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April- May 2026

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LMH Taster Day Series 2026 | Lady Margaret Hall

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Our Taster Days are designed to be most useful for students from state schools in the UK who have the potential to make a competitive application to the University of Oxford. In order to ensure that we are providing the opportunity to students who will benefit the most from the experience, we will consider GCSE results and predicted grades in the selection process.

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Application deadline: 5th May

Date: August 2026

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Wadham runs five-day residential summer schools each August for Year 12 pupils in UK state schools or sixth-form colleges. Applications for the 2023 Summer Schools open on 20 February and will close on 5 May 2023.

"After the summer school I am much more confident that I would fit in at Oxford and feel like I am more ready to move away from home"

Summer School participant, 2022

Applications are open for five-day Classics, Modern Languages and Biology & Human Sciences Summer Schools run by Wadham College at the University of Oxford from 21st - 25th August 2023. Please apply here by the deadline of 5pm, Friday 5th May 2023. You can email us with any questions.

Why attend a summer school?

These Summer Schools are designed to give UK pupils studying in Year 12 a taste of what it's like to be an undergraduate studying at the University of Oxford. Pupils will take part in an academic programme, live in College, meet student ambassadors studying at Oxford, and receive information, advice and guidance on applying to university.

The Summer Schools are free. Accommodation and meals are provided by the College. We will provide financial support to pupils to cover their travel costs.

We're delighted to be able to run these events in-person allowing participants the best experience of life at the university. The feedback from last year's Summer Schools was hugely positive with over a third of participants subsequently securing offers to study at the university.

Classics Summer School: 'Gender and Sexuality in the Ancient World'

Summer school students at the Ashmolean museum

Pupils will engage in a seminar series led by the Faculty of Classics including language classes in Ancient Greek. This will also include a visit to the Ashmolean Museum and students will complete an assignment on the main topic with feedback from tutors. Pupils will also be able to receive support from current undergraduates and from the College on making successful applications to top universities.

Relevant Subjects: Classics, Ancient History, History, Classical Greek, Archaeology

Apply here.

Modern Languages Summer School: French, German or Spanish

A Summer School class at Wadham College, 2022

Pupils will engage in a seminar series led by Wadham's language tutors, including language classes in their selected language of study (French, German or Spanish) with opportunities to try other languages as beginners (including German, Portuguese and Russian). Students will complete an assignment on a main topic with feedback from tutors. Pupils will also be able to receive support from current undergraduates and from the College on making successful applications to top universities.

Relevant Subjects: Pupils studying French, German or Spanish at A-level or equivalent

Apply here.

Biology & Human Sciences Summer School: Climate Change

School students in a science class at Wadham College

Pupils will undertake seminar sessions led by academics from a range of disciplines, including Biology and Human Sciences, to develop their subject knowledge and relevant skills. They will engage in a seminar series focusing on climate change from a mixture of perspectives across the human and biological sciences. This will include both understanding the impacts of change, and potential approaches for mitigating and adapting to it.

Pupils will complete an assignment on the main topic with feedback from tutors. They will also be able to receive support from current undergraduates and from the College on making successful applications to top universities.
Relevant Subjects: Biology, Human Sciences, Biochemistry, Geography, Chemistry

Apply here.

Modern Languages Taster Sessions

Wadham Summer School 2021

Please apply here by the deadline of 5pm, Friday 5th May 2023. You can email us with any questions.

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Wadham runs five-day residential summer schools each August for Year 12 pupils in UK state schools or sixth-form colleges. Applications for the 2023 Summer Schools open on 20 February and will close on 5 May 2023.

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Exploring Law: Studying Law at University is an innovative, open-access online course designed primarily for 16 to 18-year-olds who are considering studying law at university in the UK. It is intended to help any student, whatever their background, and whatever their particular university aspirations, decide whether law is the right subject for them.

What can the Exploring Law course offer me?

The Exploring Law course has been designed by the University of Cambridge Faculty of Law to give you a real taste of what studying law at university involves.

The major ambition is to enable you to decide whether a law degree is right for you, as well as to help you develop understanding and skills that will assist you when applying to university and then starting out as a law student.

During the course, you will be introduced you to fundamentals of law - its nature, sources and major categories - and explore in depth some fascinating questions of criminal law, public law and private law. You will also gain valuable insights into, and have a chance to practise, key skills that every law student needs. The final module of the course provides useful advice on how to make an effective university application.

The course is intended to be a rich and engaging experience. In each module, academic experts from the Faculty of Law will guide you as you work through activities that allow you to learn about, and interact with, the law in different ways. In addition, you will hear first-hand from current university law students about their experiences and from inspirational figures from the world of law, and you will have the opportunity to interact with other learners, sharing your experiences, thoughts and ideas.

How can I access the course?

The Exploring Law course is free to access and complete. It can be accessed via the Exploring Law course page on the FutureLearn online course platform. To take the course, you only need to follow a very simple registration process.

If you opt to enrol on the course for free, you will have full access to the course for six weeks. During that time, the six course modules will become available to you on a weekly basis, and you can work through each module, as it becomes available, at your own pace. Although FutureLearn describes this as "limited access", you will enjoy the full course experience during your free enrolment, and you will be supported throughout that time by our course facilitators.

The course is offered by the Faculty of Law twice annually, beginning in the last week in January and the third week in July.
The next course run will begin on 29 January 2024.
You can register for the next course immediately, and at any time before 11 March 2024.

All learners are required to comply with FutureLearn's Code of Conduct. Please also bear in mind FutureLearn's guidance for staying safe online.

How much time will I need to take the course?

The course has six weekly modules. To gain most benefit from the course, you should expect to spend around 4 hours per module/per week.
Find out more/Sign up at FutureLearn

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Exploring Law Course: Studying Law at University

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Exploring Law: Studying Law at University is an innovative, open-access online course designed primarily for 16 to 18-year-olds who are considering studying law at university in the UK.

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History - Foundation Year Course @ Oxford 2026

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History - Foundation Year Course @ Oxford 2026

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The University of Oxford's Astrophoria Foundation Year is a one-year fully-funded foundation programme for UK state school students with significant academic potential, who have experienced severe personal disadvantage and/or disrupted education which has resulted in them being unable to apply directly for an Oxford undergraduate degree programme.

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Discover our academic taster days for UK state school students

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By registering your email, you will receive a weekly link to join the live lecture as well as links to recordings and reading materials from previous lectures, upcoming workshops and opportunities relating to history.

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A series of FREE super-curricular lectures for A Level (or equivalent) students. Tuesdays at 4pm from 10th January 2023. Sign up now

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The History Faculty offers free online History Skills Workshops to state secondary school, sixth form and FE college pupils in years 12 & 13 from across the UK.

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Year 12 African Caribbean Society (ACS) Shadowing Day

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Year 12 African Caribbean Society (ACS) Shadowing Day

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2026 Access Day for Young Women from State schools in YR10-12 from Bangladeshi and Pakistani Backgrounds

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2026 Access Day for Young Women from State schools in YR10-12 from Bangladeshi and Pakistani Backgrounds

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2026 Access Day for Young Women from State schools in YR10-12 from Bangladeshi and Pakistani Backgrounds

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Online surveys is a powerful, easy to use tool for creating online surveys. Run by Jisc, online surveys is used by over 300 different organisations in the UK…

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Bright Matter: Women and Non-Binary People in STEM

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Bright Matter: Women and Non-Binary People in STEM

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Material Sciences Open Day - Oxford 2026

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Material Sciences Open Day - Oxford 2026

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Year 12 Engineering Study Day - Oxford University - Tuesday 17 March 2026

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Online surveys is a powerful, easy to use tool for creating online surveys. Run by Jisc, online surveys is used by over 300 different organisations in the UK…

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We want to attract the best and brightest students – regardless of background – to apply to us. We want to make sure that when people are thinking of applying to University they have all the information they need.

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We want to attract the best and brightest students – regardless of background – to apply to us. We want to make sure that when people are thinking of applying to University they have all the information they need.

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Study Days at St John’s offer high-achieving Year 12 students at non-selective state schools an opportunity to experience higher level study in their chosen subject.

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UNIQ Summer School 2026 - Free to Year 12 and 13

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UNIQ Summer School 2026 - Free to Year 12 and 13

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Tuesday 30th April 2024 - Thursday 02nd May 2024

UK University Search are excited to be collaborating with the Russell Group once again to bring you our popular, informative and inspiring webinars that cover a range of key topics.

Taking place from the 30th April to the 2nd May, we have five 90-minute sessions each featuring five or six expert panellists who will offer clear, impartial guidance for students looking at taking the next step in their educational journey.

In each session the Q&A function will be managed by other member universities from the Russell Group who will be able to answer specific questions and provide further information.
ONCE YOU HAVE REGISTERED YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TO SELECT THE WEBINAR/S YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN BY CLICKING ON THE ZOOM LINK/S. Please also register if you would like to be emailed access to the recordings
The schedule is as follows:

An Introduction to the Russell Group and Why Choose to Study There? 12:00 to 13:30

Student life at University 16:30 - 18:00
Day 2 - 1st May
The International Students Session - 9:00 to 10:30
Day 3 - 2nd May
Researching University Options - 12:00 to 13:30

Personal Statements and Applying to a Russell Group University - 16:30 to 18:00

All times shown are UK/BST

The Russell Group is made up of:

University of Birmingham, University of Bristol, University of Cambridge, Cardiff University, Durham University, University of Edinburgh, University of Exeter, University of Glasgow, Imperial College London, King's College London, University of Leeds, University of Liverpool, London School of Economics & Political Science, University of Manchester, Newcastle University, University of Nottingham, University of Oxford, Queen Mary, University of London, Queen's University Belfast, University of Sheffield, University of Southampton, University College London, University of Warwick, University of York.

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UK University Search are excited to be collaborating with the Russell Group once again to bring you our popular, informative and inspiring webinars that cover a range of key topics. Taking place from the 30th April to the 2nd May, we have five 90-minute sessions each featuring five or six expert panellists who will offer clear, impartial guidance for students looking at taking the next step in their educational journey.

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Curious about university life and keen to explore your subject choices? Subject Masterclasses are a great way to explore what it's like to study your favourite subject at Cambridge.

What are Subject Masterclasses?

Our Masterclasses in September and October will be online.

Each Masterclass includes:

Taster lectures delivered by Cambridge academic staff

Q&A with subject experts

A subject specific introduction to the application process

Student life insights from current undergraduates

Who can attend?

Masterclasses are designed for students in Year 12 (S5 for Scotland, Year 13 for NI, international grade 10 or 11, or equivalent) and mature students.

Both UK and International students are welcome to attend.

Online Subject Masterclasses

Subjects and dates

Sign up for updates

Sign up for our student newsletter to hear when new Subject Masterclasses are announced.

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Booking is now open for our September and October Masterclasses. Curious about university life and keen to explore your subject choices? Subject Masterclasses are a great way to explore what it's like to study your favourite subject at Cambridge. What are Subject Masterclasses?

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LMH (Oxford University) Open Day - September 2025

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LMH (Oxford University) Open Day - September 2025

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Find out more about our next Open Days, including the schedule, how to book and more.

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Application dates and deadlines for Cambridge | Undergraduate Study

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Check what you need to do and when if you’re applying to Cambridge. Find out when to apply, when tests and interviews take place and when we send out offers.

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What The Oxford University Islamic Society (OUISoc) Access team is currently working toexpand its outreach to schools across the country. The OUISoc seeks to supportprospective Muslim students with the application process to Oxford; theirdedicated Access Team holds various access initiatives to ease the transitionto higher education, combat misconceptions, and engage with parents too. TheOUISoc have created a mailing list for interested teachers or school representatives to receive updates and information directly from us aboutrelevant opportunities and resources.

Who Muslims from sixth form, regardless of their background or level of spirituality.

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Caius Explore 2025 - Open For Entries (closes 1st July 2025)

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Caius Explore 2025 - Open For Entries (closes 1st July 2025)

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In the below video our Tutor for Admissions and Outreach, Dr Chris Scott, introduces our annual outreach programme aimed at helping students develop their super-curricular interests. Scroll down for more information!

For Caius Explore, academics at Gonville & Caius have designed tasks in many different subjects that are aimed at helping you to develop your academic interests beyond your school curriculum. Not only is developing your academic interests one of the best things you can be doing to make yourself as competitive as possible as an applicant to Cambridge, but we also think it's a very good thing to do for its own sake!

That is the spirit in which all of these explorations have be set: we hope that they will be genuinely engaging, that they will encourage and help you to explore your academic interests, and most of all that they will be enjoyable.

We would love to see what you come up with! You can enter for as many subjects as you like and entries will be open until 26 July 2024. We will pick our favourite entries and invite their authors to come to Caius to meet our Directors of Studies, students, have a tour, and more.

Please note that we can only consider submissions from students currently studying at UK state schools or colleges. The explorations have been designed for students in year 12 / S5 / year 13 NI, but you are welcome to take part if you are in a younger year and we are happy to consider any such submissions. Collaborative submissions will also be considered in groups of no more than four. If you are submitting a collaborative project, please tick the "collaborative" box on the submission form and have each member of your group submit the form individually. This is so we have all the information we need about each of you. Members of the group do not need to attend the same school or college, but they do all need to attend a UK state school or college.
Submit your entry before 26 July through our form here!
If you have any questions about the scheme, please feel free to email schools@cai.cam.ac.uk.

