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Postgrad Speech & Language Therapy 2017 Entry (PG Dip/MSc)

Hello,


Is there anyone here planning to apply for 2017 entry for Speech and Language therapy? Possibly not considering the dire funding situation at the moment!
Anyway I'm planning to apply (hoping the funding situation improves!) to Reading and UCL (and possibly others). I went to the Reading open day last week and going to the UCL one this week which is exciting!
Would be nice to chat to others applying.

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Hi!

I'm looking to apply for 2017 entry. I attended the UCL open day this week too. How did you find it?
Original post by SarcasticQueen
Hi!

I'm looking to apply for 2017 entry. I attended the UCL open day this week too. How did you find it?


Hi!
Where are you looking to apply to?
I thought it was good, very informative and less depressing than the Reading one. The tours were great. Felt that they tried to brush over the funding issue though. A lot of colleagues have recommended UCL to me so I had high expectations which I think it lived up to. Personally I don't really like the idea of having the years split paediatric/acquired but it doesn't matter too much. What did you think?*
*
I want to stay in London ideally so my options are limited to City and UCL. I am looking into Essex too though. What about you?
I thought the Open Day was quite good too and did meet my expectations! Everyone seemed quite friendly too which was great and they have a great support.
I think the whole funding issue is just so new right now. Nothing seems clear and it's so frustrating!!!

I agree with you about the split paediatric/adult. But j think once on the course it should be fine
Original post by SarcasticQueen
I want to stay in London ideally so my options are limited to City and UCL. I am looking into Essex too though. What about you?
I thought the Open Day was quite good too and did meet my expectations! Everyone seemed quite friendly too which was great and they have a great support.
I think the whole funding issue is just so new right now. Nothing seems clear and it's so frustrating!!!

I agree with you about the split paediatric/adult. But j think once on the course it should be fine


Ah okay, what are you doing in london atm, are you working or still studying? Well home for me is Southampton so looking at Reading and UCL as they are the closest. I think I might also apply for City but that would probably be bottom of my list as I really want to get a masters from it too. I would probably move out from home but would like to be able to go back weekends, possibly do a Mon-fri rent in London/Reading. I went to the Reading open day too, but from the open days I prefered UCL.

I know, yeah it is frustrating. I'm hopeful we will know more soon - don't really want to spend £75 to apply to UCL if we still don't know what's happening by that point!
Yeah I think so too. I think the course will go by so fast anyway as everyone will be so busy!

Have you made any start on your personal statement yet? The idea of writing it is worrying me, think I'll make a start when I have time off in the Summer!
Hello. I have an interview in September at Greenwich for January 2017 start. I am hoping to be successful but if not will have to think about a September 2017 start elsewhere. Greenwich will be the last bursary intake so I'm a little concerned if I don't get in as the funding is a huge issue and not clear at all.
Original post by freshstart1234
Hello. I have an interview in September at Greenwich for January 2017 start. I am hoping to be successful but if not will have to think about a September 2017 start elsewhere. Greenwich will be the last bursary intake so I'm a little concerned if I don't get in as the funding is a huge issue and not clear at all.


Nope it's not! 2017 entry is now bursary funded for postgraduate courses xD They changed their plans a bit. From 2018 postgrad will be loans, from 2017 undergrad is funded by loans. It literally made my week when it was announced!
Original post by rainbowworld
Nope it's not! 2017 entry is now bursary funded for postgraduate courses xD They changed their plans a bit. From 2018 postgrad will be loans, from 2017 undergrad is funded by loans. It literally made my week when it was announced!



