extended essay ucas

UCAS Personal Statement and Examples

What is the ucas personal statement .

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) Personal Statement is the main essay for your application to colleges and universities in Great Britain. UCAS gives a nice explanation here , but in short, this is your chance to stand out against the crowd and show your knowledge and enthusiasm for your chosen area of study.

You’ve got 4,000 characters and 47 line limit to show colleges what (ideally) gets you out of bed in the morning. How long is that, really? Use your “word count” tool in Google or Word docs to check as you go along, but 4,000 characters is roughly 500 words or one page.

HOW IS THE UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT DIFFERENT FROM THE US PERSONAL STATEMENT?

Think they’re the same? Think again. Here are some key differences between the UCAS and the US Personal Statement:

When you apply to UK schools, you’re applying to one particular degree program, which you’ll study for all, or almost all, your time at university. Your UCAS personal statement should focus less on cool/fun/quirky aspects of yourself and more on how you’ve prepared for your particular area of study.

The UCAS Personal Statement will be read by someone looking for proof that you are academically capable of studying that subject for your entire degree. In some cases, it might be an actual professor reading your essay.

You’ll only write one personal statement, which will be sent to all the universities you’re applying to, and it’s unlikely you’ll be sending any additional (supplemental) essays. Your essay needs to explain why you enjoy and are good at this subject, without reference to any particular university or type of university.

Any extracurricular activities that are NOT connected to the subject you’re applying for are mostly irrelevant, unless they illustrate relevant points about your study skills or attributes: for example, having a job outside of school shows time-management and people skills, or leading a sports team shows leadership and responsibility.

Your personal statement will mostly focus on what you’ve done at high school, in class, and often in preparation for external exams. 80-90% of the content will be academic in nature.

A QUICK STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO WRITING THE UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT

This may be obvious, but the first step to a great UCAS Personal Statement is to choose the subject you’re applying for. This choice will be consistent across the (up to) five course choices you have. Often, when students struggle with a UCAS personal statement, it’s because they are trying to make the statement work for a couple of different subjects. With a clear focus on one subject, the essay can do the job it is supposed to do. Keep in mind you’re limited to 47 lines or 4000 characters, so this has to be concise and make efficient use of words.

To work out what information to include, my favourite brainstorming activity is the ‘Courtroom Exercise’. Here’s how it works:

The Courtroom Exercise

Imagine you’re prosecuting a case in court, and the case is that should be admitted to a university to study the subject you’ve chosen. You have to present your case to the judge, in a 47 line or 4,000 character statement. The judge won’t accept platitudes or points made without evidence–she needs to see evidence. What examples will you present in your statement?

In a good statement, you’ll make an opening and a closing point.

To open your argument, can you sum up in one sentence why you wish to study this subject? Can you remember where your interest in that subject began? Do you have a story to tell that will engage the reader about your interest in that subject?

Next, you’ll present a number of pieces of evidence, laying out in detail why you’re a good match for this subject. What activities have you done that prove you can study this subject at university?

Most likely, you’ll start with a class you took, a project you worked on, an internship you had, or a relevant extra-curricular activity you enjoyed. For each activity you discuss, structure a paragraph on each using the ABC approach:

A: What is the A ctivity?

B: How did it B enefit you as a potential student for this degree course?

C: Link the benefit to the skills needed to be successful on this C ourse.

With three or four paragraphs like these, each of about 9 or 10 lines, and you should have the bulk of your statement done. Typically two of these will be about classes you have taken at school, and two about relevant activities outside of school.

In the last paragraph, you need to demonstrate wider skills that you have, which you can probably do from your extracurricular activities. How could you demonstrate your time management, your ability to collaborate, or your creativity? Briefly list a few extracurricular activities you’ve taken part in and identify the relevant skills that are transferable to university study.

Finally, close your argument in a way that doesn’t repeat what you’ve already shared. Case closed!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What if I’m not sure what I want to study? Should I still apply?

There are a number of broader programs available at UK universities (sometimes called Liberal Arts or Flexible Combined Honours). However, you should still showcase two or three academic areas of interest. If you are looking for a broader range of subjects to study and can’t choose one, then the UK might not be the best fit for you.

What if I haven’t done much, academically or via extracurriculars, to demonstrate that I’ll be able to complete the coursework for my degree? Should I still apply?

You certainly can, but you will need to be realistic about the strength of your application as a result. The most selective universities will want to see this evidence, but less selective ones will be more willing to account for your potential to grow in addition to what you’ve already achieved. You could also consider applying for a Foundation course or a ‘Year 0’ course, where you have an additional year pre-university to enable you to develop this range of evidence.

If I’m not accepted into a particular major, can I be accepted into a different major?

It’s important to understand that we are not talking about a ‘major,’ as what you are accepted into is one entire course of study. Some universities may make you an ‘alternative offer’ for a similar but perhaps less popular course (for example you applied for Business but instead they offer you a place for Business with a Language).At others, you can indicate post-application that you would like to be considered for related courses. However, it’s not going to be possible to switch between two completely unrelated academic areas.

What other information is included in my application? Will they see my extracurricular activities, for example? Is there an Additional Information section where I can include more context on what I’ve done in high school?

The application is very brief: the personal statement is where you put all the information. UCAS does not include an activities section or space for any other writing. The 47 lines are all you have. Some universities might accept information if there are particularly important extenuating circumstances that must be conveyed. This can be done via email, but typically, they don’t want to see more than the UCAS statement and your school’s reference provides.

Now, let’s take a look at some of my favourite UCAS personal statement examples with some analysis of why I think these are great.

UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE FOR CHEMISTRY

When I was ten, I saw a documentary on Chemistry that really fascinated me. Narrated by British theoretical physicist Jim Al-Khalili, it explained how the first elements were discovered and how Chemistry was born out of alchemy. I became fascinated with Chemistry and have remained so ever since. I love the subject because it has very theoretical components, for example quantum Chemistry, while also having huge practical applications.

In this introduction, the student shows where his interest in Chemistry comes from. Adding some additional academic detail (in this case, the name of the scientist) helps guide the reader into more specific information on why this subject is interesting to him.

This aspect of Chemistry is important to me. I have, for example, used machine learning to differentiate between approved and experimental drugs. On the first run, using drug molecules from the website Drug Bank, I calculated some molecular descriptors for them. I started with a simple logistic regression model and was shocked to find that it had apparently classified almost all molecules correctly. This result couldn’t be right; it took me nearly a month to find the error. I accidentally normalized the molecular-descriptor data individually, rather than as a combined data set, thereby encoding the label into the input. On a second run, after fixing the error, I used real machine learning libraries. Here I actually got some performance with my new algorithm, which I could compare to professional researchers’ papers. The highest accuracy I ever saw on my screen was 86 percent. The researchers’ result was 85 percent; thanks to more modern machine learning methods, I narrowly beat them. I have also studied Mathematics and Physics at A Level and have been able to dive into areas beyond the A Level syllabus such as complex integration in math and the Schrödinger equation in Physics.

This paragraph outlines a clear case for this student’s aptitude for and interest in Chemistry. He explains in detail how he has explored his intended major, using academic terminology to show us he has studied the subject deeply. Knowing an admissions reader is looking for evidence that this student has a talent for Chemistry, this paragraph gives them the evidence they need to admit him.

Additionally, I have worked on an undergraduate computer science course on MIT Opencourseware, but found that the content followed fixed rules and did not require creativity. At the time I was interested in neural networks and listened to lectures by professor Geoffrey Hinton who serendipitously mentioned his students testing his techniques on ‘Kaggle Competitions’. I quickly got interested and decided to compete on this platform. Kaggle allowed me to measure my machine learning skills against competitors with PhDs or who are professional data scientists at large corporations. With this kind of competition naturally I did not win any prizes, but I worked with the same tools and saw how others gradually perfected a script, something which has helped my A Level studies immensely.

Introducing a new topic, the student again uses academic terminology to show how he has gone beyond the confines of his curriculum to explore the subject at a higher level. In this paragraph, he demonstrates that he has studied university-level Chemistry. Again, this helps the reader to see that this student is capable of studying for a Chemistry degree.

I have been keen to engage in activities beyond the classroom. For example, I have taken part in a range of extracurricular activities, including ballroom dancing, public speaking, trumpet, spoken Mandarin, and tennis, achieving a LAMDA distinction at level four for my public speaking. I have also participated in Kaggle competitions, as I’m extremely interested in machine learning. For example, I have used neural networks to determine the causes of Amazon deforestation from satellite pictures in the ‘Planet: Understanding the Amazon from Space’ competition. I believe that having worked on projects spanning several weeks or even months has allowed me to build a stamina that will be extremely useful when studying at university.

This penultimate paragraph introduces the student’s extracurricular interests, summing them up in a sentence. Those activities that can demonstrate skills that are transferable to the study of Chemistry are given a bit more explanation. The student’s descriptions in each paragraph are very detailed, with lots of specific information about awards, classes and teachers.

What I hope to gain from an undergraduate (and perhaps post-graduate) education in Chemistry is to deepen my knowledge of the subject and potentially have the ability to successfully launch a startup after university. I’m particularly interested in areas such as computational Chemistry and cheminformatics. However, I’m open to studying other areas in Chemistry, as it is a subject that truly captivates me.

In the conclusion, the student touches on his future plans, using specific terminology that shows his knowledge of Chemistry. This also reveals that he aims to have a career in this field, which many admission readers find appealing as it demonstrates a level of commitment to the subject.

UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE FOR VETERINARY MEDICINE

This next statement has to accomplish a number of tasks, given the subject the student is applying for. As a vocational degree, applicants for veterinary medicine are committing to a career as well as a subject to study, so they need to give information demonstrating they understand the reality of a career in this area. It also needs to explain their motivation for this interest, which quite often is demonstrated through work experience (something which is often a condition for entry into these programs). Finally, as this is a highly academic subject to study at university, the author should include a good level of academic terminology and experiences in the statement.

There is nothing more fascinating to me than experiencing animals in the wild, in their natural habitat where their behaviour is about the survival of their species. I was lucky enough to experience this when in Tanzania. While observing animals hunting, I became intrigued by their musculature and inspired to work alongside these animals to help them when they are sick, as a veterinarian.

In an efficient way, the applicant explains her motivation to become a vet, then squeezes in a bit of information about her experience with animals.

As a horse rider and owner for nearly ten years, I have sought opportunities to learn as much as I can about caring for the animal. I helped around the yard with grooming and exercise, bringing horses in and out from the fields, putting on rugs, and mucking out. I have also been working at a small animal vet clinic every other Saturday for over 2.5 years. There, my responsibilities include restocking and sterilising equipment, watching procedures, and helping in consultations. Exposure to different cases has expanded my knowledge of various aspects, such as assisting with an emergency caesarean procedure. Due to a lack of staff on a Saturday, I was put in charge of anaesthesia while the puppies were being revived. I took on this task without hesitation and recorded heart and respiration rate, capillary refill time, and gum colour every five minutes. Other placements following an equine vet, working on a polo farm, and volunteering at a swan sanctuary have also broadened my experience with different species and how each possesses various requirements. During pre-vet summer courses, I was also introduced to farm animals such as pigs, cows, sheep and chicken. I spend some time milking dairy cows and removing clustered dust from chicken feet, as well as tipping sheep in order to inspect their teats.

In this paragraph, she synthesizes personal experience with an academic understanding of vet medicine. She demonstrates that she is committed to animals (helping in the yard, regular Saturday work, assistance with procedures), that she has gained a variety of experiences, and that she understands some of the conditions (caesareans, clustered dust) that vets have to deal with. Note that she also briefly discusses ‘pre-vet summer courses,’ adding credibility to her level of experience.

I have focused on HL Biology and HL Chemistry for my IB Diploma. I was particularly excited to study cell biology and body systems because these subjects allowed me to comprehend how the body works and are applicable to animal body functions. Topics like DNA replication as well as cell transcription and translation have helped me form a fundamental understanding of genetics and protein synthesis, both important topics when looking into hereditary diseases in animals. Learning about chemical reactions made me consider the importance of pharmaceutical aspects of veterinary medicine, such as the production of effective medicine. Vaccines are essential and by learning about the chemical reactions, I f developed a more nuanced understanding about how they are made and work.