Asian & Middle Eastern Studies
Choose a literary work and think about its cultural and subject contexts.

Watch the following video to hear some of 2023's entrants talk about their projects and their experience of the celebration day.

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Caius Explore 2024 is open for entries until 26 July! In the below video our Tutor for Admissions and Outreach, Dr Chris Scott, introduces our annual outreach programme aimed at helping students develop their super-curricular interests. Scroll down for more information!

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Apply Cambridge - Closing Date: 1st May 2025

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Apply Cambridge - Closing Date: 1st May 2025

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What is Apply: Cambridge?

Apply: Cambridge is a free programme to support high-attaining students from underrepresented backgrounds and areas to make successful applications to the University of Cambridge.

The programme will be delivered by Cambridge staff and admissions tutors who will share their expertise on the application process.

What do I have access to on the programme?

There are two strands of the programme - with or without mentoring.

Apply: Cambridge without mentoring will run from July 2023 to October 2023 and will be entirely online. We will work with you every step of the way over this 3-month period, helping you navigate the process and effectively prepare for your Cambridge application. The programme will include:

Informational webinars

Interactive workshops

Guided learning opportunities

Q&A sessions with Admissions Tutors and current students

Apply: Cambridge with mentoring will run longer, from July 2023 to January 2024. It will include all of the above, as well as mentoring from a current student at the University of Cambridge. Mentoring includes:

Virtual 1-1 mentoring over a text-based app and website

Monthly group mentoring meetings with your mentor over Zoom

Personal statement feedback

How do I apply?

The programme is designed for students intending to make an application to Cambridge in October 2023 for entry in October 2024.

Apply online by Wednesday 17 May 2023 (11am). Late applications will not be considered.
Participation or non-participation with this programme is completely separate from the admissions process and will not be taken into account in any university application.

Who can apply?

To be eligible to apply, you must:

Be eligible for UK home fee status

Be a student at a state school or college in the UK

Be intending to make an application to Cambridge in October 2023

Be studying for qualifications at your school/college that meet the entry requirements for your chosen course at Cambridge

Be on track to achieve at least the minimum grades required for entry. A*A*A for most sciences courses (excluding Veterinary Medicine, which has an entry requirement of A*AA) and A*AA for arts and social sciences courses (excluding Economics or Psychological and Behavioural Sciences, which have entry requirements of A*A*A). See Entry requirements for other qualifications and more details.

Be committed to undertaking the necessary work attached to participation in the programme. Places on the programme are competitive and we expect students chosen to be engaged with all aspects of their programme strand.

It may not possible to offer every applicant a place on the programme but we would encourage ALL students meeting the eligibility criteria outlined above to apply.

Priority criteria

Where spaces are limited, students who meet one or more of the following criteria will be prioritised. The criteria below are organised in order of their priority i.e. being care experienced is of the highest priority.

Students who are care experienced

Students who are an asylum seeker or refugee

Students who are estranged from both primary carers (eg both parents/carers)

Students who are eligible for the 16-19 Bursary/ Pupil Premium and/or those who have been in receipt of Free School Meals at any point in the last 6 years

Students who come from an under-represented ethnic group:

Black African and Black Caribbean

Pakistani and Bangladeshi

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller

White Students from Lower Socio-Economic Backgrounds (ever 6 FSM)

Students who are a young carer, defined as being the primary carer for a parent or sibling

Students who have experienced disruption to their education such as for the following reasons:

Medical/health issues (including mental health), particularly those that have resulted in long or extended periods of absence (over 8 weeks) from school in the last 6 years

Bereavement of a close family member (eg parent/carer) in the last 6 years

Becoming a parent

Moving schools twice or more in the last 6 years

Being from a UK Armed Forces family

Experience of close family imprisonment (eg parent/carer)

Experience of homelessness

Other disruption (to be specified)

Please note: educational disruption due to COVID-19 is NOT regarded as a marker of disrupted education.

Students from schools with historic low progression to Oxbridge

Students who live in POLAR4 Quintiles 1&2 or IMD Quintiles 1&2 target wards

Female students applying for Mathematics or Computer Science and male students applying for Psychological and Behavioural Sciences or Veterinary Medicine

Students who have been participants on other programmes offered by the central Cambridge Admissions Office

Students who attend an HE+ or Insight school

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Applications for Apply: Cambridge are open now! Book below.** What is Apply: Cambridge? Apply: Cambridge is a free programme to support high-attaining students from underrepresented backgrounds and areas to make successful applications to the University of Cambridge.

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Queen's College Cambridge - Super curricular activities

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Super-curricular Activities - Queens’ College

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Strong applicants to Cambridge and other competitive universities tend to have explored their chosen subject through wider reading outside the classroom, as well as doing very well in their GCSEs and A-levels (or equivalent). We call this sort of exploration ‘super-curricular’, as it builds on and enhances what you are studying in school.

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Academic Reading Groups Online - Caius College Cambridge

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Academic Reading Groups Online - Caius College Cambridge

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Looking for ways to explore your subject over the summer? Want some inspiration for your personal statement? Thinking about applying to competitive universities? These reading groups are for you!

The Gonville & Caius Summer Online Reading Groups are open to students who have just finished year 12/S5/year 13 NI and are attending a UK state school or college. The aim of these sessions is to support you with super-curricular work, which is essential for making a competitive university application. Postgraduate students from the University of Cambridge will guide you through reading and extension exercises online, giving you the perfect jump-start to deepening your knowledge of your subject. You will also have the opportunity to meet our Admissions Tutor and ask him your questions.

In 2024, the deadline for signing up was 12:00 midday on Friday 12th of July. The dates 2024 were:

4:00-5:00 pm Wednesday 31st July - Reading Group Session 1

4:00-5:00 pm Wednesday 7th August - Reading Group Session 2

4:00-5:00 pm Wednesday 14th August - Reading Group Session 3

5:00-6:00 pm Monday 19th August - Q&A with the Admissions Tutor

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The Gonville & Caius Summer Online Reading Groups are open to students who have just finished year 12/S5/year 13 NI and are attending a UK state school or college. The aim of these sessions is to support you with super-curricular work, which is essential for making a competitive university application.

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Access to Higher Education

Welcome to the application page for the Sutton Trust's UK Summer Schools. Please click below to apply for the programme. If you have applied for the Sutton Trust US Programme through the Fulbright Commission please click the 'Already registered? Login now' button and then click 'Forgot Password' on the next page.
Go back to main programmes homepage "

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Welcome to the application page for the Sutton Trust's UK Summer Schools. Please click below to apply for the programme. If you have applied for the Sutton Trust US Programme through the Fulbright Commission please click the 'Already registered? Login now' button and then click 'Forgot Password' on the next page.

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The History Faculty offers free online History Skills Workshops to state secondary school, sixth form and FE college pupils in years 12 & 13 from across the UK.

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The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is an admissions test, used by a consortium of UK and partner Universities to help select applicants to their medical and dental degree programmes.

The test is used alongside other selection criteria such as your academic qualifications and interviews.

The UCAT is a computer-based test, delivered in Pearson VUE test centres throughout the UK and worldwide.

This 2024 step-by-step is designed to guide you through all the essential steps in completing your UCAT journey.

Check your eligibility

Register and book

Create a UCAT account between 14 May and 12 noon (BST) on 19 September 2024.

If applicable, submit an application for Access Arrangements. These require approval before you can book a test.

If eligible, apply for a UCAT Bursary. Do this before booking so that you can use your bursary voucher code to pay for your test.

Book your test from 18 June 2024. Book as early as possible and avoid booking a late test date. Booking closes at 12 noon (BST) on 19 September.

Prepare for your test

Check what to expect on Test Day

Sit your test

Check the location of your test centre and allow plenty of time for arrival.

Take the correct photo ID with you to the test centre.

Report any problems during your test to the test centre immediately. Obtain an incident number and consult the Test Incident page for next steps.

Receive your results

UCAT resultsare issued on the day of your test (or shortly after if testing online).

We publish preliminary candidate scores in mid-September and final scores after testing ends so you can see how your result relates to overall candidate performance. Mean scores from previous test cycles are available on theTest Statisticspage.

Apply to university

Make an informed decision about where to apply by checking the information on university websites to see how they use UCAT in their selection process.

The UCAS application deadline for medicine and dentistry is 15 October 2024. Other courses and UCAT partner universities may have different deadlines.

UCAT willdeliver your resultdirectly to your chosen UK universities in early November.

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The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is an admissions test, used by a consortium of UK and partner Universities to help select applicants to their medical and dental degree programmes. The test is used alongside other selection criteria such as your academic qualifications and interviews.

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More Perfect: Season 4 | WNYC Studios | Podcasts

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A series about how the Supreme Court got so supreme.

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50 Things that Made the Modern Economy Podcast Series

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50 Things that Made the Modern Economy Podcast Series

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BBC World Service - 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy - Available now

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Available episodes of 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy

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Oxford Online Maths Club - Livestream Every Thursday 5.00pm

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Oxford Online Maths Club - Livestream Every Thursday 5.00pm

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Welcome to the club! The Oxford Online Maths Club is a weekly livestream from the University of Oxford with maths problems, puzzles, mini-lectures, and Q&A. It's free, interactive, casual, and relaxed, and the livestreams are recorded so that you can watch back afterwards if you can't make it to the live broadcast on Thursday afternoons. The club is mostly aimed at people about to apply to university or about to start a Maths course, but everyone's welcome and there's no registration needed. Whether you're the only person you know who's interested in mathematics, or if you're an entire sixth-form maths club looking for more maths content, we're here for you.

Our regular host is Dr James Munro (admissions and outreach coordinator for Maths at Oxford), and we often have current Oxford students answering questions in chat and appearing on the livestream to talk about maths. In some of the episodes we tackle tricky maths problems, in some of them we explore one maths topic in more detail, and in some of them we have a current Oxford student or member of staff on the livestream to talk about a bit of maths they love.

(Almost) every episode comes with some further reading notes for you to explore the topics we cover in the livestream in more depth. If you're looking for super-curricular mathematics (perhaps you're looking for an EPQ topic, or you're trying to explore maths beyond the classroom before applying to university), then this should be a good place to start. Click on "Further Reading" under any episode on this page to see these notes.

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Welcome to the club! The Oxford Online Maths Club is a weekly livestream from the University of Oxford with maths problems, puzzles, mini-lectures, and Q&A. It's free, interactive, casual, and relaxed, and the livestreams are recorded so that you can watch back afterwards if you can't make it to the live broadcast on Thursday afternoons.

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Magdalene College Cambridge Armstrong Arts and Humanities Essay Competition

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Magdalene College Cambridge Armstrong Arts and Humanities Essay Competition

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The competition is open to students attending state-maintained schools in the UK, and who are in their penultimate year of education (Year 12 in England and Wales, S5 in Scotland, or Year 13 in Northern Ireland).

Essay Questions

The essay questions cover the breadth of arts and humanities subjects offered at undergraduate level at the University of Cambridge.

Questions are often multi-disciplinary, designed to encourage entries to consider the connections between various subjects, and to allow entries to approach the question from varying angles. Effective essays will present a clear argument supported by specific, relevant examples.

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Magdalene College is delighted to announce a brand-new Arts and Humanities Essay Competition for 2023.

The competition is open to students attending state-maintained schools in the UK, and who are in their penultimate year of education (Year 12 in England and Wales, S5 in Scotland, or Year 13 in Northern Ireland).

The essay questions are available to view here:

The essay questions cover the breadth of arts and humanities subjects offered at undergraduate level at the University of Cambridge. Questions are often multi-disciplinary, designed to encourage entries to consider the connections between various subjects, and to allow entries to approach the question from varying angles. Effective essays will present a clear argument supported by specific, relevant examples.

Submissions should adhere to the word limit of 2,000 words, which does not include footnotes or bibliographies. The word count should be stated at the end of the essay. All sources should be cited and listed in a bibliography. We understand that entrants may not have prior experience of referencing and would recommend this website for an explanation of the Harvard referencing system. Entrants are welcome to use alternative reference styles if they prefer. More information about referencing will be provided in our 'Refining and Referencing' webinar, details of which can be found below.

Entrants should submit one essay only. The submission must be entirely the entrant's own work and must not be submitted or have been submitted to an exam board as part of any coursework, extended essay, or Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), either in part or in full.

The Essay Competition has a First Prize of £300, a Second Prize of £200, and a Third Prize of £100. Honourable mentions may also be awarded. Prize winners will be invited to Magdalene College in Summer 2023.

The deadline for submissions is 28 April 2023 at 18:00.

Essays should be submitted at the link below.

Submit Essay

Essay-writing Webinars

Magdalene College Schools Liaison Officer is delivering a series of webinars to provide advice on the stages of the essay-writing process.

1. Planning and Researching
Wednesday 22 February 2023, 16:30-17:30

Planning and Researching Essays

2. The Writing Process
Wednesday 15 March 2023, 16:30-17:30

3. Refining and Referencing
Wednesday 29 March 2023, 16:30-17:30

If you would like to attend any of the webinars, please sign up here at the link below.

Webinar Registration

Recordings of the webinars will be available on this page after each session.

If you have any questions regarding the competition, please contact Natalie Thompson, Schools Liaison Officer, by emailing access@magd.cam.ac.uk.

