We recognise that your role is crucial in supporting your child to access Higher Education

We want to help. From providing events to impartial and informed information, advice and Guidance. We’ve compiled FAQs, case studies and resources about higher education.

There’s also our Parent and Carer guide which provides information about the processes and pathways.

What learners have to say

The summer school has had a positive impact as I now find it easier to talk to new people I haven’t met before. I would recommend it to a friend because it was a great chance to try new things I haven’t done before and met new people, and ...

Gemma Dugdale

Uni:4U Explore Manchester Met

Read my story

I had the best experience at the GM Higher London Summer School. I got to have a feel first-hand of how it feels to be a university student in London. It definitely left me with an open mind. The student ambassadors were very helpful in answer...

Nicole Sibanda

Uni:4U GM Higher Capital summer school, London

Read my story

FAQs

What can GM Higher offer my child?

GM Higher provides a large menu of outreach activities to help learners, aged 13-18, make informed choices about higher education.

We provide learners with an ‘experience’ of what it means to study at university via activities such as subject taster days, mentoring, summer schools and campus visits. We also run workshops and presentations in schools to help learners understand their choices and to equip them with the skills to succeed.

We are part of the National Collaborative Outreach (NCOP) programme. This is a government initiative. It is focused on areas where higher education participation is lower than might be expected given the GCSE results of the young people who live there.

Why has my child been selected to attend GM Higher activities?

All of our outreach activities are available for NCOP learners. This is a learner whose postcode is located within one of the government’s target wards.

The level of participation of young people aged 18 and 19 in higher education in England varies across the country. NCOP uses research on areas with an unexplained gap in participation to determine where investment can be targeted. It aims to improve the numbers of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds going into higher education.

How much does it cost to attend the events?

Our activities are free. NCOP is a scheme that is government funded.

We continue to offer a smaller suite of activities for learners who do not live in an NCOP ward.

What are the benefits of my child taking part?

Our events and activities aim to raise awareness of higher education and the aspirations of young people, our activities offer these experiences from campus visits to subject tasters.

Our network is a collaboration of all the universities and colleges that provide higher education courses in the region. We strive to deliver impartial information, advice and guidance (IAG).

Do you run parent information events?

Yes. We offer HE talks for parents, amongst others.

Check out our events page for info or contact gmhigher@mmu.ac.uk

Where can I find out more about higher education?

Our resources page sign posts you to all the relevant organisations with the latest information about higher education, from student finance to qualifications.

UCAS for parents in under 90- seconds:

www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/ucas-undergraduate-advice-parents-and-guardians

Where can I find information about my child’s education options?

Our My Student Journey page provides an overview of routes and pathways, as a well as our Uni and Me Guide.

You can also find out more about going to university at www.ucas.com

Will my child have to provide personal details?

Generally, yes. As part of our monitoring and evaluation, learners will be required to complete evaluation documents on which we collect their school name, year group and postcode. The postcode is collected for the purposes of reporting at ward level, not to identify or contact individual learners.

However, if learners complete a case study form for us, this will include their name, although this is optional and only learners who volunteer for this will complete a case study document.