The DofE has most definitely built my self-esteem to be able to apply for things I would otherwise not have done. This is in comparison to a BTEC route, which is more specialised. 23km per dayHow far do you walk on DofE? The best Academic tutoring tutors available. If you are interested in Speaking and Drama, exams from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (or LAMDA) might be for you. You will not receive UCAS points for completing the Duke of Edinburgh Award. What Are Some Easy GCSE Subjects and How to Make the Right Choices? Theyre also a brilliant way to turn your hobbies into extra UCAS points without eating too much into the time you need to do well in your A-levels. Plus, a DofE can also provide a good talking point in the interview, especially for a young person without much other work experience. There are a number of different course types that are offered as an Access to HE Diploma, including programmes in Nursing, Business and the Social Sciences. Does gold DOFE give UCAS points? The maximum UCAS points you can gain this way is 65 points for a Distinction at Grade 8 (as with the music and drama exams, points are awarded from Grade 6 upwards). 5 (12 reviews) A slightly higher knowledge of maths might also come in useful for certain degree subjects for which A-level maths is not required, such as Geography. No, I want to find out more. We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our site. However, some universities look at extracurricular activities favourably during the admission process. In my personal statement, I wrote about how my experience during the Skill and Physical sections had increased my confidence and improved my fitness and swimming speed; for my physical activity, I swam at a local swimming club and gained Personal Bests. Rather, your school will tell you the time and date (usually a bank holiday weekend) and you will plot the route. Having good English Language abilities will be essential if you intend to study in the UK, and the ESOL Programme is a good way of demonstrating that you have these skills. Debate with GF/BF: TSR votes will decide! Is the Duke of Edinburgh award important for university? It also gives you something to talk about on your personal statement (eg confidence). The truth is that nobody misses out on a place at university because they did not complete a DofE, but if your child is looking for ways to add something extra to their application, a DofE achievement can be a good place to start. How do you think achieving your Award and the skills gained will help you in your future? Though there are still a number of different ways to earn points which may suit you better. This means that if you have been learning a musical instrument, and doing the exams as you go along, you may be lucky enough to already have some UCAS Points. Actually, it aims to get you improving yourself in a whole myriad of ways. Andy98. When it is this popular among young people, you can assume that many of your fellow university applicants are going to have done the award too. It can also demonstrate commitment and independence to potential employers and educational establishments. A-Levels are the most common way of getting UCAS Points. ), which details how you accomplished your aims. Gain points by playing a musical instrument. Should You Avoid or Embrace Them? It does not serve any purpose on your UCAS form beyond the personal statement, where you are entitled to push it hard. However, if you have already chosen your subjects and later realised that a certain subject may look desirable on your University application, completing an AS-Level in your second year could be very beneficial. Therefore, it depends which Universities that you are applying to as to how essential UCAS Points are, so it is important to do your research! However, unfortunately the last year that the Pre-U Qualification exams can be sat is 2023, so your course would need to have started by September 2021. But well save that question for a little while later. There is no minimum distance to cover, however there must be 8 hours of planned activity each day to satisfy the expedition requirements. Throughout the residential week you should endeavour to push the boundaries of your comfort zone and experience new environments and new people. The qualifications that are required vary based on the type of apprenticeship that you want to do, and which company you would like to work with. Whilst the DofE doesn't directly impact on your UCAS application, you could use it to improve your score should you reach the higher grades of the syllabus. The difference is that Pre-U Qualifications give students more of an opportunity to work independently, so that they are more prepared for University study. For Bronze, the expedition has to be two days and one night, with six hours of activity on each day. We hope this will inspire you to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award and answer any questions you may have. Yes, it is possible to complete your Gold DofE expedition on a kayak or canoe. Although dance can be challenging and requires a lot of work, it can be used as a good way to have a break from your academic studies while also allowing you to do something that has the potential to help your academic career. Perhaps your childs school is heavily endorsing participation in the DofE which might have you wondering Is DofE important for university applications? . Maybe your child does not currently participate in any regular extracurricular activities. DofE can help young people discover new hobbies and talents. 