This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-28780966
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| A-level results: Northern Ireland students perform strongly | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Northern Ireland students outperformed their counterparts in England and Wales in A-level A* and A grades, but were not so strong in A* result alone. | |
| In the full A-level, 29.9% of students scored A or A*, whereas across the nations 26% got these grades. | |
| Increased interest in film or media studies was linked by the Joint Council for Qualifications to the filming of the Game of Thrones in NI. | |
| However political studies A-level entries were down. | |
| The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQCIC) said there was a slight increase in top A* grade, rising from last year's 7.2% to 7.3% this year. | |
| About 32,000 students in Northern Ireland have received their A-level exam results. | |
| The vast majority of candidates were able to find out their grades online. | |
| About 24,000 of them have been able to log on to the internet from 07:00 BST, wherever they are in the world, to check their performance. | About 24,000 of them have been able to log on to the internet from 07:00 BST, wherever they are in the world, to check their performance. |
| In mathematics, 45.3% of entries were awarded grades A*-A. | |
| Top choice | |
| The most popular subjects continued to be biology, mathematics, history, English and religious studies. | |
| The most popular subject for boys was mathematics, with 1,815 entries, while the top choice for girls was biology, with 1,871 entries. | |
| Increased interest in the creative industries was reflected in a greater number of entries in subjects such as film and media studies (up 5.7%), and art and design (up 3.5%). | |
| Entry figures at AS level jumped to 45,751, an increase of 5.2% on 2013 figures, the highest entry for AS in Northern Ireland since its introduction in 2001. | |
| Northern Ireland's two universities want to recruit higher-paying students from outside the region, but they said local applicants would not be disadvantaged. | |
| Tuition fees | Tuition fees |
| Both Queen's University, Belfast, (QUB) and the University of Ulster (UU) have been offering perks, such as free flights and en-suite accommodation, to prospective entrants with addresses outside Northern Ireland. | Both Queen's University, Belfast, (QUB) and the University of Ulster (UU) have been offering perks, such as free flights and en-suite accommodation, to prospective entrants with addresses outside Northern Ireland. |
| Students from Great Britain who opt to study in Northern Ireland currently have to pay up to £9,000 a year in tuition fees to their chosen university. | Students from Great Britain who opt to study in Northern Ireland currently have to pay up to £9,000 a year in tuition fees to their chosen university. |
| In contrast, applicants from Northern Ireland who are offered a place at either QUB or UU will pay a maximum tuition fee of £3,685 during the academic year 2014/15. | In contrast, applicants from Northern Ireland who are offered a place at either QUB or UU will pay a maximum tuition fee of £3,685 during the academic year 2014/15. |
| A deal that secured reduced fees for local students was reached in 2011 following negotiations between Northern Ireland Executive ministers and Stormont's Department for Employment and Learning (DEL). | A deal that secured reduced fees for local students was reached in 2011 following negotiations between Northern Ireland Executive ministers and Stormont's Department for Employment and Learning (DEL). |
| However, if the Northern Ireland students apply for a course based elsewhere in the UK, they could face the full £9,000 annual fee, depending on their choice of course and college. | However, if the Northern Ireland students apply for a course based elsewhere in the UK, they could face the full £9,000 annual fee, depending on their choice of course and college. |
| Anthony McGrath from QUB said students from Great Britain who paid £9,000 for a place at the Belfast university would have "a number of different incentives to come here". | Anthony McGrath from QUB said students from Great Britain who paid £9,000 for a place at the Belfast university would have "a number of different incentives to come here". |
| "We've tried to package things together for GB students to try to attract students, try to make things as easy as possible. | "We've tried to package things together for GB students to try to attract students, try to make things as easy as possible. |
| "We find that there are a number of barriers in the way for students to come to Belfast, to come to Northern Ireland, and we've tried to reduce those barriers." | "We find that there are a number of barriers in the way for students to come to Belfast, to come to Northern Ireland, and we've tried to reduce those barriers." |
| Quotas | Quotas |
| Mr McGrath, however, said he believed Northern Ireland students were "getting a great deal at the moment, because they're paying much less than GB students" to study at Queen's. | Mr McGrath, however, said he believed Northern Ireland students were "getting a great deal at the moment, because they're paying much less than GB students" to study at Queen's. |
| Both QUB and UU have assured students from Northern Ireland that they would not lose out on university places as a result of their drive to attract higher-paying applicants. | Both QUB and UU have assured students from Northern Ireland that they would not lose out on university places as a result of their drive to attract higher-paying applicants. |