Now, the statement turns to academic matters, linking her IB subjects to the university studies she aspires to. She draws out one particular example that makes a clear link between school and university-level study.

I have also written my Extended Essay discussing the consequences of breeding laws in the UK and South Australia in relation to the development of genetic abnormalities in pugs and German shepherds. This topic is important, as the growing brachycephalic aesthetic of pugs is causing them to suffer throughout their lifetime. Pedigree dogs, such as the German shepherd, have a very small gene pool and as a result, hereditary diseases can develop. This becomes an ethical discussion, because allowing German shepherds to suffer is not moral; however, as a breed, they aid the police and thus serve society.

The IB Extended Essay (like an A Level EPQ or a Capstone project) is a great topic to discuss in a personal statement, as these activities are designed to allow students to explore subjects in greater detail.

The first sentence here is a great example of what getting more specific looks like because it engages more directly with what the student is actually writing about in this particular paragraph then it extrapolates a more general point of advice from those specificities.

By choosing to write her Extended Essay on a topic of relevance to veterinary medicine, she has given herself the opportunity to show the varied aspects of veterinary science. This paragraph proves to the reader that this student is capable and motivated to study veterinary medicine.

I have learned that being a veterinarian requires diagnostic skills as well as excellent communication and leadership skills. I understand the importance and ethics of euthanasia decisions, and the sensitivity around discussing it withanimal owners. I have developed teamwork and leadership skills when playing varsity football and basketball for four years. My communication skills have expanded through being a Model U.N. and Global Issues Network member.

This small paragraph on her extracurricular activities links them clearly to her intended area of study, both in terms of related content and necessary skills. From this, the reader gains the impression that this student has a wide range of relevant interests.

When I attend university, I not only hope to become a veterinarian, but also a leader in the field. I would like to research different aspects of veterinary medicine, such as diseases. As a vet, I would like to help work towards the One Health goal; allowing the maintenance of public health security. This affects vets because we are the ones working closely with animals every day.

In the conclusion, she ties things together and looks ahead to her career. By introducing the concept of ‘One Health’, she also shows once again her knowledge of the field she is applying to.

UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE FOR AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING

Standing inside a wind tunnel is not something every 17 year old aspires to, but for me the opportunity to do so last year confirmed my long-held desire to become a mechanical engineer.

This introduction is efficient and provides a clear direction for the personal statement. Though it might seem that it should be more detailed, for a student applying to study a course that requires limited extended writing, being this matter-of-fact works fine.

I enjoy the challenge of using the laws of Physics, complemented with Mathematical backing, in the context of everyday life, which helps me to visualise and understand where different topics can be applied. I explored the field of aeronautics, specifically in my work experience with Emirates Aviation University. I explored how engineers apply basic concepts of air resistance and drag when I had the opportunity to experiment with the wind tunnel, which allowed me to identify how different wing shapes behave at diverse air pressures. My interest with robotics has led me to take up a year-long internship with MakersBuilders, where I had the chance to explore physics and maths on a different plane. During my internship I educated young teenagers on a more fundamental stage of building and programming, in particular when we worked on building a small robot and programmed the infra-red sensor in order to create self-sufficient movement. This exposure allowed me to improve my communication and interpersonal skills.

In this paragraph, the student adds evidence to the initial assertion that he enjoys seeing how Physics relates to everyday life. The descriptions of the work experiences he has had not only show his commitment to the subject, but also enable him to bring in some academic content to demonstrate his understanding of engineering and aeronautics.

I’m interested in the mechanics side of Maths such as circular motion and projectiles; even Pure Maths has allowed me to easily see patterns when working and solving problems in Computer Science. During my A Level Maths and Further Maths, I have particularly enjoyed working with partial fractions as they show how reverse methodology can be used to solve addition of fractions, which ranges from simple addition to complex kinematics. Pure Maths has also enabled me to better understand how 3D modelling works with the use of volumes of revolution, especially when I learned how to apply the calculations to basic objects like calculating the amount of water in a bottle or the volume of a pencil.

This paragraph brings in the academic content at school, which is important when applying for a subject such as engineering. This is because the admissions reader needs to be reassured that the student has covered the necessary foundational content to be able to cope with Year 1 of this course.

In my Drone Club I have been able to apply several methods of wing formation, such as the number of blades used during a UAS flight. Drones can be used for purposes such as in Air-sea Rescue or transporting food to low income countries. I have taken on the responsibility of leading and sharing my skills with others, particularly in the Drone Club where I gained the certification to fly drones. In coding club, I participated in the global Google Code competition related to complex, real-life coding, such as a program that allows phones to send commands to another device using Bluetooth. My Cambridge summer course on math and engineering included the origins of a few of the most important equations and ideologies from many mathematicians such as, E=mc2 from Einstein, I also got a head start at understanding matrices and their importance in kinematics. Last summer, I completed a course at UT Dallas on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. The course was intuitive and allowed me to understand a different perspective of how robots and AI will replace humans to do complex and labour-intensive activities, customer service, driverless cars and technical support.

In this section, he demonstrates his commitment to the subject through a detailed list of extracurricular activities, all linked to engineering and aeronautics. The detail he gives about each one links to the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in these subjects at university.

I have represented Model UN as a delegate and enjoyed working with others to solve problems. For my Duke of Edinburgh Award, I partook in several activities such as trekking and playing the drums. I enjoy music and I have reached grade 3 for percussion. I have also participated in a range of charitable activities, which include assisting during Ramadan and undertaking fun-runs to raise money for cancer research.

As with the introduction, this is an efficient use of language, sharing a range of activities, each of which has taught him useful skills. The conclusion that follows is similarly efficient and to the point.

I believe that engineering is a discipline that will offer me a chance to make a tangible difference in the world, and I am certain I will enjoy the process of integrating technology with our everyday life.

UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE FOR ECONOMICS AND SOCIAL POLICY

Applying for a joint honours course presents a particular challenge of making the case that you are interested in the first subject, the second subject and (often overlooked) the combination of the two. In this example, the applicant uses her own academic studies and personal experiences to make her case.

I usually spend my summer breaks in Uttar Pradesh, India working at my grandparents’ NGO which produces bio-fertilizers for the poor. While working, I speak to many of the villagers in the nearby villages like Barokhar and Dharampur and have found out about the various initiatives the Government has taken to improve the production of wheat and rice. I understand the hardships they undergo and speaking to them has shown me the importance of Social Policy and the role the government plays in improving the lives of people and inspired me to pursue my university studies in this field.

In the introduction, this applicant explains where her interlinking experiences come from: she has personal experiences demonstrating how economics impacts the most vulnerable in society. In doing so, she shows the admissions reader that she has a deep interest in this combination and can move on to discussing each subject in turn.

My interest in these areas has been driven by the experiences I had at high school and beyond. I started attending Model United Nations in the 9th grade and have been to many conferences, discussing problems like the water crisis and a lack of sustainability in underdeveloped countries. These topics overlapped with my study of economics and exciting classroom discussions on what was going on how different events would impact economies, for instance how fluctuations in oil prices will affect standards of living. Studying Economics has expanded my knowledge about how countries are run and how macroeconomic policies shape the everyday experiences of individuals.

Unusually, this applicant does not go straight into her classroom experiences but instead uses one of her extracurricular activities (Model United Nations) in her first paragraph. For students applying for subjects that are not often taught at school (Social Policy in this example), this can be a good idea, as it allows you to bring in material that you have self-studied to explain why you are capable of studying each subject at university. Here, she uses MUN discussions to show she understands some topics in social policy that are impacting the world.

By taking up history as a subject in Grade 11 and 12, I have seen the challenges that people went through in the past, and how different ideas gained momentum in different parts of the world such as the growth of communism in Russia and China and how it spread to different countries during the Cold War. I learned about the different roles that governments played in times of hardships such as that which President Roosevelt’s New Deal played during the Great Depression. From this, I gained analytical skills by scrutinizing how different social, political and economic forces have moulded societies in the past.

In this paragraph, she then takes the nearest possible class to her interest in Social Policy and draws elements from it to add to her case for Social Policy. Taking some elements from her history classes enables her to add some content to this statement, before linking to the topic of economics.

To explore my interest in Economics, I interned at Emirates National Bank of Dubai, one of the largest banks in the Middle East, and also at IBM. At Emirates NBD, I undertook a research project on Cash Management methods in competitor banks and had to present my findings at the end of the internship. I also interned at IBM where I had to analyze market trends and fluctuations in market opportunity in countries in the Middle East and Africa. I had to find relations between GDP and market opportunity and had to analyze how market opportunity could change over the next 5 years with changing geo-political situations. I have also attended Harvard University’s Youth Lead the Change leadership conference where I was taught how to apply leadership skills to solve global problems such as gender inequality and poverty.

Economics is explored again through extracurriculars, with some detail added to the general statement about the activities undertaken during this work experience. Though the level of academics here is a little thin because this student’s high school did not offer any classes in Economics, she does as well as she can to bring in academic content.

I have partaken in many extra-curricular activities which have helped me develop the skills necessary for this course. Being a part of the Press Club at school gave me an opportunity to hone my talent for the written word and gave me a platform to talk about global issues. Volunteering at a local library taught me how to be organized. I developed research and analytical skills by undertaking various research projects at school such as the sector-wide contribution of the Indian economy to the GDP in the previous year. As a member of the Business and Economic Awareness Council at school, I was instrumental in organizing many economics-based events such as the Business Fair and Innovation Mela. Being part of various Face to Faith conferences has provided me with an opportunity to interact with students in Sierra Leone, India and Korea and understand global perspectives on issues like malaria and human trafficking.

The extracurricular activities are revisited here, with the first half of this paragraph showing how the applicant has some transferable skills from her activities that will help her with this course. She then revisits her interest in the course studies, before following up with a closing section that touches on her career goals:

The prospect of pursuing these two subjects is one that I eagerly anticipate and I look forward to meeting the challenge of university. In the future, I wish to become an economist and work at a think tank where I will be able to apply what I have learnt in studying such an exciting course.

UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE FOR HISTORY OF ART & PHILOSOPHY

This applicant is also a joint-honours applicant, and again is applying for a subject that she has not been able to study at school. Thus, bringing in her own interest and knowledge of both subjects is crucial here.

At the age of four, I remember an argument with my mother: I wanted to wear a pink ballerina dress with heels, made for eight-year-olds, which despite my difficulty in staying upright I was determined to wear. My mother persistently engaged in debate with me about why it was not ok to wear this ensemble in winter. After two hours of patiently explaining to me and listening to my responses she convinced me that I should wear something different, the first time I remember listening to reason. It has always been a natural instinct for me to discuss everything, since in the course of my upbringing I was never given a simple yes or no answer. Thus, when I began studying philosophy, I understood fully my passion for argument and dialogue.

This is an unusual approach to start a UCAS Personal Statement, but it does serve to show how this student approaches the world and why this combination of subjects might work for her. Though it could perhaps be drawn out more explicitly, here she is combining an artistic issue (her clothes) with a philosophical concern (her debate with her mother) to lead the reader into the case she is making for admission into this program.

This was first sparked academically when I was introduced to religious ethics; having a fairly Christian background my view on religion was immature. I never thought too much of the subject as I believed it was just something my grandparents did. However, when opened up to the arguments about god and religion, I was inclined to argue every side. After research and discussion, I was able to form my own view on religion without having to pick a distinctive side to which theory I would support. This is what makes me want to study philosophy: it gives an individual personal revelation towards matters into which they may not have given too much thought to.

There is some good content here that discusses the applicant’s interest in philosophy and her own motivation for this subject, though there is a lack of academic content here.

Alongside this, taking IB Visual Arts HL has opened my artistic views through pushing me out of my comfort zone. Art being a very subjective course, I was forced to choose an opinion which only mattered to me, it had no analytical nor empirical rights or wrongs, it was just my taste in art. From studying the two subjects alongside each other, I found great value, acquiring a certain form of freedom in each individual with their dual focus on personalized opinion and taste in many areas, leading to self- improvement.

