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UCAS supports Student Finance Day

UCAS is supporting Student Finance Day 2011 (Monday 14 November), which aims to ensure applicants have ready access to all the information they need about the cost and arrangements for student finance to support their studies.

Student Finance Day is the first national day of its kind. It aims to increase people's understanding of how the new student finance package works before they make decisions about which courses to apply for.

The UCAS website has a wealth of information on the cost of studying in the UK for 2012 entry and the support available. The Taskforce has also produced a new app for 2012 applicants, viewable on any smartphone by visiting www.unifees2012.com as well as being downloadable for iOS devices through the App Store or for Android devices on the Android Market.

Mary Curnock Cook, UCAS Chief Executive, said: "UCAS is committed to ensuring that applicants have access to everything they need to make a fully informed choice about higher education. Access to comprehensive information about finance arrangements is really important"

Student Finance Day is being coordinated by the Independent Taskforce on Student Finance Information, chaired by Martin Lewis of MoneySavingExpert.com, alongside the National Association of Student Money Advisers (NASMA) and the Higher Education Liaison Officers Association (HELOA).

For more information on events happening near you and around the UK visit www.studentfinance2012.com

UCAS Media contacts

UCAS Press Office: 01242 545 469

James Durant, Press Officer
Email: j.durant@ucas.ac.uk

James Woodward, Press Officer
Email: j.woodward@ucas.ac.uk

National media enquiries

Sally Scott
sally@studentfinance2012.com
0207 348 9102

Notes to Editors

UCAS is a charity and is the world's leading shared admissions service for higher education. We manage applications for full-time undergraduate courses, together with applications through GTTR (Graduate Teacher Training Registry), CUKAS (Conservatoires UK Admissions Service) and UKPASS (UK Postgraduate Application and Statistical Service).

Services include:

  • An informative website (www.ucas.com) enabling students and parents to access a wealth of information designed to help their application to higher education run smoothly.
  • A contact centre (0871 468 0468) staffed by trained experts providing information and advice for students, schools and higher education institutions.
  • An online application system.
  • A simple, straightforward tracking service enabling students and schools advisers to access up-to-date information about their applications at the click of a button.

Student Finance Day on 14 November 2011 is a nationwide day dedicated to explaining the changes to student finance in England from 2012. The day is being organised by the Independent Taskforce on Student Finance Information alongside the National Association of Student Money Advisers (NASMA) and the Higher Education Liaison Officers Association (HELOA), being co-ordinated by Universities UK, the representative body for all UK universities.

The Independent Taskforce on Student Finance Information was established to help ensure students understand the true cost of their education after the 2012 English student finance changes. It is independent of government and set its own agenda - membership is of universities, student groups, experts and others. Its primary aim is to co-ordinate, advocate and champion best of breed communication in the online, app, print, and broadcast spaces - allowing all interested groups (e.g. schools, colleges, parents, teachers, universities) to help students understand the changes and access to the best unbiased educational tools to do so. Martin Lewis, Wes Streeting and other Taskforce Operational group members are volunteers and will not be renumerated for their work on the taskforce.

Martin Lewis Money Saving Expert, is a journalist, broadcaster and consumer campaigner who created MoneySavingExpert.com, the UK's biggest money website, which has almost 10 million monthly unique users and over 6 million have opted to receive the weekly e-mail. He is Citizens Advice Consumer Champion of the year, has spearheaded major financial justice campaigns including bank charges reclaiming (over 6m template letters downloaded) and PPI reclaiming (over 1m). He has regular slots as resident expert on Daybreak, Lorraine, Radio 2's Vine, Radio 5's consumer panel and BBC1 Watchdog among others.

NASMA is the National Association of Student Money Advisers. With over 550 members in all four countries in the UK, it is recognised as the leading authority on all matters relating to student advice and funding. NASMA acts as a focus for information exchange between practitioners in the field of student funding, bringing together professionals from across the sector and encouraging the free exchange of ideas.

HELOA The Higher Education Liaison Officers' Association (HELOA) is the professional association of staff in higher education who work in the field of education liaison and provide guidance and information to prospective higher education students, their families and advisers. HELOA's 800 members work in institutions all around the UK in a wide range of functions, covering areas of schools and colleges liaison, student recruitment, widening participation, external relations, marketing, publications and publicity and student services.

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