DESTINATION NORTHUMBRIA

Destination Northumbria has been designed to support students through the final part of their sixth form or college studies with their journey to university.

Through the programme you will have the opportunity to receive support during the final part of the application process, develop the skills required for undergraduate study and receive support to navigate the transition to university. 

During the programme, you will be supported by a current university student through e-mentoring, who will be able to share their experiences and support you through the final part of your journey to university. You will also attend an on campus conference, which will provide you with the opportunity to develop key skills for undergraduate study and experience.

Students who complete the required activities as part of Destination Northumbria will earn 8 Destination Northumbria points, which are equivalent to UCAS tariff points when applying to Northumbria University.

To take part in Destination Northumbria, you must first complete our online application form. Following a successful application, you will then need to satisfactorily engage in our online e-mentoring programme and attend our on campus conference.

Monday 5th September 2022 @  09:00 – Destination Northumbria applications open

Friday 11th November 2022 @ 17:00 – Destination Northumbria applications close

W/C 14th November 2022 - Applicants informed of outcome of application

November - March 2023: Engage in e-mentoring. Students must satisfactorily engage with the e-mentoring programme in order to complete this compulsory element of the programme.

28th and 29th April 2023 – Destination Northumbria Conference on campus. Attendance is compulsory for Destination Northumbria points. Successful applicants will be informed of which of the two days they are allocated.

W/C 22nd May – Successful completion of the programme and associated Destination Northumbria points confirmed to students. 

In order to apply for Destination Northumbria, you must be attending a school or college in the North East of England, Yorkshire or the Midlands.  

You must meet all of the following criteria to apply:

• You are currently in your final year of sixth form or college (Year 13 in England).

• You are currently studying at a school/college in the North East, Yorkshire or the Midlands. 

• You have English Language and Maths GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above. If you do not currently have these, you can still take part in Destination Northumbria, but must obtain the required GCSE results, or equivalent, by the summer results period before you are due to start your course.

• Be recognised as having 'home fee status'.

• If you’re a UK or Irish national or have ‘settled status’ (no restrictions on how long you can stay) and; you normally live in England and; you’ve been living in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for 3 continuous years before the first day of your course, apart from temporary absences such as going on holiday, you will have home fee status.

• There are several other residency statuses which would make you eligible. These can be checked on the student finance website under the “your nationality or residency status”.

• If you are an asylum seeker or have limited leave to remain, or discretionary leave to remain and therefore do not currently have home fee status, you can still take part in Destination Northumbria, but will need to have been granted home fee status before the summer results period to receive the 8 Destination Northumbria points upon successful completion of the programme.

You must also meet at least one of the following criteria to apply:

Should the scheme be oversubscribed, priority will be given to students who meet any one of the first six criteria below which are highlighted as priority for the programme. Priority will also be given to students who meet at least two of the non-priority criteria below. However, please note, you only need to meet any one criteria from the entire list below in order to apply.

Care experienced (priority) – Anyone who has previously been in care, for any period of time, under the age of 18. This care may have been provided in many different settings, including: living with foster carers; living in a residential children's home; being looked after at home under a supervision order; living with friends or relatives in kinship care (either through a formal arrangement, such as a Special Guardianship order, or an informal arrangement without local authority support).

Estranged (priority) - A young person aged 18 to 24 who has no communicative relationship with either of their biological/adoptive parents and they do not expect the situation to be reconciled.

Young Adult Carer (priority) - A person aged 14-25 who has sole or shared responsibility, unpaid, to care for a friend or family member who has an illness, disability, mental health illness or addiction who could not manage without their support. Please note this does not include normal, day to day, parental responsibilities.  

Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (priority) – Students from a Black, Asian or minority ethnic origin.

Refugee (priority) – Your claim for asylum has been recognised and you have been granted official refugee status.

Asylum Seeker or someone who has been granted limited leave to remain or discretionary leave to remain (priority) – You are in the process of seeking asylum, or the decision is still pending, or you have been given permission to stay temporarily in the UK.

Live in a neighbourhood with a low progression rate to Higher Education. Check your neighbourhood progression rate by using the postcode checker. You are eligible if either of the following applies when you search your home postcode (you do not need to meet both):

If your POLAR4 young participation quintile is identified as 1 or 2, you will be eligible to apply to the scheme.

OR;

After searching your postcode, click view detailed results and if your TUNDRA MSOA quintile is identified as 1 or 2, you will be eligible to apply to the scheme. (This only applies to applicants living in England).

If you are unsure whether your postcode applies, please email destination.northumbria@northumbria.ac.uk  

First generation to go to university -  First generation to go to university means that neither of your parents have been to university and got a degree. You count as being first generation to go to university even if the following people have gone to university: your foster parents, your care workers, your brother or sister, your biological parents (if you're adopted), or a parent with whom you’ve had no contact with during your secondary and post-16 education.

