Information for parents

We know that parents take an active role in helping their sons and daughters choose a place of study, and at Exeter we aim to provide the information parents need to assure them that they will be well supported if they choose to study here.

A few useful tips

We have produced a few useful tips specifically for you to consider when supporting your son or daughter in choosing a university, making an application and preparing for higher education. We hope you find these helpful.

Preparing to apply

• Be positive and supportive but listen to any concerns your son/daughter may have.
• Attend Parents’ Evenings organised in schools and colleges. These often have representatives from HE, who will be happy to answer general questions.
• Visit the Parents’ page of the UCAS website
• Encourage your son/daughter to make use of the most relevant information. The following website may be useful:
  • UCAS website
• Parents and students alike often want to look at University League Tables. The main League Tables are compiled by the Times, Sunday Times and the Guardian newspapers- information can be found on their web sites. Be careful to look at subject ratings as well as overall performance. You might also find it useful to look at the National Student Survey, through which all final year students report what they felt about their overall teaching and learning experience – see Unistats website
• Your son/daughter will be able to visit universities on their Open Days - but if you’re not able to attend a scheduled Open Day you can often arrange to visit for a general ‘campus tour’ on an alternative day.
• Encourage your son or daughter to consider all aspects of life at university, not just the subject being studied. For example, they will want to think about location, accommodation, sporting and social life, as well as support services.
• Talk through with your son/daughter any questions they may need to ask – but encourage them to ask these questions themselves rather than you doing it on their behalf!
• Remember it’s their choice, and no matter how much parents want to influence, students have to choose what’s right for them.

Finance issues and managing on a budget

• Find out about finance available on the Gov.UK student finance website
• Make sure your son/daughter applies for finance once they've applied to university to make sure it's ready at the start of term. 
• Encourage your son/daughter to open a bank account which will be suitable for the deposit of any grant or loan.
• Help your son/daughter to budget by working out how much a week they will have to live on, and what they think they might need to spend.
• Discourage use of credit and store cards.
• Make sure we are made aware of any disability or specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia early on, to make sure they get the support available
• For further information, see our pages on Money Matters.

Basic survival skills

• Ensure your son/daughter is confident using public transport and knows what to do and who to contact in an emergency away from home.
• If they won’t be living in catered halls, make sure they can cook a variety of basic meals on a budget.
• Make sure they know how to work the washing machine – they are going to have to survive without the ‘laundry fairy’!

Keeping in touch

• If you are worried that they won’t phone home as often as you would like, get used to emailing and sending text messages.
• Many students feel homesick when they first arrive and it will take a little time for them to settle in properly. It might be tempting to get them to come home for a weekend if they feel unsettled, but give it a few weeks first. Reassure them that everyone feels the same.