In this section, she uses her IB Visual Arts class to explore how her interest in philosophy bleeds into her appreciation of art. Again, we are still awaiting the academic content, but the reader will by now be convinced that the student has a deep level of motivation for this subject. When we consider how rare this combination is, with very few courses for this combination available, the approach to take slightly longer to establish can work.

For this reason, I find the work of Henry Moore fascinating. I am intrigued by his pieces, especially the essence of the ‘Reclining Nude’ model, as the empty holes inflicted on the abstract human body encouraged my enthusiasm for artistic interpretation. This has led me to contemplate the subtlety, complexity and merit of the role of an artist. Developing an art piece is just as complex and refined as writing a novel or developing a theory in Philosophy. For this reason, History of Art conjoins with Philosophy, as the philosophical approach towards an art piece is what adds context to the history as well as purpose behind it.

Finally, we’re given the academic content. Cleverly, the content links both the History of Art and Philosophy together through a discussion of the work of Henry Moore. Finding examples that conjoin the subjects that make up a joint-honours application is a great idea and works well here.

Studying Philosophy has allowed me to apply real life abstractions to my art, as well as to glean a deeper critical analysis of art in its various mediums. My IB Extended Essay examined the 1900s Fauve movement, which made a huge breakthrough in France and Hungary simultaneously. This was the first artistic movement which was truly daring and outgoing with its vivid colours and bold brush strokes. My interest expanded to learning about the Hungarian artists in this movement led by Henri Matisse. Bela Czobel was one of the few who travelled to France to study but returned to Hungary, more specifically Nagybanya, to bestow what he had learned.

Again in this paragraph, the author connects the subjects. Students who are able to undertake a research project in their high school studies (such as the IB Extended Essay here, or the A Level Extended Project or AP Capstone) can describe these in their UCAS personal statements, as this level of research in an area of academic study can enliven and add depth to the writing, as is the case here.

As an international student with a multicultural background, I believe I can adapt to challenging or unfamiliar surroundings with ease. I spent two summers working at a nursery in Hungary as a junior Assistant Teacher, where I demonstrated leadership and teamwork skills that I had previously developed through commitment to sports teams. I was a competitive swimmer for six years and have represented my school internationally as well as holding the school record for 100m backstroke. I was elected Deputy Head of my House, which further reflects my dedication, leadership, teamwork and diligence.

As in the previous examples, this statement gives a good overview of the applicant’s extracurricular activities, with a mention of skills that will be beneficial to her studies at university. She then concludes with a brief final sentence:

I hope to carry these skills with me into my university studies, allowing me to enrich my knowledge and combine my artistic and philosophical interests.

UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE FOR LIBERAL ARTS

A good range of UK universities now offer courses called ‘Liberal Arts’ (or similar titles such as ‘Flexible Combined Honours’), which allows students to study a broader topic of study–perhaps combining three or four subjects–than is typically available in the UK system.

This presents a challenge in the personal statement, as within the 47 line / 4000 character limit, the applicant will have to show academic interest and knowledge in a range of subjects while also making the case to be admitted for this combined programme of study.

As a child I disliked reading; however, when I was 8, there was one particular book that caught my attention: The Little Prince. From that moment onwards, my love for literature was ignited and I had entered into a whirlwind of fictional worlds. While studying and analysing the classics from The Great Gatsby to Candide, this has exposed me to a variety of novels. My French bilingualism allowed me to study, in great depth, different texts in their original language. This sparked a new passion of mine for poetry, and introduced me to the works of Arthur Rimbaud, who has greatly influenced me. Through both reading and analysing poetry I was able to decipher its meaning. Liberal Arts gives me the opportunity to continue to study a range of texts and authors from different periods in history, as well as related aspects of culture, economy and society.

Here we have a slightly longer than usual opening paragraph, but given the nature of the course being applied for this works well. A personal story segueing from literature to modern languages to history and cultural studies shows that this student has a broad range of interests within the humanities and thus is well-suited to this course of study.

Liberal Arts is a clear choice for me. Coming from the IB International Baccalaureate Diploma programme I have studied a wide range of subjects which has provided me with a breadth of knowledge. In Theatre, I have adapted classics such as Othello by Shakespeare, and playing the role of moreover acting as Desdemona forced me to compartmentalise her complex emotions behind the early-modern English text. Studying History has taught me a number of skills; understanding the reasons behind changes in society, evaluating sources, and considering conflicting interpretations. From my interdisciplinary education I am able to critically analyse the world around me. Through studying Theory of Knowledge, I have developed high quality analysis using key questions and a critical mindset by questioning how and why we think and why. By going beyond the common use of reason, I have been able to deepen greaten my understanding and apply my ways of knowing in all subjects; for example in science I was creative in constructing my experiment (imagination) and used qualitative data (sense perception).

Students who are taking the IB Diploma, with its strictures to retain a broad curriculum, are well-suited to the UK’s Liberal Arts courses, as they have had practice seeing the links between subjects. In this paragraph, the applicant shows how she has done this, linking content from one subject to skills developed in another, and touching on the experience of IB Theory of Knowledge (an interdisciplinary class compulsory for all IB Diploma students) to show how she is able to see how different academic subjects overlap and share some common themes.

Languages have always played an important role in my life. I was immersed into a French nursery even though my parents are not French speakers. I have always cherished the ability to speak another language; it is something I have never taken for granted, and it is how I individualise myself. Being bilingual has allowed me to engage with a different culture. As a result, I am more open minded and have a global outlook. This has fuelled my desire to travel, learn new languages and experience new cultures. This course would provide me with the opportunity to fulfil these desires. Having written my Extended Essay in French on the use of manipulative language used by a particular character from the French classic Dangerous Liaisons I have had to apply my skills of close contextual reading and analysing to sculpt this essay. These skills are perfectly applicable to the critical thinking that is demanded for the course.

Within the humanities, this student has a particular background that makes her stand out, having become fluent in French while having no French background nor living in a French-speaking country. This is worth her exploring to develop her motivation for a broad course of study at university, which she does well here.

Studying the Liberal Arts will allow me to further my knowledge in a variety of fields whilst living independently and meeting people from different backgrounds. The flexible skills I would achieve from obtaining a liberal arts degree I believe would make me more desirable for future employment. I would thrive in this environment due to my self discipline and determination. During my school holidays I have undertaken working in a hotel as a chambermaid and this has made me appreciate the service sector in society and has taught me to work cohesively with others in an unfamiliar environment. I also took part in a creative writing course held at Keats House, where I learnt about romanticism. My commitment to extracurricular activities such as varsity football and basketball has shown me the importance of sportsmanship and camaraderie, while GIN (Global Issue Networking) has informed me of the values of community and the importance for charitable organisations.

The extracurricular paragraph here draws out a range of skills the student will apply to this course. Knowing that taking a broader range of subjects at a UK university requires excellent organizational skills, the student takes time to explain how she can meet these, perhaps going into slightly more detail than would be necessary for a single-honours application to spell out that she is capable of managing her time well. She then broadens this at the end by touching on some activities that have relevance for her studies.

My academic and personal preferences have always led me to the Liberal Arts; I feel as though the International Baccalaureate, my passion and self-discipline have prepared me for higher education. From the academics, extracurriculars and social aspects, I intend to embrace the entire experience of university.

In the final section, the candidate restates how she matches this course.

Overall, you can see how the key factor in a UCAS statement is the academic evidence, with students linking their engagement with a subject to the course of study that they are applying to. Using the courtroom exercise analogy, the judge here should be completely convinced that the case has been made, and will, therefore issue an offer of admittance to that university.

[email protected]

+44 (0) 7392 846307, useful links, privacy policy, services for.

Universities
Success Stories

Impartiality Statement
For Students
For Parents
For Schools
For Universities

Would you like to explore a topic?

LEARNING OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL

Or read some of our popular articles?

Free downloadable english gcse past papers with mark scheme.

19 May 2022

How Will GCSE Grade Boundaries Affect My Child’s Results?

Akshat Biyani
13 December 2021

The Best Free Homeschooling Resources UK Parents Need to Start Using Today

Joseph McCrossan
18 February 2022

Everything You Need to Know About the EPQ: Full FAQ

August 18, 2022

What is the A-level extended project?

Does the extended project count as an a-level , is it hard to get an a in epq .

Is A-level 3 extended project an AS-level?

Do Unis care about EPQ?

Does oxbridge care about epq .

Does the EPQ give UCAS points? And can you get an A* in EPQ?

Can you get into uni with 2 A-levels and an EPQ? And does EPQ lower entry requirements?

Can you fail an epq , is an epq harder than an as-level , is an epq really worth it or is epq a waste of time .

How many UCAS points is A* A*A *?

What are good topics for EPQ?

What are the benefits of epq .

How many hours a week is EPQ?

Can you do EPQ in Year 13?

How many hours a week should i spend on my epq .

Do you have to write 5000 words for the EPQ?

Can you write a book for EPQ?

Can you use first person in epq .

The A-level extended project qualification (also known as the EPQ) is an A-level standard standalone qualification designed to develop a person’s abilities beyond what is offered by the A-levels syllabus . The EPQ aims to demonstrate skills which will help the candidate’s application for university or a job.

The EPQ is worth up to 28 UCAS points (which is equivalent to half of an A-Level).

The EPQ is an independent student-led project. This means that students get to plan and conduct their research however they like. The only condition is that the topic they choose can not be covered by their other qualifications. They need to think outside the box!

Students will have to write an essay of 5,000 words or present an object, artefact or performance with a shorter report.

According to the AQA website (AQA is one of the exam boards which offers the EPQ), the EPQ gives a student the chance to take responsibility for the choice, design and decision making of an individual project (or an individual role in a group project). Students:

develop critical thinking and independent learning skills
demonstrate their creative and self-starter qualities
grow planning, research, and presentation skills
practice decision-making and problem-solving
advance technology expertise

Undertaking an EPQ can also deliver other benefits for students, such as:

improved A-level performance for students taking EPQ
increasing student motivation by allowing them to study topics of personal interest
enabling students to apply their new skills to other areas of study.

The OCR website provides an example EPQ project which might be useful to look at.

The EPQ counts as half of an A-level. This means that you get EPQ UCAS points. Doing an EPQ boosts your UCAS credits which means that you can apply for university even if your A-level grades are slightly below the university’s entry requirements. Don’t forget that sometimes retaking A-levels can be a winning solution .

Instead of viewing the EPQ as an A-level, try and look at it like an A-level booster pack! If you get straight A*s then the EPQ can make you stand out against someone who hasn’t.

This question really depends on each student. Some people find it easy to get top marks in the EPQ and others find it more of a challenge.

Take a look at the specifications of the EPQ very carefully. If you follow the marking scheme, it is much easier to know what to do to get top marks. This way you can also see if the EPQ is a good fit for you in terms of learning style.

Remember that each exam board has different specifications for the EPQ. These are all the different exam boards’ EPQ specification guidelines in one place. 😇

AQA EPQ specification
Edexcel EPQ specification
OCR EPQ specification
WJEC EPQ specification
ASDAN EPQ specification

Our GoStudent Tutors can help you prepare for your EPQ by giving you some one-to-one tutoring to target your topic and subject!

Is a level 3 extended project an AS-level?

If you want to make this a points system, technically an EPQ outranks an AS qualification. An A* in your EPQ will count as up to 28 UCAS points while an A* in an AS-level subject will only count for 20 UCAS points.

An AS-level is the qualification you get below a full A-level. A full A-level counts for 56 UCAS points!

If you want a full breakdown of what different qualifications are worth in terms of UCAS points, have a look at the UCAS points breakdown which includes the IB, BTEC, Scottish Highers, and Welsh Baccalaureate.

One of the big questions people often have about anything extra-curricular is: do universities care? The answer is: yes, they do!

Universities want good candidates. They want students who can think outside of the box, take the initiative, and people who have the motivation to work hard. The EPQ is designed to showcase all of these things and universities rate them very highly.