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Arts and Humanities Essay Competition 2023

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Magdalene College is delighted to announce a brand-new Arts and Humanities Essay Competition for 2023. The competition is open to students attending state-maintained schools in the UK, and who are in their penultimate year of education (Year 12 in England and Wales, S5 in Scotland, or Year 13 in Northern Ireland).

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St John's College - Webinars on Making a Competitive Application and Writing an Excellent Personal Statement

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St John's College - Webinars on Making a Competitive Application and Writing an Excellent Personal Statement

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Online Survey Software | Qualtrics Survey Solutions

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Survey Software, Enterprise Survey software for enterprise feedback management and CRM solutions. Enables high-quality data collection, panel management and results analysis. Perfect for market research or CRM solution (Customer Relationship Management) integration. Free trial and consultation.

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University of Sheffield Online Subject Taster Sessions in All Subjects

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University of Sheffield Online Subject Taster Sessions in All Subjects

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Our subject taster sessions help students experience what it's like to study at the University of Sheffield.

Our subject taster sessions offer students an opportunity to experience a university lecture or seminar, to get a taste of what studying at university is like.

Our interactive sessions are available for year 12 and 13 students who are considering their post-16 options. We have a wide range of subjects to choose from and our sessions are delivered both online and on-campus.

On the day you'll join a group of other year 12 and 13 students for an interactive seminar, lecture or workshop. During the session you'll learn more about your chosen subject, speak to our academic and teaching staff, and experience what it's like to be a University of Sheffield student.

Online sessions

Our online sessions are delivered virtually. You'll join an online event delivered by one of our academics in the subject area of your choice.
View our online sessions
On-campus sessions

Our on-campus sessions are delivered on the university campus. You'll attend a session in one of our learning and teaching spaces.
View our on-campus sessions
If you have any questions about taster sessions please email tasterdays@sheffield.ac.uk

Related information
Explore other ways to visit

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Our subject taster sessions help students experience what it's like to study at the University of Sheffield.

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Newnham College Cambridge - 12 Week Essay Writing Programme for Female Humanities and Social Sciences Students

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Newnham College Cambridge - 12 Week Essay Writing Programme for Female Humanities and Social Sciences Students

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Online Survey Software | Qualtrics Survey Solutions

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The most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.

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Durham University - Futures in STEM Programme: Deadline 31 January 2024

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Durham University - Futures in STEM Programme: Deadline 31 January 2024

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Futures in STEM is an academic and pastoral support programme, targeted at students who are aiming to pursue the study of chemistry, maths or physics at university.

We are excited to be able to offer our student participants the opportunity to take part in a variety of online subject specific tutorials, mentoring, guest lectures and activities designed to prepare them for university study to help make sure they are ready to apply for and succeed in Higher Education.

Participants will experience what it is like to be a part of Durham University, with regular contact with tutors, mentors (Chemistry and Physics Programmes) and academics from across the Faculty of Science. Futures in STEM will be a fun, encouraging and intellectually stimulating introduction to Durham University and studying at university.

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Futures in STEM is an academic and pastoral support programme, targeted at students who are aiming to pursue the study of chemistry, maths or physics at university.

We are excited to be able to offer our student participants the opportunity to take part in a variety of online subject specific tutorials, mentoring, guest lectures and activities designed to prepare them for university study to help make sure they are ready to apply for and succeed in Higher Education.

Participants will experience what it is like to be a part of Durham University, with regular contact with tutors, mentors (Chemistry and Physics Programmes) and academics from across the Faculty of Science. Futures in STEM will be a fun, encouraging and intellectually stimulating introduction to Durham University and studying at university.
Futures in STEM is part of the National Levelling Up: STEM suite of programmes. This is a joint programme with the London Mathematical Society (LMS) and the Institute of Physics (IoP). There are also Chemistry, Maths and Physics programmes running at other universities. Please visit their websites for more details.
Who can take part?

Please see the essential and subject-specific criteria on our Eligibility & Selection Criteria webpage.

Key Dates

1 December 2023 - Application process opens

31 January 2024 - Application process closes

16 February 2024 - Applicants contacted with application outcomes

Early March 2024 - Futures in STEM Cohort 4 Launch event

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What is Futures in STEM? Futures in STEM is an academic and pastoral support programme, targeted at students who are aiming to pursue the study of chemistry, maths or physics at university. We are excited to be able to offer our student participants the opportunity to take part in a variety of online subject specific [...]

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Cambridge University - Women in Maths Programme: Deadline 31st January 2024

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Cambridge University - Women in Maths Programme: Deadline 31st January 2024

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Christ's and Trinity Colleges run an annual Women in Maths residential, taking place from 21-23 March 2024. This opportunity is open to Year 12 (or S5 Scotland, Y13 Northern Ireland) women - see below for further eligibility criteria and to apply.

What is the Women in Maths Programme?

What does the event cost?

Eligibility and selection

Apply for a place on the 2024 Women in Maths Residential

If you are in looking for other maths opportunities

Info for students observing Ramadan

WHAT IS THE CHRIST'S-TRINITY WOMEN IN MATHS PROGRAMME?

While there are lots of events run across the country to encourage young women to study STEM subjects, this programme specifically targets potential female applicants to Mathematics courses at top universities. It will take place in Cambridge from 21-23 March 2024 (see below for students observing Ramadan).

This programme is open to women who are interested in studying Maths and related courses at a top university. During the programme, you’ll attend lectures and classes taught by Cambridge academics and meet current students and admissions staff. It's a great opportunity to gain an insight into what it’s like to study at Maths at the University of Cambridge. Attendees will also have the chance to explore Christ's and Trinity Colleges, and take part in social activities and other maths-related activities alongside the academic lectures and classes.

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This programme is open to women who are interested in studying Maths and related courses at a top university. During the programme, you'll attend lectures and classes taught by Cambridge academics and meet current students and admissions staff. It's a great opportunity to gain an insight into what it's like to study at Maths at the University of Cambridge.

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Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge - Medical Society Online Access Day: Register interest by 8 January 2024

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Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge - Medical Society Online Access Day: Register interest by 8 January 2024

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This year, Gonville and Caius Medical Society will be running an Online Access Day on 20th January from 10:00 through to the late afternoon. This day intends to introduce students to Medicine at Cambridge, with a range of different events running throughout the day. All these events will be held online, and students will need to register their interest if they wish to be considered for a place. Each session will last about 45 minutes and will give a comprehensive overview/insight into Medicine at Cambridge.

Overview of sessions running:

-          Medicine at Cambridge Talk

-          Personal Statements for Medicine Talk

-          Interview talk (with general tips for medical school interviews)

-          Admissions Assessments Talk

-          Taster Lecture from Dr Fraser (Caius’ Director of Studies in Medicine)

-          Q&A session with current undergraduate students

-          Mock small group teaching session

To register interest, students must fill in the following form by midday on 8th January 2024. We expect that this will be a highly subscribed event, and as such cannot guarantee all students a place on the Access Day. Students can expect to hear the outcome of their application by 12th January.

Register of Interest: https://cambridge.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3JzUti1wQbeHZKm

This opportunity is open to students from Years 10-12.

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Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management

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The most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.

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Year 12 History Essay Competition: Deadline Friday 26 April 2024

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Year 12 History Essay Competition: Deadline Friday 26 April 2024

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Our essay competition is open to Year 12 or Lower Sixth history students from schools and colleges anywhere in the UK.

There is a prize of £100 for the winning essay, and two runners-up essays will receive a prize of £25 each.

The intention behind the prize is:

to give History A Level students an opportunity to write about a topic that interests them

to encourage them to develop independent study skills

to provide schools and colleges with a 'stretch and challenge' exercise for their most talented students

to recognise the talents of aspiring history students

Essays must be on topics in our essay question title list.

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How to apply:

Deadline for the 2022-23 competition: 5pm, Friday 28 April 2023 - This year's competition is now closed.

No more than two applications can be received per school and college, so you should speak to your teacher before submission.

To submit your essay, please complete the Google form found here.

The Google form will prompt you to submit the essay via a Dropbox link.

Please ensure once you've submitted the essay via the Dropbox link, you return to, and complete the Google form to ensure your submission is received by us.

We plan to be in touch with applicants to let them know the outcome of their application by the end of May. We will keep applicants up-to-date if there are any delays with this timeline

If you have any questions, or issues, please get in touch with us at history.schools@sheffield.ac.uk.

Good luck to all applicants!

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The Department of History's essay competition for 2022-2023 is now closed. The deadline for entries was 5pm Friday 28 April 2023. We aim to inform all entrants of the outcome of the competition by the end of May 2023. We are proud to sponsor this Y12/L6 History essay prize competition.

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Interested in Applying for Medicine - New Podcast Series on Spotify

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Interested in Applying for Medicine - New Podcast Series on Spotify

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The Overend-Knight Medical History Podcast

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Listen to The Overend-Knight Medical History Podcast on Spotify. What were the medical firsts in Sheffield over the last 200 years? We set out to find these in the Overend-Knight Medical History Podcast - named after two founding figures of medical education in Sheffield.

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Goldsmiths University - Young Writer and Young Anthropologist Competitions: Deadline Friday 19 April 2024

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Goldsmiths University - Young Writer and Young Anthropologist Competitions: Deadline Friday 19 April 2024

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Become the next Young Writer (a short story writing competition for creative writers) or Young Anthropologist (for writing about identity and culture). You can register to enter now!

Both competitions have a £1,000 first prize and two runner-up prizes of £50. All shortlisted entries will also receive a small prize.

If you register, you'll be invited to online workshops throughout the year delivered by our English and Creative Writing and/or Anthropology departments to help you hone your writing skills and learn from our academic staff. You’ll also receive information about upcoming Goldsmiths events, resources, recommendations and opportunities that will help your entry be the best it can be before submission.

You must register for the competition and submit your final entry by the 11.59pm (BST) on Friday 19 April 2024.

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Become the next Young Writer (a short story writing competition for creative writers) or Young Anthropologist (for writing about identity and culture). You can register to enter now!

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Y13 - How to write a good personal statement

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Y13 - How to write a good personal statement

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London School of Economics and Political Science

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The quality of an applicant's personal statement is very important at LSE. The School does not interview for places so this is an applicant's only opportunity to demonstrate they are a good fit for the course. Applicants should consult the advice here, as well as advice from UCAS when preparing to complete this section of their application.

Please note that writing a personal statement following the guidelines below does not guarantee an offer of admission. Personal statements are looked at on a comparative basis and there is a great deal of competition for places at LSE.

LSE does not accept additional or supplementary personal statements. We can only consider the personal statement submitted via UCAS.

You should ensure that your personal statement is structured and coherent and that you fully utilise the space available on UCAS. Once you have written a draft copy of your personal statement, you should check the spelling, punctuation and grammar and check that it flows in a logical order.

Before you start writing your personal statement, you should visit our course guides. These guides give information on the course content of each of our undergraduate programmes.

When assessing your personal statement our Admissions Selectors will look at how well your academic interests align with the LSE course. So, for example, the Anthropology Admissions Selector is likely to prefer a statement which focuses mainly on social anthropology - which is taught at LSE - over one which suggests the applicant is very interested in biological anthropology, or a combined degree with archaeology, as these courses are not offered at the School.

Similarly, a personal statement which shows an interest mostly in modern international history (the focus of LSE's International History course) is likely to be more competitive than one which shows a significant interest in ancient history, as LSE does not offer any ancient history units.

If you are applying for a range of slightly different courses, we recommend that you focus your personal statement on the areas of overlap between them, so that your statement appeals to all of your UCAS choices. It is important to note that LSE does not accept replacement or supplementary personal statements.

Your personal statement should discuss for the most part your academic interest in the subject you wish to study. One way to think about the personal statement is to reflect on what we expect from LSE undergraduates: we ask them to learn about topics relevant to their course, through reading or other experiences, and then discuss the ideas they have encountered in academic essays. This is the skill we look for in the personal statement and we recommend at least 80% of your statement should be dedicated to this type of academic discussion.

How you show your wider engagement with your subject is entirely up to you. Our Selectors look for students who can best reflect on the experiences and academic ideas they have encountered through the opportunities available to them, not those who have had the best opportunities. If you are not sure where to start, you could try listening to podcasts of LSE public events or look in the prospectus for examples of suggested reading. Remember we are interested not just in a list of what you have read/encountered, but evidence you have reflected on the academic ideas.

To help you begin, there are several questions you could think about:

Why have you chosen the course? What attracted you to the subject? Which aspects of the subject have interested you sufficiently to want to study it at degree level? Is there a specific area of the subject you wish to focus on? What are the big issues in the subject, and what do you find most interesting about them? What are your thoughts on these topics?

Have you developed your subject interest outside of your school studies? For example, have you undertaken any additional reading to broaden your knowledge of the subject? Have you attended lectures or explored online material relating to the subject? What did you find interesting in your reading/in the lectures you attended and what are your thoughts on the topics covered?

Have you gained any skills from your other school subjects that complement your application to study your chosen subject? Have you had the opportunity to undertake work experience relevant to your application? If you did, how did this experience give you a wider understanding of the topics you will study at university?

Have you attended any schemes or activities at LSE or other universities, such as Summer Schools, Saturday Schools, LSE Choice, etc? What you have learned from these? Have they furthered your knowledge of or interest in your chosen subject?