Hello,

Just seen this thread and I am hoping to apply for a 2017 start. I had the impression that postgraduate courses will not be funded by the NHS for 2017 start? It's what it says on the websites. Scrapping the NHS funding meant that there will be more places available for potential speech therapy students. Although the scrapping of the NHS funding is a bit of a bummer, it would make it slightly easier to try and get a place on the course?
Reply 8
Hi there everyone!
oh i am so glad to have found this thread! :biggrin: im interested in applying for a speech therapy masters 2017 and i feel like a little fish in a very big pond! :frown: im looking at newcastle as my first choice is anyone else? though im not entirly fussy where i actually study just looking forward to getting started!
i graduated from an early childhood studies degree in 2013 but so many unis seem to want psychology grads!:frown: so i have been volunteering with a team of SLT's since april so i hope i will still be considered.
That is such good news about the funding! :biggrin: one less thing to worry about i guess!
i just feel so much releaf having found this group so i hope we can all help each other along the way! :biggrin:
Original post by matilda246
Hello,

Just seen this thread and I am hoping to apply for a 2017 start. I had the impression that postgraduate courses will not be funded by the NHS for 2017 start? It's what it says on the websites. Scrapping the NHS funding meant that there will be more places available for potential speech therapy students. Although the scrapping of the NHS funding is a bit of a bummer, it would make it slightly easier to try and get a place on the course?



Hello, where are you thinking of applying?
That was the idea, and that is what will happen from 2018 onwards. The websites were all updated during the consultation when it was believe it would go ahead for 2017, and they thought there would be no NHS funding and were unsure if there would be any loans to help (other than postgrad £10,000 loan). However, the consultation finished and the government published the outcome ( https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/changing-how-healthcare-education-is-funded )

This states: "We accept that pre-registration postgraduate and second degree students bring valuable qualities to the healthcare student population and to the NHS workforce. We also accept that students who come to pre-registration healthcare courses through postgraduate or second degree routes may be more likely to be older than the general student population. The government has also taken into consideration the numerous submissions calling for students on healthcare master’s courses to receive more financial support than that envisaged by the new postgraduate master’s loan, which at £10,000 has been designed as a contribution to a
student’s costs. There is therefore a risk that were funding not available to prospective postgraduate healthcare applicants, student numbers, and therefore workforce supply, could fall. For pre-registration postgraduate courses specifically, a number of responses proposed that funding should be made available on the same terms as for undergraduate students (as
currently happens for students of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education). The government is considering this option and others as a long-term solution, but will not be implementing a new funding model for pre-registration postgraduate students beginning their course in 2017.
Ahead of implementing a longer-term solution to ensure pre-registration postgraduate students can continue their valuable contribution to non-medical professions, the government will make funding available for tuition and bursaries for a capped number of pre-registration postgraduate
healthcare places for new starters in 2017, based on the same numbers that are currently in place. This is a transitional arrangement only for new entrants in 2017 until a longer-term solution is finalised from 2018 onwards. Further detail will be published in due course."


So it it a short term measure, sounds like it will be NHS bursary still, might not be identical to current years but sounds like it will be. They want loans in place from 2018. They are implementing loans for undergrad courses from 2017 but think they just needed more time to arrange the postgrad ones hence the delay. Regarding more places: yes once it is scrapped there will be more places (so wont be in 2017) but it won't happen overnight - when I was at open days/evenings they said they wouldn't suddenly increase it, it would be very gradual. In terms of easier to get in: Yes, i think universities were working on the assumption it would be harder to get applicants if there were no bursaries or loans but with the likely introduction of loans for postgrad students from 2018 (which will be more money than they get from the bursary) I doubt demand will go down much! The only downside I can see is that you will probably get less money to live on from bursary than you would from new loans, but i'm happy to take that if it means thousands less in debt to pay off!! But I agree it might be very competitive again this year as it's the last year or bursary :frown: Of course as well I'm not expecting to get in the first year I apply anyway so who knows basically! but if you do manage to get a place for 2017 it will be paid by bursary :smile:
Original post by LEGOally
Hi there everyone!
oh i am so glad to have found this thread! :biggrin: im interested in applying for a speech therapy masters 2017 and i feel like a little fish in a very big pond! :frown: im looking at newcastle as my first choice is anyone else? though im not entirly fussy where i actually study just looking forward to getting started!
i graduated from an early childhood studies degree in 2013 but so many unis seem to want psychology grads!:frown: so i have been volunteering with a team of SLT's since april so i hope i will still be considered.
That is such good news about the funding! :biggrin: one less thing to worry about i guess!
i just feel so much releaf having found this group so i hope we can all help each other along the way! :biggrin:


Hi!
Oh I know, tell me about it! Are you going to apply to everywhere if you are not fussy or only certain ones?
I know, but a lot will take any degree, I did Social Sciences :/ I think you can sell what you did cover in your degree though :smile:
Oh volunteer work with SLT's seem very hard to get! How is it?
I know :smile: I was very happy just hoping I get a place for 2017 now!
Yes i hope so! Have you started your applications/personal statement yet?
Reply 11
yes I will be applying for everywhere in the hope that I might get considered for atleast one ! Hahaha
Oh I'm loving the volunteering it's fab! It's an independent group of SLTs that are part of a community interest company that work to prevent later delays. So it isn't NHS that does seem impossible to get experience with! It's taken me long enough to get this place!
No I haven't started yet I've sort of made some notes about what I would like to include but not started piecing things together yet. Have you?
Original post by rainbowworld
Hello, where are you thinking of applying?
That was the idea, and that is what will happen from 2018 onwards. The websites were all updated during the consultation when it was believe it would go ahead for 2017, and they thought there would be no NHS funding and were unsure if there would be any loans to help (other than postgrad £10,000 loan). However, the consultation finished and the government published the outcome ( https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/changing-how-healthcare-education-is-funded )

This states: "We accept that pre-registration postgraduate and second degree students bring valuable qualities to the healthcare student population and to the NHS workforce. We also accept that students who come to pre-registration healthcare courses through postgraduate or second degree routes may be more likely to be older than the general student population. The government has also taken into consideration the numerous submissions calling for students on healthcare master’s courses to receive more financial support than that envisaged by the new postgraduate master’s loan, which at £10,000 has been designed as a contribution to a
student’s costs. There is therefore a risk that were funding not available to prospective postgraduate healthcare applicants, student numbers, and therefore workforce supply, could fall. For pre-registration postgraduate courses specifically, a number of responses proposed that funding should be made available on the same terms as for undergraduate students (as
currently happens for students of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education). The government is considering this option and others as a long-term solution, but will not be implementing a new funding model for pre-registration postgraduate students beginning their course in 2017.
Ahead of implementing a longer-term solution to ensure pre-registration postgraduate students can continue their valuable contribution to non-medical professions, the government will make funding available for tuition and bursaries for a capped number of pre-registration postgraduate
healthcare places for new starters in 2017, based on the same numbers that are currently in place. This is a transitional arrangement only for new entrants in 2017 until a longer-term solution is finalised from 2018 onwards. Further detail will be published in due course."


So it it a short term measure, sounds like it will be NHS bursary still, might not be identical to current years but sounds like it will be. They want loans in place from 2018. They are implementing loans for undergrad courses from 2017 but think they just needed more time to arrange the postgrad ones hence the delay. Regarding more places: yes once it is scrapped there will be more places (so wont be in 2017) but it won't happen overnight - when I was at open days/evenings they said they wouldn't suddenly increase it, it would be very gradual. In terms of easier to get in: Yes, i think universities were working on the assumption it would be harder to get applicants if there were no bursaries or loans but with the likely introduction of loans for postgrad students from 2018 (which will be more money than they get from the bursary) I doubt demand will go down much! The only downside I can see is that you will probably get less money to live on from bursary than you would from new loans, but i'm happy to take that if it means thousands less in debt to pay off!! But I agree it might be very competitive again this year as it's the last year or bursary :frown: Of course as well I'm not expecting to get in the first year I apply anyway so who knows basically! but if you do manage to get a place for 2017 it will be paid by bursary :smile:


Wow, thanks for that!
I'm applying for 2017 start! So personal statement-ing will commence in a month or so!
I'll be applying everywhere, with the hope that I get into at least one university! I had an interview for a part-time SLT assistant and was offered the job (yippee!). That will commence in a month. I also work at a school as a special education needs assistant. I'm also in the process of carrying out some volunteering work for a techy-speech organisation. I'm just hoping all this experience will pay off! :/ It's such a gruelling process. I applied for this year intake, but was unsuccessful, so hopefully I'll be lucky next time round!