It is important to say that some universities don’t value them as much as others. But, at the end of the day, having an extra qualification won’t ever work against you!

As with all things, you have to balance what you gain against what it costs. There are many people who argue that the time and energy dedicated to doing an EPQ can be better spent elsewhere. But that is down to the individual and what they think they are capable of.

If you’re thinking about which university to choose, have a look through our guide for choosing the right university for you.

Both the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford recognise the EPQ for undergraduate applications. The University of Oxford says:

“Where applicants have undertaken the EPQ, this will not be a condition of any offer but the University recognises that the EPQ will provide an applicant with the opportunity to develop research and academic skills relevant for study at Oxford. Candidates are encouraged to draw upon relevant EPQ experience when writing their personal statement.”

This means that your EPQ will not be ‘make or break’ for your university application, but it will benefit your application overall and you should definitely mention it in your personal statement .

So Oxford is a kind of ‘yes’, but how does Cambridge (some argue the better uni) 😉 look at EPQ? The University of Cambridge says,

“We welcome the EPQ and would encourage applicants to take one as it will help to develop independent study and research skills valuable for higher education.”

So both Oxbridge universities recognise and appreciate the EPQ. 🥳

If you are considering applying to Oxbridge, then we suggest you read our handy article on how to apply to Oxford and Cambridge .

Does the EPQ give UCAS points? And can you get an A* in EPQ?

Yes, you get EPQ UCAS points. Your EPQ will be graded between A* - E. The higher the grade you get the more UCAS points your EPQ will be worth (which is the same for your A-level qualifications).

Here is a breakdown of what EPQ grade is worth how many UCAS points:

You can theoretically get into university with two A-levels and an EPQ, but it’s not advised. We suggest that you do all 3 A-levels and then do an EPQ on top of it. If you replace an A-level with an EPQ, then your number of UCAS points is impacted.

Remember, universities don’t just look at UCAS points. There are ways to get into uni without A-levels !

If you didn’t quite meet your university’s entry requirements with A-levels alone, but you have some EPQ UCAS points, then that university may well take that into consideration.

If you need a bit of help with your A-levels studies, remember that it is never too late to sign up for some one-to-one tutoring with one of our specially selected GoStudent Tutors .

Sadly, as with most qualifications, you can indeed fail the EPQ.

If you do not meet the necessary criteria to get an E grade, you will be awarded a U, which stands for unclassified. This indicates the student has failed the EPQ.

Follow our advice above and research the EPQ specification and mark scheme for your examination body. You will have a better understanding of what is required for success with an EPQ.

This depends on each student and where their academic strengths and motivations lie. Students that benefit from a structured learning approach may find the EPQ harder than an AS-level.

On the other hand, students who prefer to set their own learning goals and are comfortable with time management are more likely to find success with an EPQ.

As with all qualifications, the EPQ is what you make of it. If you don’t work hard and you get a low score, then it may well feel like a waste of time. If you don’t choose to study something meaningful to you, it will be a long and arduous process.

The idea behind the EPQ is that you get to choose something that you are passionate about, and you use that to showcase your ability to excel independently.

According to an article in London Local, the long-term benefit of an EPQ is that it shows “future employers that you’re a self-motivated character with useful skills”.

This suggests that the value of the EPQ is not only in applying for university, but also in giving you experiences which will help you after uni.

How many UCAS points is A* A* A*?

An A* is worth 56 UCAS points, so if you manage to get an impressive three A*s at A-level, you have racked up a grand total of 168 UCAS points.

If you got three A*s at A-level and also an A* in your EPQ you will have 196 UCAS points. That is a UCAS score universities can’t ignore. 😏

There is a wide range of topics that are suitable for an EPQ. However, it all boils down to finding a topic that you are interested in, won’t get tired of, and you can delve into significant detail with.

AQA advises that you ‘focus on a topic that's interesting and may not be available through other qualifications’.

It is also a good idea to consider a topic which bears some relation to what you want to study at university.

Once you have chosen a general area that interests you, you need to focus even deeper on a specific part of that topic. The idea is that your EPQ should be unique and there shouldn’t be too many people writing about it. You will need to become an expert!

There are many benefits to doing an EPQ. As well as gaining UCAS points, and having something to put on your personal statement , the EPQ gives you important transferable skills such as independent research and critical thinking.

Ignoring UCAS and university applications, if you throw yourself into your EPQ, it can be an amazing experience.

You have around six months to complete your EPQ (that is around 130 week days). The AQA website suggests that students should spend 120 hours on their EPQ – this includes brainstorming, planning, researching, and writing.

This means that, if you spend around an hour every working day on your EPQ, you’ll have more than enough time. Undertaking an EPQ is a big commitment. You will have a supervisor who you will probably meet with on a regular basis.

It is very important that you plan ahead and don’t leave it all to the last minute.

In theory, you can do your EPQ at any stage of your education. Usually, people begin thinking about it in year 12, and spend the summer before year 13 doing their preliminary research.

If you want to do an EPQ in year 13, you should talk with your school beforehand to make sure they’re happy to support you with it.

Do you have to write 5000 words for EPQ?

Usually, people write 5,000 words for their EPQ. If you present an artefact, then your report should be a minimum of 1,000 words.

Many people think that using an artefact is easier, but it can be just as challenging. If you have an artefact, you need to have a very clear and cohesive report which justifies your project.

Yes! You can write a book for your EPQ. The only thing that we advise before you embark on this mammoth task, is to acknowledge the scope of the project. You will need to be realistic about time requirements. Your book will count as your artefact and will still need a report to accompany it.

Academia has become more inclusive of different writing styles. Most universities (including Cambridge), say that it is perfectly acceptable to write academic essays in the first person. So if it’s good enough for the University of Cambridge it is probably good enough for your EPQ.

We hope that our article has given you some useful information on the EPQ and how you should approach it. Remember, our website is full of useful articles about A-levels published by our wonderful GoStudent experts. Check out the exams section of our blog for more A-level content.

4 Surprising Disadvantages of Homeschooling

By Andrea Butler

The 12 Best GCSE Revision Apps to Supercharge Your Revision

Parent Mental Health Day: Tips to Protect Your Own Mental Health

By Sharlene Matharu
January 26, 2023
16 min read

Help Your Kids Pack Their School Bags: Top Tips and PDF Checklist

By Amelia Johansson
September 6, 2022

18 Ways to Make their First Day of School Perfect

August 26, 2022

Book a free trial session

Places on our 2024 summer school are filling fast. Don’t miss out. Enrol now to avoid disappointment

600 EPQ Ideas – The Ultimate List For an A*

So, this is it. You’ve decided to do an EPQ and now you’re sitting at a blank computer screen with the entire spectrum of human knowledge at your disposal. You could write about any topic on any subject in the dizzying realms of the known universe. But there’s just one problem… how do you begin?

An EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) allows A-Level students to write either a 5,000 word essay on any question or subject of their choice. Alternatively, students can create an artefact or product, and write a shorter essay explaining it. The EPQ is equivalent to half an A-Level.

EPQs are a fantastic way of proving to universities that you are the best prospective student for them, and that you deserve a place on one of their courses. An EPQ requires a huge amount of independent research (which proves that you can handle university-style work) and allows you to showcase your original thoughts and academic rigour, which is exactly what universities are looking for.

Even more importantly, an EPQ counts for extra UCAS points . This means that if you don’t get the grades you expect at A-Level, a strong EPQ grade could help you meet the conditions of a university place offer. Feeling inspired now? We’ve got 600 EPQ ideas for multiple different subjects, to get those ideas rolling.

What are some top EPQ ideas for a guaranteed A*?

Some strong EPQ ideas for a guaranteed A* are specific and original topics like “Should parents be allowed to genetically change their child’s gender” for an EPQ in medicine, and “Is the media making suicide aspirational?”, for a psychology EPQ.

You could also consider EPQ questions like, “Was the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki justified?” for History, and “Should we legalise human organ trade?” for Economics.

We’ve got a list of 600 EPQ ideas for a guaranteed A*, so scroll down and get inspired. We’ve searched all over the internet and interviewed students to get the most pressing topics for each subject. You should just use these EPQ ideas to give you an idea of what you could research, and it’s up to you to come up with your own title.

EPQ Ideas For Medicine

Is gene therapy ethical?
Should parents be allowed to genetically alter their child’s gender?
Can cannabis use in adolescence cause schizophrenia?
To what extent does the sugar tax reduce sugar consumption in the UK?
Why are the death-rates from Covid-19 worse in places with higher air pollution?
Why does emetophobia primarily affect women?
Could the legalisation of cannabis improve mental health?
Should we allow only UK citizens to use the NHS?
Can plastic surgery ever solve body dysmorphic disorder?
Do care home environments worsen the affects of Dementia and Alzheimer’s?
What are the links between obesity and parents criticizing their children’s bodies?
If a woman who wanted a child freezes her eggs and then happens to die, should a relative be allowed to use her eggs to conceive a child?
Is it right that mothers of Down’s syndrome babies are allowed to abort them up until birth?
Are anti-depressants a quick fix problem in an overwhelmed healthcare system?
Should the NHS provide IVF for women over 40?
To what extent are Black women discriminated against when giving birth?
Should counsellors have a qualification in psychology before being allowed to practice?
Why are girls so chronically misdiagnosed when it comes to autism?
Did the ancient Egyptians have a comprehensive understanding of mental health and illness?
Could electroshock therapy be the most effective method of treating depression?
Should we prioritise ICU places to people with children and dependents?
What are the similarities between Reactive Attachment Disorder and Autism?
A study of medical practices in North Korea
A comparison of different cancer treatments: surgical removals and chemotherapy to immunotherapies.
Is hypnotherapy ever a viable anaesthetic for surgery?

Students interested in taking medicine further should consider studying at one of our award winning Medicine Summer Schools to strengthen their application.

EPQ Ideas for Psychology

Is the media making suicide aspirational for young people?
To what extent does having social workers intervene in a family affect a child’s life outcomes?
Is talking therapy nearly ineffective for treating panic disorder?
Should children be allowed to decide if they can be taken into care?
Are the children of alcoholics more likely to become hoarders?
Is there a link between undiagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and alcoholism?
Can non-violent psychopaths have successful relationships?
Given how they change behaviour, should advertising and marketing be made illegal?
How has social media altered our brains since its inception?
Does the Stanford Prison Experiment prove that we should promote rehabilitation over punitive incarceration?
Are attachment issues in neglected children irreversible?
Can unschooling be classed as child neglect?
Can authoritarian parenting styles lead to overeating in adulthood?
Is technology making us more depressed?
Do gender-neutral toys lead to children with less stereotypical views of gender roles?
Can music help ease the effects of Dementia?
What are the long term effects of bullying?
Can studying people’s behaviours pre-suicide help prevent suicide?
Should crime-predicting algorithms be banned for their bias?
A study of the effects of living in an overcrowded household during Covid-19 lockdown.
Do memories alter when we recall them?
How does intergenerational trauma effect cortisol levels?
Do the negative affects of racism begin in the womb?
What can Savant Syndrome tell us about the multi-faceted nature of intelligence?
Do all humans have some level of body dysmorphia?

EPQ ideas for Law

Should defendants be allowed to represent themselves?
Is the internet an ungovernable wilderness when it comes to Law?
Why secret trials are a form of abuse
Should CCTV be made illegal?
Is the use of juries inevitably flawed when it comes to reaching a just verdict?
Should mass media be banned from high profile investigations?
Should we replace juries with AI-powered robots?
Should Donald Trump go to prison?
Could the police be classed as a gang in America?
How we can stop criminalising victims of sex trafficking.
Should we bring back the death penalty?
How much should a child’s desire to live with one parent or another affect the court’s decision?
Should people who see child abuse but don’t report it be subject to the law?
Should male partners sue their female partners for abortion?
Should organ donation be mandatory for everyone?
When should one country legally intervene in another, when it comes to human rights abuses?
Should marriage be banned until the age of 21?
Should lie detector results be legalised in UK courts?
Could the government be legally obliged to pay women for their unpaid labour that contributes to the economy?
If embryos are capable of feelings and sensations, should abortion be forbidden at any stage?
Should minors trafficked to the UK from a dangerous country or situation be given immediate residency?
Could euthanasia be legalised, whether or not someone is critically ill and close to death?
Should parents be legally obliged to leave money to their children?
Should the inheritance tax be abolished?
Should people with dual citizenship automatically receive diplomatic protection from both countries?