1. R-CAPTCHA. Doing a full diploma may be a bit of a tall order alongside A-levels, but the lower qualifications should be more manageable and will still give you points to the rough equivalent of half an A-level. However, some universities look at extracurricular activities favourably during the admission process. Do an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). Official University of Edinburgh 2023 Applicant Thread, Official LSE Undergraduate Applicants thread 2023, students going to University of Leeds 2023 September, Cambridge and international qualifications, Official UNIVERSITY of BATH 2023 entry thread, Oxford History Applicants 2023 - Undergraduate & Postgraduate, Official Oxford 2023 Postgraduate Applicants Thread. No. Read More For those of you doing the Duke of Edinburgh Award for the purposes of university admissions, you should know that it doesn't actually give you UCAS points. Why did this happen? Theyre not employers, Scouts leaders, or your mother so they might not be hugely impressed by your ability to read a map. With exceptions for some specific courses, DofE comes into play for that last 20% . Universities dont really care whether you went to a grammar school, a standard state school, or any other type of school. However, completion of DofE, especially Silver and Gold, are excellent talking points for your Personal Statement as they display proficiency in a wide variety of soft skills. It does not serve any purpose on your UCAS form beyond the personal statement, where you are entitled to push it hard. At the same time, youll have to track your progress and check in with DofE leaders, who will be helping you along the way. This table now reflects the new UCAS points tariff which uses a much lower points system than the old UCAS tariff. Though this does not mean that it is limited to this group. Due to this, the accuracy of articles on this site cannot always be guaranteed. Sure, it matters that you did something outside of the mainstream school system. Some apprenticeships will require you to have a certain number of GCSEs at a minimum grade or higher, and some higher-level apprenticeships will require you to have further qualification (such as A Levels) in subjects which relate to the apprenticeship. The most obvious place to get UCAS points is from A-levels, AS-levels, and T-levels. These are a good way of gaining more vocational qualifications that could benefit your future career plans, or simply to develop skills in something you find interesting whilst gaining UCAS points at the same time. 60. The UCAS Points System can be confusing, and it is a useful thing to understand when applying to Universities. It is not only incredibly useful in terms of your University Application, but also in your future employment opportunities. Would an academic institution care if school pupils had walked across Cornwall for three days? Usually, you pick 3 subjects to study, but there is often an option to do 4 (which will obviously earn you more UCAS Points!). It is a very flexible way of achieving qualifications because of the ability that it gives you to combine A-Level and Pre-U courses. It has been designed to allow you hone your specific skillset and explore the topics that matter most to you. Dont do it just because it makes you look like a more rounded candidate. The International Baccalaureate is available to students aged 16-19 across the world. You can go on horse, on boat, on bike, or anything that isnt motorised. You amass a portfolio of evidence of the voluntary work youve done, as well as actively developing skills in a range of useful areas, such as customer service, fundraising and project management. If you explain how it helped or changed you, such as boosting confidence and skills while showing commitment to a task, it could increase your chances of getting a place. These qualifications are an excellent addition to the university applications of those whose native language isnt English, as theyre a respected way of proving that you can use English to an exceptional level, including specifically for an academic context. The whole qualification will take you around 150 hours to complete. You can do an apprenticeship from the age of 16, and an Advanced Level Apprenticeship is generally considered to be equivalent to 2 A Levels. Can I Leave My Luggage At Edinburgh Bus Station? GoStudent is the #1 online tutoring platform for children. Speak to the activity provider prior to packing for your residential experience. . Suitable for aspiring actors and those who just enjoy performing, these qualifications develop your theatrical skills and enables you to get better at speaking clearly. In fact, simply as an addition to your CV and University Application, its not really necessary for you to do a course and gain the qualification (though if it is something that is available to you it shouldnt be turned down!). You can learn lots of new skills, improve your fitness and take part in expeditions and adventure activities. Enol online now or call +44 1865 954800 to book your place. . Cumulus Outdoors Residential Centre Participants may also find that they enjoy the experience more than they expected and acquire new skills to write about in their UCAS personal statement too. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Oxford Royale Academy is a part of Oxford Programs Limited, a company registered in England as company number 6045196, registered office at 264 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7DY. Summer School 2023 is filling up fast. How do I add my Duke of Edinburgh to my UCAS application? In a similar way to Music Formal Exams, you can earn UCAS Points from Grades 6-8. It also demonstrates to Universities that you are good at learning more practical skills something that is likely to be useful in your future studying and careers. For example, a course in first aid would be appropriate. There are a number of different Horse-Riding Qualifications which can earn you UCAS Points, and they are listed on the British Horse Society Website, alongside the number of points that they will earn you. captcha. But is this true? Which parts of the UCAS application can you use your DofE experience in? Post-16 Qualifications A-levels, AS-levels, Advanced Highers, Certificates, Diplomas and Awards are all converted into UCAS points. Do you feel like the achievement award