What are your plans? :smile:
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 13
Hi,I am going into my 3rd year of an English language & linguistics degree with a strong 2:1 borderline 1st. I am aware Sheffield is the only one I would be able to apply to with a current transcript showing my module results for the past 2 years. I wondered if anyone would be willing to be brutally honest and tell me if they think it's even worth applying this year or not with my current experience or whether to wait until after my third year and after I have received my degree:
-Volunteering at a play scheme for children aged 5-19 with moderate to severe disabilities (a lot of speech difficulties) on several occasions
-Volunteering with stroke association which means visiting a stroke survivor in her home and practising her exercises given by her speech and language therapist once a week
-One week shadowing a speech and language therapist in a centre for children and adults with severe communication difficulties and more planned for the coming months!
Any advice on further work experience appreciated!
Original post by matilda246
Wow, thanks for that!
I'm applying for 2017 start! So personal statement-ing will commence in a month or so!
I'll be applying everywhere, with the hope that I get into at least one university! I had an interview for a part-time SLT assistant and was offered the job (yippee!). That will commence in a month. I also work at a school as a special education needs assistant. I'm also in the process of carrying out some volunteering work for a techy-speech organisation. I'm just hoping all this experience will pay off! :/ It's such a gruelling process. I applied for this year intake, but was unsuccessful, so hopefully I'll be lucky next time round!

What are your plans? :smile:


Sorry my post was so long but hopefully helpful!
Cool, I've just started mine, it will take me ages but hoping to have it done early September so my colleagues can look over it. I guess you can use your last one to help a bit!
Cool :smile: I'll be applying to Reading and UCL and currently considering applying to City and maybe Greenwich later in the year. I don't really want to go any further North than London :/
Oh that will be fantastic experience, is it paediatric or adults? wow so will you do a mix of both part time? Wow! I'm shocked you didn't get in with all your experience :s-smilie: Did you get interviews last time? I work as a SLT assistant at the moment, 4 days a week. I love it, only started in April though. My experience with adults at the moment though is currently non-existent :frown: but I am working hard to change that!
Original post by LEGOally
yes I will be applying for everywhere in the hope that I might get considered for atleast one ! Hahaha
Oh I'm loving the volunteering it's fab! It's an independent group of SLTs that are part of a community interest company that work to prevent later delays. So it isn't NHS that does seem impossible to get experience with! It's taken me long enough to get this place!
No I haven't started yet I've sort of made some notes about what I would like to include but not started piecing things together yet. Have you?


That sounds really interesting! Yeah it's difficult, luckily I got a job as an assistant in the NHS after lots of applications! Confidentiality is a problem.
Same really, just started getting notes/ideas together, I'm on holiday at the moment though so hoping to get it done by the end of the month!
Original post by alices1
Hi,I am going into my 3rd year of an English language & linguistics degree with a strong 2:1 borderline 1st. I am aware Sheffield is the only one I would be able to apply to with a current transcript showing my module results for the past 2 years. I wondered if anyone would be willing to be brutally honest and tell me if they think it's even worth applying this year or not with my current experience or whether to wait until after my third year and after I have received my degree:
-Volunteering at a play scheme for children aged 5-19 with moderate to severe disabilities (a lot of speech difficulties) on several occasions
-Volunteering with stroke association which means visiting a stroke survivor in her home and practising her exercises given by her speech and language therapist once a week
-One week shadowing a speech and language therapist in a centre for children and adults with severe communication difficulties and more planned for the coming months!
Any advice on further work experience appreciated!