Students interested in becoming a lawyer should consider studying at one of our Law Summer Schools on campus at top UK and US universities.

EPQ ideas for primary school teaching

Should boys receive exclusive lessons on feminism in primary school?
How can we teach primary school students about internet safety?
How can we teach primary school students about their rights over their own bodies?
Is the way we teach obesity in school harmful to overweight or obese children?
Is the Education system indoctrinating students?
The importance of girls in primary school having role models in STEM.
Why banning mobile phones in school does more harm than good.
Why our education system fails to pick up students with dyspraxia.
Why we should allow students to move around the classroom as they learn.
Is the Montessori childrearing method of any use in mainstream primary school?
Should every school have access to a Forest School?
Why primary schools should teach skills such as cooking and home management to every child.
Are school uniforms too institutionalising for children?
Should school uniforms be enforced as a way of giving children routine?
The importance of failing well.
Should school be only three days a week?
Should children be able to choose what subjects they want to study at any time?
How exams unfairly disadvantage girls in primary school.
Should we abolish sets in primary school?
How can we teach healthy eating to children?
How can we teach anti-racism to primary school students?
A study of anxiety disorders in primary school students due to Covid-19.
How the education system can better accommodate students with high-functioning autism.
Why we need a better understanding of selective mutism in primary school.
Should primary schools in the UK become bilingual to enhance language learning?

EPQ ideas for Secondary School Teaching

Should school start and end later for teenagers?
Why students should never have to ask to go the bathroom.
Could a four day school week improve mental health among secondary school students?
Is the secondary school curriculum creative enough?
Why we should be teaching healthy communication to secondary school students.
Should parents be allowed to choose for their children not to receive sex education?
Should sports be compulsory at secondary school?
When does strict teaching become bullying?
Should modern languages be compulsory at secondary school?
Could Pathological Demand Avoidance explain why students who are bright aren’t meeting their potential?
Should we ban school uniform in secondary school?
Should we decolonise the secondary school curriculum?
Are their enough teachers of colour in secondary schools?
What is the effect of divorce on a student’s learning and development?
How to narrow the technology poverty gap among secondary school students.
How to create educational support for looked-after children.
How does having less money than your peers affect your identity as a secondary school student?
The effects of overcrowded and poor housing on educational attainment.
The effects of homelessness and insecure housing on educational attainment.
What effect does the assessment and exam structure in UK schools have on students’ mental health?
Are exams an unfair form of assessment for students with a specific learning difficulty like dyslexia or dyspraxia?
How does ADHD link to cleverness and giftedness in students?
Is our method of diagnosing autism in students informed enough?
How can we tackle perfectionism and fear of failure in female students?
Do exams unfairly advantage boys, and why?

EPQ ideas for Biology

Why we don’t have enough evidence for evolution.
Is Covid-19 more deadly than Ebola?
Are animals as intelligent as humans?
Is abortion murder?
Is homosexuality genetic or social?
What can the oldest living creature on earth teach us about biological immortality?
Does incest always create biological issues?
The use of parasites in weight loss attempts
How long would it take you to die if you ate the same thing and nothing else for years?
What causes diseases in trees?
Could we ever grow food on walls?
If your spouse died, what would the ethical implications be of cloning them?
A study on identity crises in identical twins.
Is obesity a genetic issue?
How does sepsis attack the body?
Will artificial hearts ever be a viable solution to chronic heart problems?
Could brain transplants ever be a viable option?
How do certain drugs affect cellular interactions?
A study of courting behaviours in different species.
How did different cellular mechanisms regulate different physiological processes?
Is obesity a modern phenomenon?
Can gene therapy cure Cystic Fibrosis?
Can gut microbiota influence host appetite?
What is the impact of invasive species on ecosystems?
What is the biology of laughter?

EPQ Ideas for History

Why poor dental hygiene in the middle ages was a myth.
Was the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Justified?
Is it right to topple the statues of slave owners, in order to erase history?
Who does history belong to?
Why did the USA join World War Two so late?
How have male and female romantic relationships changed over time?
How has the role of marriage changed over time?
Should a country be allowed to teach its own history?
How did the British Empire expand so much?
Should museums return all their historical artefacts to their country of origin?
Were the Suffragettes the biggest force in women getting the vote?
Is religious warfare ever Justified?
How medieval fashion influences our outfits today
Was Anne Boleyn the main reason that Henry VII left the Catholic church?
Did Henry VII suffer from a genetic disease that prevented him from conceiving healthy children?
Why do we hold on to so many myths in History?
A study of propaganda in History textbooks in UK history.
Why is History important to the future?
To what extent did the purchase of commissions affect the fighting power of the British army between 1760-1860?
What is the validity of historical fiction and romance?
How did secret churches operate in Mao’s China?
How did 19th Century attitudes towards madness affect society’s treatment of ‘hysterical’ women?
What is the holocaust’s relationship with literature?
Were the liquidators who helped clean up the Chernobyl explosion used as human collateral?
How did the pill help women’s liberation?

EPQ Ideas For Economics

From an economic perspective, should we legalise human organ trade?
Can an increase of wealth directly influence happiness levels?
Could stock analysts be replaced by artificial intelligence?
How do socio-economic factors determine someone’s health in adulthood?
Who is to blame for the 2008 financial crisis?
Is illicit trade with China the only factor preventing the North Korean economy from total collapse?
How would we recover economically if the internet ceased to exist?
How did the 2008 financial crisis make house buying impossible for the majority of millennials?
Is the poverty trap impossible to get out of?
Can we compare the trickle-down economy to a pyramid scheme?
Does a lack of wealth in childhood really hold you back in life?
Is the gig economy leading to job insecurity a myth?
To what extent does women’s unpaid labour prop up the UK economy?
How has Brexit affected the UK economy?
Should we legalise a Universal Basic Income?
How quickly did the UK economy recover from the effects of World War Two?
Are all socialist economies doomed to fail?
How would the legalisation of Marijuana affect the world economy?
How does a lack of free speech negatively affect China’s economy?
Should there be a minimum wage?
Should there be a maximum wage?
Should billionaires be allowed to exist?
How has the global demand for oil changed over time?
What effect does illegal immigration have on the UK economy?
Why a lack of childcare support for women hurts the economy.

EPQ Ideas for Business Studies

Should businesses expanding to developing countries be forced to pay their employees the same amount they would at home?
What does Foxconn show about the human cost of business?
How should we hold businesses to account for unethical behaviour?
Should we have a single, global currency?
How can companies become more eco-friendly?
Should we lower the corporate income tax?
Will Google kill the journalism industry?
Why apprenticeships should pay more
Why every business leader should take a course in empathy.
How successful is it when businesses rebrand?
Should companies interfere in their employees’ private lives?
How churches like Hillsong became multi-million pound businesses.
Should CEOs have a salary limit?
Is the American government a big business?
How has e-commerce affected bookshops?
Does corporate social responsibility have an impact on company sales and profits?
A study of businesswomen in the 18th Century
When do business marketing practices become unethical?
Should multi-million pound businesses have taken advantage of the government’s furlough scheme during the Covid-19 lockdown?
How do corporations influence politics?
Should a business ever own a town or city?
Start your own small business – perhaps on eBay or Etsy – and write your EPQ on an aspect of it.
Should private healthcare be allowed to exist?
Could marketing be considered a mass human experiment?
To what extent does colour effect audience response to branding and logos?

If you want to study economics, business or marketing to a higher level, consider joining Oxford Royale this summer for a Business Summer School .

EPQ Ideas for English Literature

The evil stepmothers in fairy tales were actually mothers in the original texts. What does this tell us about society’s anxieties and perspectives on motherhood?
To what extent is the state of Gilead in The Handmaid’s Tale based on real life?
Is writing an act of magic?
Can works of literature oppress their fictional, female characters?
Can the mistranslation of literature create a liminal world – a place that is not quite one thing and not quite another?
What does the rise of the digital book teach us about literature?
Can we ever ‘eat’ literature?
Do you need to be able to read and write to be an author?
Are stories living things?
Discuss the gender politics in George Eliot’s Middlemarch.
How is the sensory experience of dyslexia presented in literature?
Is English Literature considered a ‘feminine’ subject?
As an English student, is it your job to always work out what an author means?
Is the author dead?
Could journalists be replaced by AI-reporters?
Do we need to overhaul the literary canon?
Do we really need spelling and punctuation in literature?
Should mass media be allowed to be biased?
How helpful is the idea of literary genres to understanding a text?
How George Orwell hid his dissenting view of communism in Animal Farm.
Why learning to read is a human right.
Can a novel ever be timeless?
Does literary form exist just so that writers can subvert it?
Is rhythm in a poem a separate language?
Explore Plath’s portrayal of depression in The Bell Jar.

EPQ ideas for Art

Should Banksy be allowed to graffiti on walls?
Who decides the value of art, and should we standardise it?
Has photography always been a form of art?
To what extent is mathematics art?
Why do people consider art to be an easy subject?
Can art reverse the effects of mental illness?
Can anything be art?
Is all graffiti a form of art?
Why the common perception of medieval people being bad at art is misguided.
How does the commercialisation of the art industry change art itself?
How does the perception of a career in art as worthless affect the life choices of students?
Does an audience’s gaze change a piece of art?
Are art and beauty essentially related?
Is art supposed to be a visual and sensory experience, or something that we think about and define a meaning for?
Who decides that a piece of art is ‘good’?
Does art have a purpose?
Can art help fight climate change?
Why does it matter that children are exposed to art?
What is the effect of producing art on a child’s brain?
If nobody ever saw your artwork, would it be worth creating?
Does a piece of art necessarily have a relationship with its creator, or can it detach itself?
Is art a language?
What does the disdain for modern art teach us about people’s stereotypes of art?
Are philosophers artists?
Could the world itself count as a work of art?

EPQ Ideas for Foreign Languages

Where did language come from?
Do idioms prove that languages can never truly be translated?
Is body language universal across all countries?
Should everyone be made to learn sign language?
Why did Esperanto fail as a language policy?
Which is the hardest language to learn and why?
Do multi-lingual children grow up to be more economically successful?
Why does having dyspraxia make language learning difficult?
Should the whole world be made to speak one language?
How does an influx of immigration alter the language of a region?
What is the effect of trading on local dialects?
Should everyone be made to learn a foreign language at school?
What does the Korean language, when compared in North and South Korea, teach us about the evolution of language?
Is there such a thing as a ‘correct’ way of speaking a language, when languages never stop evolving with culture?
Could a language be classed as a living thing?
Why is English such a dominant language across the world?
Is Latin a dead language?
What caused the English language to evolve so drastically over time?
What is the hardest language to learn, and why?
What does baby-talk in different foreign countries teach us about the acquisition of language?
Why does China have several dialects, but only one alphabet?
Did grammar always exist?
What is the link between being good at maths and being good at language learning?
Why are young children such natural language learners?
Is learning a language cultural appropriation?

EPQ Ideas for Sport

How sports stars experience an identity crisis after they retire
Should soldiers be paid more than footballers?
How do psychological factors influence performance in sport?
What do fans react to their team winning a football match as though they won it themselves?
Are national and international sports a misuse of resources?
How does struggling with sports in primary school affect children’s self esteem?
Should women be allowed to compete against men in professional sports?
Is the ability to run fast purely a genetic advantage?
Why do we fail to take women’s sports seriously as a society?
Should children be forced to do sports in school?
How can the presence of media affect the outcome of a game?
Should referees be replaced by AI-powered robots, to decrease bias?
How does a lack of female representation in sport prevent girls from seeking it out as a career?
What is the effect of parents’ motivation a child’s enjoyment of sport?
What are the long term effects of the Olympics on the host country’s tourism?
How does a lack of ability at sports correlate to bullying?
Why do we have less interest in women’s sports?
A history of sport in pandemics
How does a long-term sports injury affect an athlete’s mental health?
Can a star athlete succeed without a coach?
Should cheerleaders be banned?
Is racism being taken seriously in sport?
Can you still be a top athlete with a poor diet?
Who decides when something is a sport?
Why is netball predominantly considered to be a sport for women?