Entitled to or in receipt of free school meals and/or discretionary payments and/or 16-19 bursary at any point during the last six years.

Gypsy, Roma, Traveller, Showmen or Boater – This term encompasses a wide range of individuals who may be defined in relation to their ethnicity, heritage, way of life and how they self-identify. This includes: English or Welsh Romany Gypsies, European Roma, Irish Travellers, Scottish Gypsy Travellers, Showpeople (such as people linked with fairground or circus professions), people living on barges or other boats, people living in settled (bricks and mortar) accommodation or New Age Travellers.

Disability, dyslexic or specific learning difficulty - Applies if you have a physical or mental impairment and the impairment has a substantial and long term effect on your ability to carry out normal day to day activities. A disability, long term health condition, mental health condition, or a specific learning difficulty (SpLD).

LGBTQ+ - A student who identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer or other non-heterosexual orientations/identities and students who identify as transgender (trans), non-binary and other gender diverse identities.

Service child - a person whose parent or carer serves in the Regular Armed Forces, or as a Reservist, or has done at any point during the first 25 years of that person’s life.

Applications for this year's scheme are now closed and will reopen in September for 2023.

By submitting the application form the applicant is signing to say they have read, understand and agree to the Terms and Conditions detailed below:

Northumbria Staff are committed to supporting and guiding students through the Destination Northumbria Scheme and we therefore expect the same high level of commitment, dedication and enthusiasm from all participating students, so that they can earn the benefits associated with the scheme and get the most out of the experience.

Northumbria University will use its reasonable efforts to support students who are not able to complete all compulsory elements of the scheme due to circumstances not within their reasonable control including: access to online sessions; serious illness; bereavement or similar. Any mitigating circumstances should be communicated to Northumbria University as soon as reasonably practicable to the Destination Northumbria team via u1.destination.northumbria@northumbria.ac.uk.

Northumbria University are currently reviewing its support package for any student unable to pay for the travel for compulsory on campus elements of the scheme and will use all reasonable efforts to support.

Northumbria University will consider applications made by Destination Northumbria students through UCAS, and make suitable candidates a standard conditional offer, admitting students who satisfactorily fulfil all aspects of the conditional offer. The award of Destination Northumbria points is made entirely at Northumbria University’s discretion.

Northumbria University is under no obligation to make any form of offer to students who have participated in the Destination Northumbria Scheme, and participation in the Destination Northumbria Scheme in no way constitutes any form of guarantee, promise, indication or agreement that a student will be made an offer of any kind to enrol on any form of course offered by Northumbria University.

 

Students must be aware of the following:

Students who successfully complete all compulsory elements of Destination Northumbria will earn 8 Destination Northumbria points, which will be accepted as the equivalent of 8 UCAS Tariff points at Northumbria University.

Students must meet all the requirements set out in their conditional offer.

Please note that Destination Northumbria points are not taken into consideration with Foundation programmes and ALL extended degrees.

Students wishing to use their Destination Northumbria points to apply for a degree apprenticeship should note this will need to be discussed with the degree apprenticeship recruiter and will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the employer. The Destination Northumbria team will be able to support with explaining the scheme and its benefits to any recruiter.

Students holding Destination Northumbria points are only able to defer application to Northumbria University for one year only.

Destination Northumbria students who are using Destination Northumbria Points to meet the course entry requirements at Northumbria University must have applied through UCAS by 18:00 on 30th June 2023 and once any offer has been made, place Northumbria as their firm choice, to guarantee their points will be taken into account. Any students applying after this date including through clearing or placing Northumbria as their insurance choice should still make Northumbria University aware they have completed Destination Northumbria and Northumbria University will use its reasonable efforts to honour your Destination Northumbria points, but this will be considered on a case-by-case basis depending on the course.

Northumbria University reserves the right to withdraw any offer of Destination Northumbria points, should a student not place Northumbria University as their firm choice.

Northumbria University reserves the right to withdraw Destination Northumbria points should a student breach the Code of Conduct under the serious incidents of misbehaviour.

Any Destination Northumbria student who is an asylum seeker or has been granted limited leave to remain or discretionary leave to remain, must have home fee status by A-level results day in order to use their Destination Northumbria points.

Students can only achieve a maximum of 16 points from all of our supported entry schemes and any other access initiative combined. Even if students complete multiple programmes, Northumbria University will only be able to consider a maximum of 16 equivalent UCAS tariff points. Therefore, students who have already successfully completed the compulsory elements of NU Entry the previous year and been awarded NU Entry points will not be eligible for Destination Northumbria points, even if all compulsory elements of Destination Northumbria are completed.

For further information or any questions related to the scheme, including support with applications, or staff looking to book a Destination Northumbria introduction session for their students, please contact our dedicated Destination Northumbria team here.