The experience sounds good, is meant to be more about what you take from it. Couldn't possibly tell you what to do, but if it was me I would apply this year and treat it as a 'practice' application as you will then have a personal statement and an idea about the process, but only if you feel you have enough time alongside finishing your degree.
Original post by rainbowworld
Sorry my post was so long but hopefully helpful!
Cool, I've just started mine, it will take me ages but hoping to have it done early September so my colleagues can look over it. I guess you can use your last one to help a bit!
Cool :smile: I'll be applying to Reading and UCL and currently considering applying to City and maybe Greenwich later in the year. I don't really want to go any further North than London :/
Oh that will be fantastic experience, is it paediatric or adults? wow so will you do a mix of both part time? Wow! I'm shocked you didn't get in with all your experience :s-smilie: Did you get interviews last time? I work as a SLT assistant at the moment, 4 days a week. I love it, only started in April though. My experience with adults at the moment though is currently non-existent :frown: but I am working hard to change that!


Aww I see, I hope you get the choice you want! :smile:
The SLT assistant job is with adults who have had traumatic brain injuries - my experience with adults was somewhat lacking, so I'm hoping this will suffice.
However, my job starts in October and I'm hoping that I would have gained enough information to put in my personal statement!
I had an interview with Sheffield, but I think my nerves got the better of me :/
Maybe you should try volunteering for the stroke association? :smile:
Original post by alices1
Hi,I am going into my 3rd year of an English language & linguistics degree with a strong 2:1 borderline 1st. I am aware Sheffield is the only one I would be able to apply to with a current transcript showing my module results for the past 2 years. I wondered if anyone would be willing to be brutally honest and tell me if they think it's even worth applying this year or not with my current experience or whether to wait until after my third year and after I have received my degree:
-Volunteering at a play scheme for children aged 5-19 with moderate to severe disabilities (a lot of speech difficulties) on several occasions
-Volunteering with stroke association which means visiting a stroke survivor in her home and practising her exercises given by her speech and language therapist once a week
-One week shadowing a speech and language therapist in a centre for children and adults with severe communication difficulties and more planned for the coming months!
Any advice on further work experience appreciated!


Hey! :smile:
It seems like you've got some good experience under your belt, but remember that sometimes its not about the masses of experience you've has had, but what you've learned from them and whether or not you can demonstrate this clearly in your personal statement :smile:
Original post by matilda246
Aww I see, I hope you get the choice you want! :smile:
The SLT assistant job is with adults who have had traumatic brain injuries - my experience with adults was somewhat lacking, so I'm hoping this will suffice.
However, my job starts in October and I'm hoping that I would have gained enough information to put in my personal statement!
I had an interview with Sheffield, but I think my nerves got the better of me :/
Maybe you should try volunteering for the stroke association? :smile:


Sounds fantastic :smile: I think they are looking for what experience you have lined up as well as what you've already done :smile:
Aww yes, interviews are nerve racking!
Yes, I'm trying to volunteer with a local charity that help people after they have had strokes called Dyscover. I'm meeting with the lady in charge on Thursday, just she couldn't promise if they had any space for volunteers at the moment! Otherwise I might need to look further afield. I spoke to a lovely lady from the stroke association but it seems unlikely I would be able to help with anything that would fit with my current job! I'm also trying to get experience at a day service for young adults with learning difficulties, have been trying to ages but it's been hard to arrange a day! I must phone them tomorrow! If none of those opportunities work out then the local volunteer centre said I might be able to volunteer at this club for young adults with learning difficulties once a month. It's tricky to fit in around a job! I know at UCL you write down what experience you have arranged to get as well as what you have already done, I don't know if you can do that for any other uni's? At least if you can't talk about it when you write your personal statement you can then discuss it at interview :smile:

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