EPQ Ideas for Architecture

How does the design of a building influence its inhabitants emotions?
Should city-dwellers without gardens be given free access to national parks at all times?
What is the link between Brutalist style architecture and anxiety and depression?
What is the link between mathematics and art in Architecture?
How is a building affected by the people who live in it?
How does the style of council housing feed into class stereotypes?
Can architecture cause social dysfunction?
Would smart cities be a breach of privacy?
Could we create a building the size of a city, to house an entire population?
Make an architectural model of a zero-carbon home and write an essay describing how its functions avoid the use of carbon.
Should the local government have the right to pull down a building if the community who live there oppose it?
Is it ethical to spend millions of pounds creating a building in a city with high levels of quality?
Were houses built in the 1930s of superior quality?
Should councils have been allowed to remove tenement dwellers from their homes in the post-war era, when the enforced move was traumatic?
Can we adapt Japanese smart space efficient buildings to western buildings?
What were the influences on architecture in China?
How did communism during Mao’s China change the country’s cityscapes?
How can we build environmentally-friendly housing in LEDCs?
Can zero carbon housing ever really exist?
Should public playgrounds exist for people of every age?
Was Grenfell tower a total architectural failure?
What house styles in different areas tell us about gender forms of the time.
How does technology affect architecture?
What was the effect of feminism on architecture?
Should houses worth over a million pounds be built with some benefit to the whole neighbourhood?

Join our Oxford Architecture Summer School for the chance to learn architecture amongst the dreaming spires of the city of Oxford.

EPQ ideas for Maths

Is the golden ratio a racist idea?
What is the maths behind cryptocurrencies?
What are the links between foreign language learning and maths?
What are the links between mathematics and art?
Has maths always existed?
How can we use statistical analysis to predict a child’s outcomes in life?
Should children be forced to take maths at A-Level in the UK?
Should maths be optional at secondary school in the UK?
Why do some people say that maths is beautiful?
Does money really exist?
An exploration of chaos theory.
Can maths explain how the universe came into existence?
How can calculations improve the safety of commuters who cycle in Oxford over the next 5 years?
Explore conflict and co-operation in The Prisoner’s Dilemma.
Which is more important, e or pi?
Can we calculate infinity?
An exploration of orbital mechanics.
Is maths a pointless subject if we don’t apply it to something?
Is learning Maths more important than learning English in primary school?
What was the role of maths in the code-breaking of Bletchley Park?
How do fractals work in modelling systems?
Can we reverse dyscalculia?
Can mathematical systems ever be illogical?
Did people discover maths?
Could maths ever prove the existence of a parallel universe?

Those keen on studying maths in the heart of the silicon valley can join our Mathematics programme for 15-18 year olds on campus at our Berkeley Summer School in 2024.

EPQ ideas for Physics

How does String Theory explain the universe?
How can physics help us prevent climate change?
What is the relationships between maths and physics?
What was the role of Mileva Maric Einstein, Albert Einstein’s wife, in his scientific findings?
Build a quadcopter with remote control.
How can emergency whistles be optimised for design and use in rural environments?
What would happen to the solar system when the sun dies?
How can physics help us provide electricity to parts of rural India?
Is time an illusion?
Discuss the different interpretations of quantum mechanics.
Could humans ever live on Mars?
Design and build a functioning robot.
How soon will we have flying cars?
What are some feasible methods for cleaning up space junk?
Where did the universe come from?
How can physics prove the existence of God?
How did Einstein’s theory of relativity influence Physics?
Now that NASA has confirmed there is water on the moon, could it be a feasible tourist destination?
Given their devastating effects, should we eliminate nuclear weapons from the earth?
What contributed to the Cleddau bridge disaster?
How can we solve the pay gap in the field of physics?
A study of star formation and star death.
Is time travel possible?
How far can humans realistically explore space?
Mathematical knot theory and its applications.

EPQ ideas for Chemistry

What was the impact of optical isomerism in the drug Thalidomide, which led to fetal abnormalities?
An assessment of the safety of fluoride in water.
To what extent did the government in Louisiana cover up the danger of the petrochemical plants in Louisiana’s ‘cancer alley’?
Should Aspartame (E951) be allowed in our food and drink?
When do chemicals become hallucinogens?
An assessment of hydrogen storage within Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs).
An extraction of limonene from citrus fruits.
Make a collection of esters that smell pleasant.
Will graphene have a significant influence on the future?
To what extent have inventions in Chemical Engineering impacted our lives?
As assessment of the total synthesis of natural products.
An experiment in polymer chemistry.
An assessment of molecular dynamics
An assessment of solid state structure
Could we ever create a plastic that decomposes?
A research project on hydrogen fuel cells
Why doesn’t plastic decompose?
What are the chemical processes behind purifying water?
An exploration of the chemistry behind food allergies in humans?
What are the chemicals involved in human attraction?
How does cortisol affect the human body?
Should pesticides be ethically permissible?
What are the advantages of computer aided fragment based drug design?
How can click chemistry be used to improve drug synthesis?
How has the discovery of pharmaceutical chemicals changed over the past 200 years?

EPQ ideas for Engineering

Should we teach Engineering in primary school?
Why is there a gender imbalance in Engineering, and how can we fix it?
Is there an oversaturation of engineers in India, and if so, why?
Was everything in the world built by an engineer?
Do we need to expand our definition of engineer?
Can Engineering solve the mystery of Malaysian Airlines flight 370?
Can Engineering explain the disappearance of Emilia Earhart?
Did Engineering faults contribute to the sinking of the titanic.
Build your own model plane, boat or high altitude balloon.
Could hot air balloons become a mainstream method of travel?
Discuss the hydraulics paradox.
How have innovations in airframe design increased safety in commercial aircraft?
How do architects and engineers collaborate?
Should we be allowed to develop robots that can mimic human emotion?
What would it mean for an engineer to be ethical when building something?
How has Civil Engineering changed over time?
How can chemical engineers improve energy efficiency?
How could alterations in chemical Engineering have prevented the Deepwater Horizon oil spill?
As assessment of the sustainability of London’s tube system.
How much of our countryside should we sacrifice for better transport links?
Will we have enough oil for future generations?
Would energy provided entirely by a wind farm system run the UK economy?
What are the reasons for the pay gap in Engineering, and how can we solve them?
How can we get pre-school children interested in Engineering?
Design a system to enhance plastic recycling.

Prospective engineers can join our Engineering Summer Schools for a two-week immersion in the core principles of the subject.

EPQ ideas for Computer Science

Why we should teach children how to code at the same time we teach them to write.
Create a website design and code it.
Is one coding language superior to another?
How can we reduce computer illiteracy in poorer areas?
Why internet access is a human right.
Are AI-driven robots responsible for their own actions?
Are Ai-assessed job interviews inevitably biased?
How soon will handwriting become totally irrelevant?
Are companies upskilling fast enough to cope with the digital demands of Covid-19?
It’s more important to learn to code than to learn to write
Is Computer Science a more relevant subject than Physics?
How will quantum computers change our way of life?
Should silicon valley companies be criminalised for our widespread addiction to technology?
What would happen if all technology was wiped out?
Will we ever be able to search Google through a microchip in our brains?
What new jobs will Ai create in the next ten years?
What is increased automation doing to our jobs?
Develop your own game.
Should we allow AI-writing assistants like Grammarly to change the way we express ourselves?
What are the positive effects of machine learning on healthcare?
How does AI differ from human intelligence?
Is it ethical to use social care robots to alleviate loneliness?
Is it ethical to create an app which offers you an AI friend?
What is the most efficient way to track down cyber criminals?
How do cyber criminals cover their tracks on the internet?

EPQ ideas for Ethics

Should people be able to sue their parents for bringing them into the world?
Do men automatically have the right to be present at their child’s birth?
Should we be allowed to dispose of spare embryos in IVF?
Should we be allowed to use embryos for stem cell research?
Should machines with AI have their own rights?
Are Siri and Alexa slaves?
Should we be allowed to mix human and animal DNA?
Should we be allowed to clone humans?
Do we have the right to experiment on animals?
Do we have the right to visit other planets and the moon?
Should a father have rights over an unborn child?
Should there be an assessment process before people have children?
Is sterilisation unethical in every circumstance?
Should we be allowed to cuddle babies if they can’t give verbal consent?
Should an embryo have protected rights under the law?
Do we have the right to prevent someone from committing suicide?
The disturbing eugenics around birth control
Should parents be allowed to edit out genetic conditions before a child’s birth?
Should testing fetuses for Down’s Syndrome be legal?
Are our moral decisions innate or socially conditioned?
Should we have the right to decide when life begins?
If you need a heart transplant and you’re hoping for a heart, does that mean you’re hoping for someone else to die?
Should we put a limit on the number of children people have?
Does the means justify the end?

EPQ ideas for Politics

Why has the USA never had a female president?
If we colonised Mars, who would govern it?
Has Great Britain lost its status as a world power?
Are the government’s counter-terror policies effective?
Is it acceptable to teach British values in primary schools?
How does nepotism negatively affect politics?
How has Donald Trump changed politics?
Should there be universal freedom of information?
Why did Brexit happen?
What are the dangerous effects of conspiracy theories like Q-Anon on the public?
Should it be illegal to publicly shame politicians?
Will there ever be a viable mid-ground between socialism and capitalism?
Would global governance be a better policy than individual governments?
How are female politicians and prime ministers perceived?
Should there be freedom of speech at all costs?
Should countries be allowed to ban religion?
An assessment of the case for anarchy.
Should the UK’s land belong to everyone?
An analysis of political cartoons in the UK
Should everyone have to vote by law?
Should politics be taught in primary school?
Should everyone be made to take politics in secondary school?
Should National Service be mandatory in Singapore?
How did the war on drugs affect inner city US communities?
How was Twitter revolutionised politics?

Sociology EPQ ideas

How can we reverse stereotypes over drug use and misuse in different communities?
What is the impact of the media on our perception of women from Muslim communities?
Evaluate Marx’s account on the origins of the industrial revolution in Britain?
Is it fair for today’s feminists to criticise the lack of gender commentary in classical sociology?
How do human ideas, customs and behaviour come together to make culture?
How do gender, class, race and sexuality affect us and our social relations today?
A study of the effects of polyamorous family settings on children.
Have sociologists neglected emotion in their studies of human behaviour?
Do emotions come from society, or from within us?
How do different models of socialisation affect children?
Are eating disorders a social phenomenon?
Should we ban face-altering apps?
Should teenage pregnancy be so vilified?
Can upbringing create a narcissist?
Is perfectionism more prevalent in girls than boys, and how does that relate to the way we socialise either gender?
Should we ban gendered toys?
How can we assuage the social causes of substance abuse?
An exploration of the sociology of food.
Is it right to try and get someone out of a cult?
How racial segregation in cities enforces poverty, and prevents upward mobility.
What is the relationship between race and class?
The effects of interracial marriage in the 1950s.
The cultural diaspora of mixed race children.
How Disney made princesses key role models for girls.
Should weddings have to be registered to be legal?