taught you how to deal with challenge? Reach out to a GoStudent tutor to ensure that your child reaches their full potential on exam day. Please try your request again later. Most of all, completing the various DofE levels is fun and allows you to spend time with friends! It demonstrates commitment, hard-work, determination and your ability to work independently and as part of a team. Most obviously, you can boost your number of UCAS points by taking on an extra A-level or AS-level. This course allows you to choose the six modules that you study, and is a great way of making your skills more desirable to employers which is incredibly useful when getting a job can be so competitive! To help you with your planning, weve created a helpful guide containing a list of frequently asked Gold DofE questions. You can earn UCAS Points from Grade 6 Grade 8, in both instrumental and music theory exams. They want proof of that. Volunteering is not only a good way of adding to your UCAS Points, but it is also a wonderful addition to your CV. No. If you are starting at Gold level, without completing your Silver it will take at least 18 months. A full degree would usually require 360 points: 120 at stage 1 (equivalent to the first year of a degree at a conventional university), 120 at stage 2 and 120 at stage 3. It is commonly said that the Duke of Edinburgh Award can really help your university application. The Award is designed to test and improve all sorts of different non-academic skills and it is intended to get you contributing to your community through voluntary activities. One of the problems with this way of earning UCAS Points is that the courses can be quite expensive. If you arent sure which subjects work well when combined, take a look at this useful article which lists some good A-Level combinations. Arty types might like Trinity College Londons Gold Arts Award, which gives you 35 extra points in recognition of your involvement with a range of arts projects and leadership (recorded in a portfolio in a medium of your choosing, such as a diary, video or blog). A Level 3 Free Standing Maths Qualification (FSMQ) is usually taken by GCSE students who excel at maths and want to be challenged. Here's what universities want to see in your application - and how you can show them everything you've got. Uni rejects application for something not mention in entry requirment, Any other good/free programs like Sutton trust or UNIQ. Participants and leaders can access their profile to see the activities completed in each section.Your child can even manage their DofE via the Duke of Edinburgh Award app which can be downloaded from the App store and Google Play. nah you can. The number of UCAS Points that you can earn depends on whether you achieve a Pass, Merit or Distinction, and the breakdown of these scores can be found on the International Dance Teachers Association (IDTA) Website. Meanwhile, for Gold, you need to be 16 or above (i.e. For example, you may want to do a diploma in Fashion, or Fitness Instructing and Personal Training. The Skills Challenge Certificate (SCC) can be taken as a standalone graded qualification for students in Wales. The Duke of Edinburgh Award is split into four parts. One of the best things about the Duke of Edinburgh Award is that the residential section is really flexible. This qualification is aimed to bridge the gap between GCSE and AS-Level, but does not mean that you have to take A-Level maths after you have done it. I keep revising for science but I always forget so how do I fix this? The company contracts with institutions, including the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Yale, for the use of their facilities, and also contracts with tutors from those institutions, but does not operate under the aegis of the University of Oxford or those other institutions. Yes. These are the sorts of questions that you are going to have to ask yourself in relation to your DofE. It doesn't give you that many points however. Most obviously, you can boost your number of UCAS points by taking on an extra A-level or AS-level. The DofE promotes teamwork, self-discipline, empathy and independence and is something young people remember for the rest of their lives. An Award of Personal Effectiveness (AoPE) from ASDAN will earn you 8 UCAS Points, and will take around 80 hours at Level 3. That's key stage 4. If youre thinking of doing this, talk to the teachers at your school to find out what subjects would fit into your timetable. The DofE, if embraced, really does give a well-rounded boost to a young persons skill set. It is designed to foster interests and improve skills that can be drawn upon into adulthood. With an emphasis on personal development and practical experience, it is no surprise that many young people take up the DofE to help boost university applications and CVs with something more than academic achievements. Do you play a musical instrument? They allow you to gain experience in a field of work which interests you, and give you the chance to either progress in that field of work, or go to university to further develop your skills. For those of you doing the Duke of Edinburgh Award for the purposes of university admissions, you should know that it doesnt actually give you UCAS points. I am not a robot. Subject areas you can choose from for the Free-standing Mathematics Qualification include Additional Maths, Using and Applying Statistics, Working with Algebraic and Graphical Techniques, and Modelling with Calculus. Has anybody accepted university offers so far in 2023? The lowest amount of UCAS points you can get for an A Level is 16 (grade E). Are you still using the skills you gained during your DofE programme? At the end of the expedition, you will be required to give a presentation (written, verbal, exhibition etc. Wed say that a more appropriate description would be a Youth Award rather than a professional qualification. Helping there strengthened my passion for working with animals and, due