cop.org.uk/
British Association of Prosthetics and Orthotics	https://www.bapo.com/
Society of Radiographers	https://www.sor.org/
College of Radiographers	https://www.sor.org/college-of-radiographers

Some courses can be much more difficult to get a place at than others. For example, if you apply for a nursing course at the University of Salford, typically they will award 1 place to every 5 people that apply. Whereas if you were to apply for a place on the Podiatry course 90% of applicants who met the criteria are awarded a place (many ask the tutor what subjects they need to do then spend time completing them).

Click here to find out more.

What financial support is there for health courses?

A grant of £6,000 is available (which you don’t pay back) for the following professions:

Diagnostic Radiography
Therapeutic Radiography
Prosthetics and Orthotics
Podiatry
Orthoptics

A grant of £5,000 is available in the other AHP professions:

Dietetics
Occupational therapy
Operating department practitioner
Paramedicine
Physiotherapy
Speech and language therapy

In addition to this a further £1,000 may be available for childcare, and a further £1,000 in specific areas struggling to recruit. So a grant of up to £8,000 could be available for a Diagnostic Radiographer.