EPQ ideas for Geography

How did Hurricane Catrina change the New Orleans community?
Is there such a thing as collective trauma after a natural disaster?
Does the earth belong more to humans than animals?
To what extent should be allow deforestation?
A study on how we will survive and adapt to climate change in 3020.
Does the way we categorise developing countries increase stereotypes?
How have the demand for super-crops impacted the agricultural systems in the countries where we grow them?
Should companies be allowed to expand to developing countries if they won’t pay workers the same wage as at home?
How does tourism affect a country’s culture?
Should all new houses be built with solar panels?
How can we reduce the effects of coastal erosion?
How has global warming changed the world’s physical features?
What are the socio-economic and political implications of migration policies for the UK?
Should borders between countries exist?
Are countries doing enough to meet their MDG targets?
Can a country ever become fully developed?
How does living as an illegal immigrant affect mental and physical health?
To what extent is global warming caused by human beings?
Was the civil war in Syria caused by climatic factors?
Could the National Geographic be considered exploitative?
A comparison of two earthquakes in different decades. to observe how advances in technology have impacted responses.
How does climate change affect different biomes and ecosystems around the world?
What are the environmental and social impacts of natural gas fracking?
A prototype for the generation of sustainable energy.
The effects of littering on marine health.

EPQ ideas for Religious Studies

Why materialism can’t disprove the existence of God.
Why science and religion are part of the same entity.
Paley provides the best argument to issues surrounding the existence of God.
To what extent can Freud’s view of religion and God be said to be accurate?
Is C.S Lewis’ claim that atheism is weaker than theism correct?
Is the belief in nothing still a belief?
Can we reach God through the via negativa?
Is atheism just ignorance?
Can we prove that the universe exists outside our mind?
Is the Catholic catechism biblical truth?
How did the history of the church shape our society today?
Should Religious Studies be compulsory in primary school?
The existence of life on earth is evidence of the existence of a higher being.
How do you explain the goodness of God in the light of the world’s evil?
What are the boundaries between a cult and a religion?
Should the church always be subject to the government?
Should the Queen be head of the protestant church?
Should the church form its own political party?
Are expensive religious buildings insensitive to those living in poverty?
Does baptising a baby save its soul?
Should politicians interfere in religious conflicts?
Is religion nothing more than a comfort blanket against death?
Can you ever justify taking a life?
Is religion the same as morality?
Is religion just a set of rules disguised as something greater?

So, there you have it. 600 EPQ ideas to enhance your passion and imagination for this exciting qualification. Now get ready to kickstart your academic future with an amazing EPQ idea of your own. Don’t forget to fill out that activity log as you go along!

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the complete ib extended essay guide: examples, topics, and ideas.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

IB students around the globe fear writing the Extended Essay, but it doesn't have to be a source of stress! In this article, I'll get you excited about writing your Extended Essay and provide you with the resources you need to get an A on it.

If you're reading this article, I'm going to assume you're an IB student getting ready to write your Extended Essay. If you're looking at this as a potential future IB student, I recommend reading our introductory IB articles first, including our guide to what the IB program is and our full coverage of the IB curriculum .

IB Extended Essay: Why Should You Trust My Advice?

I myself am a recipient of an IB Diploma, and I happened to receive an A on my IB Extended Essay. Don't believe me? The proof is in the IBO pudding:

If you're confused by what this report means, EE is short for Extended Essay , and English A1 is the subject that my Extended Essay topic coordinated with. In layman's terms, my IB Diploma was graded in May 2010, I wrote my Extended Essay in the English A1 category, and I received an A grade on it.

What Is the Extended Essay in the IB Diploma Programme?

The IB Extended Essay, or EE , is a mini-thesis you write under the supervision of an IB advisor (an IB teacher at your school), which counts toward your IB Diploma (learn more about the major IB Diploma requirements in our guide) . I will explain exactly how the EE affects your Diploma later in this article.

For the Extended Essay, you will choose a research question as a topic, conduct the research independently, then write an essay on your findings . The essay itself is a long one—although there's a cap of 4,000 words, most successful essays get very close to this limit.

Keep in mind that the IB requires this essay to be a "formal piece of academic writing," meaning you'll have to do outside research and cite additional sources.

The IB Extended Essay must include the following:

A title page
Contents page
Introduction
Body of the essay
References and bibliography

Additionally, your research topic must fall into one of the six approved DP categories , or IB subject groups, which are as follows:

Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature
Group 2: Language Acquisition
Group 3: Individuals and Societies
Group 4: Sciences
Group 5: Mathematics
Group 6: The Arts

Once you figure out your category and have identified a potential research topic, it's time to pick your advisor, who is normally an IB teacher at your school (though you can also find one online ). This person will help direct your research, and they'll conduct the reflection sessions you'll have to do as part of your Extended Essay.

As of 2018, the IB requires a "reflection process" as part of your EE supervision process. To fulfill this requirement, you have to meet at least three times with your supervisor in what the IB calls "reflection sessions." These meetings are not only mandatory but are also part of the formal assessment of the EE and your research methods.

According to the IB, the purpose of these meetings is to "provide an opportunity for students to reflect on their engagement with the research process." Basically, these meetings give your supervisor the opportunity to offer feedback, push you to think differently, and encourage you to evaluate your research process.

The final reflection session is called the viva voce, and it's a short 10- to 15-minute interview between you and your advisor. This happens at the very end of the EE process, and it's designed to help your advisor write their report, which factors into your EE grade.

Here are the topics covered in your viva voce :

A check on plagiarism and malpractice
Your reflection on your project's successes and difficulties
Your reflection on what you've learned during the EE process

Your completed Extended Essay, along with your supervisor's report, will then be sent to the IB to be graded. We'll cover the assessment criteria in just a moment.

We'll help you learn how to have those "lightbulb" moments...even on test day!

What Should You Write About in Your IB Extended Essay?

You can technically write about anything, so long as it falls within one of the approved categories listed above.

It's best to choose a topic that matches one of the IB courses , (such as Theatre, Film, Spanish, French, Math, Biology, etc.), which shouldn't be difficult because there are so many class subjects.

Here is a range of sample topics with the attached extended essay:

Biology: The Effect of Age and Gender on the Photoreceptor Cells in the Human Retina
Chemistry: How Does Reflux Time Affect the Yield and Purity of Ethyl Aminobenzoate (Benzocaine), and How Effective is Recrystallisation as a Purification Technique for This Compound?
English: An Exploration of Jane Austen's Use of the Outdoors in Emma
Geography: The Effect of Location on the Educational Attainment of Indigenous Secondary Students in Queensland, Australia
Math: Alhazen's Billiard Problem
Visual Arts: Can Luc Tuymans Be Classified as a Political Painter?

You can see from how varied the topics are that you have a lot of freedom when it comes to picking a topic . So how do you pick when the options are limitless?

How to Write a Stellar IB Extended Essay: 6 Essential Tips

Below are six key tips to keep in mind as you work on your Extended Essay for the IB DP. Follow these and you're sure to get an A!

#1: Write About Something You Enjoy

You can't expect to write a compelling essay if you're not a fan of the topic on which you're writing. For example, I just love British theatre and ended up writing my Extended Essay on a revolution in post-WWII British theatre. (Yes, I'm definitely a #TheatreNerd.)

I really encourage anyone who pursues an IB Diploma to take the Extended Essay seriously. I was fortunate enough to receive a full-tuition merit scholarship to USC's School of Dramatic Arts program. In my interview for the scholarship, I spoke passionately about my Extended Essay; thus, I genuinely think my Extended Essay helped me get my scholarship.

But how do you find a topic you're passionate about? Start by thinking about which classes you enjoy the most and why . Do you like math classes because you like to solve problems? Or do you enjoy English because you like to analyze literary texts?

Keep in mind that there's no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing your Extended Essay topic. You're not more likely to get high marks because you're writing about science, just like you're not doomed to failure because you've chosen to tackle the social sciences. The quality of what you produce—not the field you choose to research within—will determine your grade.

Once you've figured out your category, you should brainstorm more specific topics by putting pen to paper . What was your favorite chapter you learned in that class? Was it astrophysics or mechanics? What did you like about that specific chapter? Is there something you want to learn more about? I recommend spending a few hours on this type of brainstorming.

One last note: if you're truly stumped on what to research, pick a topic that will help you in your future major or career . That way you can use your Extended Essay as a talking point in your college essays (and it will prepare you for your studies to come too!).

#2: Select a Topic That Is Neither Too Broad nor Too Narrow

There's a fine line between broad and narrow. You need to write about something specific, but not so specific that you can't write 4,000 words on it.

You can't write about WWII because that would be a book's worth of material. You also don't want to write about what type of soup prisoners of war received behind enemy lines, because you probably won’t be able to come up with 4,000 words of material about it. However, you could possibly write about how the conditions in German POW camps—and the rations provided—were directly affected by the Nazis' successes and failures on the front, including the use of captured factories and prison labor in Eastern Europe to increase production. WWII military history might be a little overdone, but you get my point.

If you're really stuck trying to pinpoint a not-too-broad-or-too-narrow topic, I suggest trying to brainstorm a topic that uses a comparison. Once you begin looking through the list of sample essays below, you'll notice that many use comparisons to formulate their main arguments.

I also used a comparison in my EE, contrasting Harold Pinter's Party Time with John Osborne's Look Back in Anger in order to show a transition in British theatre. Topics with comparisons of two to three plays, books, and so on tend to be the sweet spot. You can analyze each item and then compare them with one another after doing some in-depth analysis of each individually. The ways these items compare and contrast will end up forming the thesis of your essay!

When choosing a comparative topic, the key is that the comparison should be significant. I compared two plays to illustrate the transition in British theatre, but you could compare the ways different regional dialects affect people's job prospects or how different temperatures may or may not affect the mating patterns of lightning bugs. The point here is that comparisons not only help you limit your topic, but they also help you build your argument.

Comparisons are not the only way to get a grade-A EE, though. If after brainstorming, you pick a non-comparison-based topic and are still unsure whether your topic is too broad or narrow, spend about 30 minutes doing some basic research and see how much material is out there.

If there are more than 1,000 books, articles, or documentaries out there on that exact topic, it may be too broad. But if there are only two books that have any connection to your topic, it may be too narrow. If you're still unsure, ask your advisor—it's what they're there for! Speaking of advisors...

Don't get stuck with a narrow topic!

#3: Choose an Advisor Who Is Familiar With Your Topic

If you're not certain of who you would like to be your advisor, create a list of your top three choices. Next, write down the pros and cons of each possibility (I know this sounds tedious, but it really helps!).

For example, Mr. Green is my favorite teacher and we get along really well, but he teaches English. For my EE, I want to conduct an experiment that compares the efficiency of American electric cars with foreign electric cars.

I had Ms. White a year ago. She teaches physics and enjoyed having me in her class. Unlike Mr. Green, Ms. White could help me design my experiment.

Based on my topic and what I need from my advisor, Ms. White would be a better fit for me than would Mr. Green (even though I like him a lot).

The moral of my story is this: do not just ask your favorite teacher to be your advisor . They might be a hindrance to you if they teach another subject. For example, I would not recommend asking your biology teacher to guide you in writing an English literature-based EE.

There can, of course, be exceptions to this rule. If you have a teacher who's passionate and knowledgeable about your topic (as my English teacher was about my theatre topic), you could ask that instructor. Consider all your options before you do this. There was no theatre teacher at my high school, so I couldn't find a theatre-specific advisor, but I chose the next best thing.

Before you approach a teacher to serve as your advisor, check with your high school to see what requirements they have for this process. Some IB high schools require your IB Extended Essay advisor to sign an Agreement Form , for instance.

Make sure that you ask your IB coordinator whether there is any required paperwork to fill out. If your school needs a specific form signed, bring it with you when you ask your teacher to be your EE advisor.

#4: Pick an Advisor Who Will Push You to Be Your Best

Some teachers might just take on students because they have to and aren't very passionate about reading drafts, only giving you minimal feedback. Choose a teacher who will take the time to read several drafts of your essay and give you extensive notes. I would not have gotten my A without being pushed to make my Extended Essay draft better.

Ask a teacher that you have experience with through class or an extracurricular activity. Do not ask a teacher that you have absolutely no connection to. If a teacher already knows you, that means they already know your strengths and weaknesses, so they know what to look for, where you need to improve, and how to encourage your best work.

Also, don't forget that your supervisor's assessment is part of your overall EE score . If you're meeting with someone who pushes you to do better—and you actually take their advice—they'll have more impressive things to say about you than a supervisor who doesn't know you well and isn't heavily involved in your research process.