to this, I decided to study Animal Management at university. The expedition should take place in wild country, away from civilisation for a minimum of 4 days and 3 nights with 8 hours of planned activity. Would they be interested in the fact that you volunteered during senior school? In terms of skills for the workplace, there are numerous useful courses to choose from, such as the AAT Certificate in Accounting or the Certificate of Personal Effectiveness, the latter of which gives you 70 UCAS points and aims to develop skills to improve your employability, such as problem solving and working with others. You must volunteer in the community for at least 12 months and complete the physical and skill sections. In a similar way to A-Levels, you will have a broader range of subjects that you can continue with at degree level. The elements of each persons DofE can vary widely, depending on how they choose to complete their sections. All A Levels come with UCAS points, the maximum number for one being 56 and that would require an A* grade. The Student Room and The Uni Guide are trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd. Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. It consists of a number of parts, which are: If youd like to find out more about the Skills Challenge Certificate, take a look at this page about the Welsh Baccalaureate, which explains how the qualification works. Students can take 3-4 of their courses at Higher Level (which comprises of around 240 teaching hours) and the remaining subjects at Standard Level (which is made up of around 150 hours of teaching). To count towards your Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award the residential must be away from home and last for at least 4 nights and 5 consecutive days. You would take these at Sixth Form instead of A-Levels. Making a Splash! Thats not to say that your application will suffer if you only have three A-levels offers are almost always given based on three A-levels anyway (top universities might give an offer that includes four A-levels, but only if the candidate in question happens to be studying four). However, perhaps not to the degree that you might expect. They will be able to provide you with a detailed kit list containing all of the equipment and clothing you will need. A Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (CoPE) Level 3 will get you 16 UCAS Points. reply. Study for a Level 3 Diploma, Certificate or Award in your spare time. This is known as the Residential element, and it involves you staying and working away for five days. Rather, it means what else you have done outside of your schooling. Lets take a closer look at how the Duke of Edinburgh Award can help your university admissions. Over the near sixty years until now, over a million young people have been involved in the programme, learning the skills it takes to run a business and proving to themselves that they have what it takes to be an entrepreneur. How did doing your DofE help prepare you for University life? Diplomas, certificates and awards give you the opportunity to gain skills in a vocational subject that interests you. For example, you might be leaning towards doing all humanities subjects at A-level, because thats whats going to give you the best chances of securing a place on a particular degree course; but you still want to be able to show potential employers that your knowledge of maths is higher than GCSE, as this will help you stand out a bit more. All apprentices earn a specific minimum wage (details of which can be found here). Unfortunately, DofE does not give you UCAS points. It is offered by OCR, and combines aspects of GCSE maths with AS and A-Level Maths. One of the benefits of these types of qualification is that you can go into a more specific field earlier on, which is great if you have an idea of what career path you want to take when you are 16. The most daunting part of a UCAS application is the Personal Statement: 4000 characters to explain your suitability for higher education. An Extended Project Qualification (or EPQ) is a great way of adding to your UCAS Points. However, you should remember that Volunteering is not only beneficial in terms of UCAS Points so it is still worth considering it as an option to broaden your skills. If you want to earn extra UCAS Points, you can take an extra Cambridge Pre-U Qualification, so that you are studying 4 courses. It is possible to progress straight to gold DofE. The only place to mention it (if you must) is in your PS or reference. How Often Does Edinburgh Tram Go To Airport? For the Skills section, I worked at my local stables, assisting with the day to day tasks and lessons; this included manual labour of mucking out and grooming the horses. /h. You may also want to have a look at some Universities entry requirements, which often list preferred A-Levels. You should join a DofE residential as an individual without meeting participants or leaders beforehand. If i drop a subject can universities withdraw my offer? Did your volunteering or skill complement a particular part of your studies? There is a small participation and welcome pack fee when you sign up to each level of the award. There are plenty of opportunities to connect teamwork to the DofE, for example: To become a (enter job aspiration associated with course applied for here) cooperating in a team is of the utmost importance. 