If you are applying for deferred entry, as well as thinking about the questions listed above, you may also wish to indicate (briefly) why you are taking a gap year and what you plan to do during the year.

If you are applying as a post-qualified student (ie, you have already received your final results), you may wish to mention briefly what you have been doing since your exams.

Please note: You are not expected to simply answer all of the questions above; these questions are merely intended to give you some guidance as to what to think about when writing your statement.

At LSE you are admitted to study a particular degree course so the majority of your personal statement − at least 80% − should focus on your academic interest in that subject. Many students like to include some details of their extra-curricular activities such as involvement in sports, the arts, volunteering or student government. As our Selectors are most interested in your academic interests, we recommend that no more than 20% of your statement is spent discussing extra-curricular activities.

LSE offers a number of combined degree programmes. If you are applying to one of these programmes, you are advised to give equal weighting to each subject in your statement. For instance, if you are applying to our Politics and Economics degree, you must show evidence of interest in both subjects; a statement weighted towards only one aspect of the degree will be significantly less competitive.

"I have always dreamed of coming to LSE since I was young. It has been a dream of mine to study at this institution, which is well renowned for its social science courses.

I am currently studying History, English and Business and Management at Higher level and Italian, Maths and Chemistry at Standard level in the International Baccalaureate, and feel that these subjects are providing me with a solid background for university study.

I want to study History because I want to be a world class Historian, and feel that this degree will help me. I am especially interested in Ancient History, particularly the history concerning the Roman Empire. I am fascinated by the way in which the empire was run, and the events that led to its downfall.

"I was the captain of the school football team, and this has taught me the importance of working together as a team, and allowed me to prioritise my time between my studies and football practice. I feel that this has provided me with the experience to successfully balance my academic and social life, and I plan to continue this balance whilst at university.

It is my dream to become an alumnus of the School, and I am sure that as I am the top student of my class, you will offer me a place."

This brief example of a personal statement is poor. The applicant has mentioned an interest in history but they have not discussed this in depth or shown any evidence of wider engagement with the subject. Where the applicant does talk about history, the discussion is superficial and focussed on ancient history, which LSE does not offer as part of our history course.

The applicant has specifically mentioned LSE, which is likely to be unattractive to their other choices, and has wasted space listing their International Baccalaureate subjects, which would be shown in the qualifications section. The applicant has described how a history degree will help them get the job they later want, rather than what they are looking forward to studying during the degree.

The applicant has reflected on the transferable skills they have developed leading the football team. This is good, but it would be nice to see the same level of reflection applied to academic topics - this student has spent more time talking about football than about history.

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London School of Economics and Political Science

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The quality of an applicant's personal statement is very important at LSE. The School does not interview for places so this is an applicant's only opportunity to demonstrate they are a good fit for the course. Applicants should consult the advice here, as well as advice from UCAS when preparing to complete this section of their application.

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Creating Impressive Academic Profiles and Enhancing University Applications with Super-curricular Activities: 1 February 2024 3.45-4.30pm

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Creating Impressive Academic Profiles and Enhancing University Applications with Super-curricular Activities: 1 February 2024 3.45-4.30pm

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In this interactive online event, we focus on the central role of super curricular activities in creating impressive academic profiles and enhancing university applications. We are joined by Steven Lawrence, Head of UK Undergraduate Recruitment at University of Bath, who will set the scene by providing the university perspective before we hear from Anya Filon and Nicola Askin, Directors at My Super Curricular*. Anya and Nicola will interactively explore:

What is super curricular exploration? Why should you care?

1. What are super curricular activities? How do they differ from extra curricular?

Why is super curricular exploration important?

How can you explore your favourite subject?

1. Types of super curricular activities.

Notes on reading around the subject.

Building practical subject-specific skills.

How much should I do?

1. How many activities to complete?

Examples of how to build a research pathway and link resources with each other.

Building your super curricular portfolio.

1. How and where to find quality super curricular resources.

Linking your exploration to current events.

Making the most of your super curricular activities

1. Time-saving tips

Reflecting on completed activities.

How to talk about your activities in your personal statement?

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Channel Talent - Interactive school webinars

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Register here
In this interactive online event, we focus on the central role of super curricular activities in creating impressive academic profiles and enhancing university applications. We are joined by Steven Lawrence, Head of UK Undergraduate Recruitment at University of Bath, who will set the scene by providing the university perspective before we hear from Anya Filon and Nicola Askin, Directors at My Super Curricular*. Anya and Nicola will interactively explore:
What is super curricular exploration? Why should you care?

1. What are super curricular activities? How do they differ from extra curricular?

2. Why is super curricular exploration important?

How can you explore your favourite subject?

1. Types of super curricular activities.

2. Notes on reading around the subject.

3. Building practical subject-specific skills.

How much should I do?

1. How many activities to complete?

2. Examples of how to build a research pathway and link resources with each other.

Building your super curricular portfolio.

1. How and where to find quality super curricular resources.

2. Linking your exploration to current events.

Making the most of your super curricular activities

1. Time-saving tips

2. Reflecting on completed activities.

3. How to talk about your activities in your personal statement?

* My Super Curricular is a subscription service for schools that offers quality super curricular resources and recommendations. My Super Curricular helps students create impressive academic profiles and enhance their university and apprenticeship applications.

Our events are designed so that a group of students can take part from a classroom or students and teachers can take part as individuals, either from school or from home. This means that sessions will continue irrespective of possible school closures.

As a live, participative event, this session will not be recorded but slides and other resources will be shared after the event, where available.

Suitable for: Year 11 & 12 students (and equivalent) potentially interested in going to university and wanting to understand how super curricular will enhance their chances of securing the right course at their chosen university. We welcome groups supported by their advisers/teachers, and individuals.

Preparation/Pre-Reading: Students may wish to consider the topic in advance with respect to challenges they may face or questions they have.

The IT Setup: The event will be run on Zoom and participants will be able to join using laptops, tablets, and mobile devices. If you are joining as a school group, we recommend connecting with one device and projecting onto a whiteboard. You will be able to interact with the university via a microphone and/or typed comments and questions. Full details will be sent to those who have registered (see below) prior to the event.

Booking a Place: This is free for schools and colleges. If you would like to take part in this event, please register your interest using the link to the registration form below:
Register here

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Super Curricular: Creating Impressive Academic Profiles & Enhancing University Applications with Anya Filon & Nicola Askin, Directors at My Super Curricular, and Steven Lawrence, Head of UK Undergraduate Recruitment at University of Bath - Channel Talent - Interactive school webinars

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Super Curricular: Creating Impressive Academic Profiles & Enhancing University Applications with Anya Filon & Nicola Askin, Directors at My Super Curricular, and Steven Lawrence, Head of UK Undergraduate Recruitment at University of Bath

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Wadham College, Oxford - HUGE spreadsheet of links to supercurricular resources from across the web

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Wadham College, Oxford - HUGE spreadsheet of links to supercurricular resources from across the web

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Wadham College, Oxford - How to be Supercurricular: 2 minute video guide on how to go beyond the curriculum

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Wadham College, Oxford - How to be Supercurricular: 2 minute video guide on how to go beyond the curriculum

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Oxford University Chemistry Race - Registration Opens midday Monday 4 December 2023

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Oxford University Chemistry Race - Registration Opens midday Monday 4 December 2023

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The Chemistry Race is a new chemistry competition for teams of 3-5 sixth-form students organised by students at the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford. The teams race against each other in solving chemistry problems; whoever gets the most points within the time limit wins!

The Chemistry Race will be held on Saturday 10th February 2024 at the Departments of Chemistry at University of Cambridge and University of Oxford.State schools do need to register when it opens (places go really quickly) and specify a preference for either Oxford or Cambridge and whether they can only attend one venue. Students can register on behalf of the school. To help schools with registering quickly for the race, they’ll need to have the following information:

1. First name

2. Surname / Last name

3. Email address

4. Name of responsible teacher

5. Email address of team leader (Student 1)

6. To contact you: teacher/student email (choice)

7. School name

8. School postcode

9. Team Name

10. Student names (first name, surname), up to 5, including team leader

11. No. in their final year

12. Consent on privacy notice

13. Photography consent

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On Saturday 15 Feb 2020, the Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge will be hosting a new chemistry competition called the Cambridge Chemistry Race. Teams of 3-5 sixth-form students will compete in solving chemistry-related problems in real time. The goal of each team is to answer as many questions as they can within the two-hour [...]

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On Saturday 15 Feb 2020, the Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge will be hosting a new chemistry competition called the Cambridge Chemistry Race. Teams of 3-5 sixth-form students will compete in solving chemistry-related problems in real time. The goal of each team is to answer as many questions as they can within the two-hour [...]

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Queen's College, Cambridge - Supercurricular Log

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Queen's College, Cambridge - Supercurricular Log

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Queen's College, Cambridge have produced a Super-curricular Log, which is designed to help students plan and record their super-curricular activities, and to provide tips on university applications and personal statement writing.

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University of Exeter - Essay Competitions: check regularly for new subjects

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University of Exeter - Essay Competitions: check regularly for new subjects

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We hold regular essay competitions across a range of subjects including Natural Sciences, Economics, Ecology, Philosophy, Law, Film Studies and Psychology.

These competitions are aimed at A Level, IB, BTEC and GCSE students. Not only will the best entry for each competition receive £100 in vouchers, but the competitions are also a great way to develop your research and independent learning skills before coming to university.

Competitions now open

Our next two competitions, in Natural Sciences and Psychology, are now open! Click the links below to find out more. The deadline for entries is 15th December 2023.

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We hold regular essay competitions across a range of subjects including Natural Sciences, Economics, Ecology, Philosophy, Law, Film Studies and Psychology.

These competitions are aimed at A Level, IB, BTEC and GCSE students. Not only will the best entry for each competition receive £100 in vouchers, but the competitions are also a great way to develop your research and independent learning skills before coming to university.

Competitions now open

Our next two competitions, in Natural Sciences and Psychology, are now open! Click the links below to find out more. The deadline for entries is 15th December 2023.

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We hold regular essay competitions across a range of subjects including Natural Sciences, Economics, Ecology, Philosophy, Law, Film Studies and Psychology. These competitions are aimed at A Level, IB, BTEC and GCSE students. Not only will the best entry for each competition receive £100 in vouchers, but the competitions are also a great way to develop your research and independent learning skills before coming to university.

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Girton College, Cambridge - Humanities Writing Competition: Deadline 15 March 2024

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Girton College, Cambridge - Humanities Writing Competition: Deadline 15 March 2024

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This annual competition is an opportunity for students to research and write beyond the curriculum, using one or more of the Lawrence Room museum objects, as their focus. Essays or creative responses (such as dramatic monologues or short stories) are equally welcome. We are looking for the ability to connect different areas of knowledge, to think about details and to communicate clearly.

Open to: UK students in Year 12 (or equivalent - S5/ Y13 - N.I) who have an interest in the Humanities.

Prizes: Up to £200 cash and books to the value of £200 from Cambridge University Press, the latter to be shared between the winning entrant/s and their school/s. The prize fund may be divided between winning entrants.

The competition is currently open!

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For 'The Significance of Feng Huang Symbolism in Chinese Architecture': a full, scholarly and beautifully illustrated account of the belief-system that informed the phoenix roof tile.
Second prize: Miranda Black (Hills Road Sixth Form College, Cambridge)
For 'Coptic Tunic Fragment: A Woven Essay': an intriguing piece, half essay, half story, literally weaving together very different 'strands' of knowledge to create an imaginative whole.
Third prize: Rosetta Millar (Harris Westminster Sixth Form)
For 'Phoenix Ridge Tile, The Lawrence Room': an impressively researched essay with excellent use of images, bringing in a comparison with the modern artist Ai-Wei Wei as an unexpected bonus.

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For 'The Significance of Feng Huang Symbolism in Chinese Architecture': a full, scholarly and beautifully illustrated account of the belief-system that informed the phoenix roof tile. Second prize: Miranda Black (Hills Road Sixth Form College, Cambridge) For 'Coptic Tunic Fragment: A Woven Essay': an intriguing piece, half essay, half story, literally weaving together very different 'strands' of knowledge to create an imaginative whole.

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Magdalene College, Cambridge - Arts and Humanities Essay Competition: Deadline April 2024

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Magdalene College, Cambridge - Arts and Humanities Essay Competition: Deadline April 2024

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Magdalene College Arts and Humanities Essay Competition 2024 | Undergraduate Study

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The Magdalene College Arts and Humanities Essay Competition is open to students attending state-maintained schools in the UK, and who are in their penultimate year of education (Year 12 in England and Wales, S5 in Scotland, or Year 13 in Northern Ireland). The essay questions will cover the breadth of arts and humanities subjects offered at undergraduate level at the

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Exeter College, Oxford - Summer Essay Competition

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Exeter College, Oxford - Summer Essay Competition

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Year 12 Summer Essay Competition - Exeter College

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This competition is open to UK-based pupils in Year 12 or equivalent. Exeter is also running a KS3 Competition for years 7-9 and equivalent. Is there a current issue you think needs solving? Or perhaps there’s an important aspect of your favourite subject you’d like to explore in more detail. This competition is your chance […]

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Sir Ron Cooke, an eminent physical geographer and former President of the Society, has kindly supported a new award for A Level students.

The award recognises students' work towards the independent investigation, also known as the NEA. The first Ron Cooke Award was presented to a student who completed an NEA for the 2018 examinations, at our medals and awards ceremony in 2019.