12657283. In your personal statement, saying that you have completed your DofE demonstrates commitment and motivation to succeed, which universities will look at, especially as at times it can be challenging and completing your DofE demonstrates you can cope and thrive. Remember, DofE has over 400,000 entrants every year. Benefits of DofE - The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Benefits to young people When your child does their DofE programme they'll develop the skills and attitudes they need to become more rounded, confident adults. However, if you are in primary school or just not yet in the right stage of secondary education, you are going to have to wait. Work experience where possible, make each one relevant to the role youre applying for, listing your achievements and responsibilities. Distance learning courses and evening classes at your local college are two avenues for you to explore for completing an award, certificate or diploma in your spare time, alongside your A-level studies. It helped me to be confident and go for things I would have only dreamed of before doing the DofE. Rather, as we discussed in our piece on the school clubs that look good to universities, its much more about what you do with it. Your email address will not be published. In this case, the most recent qualification (and therefore the most relevant) is the one that gains you UCAS Points. They dont care about it per se. They generally have a more vocational basis, which allows you to develop useful employability skills in the subject that you have chosen to study. The DofE award is a program independent from school qualifications that young people choose to undertake. When recording your activity on eDofE you will have to provide the residential start and end date as well as the date you started planning it. Some organisations running the award may charge a fee to cover administration costs and activities may be an additional extra. Should you put Duke of Edinburgh Award on CV? One of the biggest providers of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Bronze Award YOU CAN REGISTER AS SOON AS YOU ARE IN THE SCHOOL YEAR IN WHICH YOU WILL TURN 14 Although some Universities give out their conditional offers to students based on their exam grades, there are still some which the UCAS Points system for offers. The DofE also helped me when applying for summer placements; I was successful getting placements at a local wildlife trust, two veterinary clinics and an internship in South Africa, all of which would not have been possible without the DofE giving me the confidence to give things a go. It helps young people develop social and interpersonal skills as well as promoting confidence and self-esteem. I also think that DofE Gold helps prepare you for university life, by replicating university experiences. Silver DofE UCAS points also do not exist and so it will come as no surprise that the Bronze DofE follows the same pattern. And, as you can imagine, the more hours are put in, the higher the number of UCAS Points earned is. There are 3 levels (Bronze, Silver and Gold) and a number of sections to complete. Read our tips for how to talk about your DofE in your personal statement. The expedition is the part that participants are usually most apprehensive about and a popular question is How far do you walk on the Bronze DofE ? There must be a minimum of 6 hours travelling each day, which equates to on average 16km or 10 Miles each day on foot. This means that if you wanted to take a BTEC at Sixth Form, you would need to be more certain of the career path you wanted to take earlier on. That's right, even with walking 14 Miles a day on the Gold DofE, UCAS points are not awarded (though a shiny Duke of Edinburgh gold medal is up for grabs). It does not serve any purpose on your UCAS form beyond the personal statement, where you are entitled to push it hard. A Cambridge Pre-U Qualification is an alternative to A-Levels which is equivalent in value. It is the volunteering itself which is the useful, transferrable skill especially if you are able to volunteer somewhere which relates to your dream career (for example at a Veterinary Practice if you wanted to be a Vet). If you are over the age of 18 you can complete the award independently with the support of DofE leader via email and telephone. The opinions expressed within articles on this site reflect the opinions of individual student contributors, not Think Student as a whole. The Gold residential must include 5 consecutive days of group activities and at least 4 nights away from home. Why should you do the Duke of Edinburgh award? Cumulus also runs bronze, silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh walking and kayaking expeditions. Theres one section of the UCAS application where the DofE can be utilised, that is what we unofficially call The Duke of Edinburgh Personal Statement.. Cumulus Outdoors in Swanage offer an exciting events programme, which showcases the best of the Jurassic Coast. It has already helped me in applying for work experience and taking part in reception duties, talking to clients and assisting in consultations at veterinary surgeries. It should be something you are interested in and be suitable for completing in wild country without external help. The Duke of Edinburgh Award has a number of benefits. They will provide you with a checklist containing everything you need to bring for your time away from home. Lots of parents recognise a connection between the Duke of Edinburgh Award UCAS Application for university. But an extra A-level should certainly boost your application particularly if its in one of the facilitating subjects and youll get up to 140 extra UCAS points. Many participants speak fondly of their time completing their DofE and some enjoy it so much that they go on to complete the Silver and Gold awards. Mapping out and preparing for one continuous journey over several days, which could be on foot, bicycle, canoe or another method that requires physical effort (no cars or electric scooters!) So, yes, universities do like to see a Duke of Edinburgh Award on your UCAS form, but only insofar as it tells them something about you. Like going away from home, on your own, and interacting with a group of your peers. If youre not taking Mathematics as an A-level subject, but want a qualification in it just to prove that youre proficient, you could take a Free-standing Mathematics Qualification. Silver is for people aged 15 and above and should take 52 weeks.
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