Ron Cooke Award 2024

Student's outstanding NEAs can be submitted in the below format and we want to celebrate students' work which had engaged them with new ideas, provided opportunities for innovation and/or demonstrates their personal interest in geography.

Entries must be a fully marked NEA, though we will take account of accommodations that may have had to be made in regard to the COVID-19 restrictions over previous years.

We are delighted that the examination boards are supportive of this award and will also be encouraging their centres to submit outstanding scripts for consideration.

Teachers can submit their students' work by emailing an electronic copy of their scripts and your student's proposal/planning form to competitions@rgs.org. More than one submission can be made by a school. The deadline for submissions is 5pm on Friday 15 March 2024.

Please write Ron Cooke Award in the email subject box and include the following details:

Teacher and school contact details

Student name and final marks for the NEA

A short supporting statement from the teacher explaining why the script(s) have been submitted and any relevant information about the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the student's work.

The winner will be invited to attend our annual Medals and Awards Ceremony in 2024.

Ron Cooke Award 2023

The 2023 Ron Cooke Award has been awarded to Elysia Sanders, Lady Eleanor Holles School for her A Level project titled 'How have glacial and physical post-glacial processes caused variation in the landscape of the Troutbeck Valley'.

Ron Cooke Award 2022

The 2022 Ron Cooke Award has been awarded to Joelle D'Mello from Trinity School for her A Level Independent Investigation titled "Through economic status, the environment, accessibility, and regeneration, how does quality of living vary between a rural and urban area?"

Ron Cooke Award 2021

The 2021 Ron Cooke Award has been awarded to Hollie Daw from Queen Mary's College for her A Level Independent Investigation "An examination of the factors affecting infiltration rate at Ashford Hill National Nature Reserve."

Find out more about our medals and awards.

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Sir Ron Cooke, an eminent physical geographer and former President of the Society, has kindly supported a new award for A Level students. The award recognises students' work towards the independent investigation, also known as the NEA. The first Ron Cooke Award was presented to a student who completed an NEA for the 2018 examinations, at our medals and awards ceremony in 2019.

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Junior Water Essay Prize - Sustainability

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Junior Water Essay Prize - Sustainability

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“UK Junior Water Prize 2023” - organised by Roxana Oldershaw on Zealous

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The competition challenges you to develop innovative research project addressing a major water challenge. Applicants need to identify an issue, design their research, and conduct experiments to find a practical and innovative solution. open to Tech, Design, Other

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Northeastern University - Humanities Essay Competition

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Northeastern University - Humanities Essay Competition

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The Essay Competition is now closed.

Northeastern University London is inviting competition entries from students who are currently in their penultimate year of secondary education (equivalent to Year 12 in the English education system, or Grade 11 in India).

Our selection of essay titles engage across a broad range of technology, social science and humanities topics and we look forward to receiving entries from talented and intellectually curious students who show passion in their subject area. We welcome entries from students located anywhere in the world.

If you have any further questions please see our FAQ page before contacting us.

Choose your essay question

Applied Digital & Technology Solutions: Discuss the societal risks and rewards associated with generative AI (such as ChatGPT).

Business: Is it possible to reconcile the cost-of-living crisis consumers are experiencing with the need for sustainable consumption?

Computer & Data Science: Describe a modern application of data science based on machine learning, generative AI or data analytics. Discuss its context in terms of topic, domain, and societal implications.

Economics: Does the expanding gig economy contribute positively to sustainable economic growth?

English: Is it fair to say that literature is another name for language which has no practical use?

History: How have empires throughout history shaped the societies we live in today?

Law: Ed Sheeran said "Defending copyright infringement lawsuits has become as much a part of the job description for top musicians as the performance of hits". Discuss whether UK copyright laws are out of date and should be reviewed by Parliament.

Philosophy: To what extent, and in what ways, can the past be a good guide to the future?

Politics & IR: Is environmental degradation a greater threat to the international community than war?

Psychology: Discuss to what extent mental factors impact ageing.

Prizes

The following prizes will be awarded:

Overall winner across all essay subjects- £1000

Winner in a subject category- £500

Runner up in a subject category- £250

How to enter

1. Register for the competition - After registering you will be emailed detailed instructions on how to enter.

2. Choose one of the titles

3. Write your 1,500-word essay

4. Submit your essay via our online form (URL will be emailed to you after you register) by 1pm GMT Sunday 31st December 2023.

If you have any further questions please see our FAQ page before contacting us.

Who can enter?

The Northeastern University London Essay Competition is open to students who are currently in their penultimate (second to last) year of secondary education (Year 12 in England or Grade 11 in India). This is a global competition, so we encourage entries from those studying anywhere in the world. Find full competition rules here.

Register here

We are no longer accepting registrations for the essay competition. If you have any questions please refer to our FAQ.

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NU London's annual Essay Competition is open to students across the world. Enter your essay to win up to £1000 in prize money!

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Royal Geographical Society - Young Geographer of the Year Competition

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Royal Geographical Society - Young Geographer of the Year Competition

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Annie Spratt / Unsplash

The Young Geographer of the Year is the Society's annual competition which recognises the outstanding work of the next generation of geographers. With its age ranges spanning the primary years to A Level, the competition encourages thoughtful and creative answers to the competition's theme which is set each year.

The Society encourages schools to run their own in-house competition and then send their top 10 entries into the international competition. The Young Geographer competition has been running for over 20 years and in 2020 over 10,000 young people took part.

2023 competition

The 2023 Young Geographer of the Year competition is now closed.

The theme for the Young Geographer of the Year competition 2023 was:

A blueprint for the future

The Society invited you to create your own blueprint for the future. We were looking for innovative ideas to address problems in areas such as food production and supply, energy and sustainability, water security, resources, population growth, economic crisis, transport, travel, urbanisation, risk management, trade, environmental management, biodiversity and more.
The 2023 Young Geographer of the Year competition is now closed. Late entries will not be accepted under any circumstances.
Winners will be notified by the end of October. If you have not heard from us by then, please assume that you are not a finalist.

Winners names will be announced here in early December.
View the 2022 finalists
The Young Geographer of the Year competition and Rex Walford Award are kindly supported by:

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young geographer of the year competition

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Annie Spratt / Unsplash The Young Geographer of the Year is the Society's annual competition which recognises the outstanding work of the next generation of geographers. With its age ranges spanning the primary years to A Level, the competition encourages thoughtful and creative answers to the competition's theme which is set each year.

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Peterhouse College, Cambridge - Kelvin Science Essay Competition

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Peterhouse College, Cambridge - Kelvin Science Essay Competition

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Peterhouse Kelvin Science Essay Competition – 2023 | Peterhouse

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We are pleased to announce the 2023 Peterhouse Kelvin Science Essay Competition! This competition aims to give students the opportunity to explore scientific concepts and topics beyond the classroom, and to engage with scientific research.

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Cambridge University - Supercurricular Suggestions Document

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Cambridge University - Supercurricular Suggestions Document

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St Hugh's College, Oxford - Essay Competitions

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St Hugh's College, Oxford - Essay Competitions

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St Hugh's essay competitions are open to Sixth Formers from the UK and across the world. These are a fantastic opportunity to explore a topic of interest in a particular subject in more depth, whether something you have studied at school has inspired you, or whether you are keen to broaden your horizons in a new academic discipline.

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Trinity College, Cambridge - Essay Competitions

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Trinity College, Cambridge - Essay Competitions

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The following pages contain information about our Essay Prizes run for Lower and Upper 6th Students internationally, including how to apply. Information for the

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Oriel College, Oxford - Rex Nettleford Essay Competition, Colonialism and Its Legacies: Deadline Friday 15 March 2024

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Oriel College, Oxford - Rex Nettleford Essay Competition, Colonialism and Its Legacies: Deadline Friday 15 March 2024

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In November 2021, Oriel College inaugurated the Rex Nettleford Essay Prize for year 12 students.

The prize is intended to encourage students to engage with the legacies of colonialism in all its forms - historical, political, economic, social, cultural. Colonialism is a major theme in British history. Its legacies are all around us. By writing an essay for the prize, a student has an opportunity to uncover the enduring influence of colonialism in our society and culture and to address some of the difficult and uncomfortable questions that it poses.

Whilst interest in British colonialism and its legacy provides the specific context for these prizes, colonialism is an activity with a much longer and more geographically diverse extent. Essays can address any relevant aspect, historical phase, cultural manifestation or geographical centre of colonialism, ancient or modern.

The prizes will be awarded on the occasion of an annual lecture also on the topic of 'Colonialism and its Legacies', which will take place in Trinity Term (early summer).

The prizes and annual lecture series are dedicated to Oriel alumnus Rex Nettleford, in recognition of his distinguished contributions in the fields of scholarship, culture, and education.

Rex Nettleford

Ralston "Rex" Nettleford (3 February 1933 to 2 February 2010) was an author, academic, dancer, and activist.

Born in Falmouth, Jamaica, Nettleford grew up in the country and graduated with a degree in History from the University of the West Indies. In 1957, he received a Rhodes Scholarship to Oriel College, Oxford and obtained an MPhil in Political Science. He returned to Jamaica in order to take up a position at the University of the West Indies, where he was Vice-Chancellor from 1998 to 2004.

In his academic work, Nettleford focused on issues of cultural identity particularly in the wake of colonialism. He repeatedly stressed "the importance and force of the exercise of the creative intellect and the creative imagination [...] in shaping a new and civilised society out of slavery, colonialism and their aftermath, and building democratic nations out of erstwhile colonial fiefdoms'; 'for the arts are a form of action."

Rules of the Competition

The Rex Nettleford Prize is an essay competition open to students in Year 12. The prize is £250.

The purpose of the Prize is:

To promote awareness amongst students in Year 12 of issues relating to colonialism and its legacies.

To encourage students in Year 12 to develop their abilities for independent research and thought.

To support teachers of able pupils by providing interesting and challenging further work and by bringing such students into contact with Higher Education.

To encourage able students to consider applying to study subjects in the Humanities and Social Sciences, either at Oxford or at another university, by giving them experience of the type of work involved.

To recognise the effort and achievement of the most successful submissions by a prize and commendations.

Note: the judges will not able to provide feedback on submissions.

Assessment Criteria

Entrants should be in Year 12 (or equivalent) at their school or college.

Students must address a topic that is not directly related to their A level course.

The judges will look for a clear grasp of issues addressed, clarity in structuring and presentation of the argument, a critical approach to primary and secondary source materials, and originality of thought.

How to Apply

Essays should be no more than 2,500 words in length and should be on ONE of the given questions below.

The candidate may answer the question they select from the perspective of any discipline of their choosing (e.g. History, English Literature, Economics, etc.) but they must indicate at the head of their essay which discipline they have chosen.

Essays should be word processed and submitted to outreach@oriel.ox.ac.uk. Submissions should be in PDF format and attached as a copy to email. Essays that are submitted as cloud files may not be considered.

A font size not less than 12pt should be used; page margins should be set to no less than 2.54cm.

Essays should be accompanied by a bibliography, which does not count towards the word limit.

Entries must be sent with a completed entry form, which is available to download below.

Submissions should be accompanied by a signed statement from a teacher that the essay is the student's original, unaided work and that it does not directly relate to the syllabuses of the A level subjects they are studying.

Essays must be received by 12 midnight on Friday 15 th March 2024.

Prizes will be awarded at Oriel College on the occasion of the Rex Nettleford Lecture during Trinity term 2024.

Questions for the 2024 Competition

Candidates must answer ONE of the following questions. Candidates should feel free to focus their answer in terms of its historical period, geographical centre and cultural range.

1. How have ideas about nature shaped the histories and legacies of colonialism?

2. What role has education played in the history of colonialism? Discuss in terms of specific educational practices, institutions, or curricula.

3. How, if at all, has ancient imperialism influenced modern imperialism?

4. Pick an example of popular or vernacular culture (for example, a song, film, sartorial style, novel, poem, dance, dish, meme, etc.) and explain it in relation to the histories of colonialism. How does your chosen example represent, contest, reflect, or otherwise respond to some specific aspect of colonialism?

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Rex Nettleford Essay Prizes: Colonialism and its Legacies - Oriel College

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In November 2021, Oriel College inaugurated the Rex Nettleford Essay Prize for year 12 students. The prize is intended to encourage students to engage with the legacies of colonialism in all its forms - historical, political, economic, social, cultural. Colonialism is a major theme in British history. Its legacies are all around us.

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Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge - Academic Essay Competitions including TWO essay writing webinars with guidance: Deadline Friday 1 March 2024

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Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge - Academic Essay Competitions including TWO essay writing webinars with guidance: Deadline Friday 1 March 2024

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2024 Competitions

This year we will be running essay competitions in Ancient World and Classics, Archaeology, Economics, History, Land Economy, Medieval World and Slavonic Studies. We will additionally be running an Architecture design competition. Further particulars and this year's questions can be found at the links below. Please read the competition rules and submission guidelines carefully before entering a competition.

Ancient World and Classics

Archaeology

Economics (for state-school UK students only - please see link for details on eligibility)

History

Land Economy

Medieval World

Slavonic Studies

Architecture – students wishing to enter the Architecture Design Competition may find this plan of Fitzwilliam College and information on the history of Fitzwilliam’s buildings useful.

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Each year, Fitzwilliam College runs essay competitions in a variety of subjects, allowing talented pupils to explore their interests beyond the school curriculum.

The University of Cambridge seeks out students with a passion for their subject and who have investigated it outside the classroom. Our essay competitions provide students with an opportunity to engage with their interests in this way, allowing them to demonstrate their enthusiasm for their subject.

2024 Competitions

This year we will be running essay competitions in Ancient World and Classics, Archaeology, Economics, History, Land Economy, Medieval World and Slavonic Studies. We will additionally be running an Architecture design competition. Further particulars and this year's questions can be found at the links below. Please read the competition rules and submission guidelines carefully before entering a competition.
Ancient World and Classics Archaeology
Economics (for state-school UK students only - please see link for details on eligibility)
Land Economy Medieval World Slavonic Studies
Architecture - students wishing to enter the Architecture Design Competition may find this plan of Fitzwilliam College and information on the history of Fitzwilliam's buildings useful

The deadline for all competitions is 6pm on Friday 1st March 2024.
Competition rules
These essay competitions are exclusively for students in their penultimate year of education (Year 12 in England and Wales, S5 in Scotland, Year 13 in Northern Ireland). They are open to students in any country but submissions must be written in English.

Submissions should strictly adhere to the word limit set out in the subject brief (2500 words for Archaeology, Classics & Ancient World, History, Land Economy, Slavonic Studies and Medieval World; 1500 words for Economics; 500 words for the Architecture narrative), and contain a bibliography at the end. The word count should exclude the bibliography, but include any footnotes. Each page should be numbered and contain the applicant's full name.

We understand that not all students will have previous experience of writing a bibliography, and may not have equal access to advice on doing so. We therefore include this link to guidance on how to correctly use the Harvard referencing system. Anyone who wishes to use a different referencing system is free to do so.

Students are only permitted to enter one competition and may only submit one entry to that competition. There is a strict limit of five submissions per school for each competition. If more than five students from the same school enter the same competition, a teacher from that school will be contacted and asked to select the five entries; failure to do so will result in all submissions from the school to that competition being disqualified. Please note that this limit does not apply to Sixth Form Colleges where year groups are over 1000 students in size. When submitting an essay, the student will be asked to provide the name and email address of a teacher who may be contacted in order to verify the submission.

The submission must be entirely the individual student's work and must not be submitted or have been submitted to an exam board as part of any coursework or extended essay, either in part or in full.

Submission guidelines

Anyone who wishes to enter an essay competition must complete the online form.

Submissions can be uploaded to the online form in a PDF format. If the file size is too big to upload to the form, please email your submission to essaycompetitions@fitz.cam.ac.uk. We can also accept entries by post. Please address postal submissions to: Schools Liaison Officer, Fitzwilliam College, Storey's Way, Cambridge, CB3 0DG.

You should receive an email confirmation after submitting the form. If you do not receive confirmation within 24 hours, please contact us at the email address below. Any technical difficulties will be dealt with on the next day, and students affected may be allowed to submit late in some circumstances.

Writing Webinars

Students preparing submissions who would like advice on essay writing may wish to seek advice from our two essay writing webinars:

Webinar 1 - Initial Preparation - 12th January 2024

Webinar 2 - Finalising your Essay - Date TBC February 2024

The webinars are delivered by the Schools Liaison Officer - the first webinar focuses on initial planning, research, and structuring of an academic essay, while the second provides advice on how to finalise arguments, edit, and reference your essays. Please email essaycompetition@fitz.cam.ac.uk with any questions about this event.

Contact us

If you have any questions relating to the competitions please contact us on essaycompetition@fitz.cam.ac.uk

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Each year, Fitzwilliam College runs essay competitions in a variety of subjects, allowing talented pupils to explore their interests beyond the school curriculum.

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A short video for every element in the periodic table!

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All Chemical Elements in Order - Periodic Videos

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From Hydrogen to Oganesson watch a video about all 118 elements from periodicvideos. We regularly update the older videos.

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Trinity College, Oxford - Library Quad Resources

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Trinity College, Oxford - Library Quad Resources

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A hub of learning resources personally recommended by students at Trinity College.

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Oxplore is a free educational website created by the University of Oxford designed to engage 11-18 year olds with complex ideas across a wide range of subjects. The website is organised into a series of thought-provoking Big Questions which take students on a guided journey to encourage their powers of debate and critical thinking.

Each question has a series of learning resources (articles, quizzes, podcasts, videos, and image galleries) which draw upon some of the cutting-edge research led at Oxford. With over 50 Big Questions on Oxplore, there should be something to make every mind curious!

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We use cookies to help give you the best experience on our website. By continuing without changing your cookie settings, we assume you agree to this. Please read our cookie policy to find out more.

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We tackle complex ideas across a range of subjects and draw on research from Oxford University.

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singingbanana singing banana james grime maths math mathematics problem puzzle qed q.e.d. quite easily done quiteeasilydone

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Mathematician, juggler and comedy nerd - but not necessarily in that order. Please keep sending your messages. I do read them all, even if I don't always have time to reply :( - Jim

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Listen to this Radio 4 programme for an explanation of the numbers and statistics used across news, political debate and other areas of life.

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Wild Maths - explore, imagine, experiment, create!

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Wild Maths is a collection of mathematical games, activities and stories, encouraging you to think creatively. We've picked out some of our favourites below - have a go at anything that catches your eye. If you want to explore games, challenges and investigations linked by some shared mathematical areas, click on the Pathways link in the top menu.

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Wild Maths - explore, imagine, experiment, create!

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Wild Maths is a collection of mathematical games, activities and stories, encouraging you to think creatively. We've picked out some of our favourites below - have a go at anything that catches your eye. If you want to explore games, challenges and investigations linked by some shared mathematical areas, click on the Pathways link in the top menu.

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Old Bailey Online - The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, 1674-1913 - Central Criminal Court

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A fully searchable edition of the largest body of texts detailing the lives of non-elite people ever published, containing 197,745 criminal trials held at London’s central criminal court. If you are new to this site, you may find the Getting Started and Guide to Searching videos and tutorials help…

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Overview

Our resources are organised into topics or stations on a map or tubemap showing the connections between them.

Watch this video or use the preceding menu to find out more.

The map

The mathematics has been organised along a system of tube lines, which reflect big themes that run through mathematics. The tubemap offers a way to navigate to resources for teaching a particular area of mathematics; resources can be accessed by clicking on a station name. Some stations are still in development and this is indicated by a construction symbol.

You can access the map at any time by clicking the Map button in the main menu.

Stations

Each station features an overarching question that could be used to stimulate curiosity. There are a number of key questions that summarise the ideas that arise in the resources. You can filter resources by selecting a key question. You can also filter resources by tube line, if you wish to choose a resource with a particular emphasis.

The resources that are available at each station may come under three headings. Resources that introduce new ideas relating to the station are in the "Introducing" section. "Developing" resources may build on these ideas or earlier work. "Review questions" are mostly drawn from past examination questions and have been chosen as ones that are interesting in nature and require non-routine thinking.

Resources

To help you find the resources you are looking for, we have classified them according to twelve resource types.

Resources are divided into sections. In some cases this may be a warm-up followed by a larger task, and others may have a problem followed by a suggestion of how to tackle it. Almost all resources contain a solution or a "Things you might have noticed" section. This may help you to think about questions you might ask students, to see areas where students could get stuck, or offer further insight into how you might use the resource in your classroom. Further support is offered in the teacher notes.

Pervasive ideas

By clicking on a pervasive idea you will find a description of how the idea arises within the resources. If pervasive ideas are highlighted in a resource they appear in the sidebar (or bottom-bar on a small screen) and in the list of resources at the station (on a wide screen).
What are pervasive ideas?
Search

Use the Search button in the top menu bar to open the search dialog.

You can search for resources by title, keywords or text within the resource. Review questions can be searched by question Ref. You can also search for pervasive ideas and mathematical processes such as visualising.

You can also browse all our material with filtering options by clicking the Browse button in the main menu.

Saving resources

You can save a resource for later by adding it to your resource collection. To do this click the star next to the resource title. Note you must log in or register to use this facility. To access your resource collection, click the User button in the top menu bar then Your resource collection.

Within your resource collection, you can organise your resources by creating ordered subcollections. To add a resource to a subcollection, click the add to subcollection icon in your resource collection table. To select a subcollection, use the drop-down list above the table. You can also generate a PDF of resources from a subcollection, which could be used to generate your own exam from our review questions, for example.

Bundles and more

The More menu in the top right contains links to the Underground hub, our About and contact page and the Your mathematical classroom section of the site.

Our About page contains a video explaining our philosophy.

The Your mathematical classroom area of the site is accessible from the More menu and has been coloured purple to distinguish it from the rest of the site, as well as having its own menu once inside this area. It contains support for using our resources in the classroom as well as professional development opportunities. This includes the Bundles page, which contains small collections of resources that have a particular focus or goal, our Resources in action page, which provides detailed teacher support for a handful of resources, our blog, upcoming and recorded webinars, a courses page, and information about our Champions programme.

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A level maths teaching resources | Underground Mathematics

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Rich resources for teaching A level maths, enabling all students to explore the connections that underpin mathematics. The resources are free for all users.

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London Mathematical Society YouTube Channel

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London Mathematical Society YouTube Channel

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"london mathematical society" maths mathematics "computer science"

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The London Mathematical Society has, since 1865, been the UK's learned society for the advancement, dissemination and promotion of mathematical knowledge. Our mission is to advance mathematics through our members and the broader scientific community worldwide.

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Frames of Mind - Documentary series on how Mathematicians think

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Frames of Mind - Documentary series on how Mathematicians think

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How do mathematicians think? This 60 minute documentary film features nine UK-based mathematicians offering insights into their mathematical thinking across a broad range of mathematical research fields.

Through explorations of their various thought processes, the film portrays mathematicians who are grappling with advanced mathematical ideas. We are presented with the concepts of imagination, intuition, and wonder, as well as rigorous mathematical deduction.

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These are extracts from the film "Thinking Space".

How do mathematicians think? This 60 minute documentary film features nine UK-based mathematicians offering insights into their mathematical thinking across a broad range of mathematical research fields.

Through explorations of their various thought processes, the film portrays mathematicians who are grappling with advanced mathematical ideas. We are presented with the concepts of imagination, intuition, and wonder, as well as rigorous mathematical deduction.

The film features Kevin Buzzard, Peter Donnelly, Tim Gowers, Martin Hairer, Roger Penrose, Caroline Series, Richard Thomas, Reidun Twarock, and Karen Vogtmann.

The film was commissioned by The London Mathematical Society, as part of its 150th Anniversary Celebrations. The full length version of the film is available here.

(Please click on the images to view the extracts.)

Caroline Series FRS
Emeritus Professor of Mathematics, University of Warwick
Hyperbolic geometry
Caroline talks about the contraction mapping theorem and fractals

Karen Vogtmann
Professor of Pure Mathematics, University of Warwick
Geometric group theory
Karen talks about cohomology

Kevin Buzzard
Professor of Pure Mathematics, Imperial College London
Algebraic Number Theory
Kevin talks about the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture

Martin Hairer FRS
Regius Professor of Mathematics, University of Warwick
Fields Medal 2014
Stochastic analysis
Martin talks about the challenge of a hard problem

Peter Donnelly FRS
Professor of Statistical Science, University of Oxford
Director of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics
Peter talks about a genetic map of the UK

Reidun Twarock
Professor of Mathematics, University of York
Mathematical biology
Reidun talks about non-crystallographic symmetry in viruses

Roger Penrose FRS
Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics, University of Oxford
Mathematical physics
Roger talks about the idea of a trapped surface

Roger Penrose FRS
Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics, University of Oxford
Mathematical physics
Roger talks about his non-periodic tilings

Richard Thomas FRS
Professor of Pure Mathematics, Imperial College London
Algebraic geometry
Richard talks about the Göttsche conjecture

Tim Gowers FRS
Royal Society Research Professor, University of Cambridge
Fields Medal 1998
Combinatorics
Tim talks about quasi-randomness in combinatorics

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These are extracts from the film "Thinking Space". How do mathematicians think? This 60 minute documentary film features nine UK-based mathematicians offering insights into their mathematical thinking across a broad range of mathematical research fields. Through explorations of their various thought processes, the film portrays mathematicians who are grappling with advanced mathematical ideas.

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University of Cambridge - Maths for Economists

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University of Cambridge - Maths for Economists

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This page is a small collection of advanced-level material from the main NRICH pages which will be of use or interest to those hoping to study economics at university. They are straight mathematics problems but have an economic flavour or application.

There is a lot of calculus, optimisation, statistics and algebra involved in university economics, so the more comfortable students are thinking about these issues the better.

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This page is a small collection of advanced-level material from the main NRICH pages which will be of use or interest to those hoping to study economics at university. They are straight mathematics problems but have an economic flavour or application.

There is a lot of calculus, optimisation, statistics and algebra involved in university economics, so the more comfortable students are thinking about these issues the better.

Some useful problems to try:

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Here we present a collection of NRICH problems which will be of use and interest to those hoping to study economics at university.

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The HE+ website brings you exciting supercurricular resources created and written by Cambridge students and academics including challenging activities, engaging videos, reflective questions and much more.

Our content is aimed at school-aged students looking to go beyond the school curriculum and discover their passion for a subject today.

Welcome to our academic community!

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The HE+ website brings you exciting supercurricular resources created and written by Cambridge students and academics including challenging activities, engaging videos, reflective questions and much more. Our content is aimed at school-aged students looking to go beyond the school curriculum and discover their passion for a subject today. Welcome to our academic community!

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This website is for students who are taking part in the HE+ project across the UK. Use the subject resources here to discover new interests and develop your academic skills.

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Staircase12 is an online hub of resources and information for students thinking about applying to top universities. You’ll find plenty of ideas here for stretching yourself beyond the school syllabus.

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Welcome to Staircase12, an online hub of resources and information for students thinking about applying to top universities. You'll find plenty of ideas here for stretching yourself beyond the school syllabus.

If you want to learn a bit more about why exploring your subject beyond school is important, and see some top tips for going about it, take a look at our Explore Your Subject page.

Reading Bank

You may have been told you need to "read around the subject", but might not be sure where to start (or just think reading is really boring). If that's the case then our Reading Bank is for you. It's full of reviews by Univ students and some tutors too of books that they'd recommend to students considering applying to study their subject at uni.

Explore our book reviews for Humanities, Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences, Medical Sciences and Social Sciences or take a look at the full range of reviews on our Reading Bank.

Here are four of this month's favourites:

Resources Hub

Exploring your subject isn't just about reading. There are resources all over the internet to help you engage with your subject interest and stretch yourself beyond the school syllabus. Check out our Resource Hub of links for ideas of lectures, podcasts, online courses, articles, blogs and much more. Or explore our specific resources for Humanities, Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences, Medical Sciences or Social Sciences.

If you're stuck for where to start, here are some of our favourites from this month (each resource opens in a new window):

Staircase12 Book Box

Univ's Staircase12 Book Box project is designed to improve students' access to physical resources to help them explore their subject interests further. Find out more about it on our Book Box page.

Further Information

Do you have further questions about applying to Oxford or about exploring your subject beyond school? Do you have a suggestion for a resource that it would be useful for us to share on Staircase12? Then please get in touch - E: access@univ.ox.ac.uk.

Students: why not also explore our Courses at Univ pages or meet the tutors on our Academics A-Z pages. You may also want to take a look at Univ's Study Day programme for Year 12 students; yet another way you can explore your subject beyond school.

Teachers: check out the events and resources we have for you here.

Why not follow all of the latest news from Staircase12 on Twitter - or keep up with all things Univ on the College social media channels:

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Staircase12 - University College Oxford (Univ) - Staircase12

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Welcome to Staircase12, an online hub of resources and information for students thinking about applying to top universities....

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UCL Masterclasses in 23 different subjects - Applications Open Now

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UCL Masterclasses in 23 different subjects - Applications Open Now

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Masterclasses are a range of online, subject-specific, hour-long sessions for students in Year 12. Sessions run weekly on Tuesday and Thursday (4-5pm) from January to April. Applications are now open!

Masterclasses are online, subject-specific, hour-long sessions for students in Year 12 to get a taste of university. Masterclasses will introduce you to subjects available at UCL in 2024. The hour-long sessions will feature a lecture on a specific topic from UCL academics and PhD students.

This year, Masterclasses will be online. The sessions are interactive, and we encourage you to engage with the presenters, as there is an opportunity at the end to ask questions about the topic presented.

In the Subjects section of this page you can find out more about the topics covered, who is presenting the session, and the date of the Masterclass.

Deadline for applications:

January Masterclasses - Tuesday 2 January, 11:59pm.

February Masterclasses - Sunday 21 January, 11:59pm.

March Masterclasses - Sunday 18 February, 11:59pm.

April Masterclasses - Sunday 24 March, 11:59pm.

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Masterclasses are a range of online, subject-specific, hour-long sessions for students in Year 12. Sessions run weekly on Tuesday and Thursday (4-5pm) from January to April. Applications are now open!

About Masterclasses

Masterclasses are online, subject-specific, hour-long sessions for students in Year 12 to get a taste of university. Masterclasses will introduce you to subjects available at UCL in 2024. The hour-long sessions will feature a lecture on a specific topic from UCL academics and PhD students.

This year, Masterclasses will be online. The sessions are interactive, and we encourage you to engage with the presenters, as there is an opportunity at the end to ask questions about the topic presented.

In the Subjects section of this page you can find out more about the topics covered, who is presenting the session, and the date of the Masterclass.

Deadline for applications:

January Masterclasses - Tuesday 2 January, 11:59pm.

February Masterclasses - Sunday 21 January, 11:59pm.

March Masterclasses - Sunday 18 February, 11:59pm.

April Masterclasses - Sunday 24 March, 11:59pm.

Apply for Masterclasses
Subjects

Please find below the subjects for the Masterclasses sessions running in 2024.

January - Arts & Design

History of Art

Topic: History of Art: Is it All Old Masters?

Presenter: Cora Chalaby

The History of Art programme at UCL encourages you to see the world differently. This Masterclass will respond to the prompt "History of Art: Is it All Old Masters?" using the abstract paintings of Alma Thomas, an African American woman artist working in the 1960s and 1970s, as a case study. The session will allow you to explore how diverse, interdisciplinary, and dynamic History of Art is as a subject.

Sustainable Built Environments, Energy and Resources

Creative Arts and Humanities

February - Sciences

Chemical Engineering

Statistics

Population Health Sciences

Science and Engineering for Social Change

Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction (IRDR)

Sport and Exercise Medical Sciences

Cancer Institute

March - Social Sciences

Political Science

Topic: What is freedom?

Presenter: Dr John Filling

Date: Thursday 14 March 2024, 4 - 5pm

UCL's Department of Political Science and School of Public Policy offers a uniquely stimulating environment for the study of all fields of politics. This Masterclass will provide an overview of what it's like to study Politics, and related areas such as Philosophy, at a university like UCL. The session will focus on key concepts in politics, like freedom, and we will ask key questions such as: What does freedom mean? What threatens our freedom? And are we entitled to more freedom?

Topic: Contract Law: Mistake and Misrepresentation

Presenter: Dr Niamh Connolly

Date: Tuesday 19 March 2024, 4 - 5pm

UCL Laws is a law faculty for the world: a diverse and progressive community of researchers, students, leading academics and alumni embedded in a top, research-oriented university. In this Masterclass, you will be learn about the key doctrines of contract law. Contract law is a compulsory module on the first year of the Law LLB (Latin Legum Baccalaureus) degree.

School of Management

April - Sciences and Social Sciences

Philosophy

Computer Science

Topic: Graphics, VR/AR, and AI

Presenter: Ahmet Hamdi Güzel

Date: Thursday 11 April 2024, 4 - 5pm

In this Masterclass, you will dive into the fascinating world of Computer Graphics, VR/AR Displays, and their conjunction with AI. You will explore how these technologies allow us to interact with digital elements blended into our real world or immerse us entirely in a computer-generated environment. You will investigate Computer Generated Holography, uncovering how we can create three-dimensional images that appear as if they are floating in mid-air by computing the light's behaviour. You will also discover how AI techniques can help researchers advance these technologies.

Mathematics

Date: Tuesday 16 April 2024, 4 - 5pm

The Mathematics Department at UCL is highly regarded, being one of the founding departments of UCL established in 1826. In this Masterclass, we will look at applied mathematics. In this topic, we are often led to models where finding an exact solution to the problem can be difficult to achieve. However, a good numerical approximation is very useful for most practical purposes. We will discuss different techniques to numerically solve a variety of equations where an explicit solution cannot be found, such as the bisection method, the secant method, and fixed-point iteration methods.

Education, Society and Culture

Topic: Nonsense and Knowledge: Finding Our Way in a Confusing World

Presenter: Dr JD Carpentieri

Date: Thursday 18 April 2024, 4 - 5pm

The world is full of misinformation, misdirection and outright lies. There is a lot of genuinely useful knowledge out there, but in a world of information overload it can be almost impossible to separate that knowledge from nonsense. In this session, we will discuss misinformation, both online and in the broader world. Who produces this misinformation and why? What are their strategies for fooling us? And why are we more easily fooled than we might want to admit? In this interactive, university-lecture style Masterclass, we will also look at strategies for identifying and avoiding nonsense in our pursuit of genuine knowledge. In doing so, we will consider questions such as: When should we rely on common sense and when should it be avoided? How do governments use statistics to mislead us? Do your parents really know what they're talking about? And (perhaps most importantly) can you really trust university rankings?

Eligibility

All eligible applicants who meet at least one of the shortlisting criteria specified in points 2 to 6 on the webpage will be offered a place on this programme.

Apply

Applications for our 2024 Masterclasses are now open. Apply for Masterclasses

Deadline for applications:

January Masterclasses - Tuesday 2 January, 11:59pm.

February Masterclasses - Sunday 21 January, 11:59pm.

March Masterclasses - Sunday 18 February, 11:59pm.

April Masterclasses - Sunday 24 March, 11:59pm.

UCL facilities

UCL locations

Connect with UCL

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Masterclasses are a range of online, subject-specific, hour-long sessions for students in Year 12. Sessions run weekly on Tuesday and Thursday (4-5pm) from January to April. Applications are now open!

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Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Oxbridge Mind FREE WEBINAR. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

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Join us for an exclusive, free webinar tailored for aspiring Oxbridge candidates. This comprehensive session, titled "Mastering the Oxbridge Interview: Insights and Strategies from Oxbridge Experts," is designed to demystify the Oxbridge interview process, offering invaluable insights directly from former Oxbridge interviewers and alumni.

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Imperial College Annual Christmas Lecture - 30 November 2023

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Imperial College Annual Christmas Lecture - 30 November 2023

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Join us for an enchanting evening of scientific wonder at Imperial College’s Christmas Lecture with Dr Robin Lamboll and Dr Jackie Bell joining us for two exciting lectures. Discover the secrets of space exploration from our astronaut in training, Dr Jackie Bell, and Learn about the importance of carbon budgets and the impact on climate change from Dr Robin Lamboll.

This event is aimed at students in Year 11 to 13 interested in studying at Imperial but everyone, including parents/guardians and siblings, is welcome to attend!

There will be refreshments provided from 18.00, with staff and student ambassadors on hand to answer any questions you have. The lectures will be taking place 18.30 to 20.00.

Don’t miss out on this unforgettable opportunity to ignite your passion for science at Imperial College’s Christmas Lecture! Get ready to explore the wonders of the universe and celebrate the spirit of the season in scientific style.

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Audience: Prospective students, Schools, Public, Ages 14-16, Ages 16+ (prospective undergraduate), Parents/carers/guardians

Tickets: Registration in advance

Join us for an enchanting evening of scientific wonder at Imperial College's Christmas Lecture with Dr Robin Lamboll and Dr Jackie Bell joining us for two exciting lectures. Discover the secrets of space exploration from our astronaut in training, Dr Jackie Bell, and Learn about the importance of carbon budgets and the impact on climate change from Dr Robin Lamboll.

This event is aimed at students in Year 11 to 13 interested in studying at Imperial but everyone , including parents/guardians and siblings , is welcome to attend!

There will be refreshments provided from 18.00, with staff and student ambassadors on hand to answer any questions you have. The lectures will be taking place 18.30 to 20.00.

Don't miss out on this unforgettable opportunity to ignite your passion for science at Imperial College's Christmas Lecture! Get ready to explore the wonders of the universe and celebrate the spirit of the season in scientific style.

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Join us for an enchanting evening of scientific wonder at Imperial College's Christmas Lecture. Dr Robin Lamboll and Dr Jackie Bell will join us for two exciting lectures.

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Preparing for the PAT (Physics Admissions Test) with Oxford University - Apply Spring 2024

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Preparing for the PAT (Physics Admissions Test) with Oxford University - Apply Spring 2024

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The Preparing for the PAT course helps students prepare to sit the Physics Aptitude Test (PAT). The PAT is part of the admissions procedure at Oxford to study Physics, Physics and Philosophy, Engineering or Materials Science.

The course consists of a series of live, online webinars in June / July and September / October, with three summer assignments set over the holidays. The course is designed to help you self-study with a framework to support you.

Find all the preparation materials and last year's lectures at this link Course material | University of Oxford Department of Physics

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University of Oxford Department of Physics

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A course designed to ​​develop the problem solving skills necessary for the Physics Aptitude Test (PAT)

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Many of our researchers have worked with the fantastic science communication team at Oxford Sparks to share more about their research in an accessible way. We've curated a YouTube playlist featuring a wide range of our work with Oxford Sparks, suitable for home learning, and anyone keen to find out more about just how broad biology is.

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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UNIQ - University of Oxford Access Programme

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UNIQ - University of Oxford Access Programme

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UNIQ is the University of Oxford’s access programme for state school students. We prioritise places for students with good grades from backgrounds that are under-represented at Oxford and other universities. Every year more students from diverse backgrounds get offered places at Oxford with help from UNIQ.

Here are the top things you need to know about UNIQ:

UNIQ offers both an in-person residential in Oxford and an online support programme.

UNIQ starts online in April, with academic courses in the summer, followed by further online admissions support until December.

UNIQ is a free programme and applications close in January.

Applying to UNIQ via our website is very simple and takes about 15 minutes.

UNIQ gives students the opportunity to find out if Oxford is right for them.

Many UNIQ students get the opportunity to stay in an Oxford college and explore Oxford for themselves.

UNIQ helps students prepare for University and explore subjects that interest them.

UNIQ students get to know our Oxford undergraduates and work with our academics in face to face lectures, labs and tutorials.

UNIQ enables students with similar interests in local regions and across the UK to connect with each other through social and academic activities.

There are over 1000 places on the UNIQ academic summer residential.

Information about the admissions process is available throughout the programme, and, for those who decide to apply to Oxford, there is more intensive support available in the autumn to help with preparation for our admissions tests and interviews.

UNIQ is open to students attending UK state schools and selection considers students’ school grades and their socio-economic and educational background.

UNIQ students who apply to Oxford have a higher rate of success than other students.

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Oxford University - 'What Economists Really Do' Lecture Series: Next Lecture The Economics of Refugees and Migration

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Oxford University - 'What Economists Really Do' Lecture Series: Next Lecture The Economics of Refugees and Migration

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On topics ranging from the climate crisis to labour market discrimination, Oxford economists are working with governments and businesses around the world to improve policy and make the economy work better for everyone. Find out how economics can be used to shed light on some of the biggest issues facing society today in this successful public webinar series, returning for a new series in 2023-24.

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This site uses cookies to store information on your computer.

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Oxford University Explore Chemistry Lecture Series - Mondays 5.15-6.00pm

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Oxford University Explore Chemistry Lecture Series - Mondays 5.15-6.00pm

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State school A level (or equivalent) Chemistry students and teachers are invited to sign up below to a series of enlightening talks by our research chemists, followed by a Q&A.

Talks will be live and the sessions recorded for use afterwards by subscribers if they unable to attend.

For 2023-24, live sessions will be held on Mondays from 17:15-18:00* in order to minimise disruption to the school day. Students may attend without a teacher, provided we have a teacher contact and the student signs up with a valid school email address.

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Hear our researchers, staff and alumni share their stories

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Oxford University - Online History Skills Workshops

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Oxford University - Online History Skills Workshops

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The History Faculty offers free online History Skills Workshops to state secondary school, sixth form and FE college pupils in Years 12 & 13 from across the UK.

Each workshop has three aims:

To inspire curiosity about the past and enthusiasm for studying history.

To help students to develop the analytical, critical, and imaginative skills that Russell Group universities look for in applicants for humanities degrees.

To inform and encourage students to consider applying to read history at university, including at the University of Oxford.

Workshops include:

History Research Skills

Thinking Big: concepts & historiography

Primary Sources

An Introduction to History of Art

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The History Faculty offers free online History Skills Workshops to state secondary school, sixth form and FE college pupils in years 12 & 13 from across the UK.

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Applications for Pathway to Bath are now open!  This is a free blended learning programme run by University of Bath that gives students the chance to work online alongside experienced staff and current students, to develop key skills for university study and beyond.

You will also be given the opportunity to apply for a place on a free 3-day residential visit to campus in the summer, to experience life as a student at Bath.

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February - May 2024

Study an online course delivered by our academic staff which will support you to complete an independent project and develop key academic skills.

Online sessions will be released regularly and will include some live sessions. You will be supported every step of the way by your tutor, University of Bath students and your fellow Pathway students, who you will get to know in your live sessions.
June - July 2024
Hand in your final project and receive valuable Uni life information from our undergraduate e-mentors about student finance, accommodation, making friends and more.
22-24 July 2024
Take part in an action packed residential during the summer holiday.

You will be able to apply for a stay in university halls, attend lectures and workshops, explore our award-winning facilities and world heritage city, and get involved in social activities to really experience life on campus.
September - December 2024
Receive support to make a competitive application to study at Bath and a successful transition to university, including exclusive sessions with Admissions Tutors, 1:1 personal statement support, and much more.

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Pathway to Bath is an award-winning, free curriculum enhancement programme for students to develop skills for university.

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UCL Prep - Online course useful for students who are preparing for early entry in Y13

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UCL Prep - Online course useful for students who are preparing for early entry in Y13

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UCL's Access and Widening Participation Office has launched UCL Study Prep to help students in Year 13 prepare for university.

This course is free and open to all students in Year 13 regardless of where you go to school/college or which universities you have applied to study at.

It is recommended that you take 4-5 hours to complete UCL Study Prep but this does not have to be done all at once.

The course may also provide helpful information for students in Year 12 who are currently thinking about making an application to study at university.

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UCL Study Prep is a free online course for students in Year 13 who are preparing to study at university.

UCL's Access and Widening Participation Office has launched UCL Study Prep to help students in Year 13 prepare for university.

This course is free and open to all students in Year 13 regardless of where you go to school/college or which universities you have applied to study at. It is recommended that you take 4-5 hours to complete UCL Study Prep but this does not have to be done all at once.

The course may also provide helpful information for students in Year 12 who are currently thinking about making an application to study at university.

How to complete UCL Study Prep

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UCL Study Prep is a free online course for students in Year 13 who are preparing to study at university.

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Future Thought Leaders - One Week Programme

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Future Thought Leaders - One Week Programme

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ABOUT THE PROGRAMME This week-long programme for sixth formers is a way to get experience discussing economic ideas and concepts beyond the exam curriculum. The week will include lectures, discussions, and debates with expert economists. Participants will hear from people in academia and politics about career opportunities, and at the end of the week the interns will debate on current affairs.

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Access to Banking - Two Year Banking and Finance Outreach Programme with Oxford University. Deadline Friday 8th December

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Access to Banking - Two Year Banking and Finance Outreach Programme with Oxford University. Deadline Friday 8th December

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Access to Banking supports students to develop the transferable skills needed to study any degree at a top university and to access a successful career in the Banking sector. While participants may wish to study Maths or Economics at university, we encourage applications from pupils studying a variety of A Level subjects. Many young professionals starting a career in Banking are Humanities and Social Science graduates, highlighting that the core skills that are desirable to employers in the Banking and Finance sectors are developed through studying a wide range of university courses.

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A programme for Year 12 students, run in collaboration with Barclays Investment Bank.

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Psychology Demonstration Interview - University of Oxford

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Psychology Demonstration Interview - University of Oxford

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Oxford University Psychology Department YouTube Channel

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Oxford University Psychology Department YouTube Channel

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"university of oxford" "mental health" "mental wellness" psychology

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Experimental Psychology Dept, University of Oxford

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This is the YouTube channel for the Department of Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford. The Department of Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford includes over 30 research groups with upwards of 400 undergraduates, graduate students and researchers. Key areas of research include Behavioural Neuroscience, Developmental Psychology, Perception and Cognition, Social Psychology, and Psychological and Brain Health.

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Cambridge University Faculty of Economics

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Cambridge University Faculty of Economics

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"cambridge university" "faculty of economics" economics university cambridge "economics lectures" macroeconomics microeconomics "economics degree" econometri...

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Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge

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The Faculty of Economics at the University of Cambridge is one of the longest standing as well as being one of the leading economics faculties in Europe. The Faculty has a global reputation for outstanding academic achievement and world-class original research. The Cambridge Faculty of Economics Tripos (undergraduate course) has been consistently rated No.

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Don't like plant-based meat alternatives, but want to spare animals and the environment? There's hope on the horizon, aided by a good helping of maths.

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Applying to study at Imperial College London

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Applying to study at Imperial College London

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Undergraduate Study Information Ι Imperial College London

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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Department of Physics University of Oxford

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Preparing for the Physics Aptitude Tests (PAT)

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University of Oxford Department of Physics

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(Last updated 6 June 2018) Please note that any formulae included in this syllabus do not represent an exhaustive list of formulae which might be used within the exam.

Syllabus for the mathematics content of Physics Aptitude Test

Elementary mathematics:

Knowledge of elementary mathematics, in particular topics in arithmetic, geometry including coordinate geometry, and probability, will be assumed. Questions may require the manipulation of mathematical expressions in a physical context.

Algebra:

Knowledge of the properties of polynomials, including the solution of quadratics either using a formula or by factorising.

Graph sketching including the use of differentiation to find stationary points.

Transformations of variables.

Solutions to inequalities.

Elementary trigonometry including relationships between sine, cosine and tangent (sum and difference formulae will be stated if required).

Properties of logarithms and exponentials and how to combine logarithms, e.g. log(a) + log(b) = log(ab)

Knowledge of the formulae for the sum of arithmetic and geometric progressions to n (or infinite) terms.

Use of the binomial expansion for expressions such as (a+bx)n, using only positive integer values of n.

Calculus:

Differentiation and integration of polynomials including fractional and negative powers.

Differentiation to find the slope of a curve, and the location of maxima and minima.

Integration as the reverse of differentiation and as finding the area under a curve.

Simplifying integrals by symmetry arguments including use of the properties of even and odd functions (where an even function has f(x)= f(-x), an odd function has f(-x)= - f(x)).

Syllabus for the physics content of Physics Aptitude Test

Mechanics:

Distance, velocity, speed, acceleration, and the relationships between them, e.g. velocity as the rate of change of distance with time, acceleration as rate of change of velocity with time. Understand the difference between vector quantities (e.g. velocity) and scalar quantities (e.g. speed). Knowledge and use of equations such as speed = distance / time, acceleration = change in velocity / time or the SUVAT equations.

Interpretation of graphs, e.g. force-distance, distance-time, velocity-time graphs and what the gradient of a curve or area underneath a curve represents.

Response of a system to multiple forces; Newton's laws of motion; know the difference between weight (= mg) and mass; vector addition of forces.

Circular motion including equations for centripetal force (F=mω²r or F=mv²/r) and acceleration (a=v²/r or a=ω²r).

The meaning of the terms friction, air resistance and terminal velocity and how they can be calculated.

Levers (including taking moments about a point on an object), pulleys (including calculating the tension in a rope or the overall motion in a system of ropes and pulleys) and other simple machines combining levers, springs and pulleys.

Springs, including knowledge of Hooke's law (Force = - kx) and stored potential energy ( = 1/2 kx² ).

Kinetic energy (= 1/2 mv²) and gravitational potential energy (= mgh in a constant gravitational field) and their inter-conversion; what other forms of energy exist (e.g. thermal, sound).

Conservation of energy and momentum (=mass x velocity); power ( = energy transfer/time) and work ( = force x distance moved in direction of force).

Waves and optics:

An understanding of the terms longitudinal and transverse waves; and that waves transfer energy without net movement of matter.

Be able to define the amplitude, frequency, period, wavelength and speed of a wave. Knowledge and use of formulae for the wave speed = wavelength x frequency and frequency = 1 / period (with units of hertz, Hz).

Basic properties of the electromagnetic spectrum, e.g. identify and correctly order parts of the spectrum by wavelength or frequency (radio waves, microwaves, IR, visible light, UV, X rays and gamma rays) and the nature and properties of electromagnetic waves (transverse, travel at the speed of light in a vacuum).

Description of reflection at plane mirrors, where the angle of incidence (the angle between the incident ray and the normal) = angle of reflection (angle between the reflected ray and the normal).

Refraction, including the definition of refractive index (n) as the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in a material and Snell's law n₁sinθ₁=n₂sinθ₂. Elementary properties of prisms and optical fibres including total internal reflection, where total internal reflection occurs at an angle θc when sinθc=n₂/n₁

Qualitative understanding of how interference, diffraction and standing waves can occur.

Electricity and magnetism:

Understanding of the terms current ( = charge / time), voltage (potential difference = energy / charge), charge, resistance ( = voltage / current) and links to energy and power (power = voltage x current, power = energy / time). Knowledge of transformers, including how the number of turns on the primary and secondary coils affect the voltage and current.

Understanding circuit diagrams including batteries, wires, resistors, filament lamps, diodes, capacitors, light dependent resistors and thermistors. Knowledge of current, voltage and resistance rules for series and parallel circuits.

Knowledge of the force between two point charges (Force= kQ1Q₂/r² (where k is a constant)) and on a point charge in a constant electric field (Force = charge x electric field).

Understanding that current is a flow of electrons; the photoelectric effect, where photoelectrons are emitted if they are given sufficient energy to overcome the work function of the material, and how to find the energy of accelerated electron beams ( energy = charge x potential difference).

Natural world:

Atomic structure; that atoms consist of protons, neutrons and electrons, definition of the atomic number, Bohr model of the atom.

Basic knowledge of bodies in our Solar System, including planets, moons, comets and asteroids. (Name and relative positions of the planets should be known but detailed knowledge of their physical parameters is not required).

Know what is meant by the phrases 'phases of the moon' and 'eclipses' and how the position of the observer on the Earth affects their view of these events.

Knowledge of circular orbits under gravity including orbital speed, radius, period, centripetal acceleration, and gravitational centripetal force. This may include equating the force between two masses due to gravity (F=GM₁M₂/r²) to centripetal force of a smaller body orbiting a larger body (F=mω²r or F=mv²/r) and use of centripetal acceleration (a=v²/r or a=ω²r).

Understanding of the terms satellites; geostationary and polar orbits.

Problem solving:

Problems may be set which require problem solving based on information provided rather than knowledge about a topic.

If there are parts of the syllabus which you think won't be covered at school by the time of the PAT, we expect you to work on them by yourself. Your teachers might be able to advise you.

Calculators and tables

No tables or lists of formulae are allowed. From October 2023, a digital calculator will be included with the online PAT. Candidates must use this and may NOT bring their own calculator, of any description, into the exam.

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