Be aware that the IB only allows advisors to make suggestions and give constructive criticism. Your teacher cannot actually help you write your EE. The IB recommends that the supervisor spends approximately two to three hours in total with the candidate discussing the EE.

#5: Make Sure Your Essay Has a Clear Structure and Flow

The IB likes structure. Your EE needs a clear introduction (which should be one to two double-spaced pages), research question/focus (i.e., what you're investigating), a body, and a conclusion (about one double-spaced page). An essay with unclear organization will be graded poorly.

The body of your EE should make up the bulk of the essay. It should be about eight to 18 pages long (again, depending on your topic). Your body can be split into multiple parts. For example, if you were doing a comparison, you might have one third of your body as Novel A Analysis, another third as Novel B Analysis, and the final third as your comparison of Novels A and B.

If you're conducting an experiment or analyzing data, such as in this EE , your EE body should have a clear structure that aligns with the scientific method ; you should state the research question, discuss your method, present the data, analyze the data, explain any uncertainties, and draw a conclusion and/or evaluate the success of the experiment.

#6: Start Writing Sooner Rather Than Later!

You will not be able to crank out a 4,000-word essay in just a week and get an A on it. You'll be reading many, many articles (and, depending on your topic, possibly books and plays as well!). As such, it's imperative that you start your research as soon as possible.

Each school has a slightly different deadline for the Extended Essay. Some schools want them as soon as November of your senior year; others will take them as late as February. Your school will tell you what your deadline is. If they haven't mentioned it by February of your junior year, ask your IB coordinator about it.

Some high schools will provide you with a timeline of when you need to come up with a topic, when you need to meet with your advisor, and when certain drafts are due. Not all schools do this. Ask your IB coordinator if you are unsure whether you are on a specific timeline.

Below is my recommended EE timeline. While it's earlier than most schools, it'll save you a ton of heartache (trust me, I remember how hard this process was!):

January/February of Junior Year: Come up with your final research topic (or at least your top three options).
February of Junior Year: Approach a teacher about being your EE advisor. If they decline, keep asking others until you find one. See my notes above on how to pick an EE advisor.
April/May of Junior Year: Submit an outline of your EE and a bibliography of potential research sources (I recommend at least seven to 10) to your EE advisor. Meet with your EE advisor to discuss your outline.
Summer Between Junior and Senior Year: Complete your first full draft over the summer between your junior and senior year. I know, I know—no one wants to work during the summer, but trust me—this will save you so much stress come fall when you are busy with college applications and other internal assessments for your IB classes. You will want to have this first full draft done because you will want to complete a couple of draft cycles as you likely won't be able to get everything you want to say into 4,000 articulate words on the first attempt. Try to get this first draft into the best possible shape so you don't have to work on too many revisions during the school year on top of your homework, college applications, and extracurriculars.
August/September of Senior Year: Turn in your first draft of your EE to your advisor and receive feedback. Work on incorporating their feedback into your essay. If they have a lot of suggestions for improvement, ask if they will read one more draft before the final draft.
September/October of Senior Year: Submit the second draft of your EE to your advisor (if necessary) and look at their feedback. Work on creating the best possible final draft.
November-February of Senior Year: Schedule your viva voce. Submit two copies of your final draft to your school to be sent off to the IB. You likely will not get your grade until after you graduate.

Remember that in the middle of these milestones, you'll need to schedule two other reflection sessions with your advisor . (Your teachers will actually take notes on these sessions on a form like this one , which then gets submitted to the IB.)

I recommend doing them when you get feedback on your drafts, but these meetings will ultimately be up to your supervisor. Just don't forget to do them!

The early bird DOES get the worm!

How Is the IB Extended Essay Graded?

Extended Essays are graded by examiners appointed by the IB on a scale of 0 to 34 . You'll be graded on five criteria, each with its own set of points. You can learn more about how EE scoring works by reading the IB guide to extended essays .

Criterion A: Focus and Method (6 points maximum)
Criterion B: Knowledge and Understanding (6 points maximum)
Criterion C: Critical Thinking (12 points maximum)
Criterion D: Presentation (4 points maximum)
Criterion E: Engagement (6 points maximum)

How well you do on each of these criteria will determine the final letter grade you get for your EE. You must earn at least a D to be eligible to receive your IB Diploma.

Although each criterion has a point value, the IB explicitly states that graders are not converting point totals into grades; instead, they're using qualitative grade descriptors to determine the final grade of your Extended Essay . Grade descriptors are on pages 102-103 of this document .

Here's a rough estimate of how these different point values translate to letter grades based on previous scoring methods for the EE. This is just an estimate —you should read and understand the grade descriptors so you know exactly what the scorers are looking for.

Here is the breakdown of EE scores (from the May 2021 bulletin):

How Does the Extended Essay Grade Affect Your IB Diploma?

The Extended Essay grade is combined with your TOK (Theory of Knowledge) grade to determine how many points you get toward your IB Diploma.

To learn about Theory of Knowledge or how many points you need to receive an IB Diploma, read our complete guide to the IB program and our guide to the IB Diploma requirements .

This diagram shows how the two scores are combined to determine how many points you receive for your IB diploma (3 being the most, 0 being the least). In order to get your IB Diploma, you have to earn 24 points across both categories (the TOK and EE). The highest score anyone can earn is 45 points.

Let's say you get an A on your EE and a B on TOK. You will get 3 points toward your Diploma. As of 2014, a student who scores an E on either the extended essay or TOK essay will not be eligible to receive an IB Diploma .

Prior to the class of 2010, a Diploma candidate could receive a failing grade in either the Extended Essay or Theory of Knowledge and still be awarded a Diploma, but this is no longer true.

Figuring out how you're assessed can be a little tricky. Luckily, the IB breaks everything down here in this document . (The assessment information begins on page 219.)

40+ Sample Extended Essays for the IB Diploma Programme

In case you want a little more guidance on how to get an A on your EE, here are over 40 excellent (grade A) sample extended essays for your reading pleasure. Essays are grouped by IB subject.

Business Management 1
Chemistry 1
Chemistry 2
Chemistry 3
Chemistry 4
Chemistry 5
Chemistry 6
Chemistry 7
Computer Science 1
Economics 1
Design Technology 1
Design Technology 2
Environmental Systems and Societies 1
Geography 1
Geography 2
Geography 3
Geography 4
Geography 5
Geography 6
Literature and Performance 1
Mathematics 1
Mathematics 2
Mathematics 3
Mathematics 4
Mathematics 5
Philosophy 1
Philosophy 2
Philosophy 3
Philosophy 4
Philosophy 5
Psychology 1
Psychology 2
Psychology 3
Psychology 4
Psychology 5
Social and Cultural Anthropology 1
Social and Cultural Anthropology 2
Social and Cultural Anthropology 3
Sports, Exercise and Health Science 1
Sports, Exercise and Health Science 2
Visual Arts 1
Visual Arts 2
Visual Arts 3
Visual Arts 4
Visual Arts 5
World Religion 1
World Religion 2
World Religion 3

What's Next?

Trying to figure out what extracurriculars you should do? Learn more about participating in the Science Olympiad , starting a club , doing volunteer work , and joining Student Government .

Studying for the SAT? Check out our expert study guide to the SAT . Taking the SAT in a month or so? Learn how to cram effectively for this important test .

Not sure where you want to go to college? Read our guide to finding your target school . Also, determine your target SAT score or target ACT score .

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

As an SAT/ACT tutor, Dora has guided many students to test prep success. She loves watching students succeed and is committed to helping you get there. Dora received a full-tuition merit based scholarship to University of Southern California. She graduated magna cum laude and scored in the 99th percentile on the ACT. She is also passionate about acting, writing, and photography.

Student and Parent Forum

Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com , allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Ask questions; get answers.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

UAE Edition
Singapore Edition
Hong Kong Edition
Thailand Edition
Vietnam Edition
Saudi Edition
All Schools
East Midlands Schools
East of England Schools
Greater London Schools
North East England Schools
North West England Schools
North West Wales Schools
Scotland Schools
South East England Schools
South West England Schools
Wales Schools
West Midlands Schools
Appointments
Courses & Curricula
New Schools
School Fees
School Performance
Schools Closing
Secondary Schools
Special Needs
Best School
Choosing A School
Exam Preparation
Finances And Funding
International Boarding
University Preparation
Which Curriculum
East Midlands Area Guide
East of England Area Guide
Greater London Area Guide
North East England Area Guide
North West England Area Guide
North West Wales Area Guide
Scotland Area Guide
South East England Area Guide
South West England Area Guide
Wales Area Guide
West Midlands Area Guide
info School Request Info

Should I Do an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)?

Are Memories Reliable? Is a Serial Killer Born or Made? Is the World Really Shrinking? Can Forge a Painting by a Famous Artist?

These are just some examples of the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), which is studied by A Level students in state and independent schools and colleges across the UK.

Time-consuming and challenging, yet highly regarded and rewarding, the EPQ is an optional, standalone qualification that develops the independent learning and research skills demanded by universities and employers. The number of students taking up the EPQ has grown substantially since its integration into the UK curriculum in 2007; this year, around 38,000 students took the EPQ in the UK. It’s not only seen as excellent preparation for university, the EPQ is now included in offers by some universities.

What is an EPQ?

The EPQ gives students the opportunity to independently research a topic of their choice – and can range from writing a 5,000-word dissertation style essay or planning an event like a charity fundraiser, staging a musical, creating a piece of art or even building a product (these must also be supported by a written report of at least 1,000 words).

It’s an opportunity for students to choose a unique topic that they can explore in depth and detail; it’s all about finding a subject that they are passionate about and showcasing their knowledge and reading beyond the curriculum. It’s similar to the IB’s Extended Essay, and it provides students with the same benefits of completing a research project ahead of studying a degree at university.

There are two key differences between the two though. Firstly, the EPQ is optional, while the Extended Essay is a compulsory part of the IB Diploma Programme . Secondly, the EPQ can be in the form of an essay or artefact (a scientific or mathematical model, sculpture or photography exhibition), whereas the EE is always a 4,000-word paper.

An EPQ is not easy (even choosing the title can be a challenge), and it requires hard work and commitment alongside studying for three A Levels. Students can expect to spend around 120 hours of work on their project – some take more time, others less. Many schools offer study skills workshops across Year 12 to help students plan their EPQ, and it can be completed at any time during Years 12-13.

While the EPQ does look great on a UCAS application it cannot replace good A Level results, and students should not take on this extra work if they’re unable to cope with it. However, students with a strong academic record and potential, as well as an ability to plan and manage their work and time, will find that this extra workload can certainly reap benefits.

Dr John Taylor, Cranleigh School’s Director of Learning, Teaching & Innovation is one of the pioneers responsible for the national development of the EPQ and is a Chief Examiner of the qualification.

Dr Taylor told WhichSchoolAdvisor.com :

“The benefits of the EPQ are manifold. An extended project, where the student chooses their own title, offers the opportunity for a deep dive into a subject about which students are curious. Around 80 hours of research and writing or creating go into each one, some supervised but much on their own.

“Previous titles at Cranleigh have ranged from a research paper ‘Do Dogs Dream?’ to creating and making a surfboard from scratch. It gives pupils the opportunity to study a subject they love and learn valuable research skills before they specialise at university. The qualification is favoured by higher education institutions for that reason, and often universities will lower grade boundaries if the applicant brings a good EPQ in addition to A Levels.”

Should I do an EPQ?

The EPQ offers students an incredible opportunity to research their own choice of academic topic or produce an artefact – something that takes them beyond their A Level subjects. While it is definitely not for everyone, it can be a highly rewarding experience for many.

As Diana Cree, Executive Director External Relations at Lancing College explains, deciding to do an EPQ should not be taken lightly.

"It offers a wonderful opportunity for students to enrich their studies in an area of interest and, gain additional important and desirable skills. Embarking on an EPQ requires self-motivation, time management and commitment.

"The initial phase of planning, deciding the topic, scope and research plan is critical to overall success. It is important therefore to identify a topic of real interest; this could delve deeper into and enrich an existing A Level subject or be something that is completely independent and of personal interest.

Recent examples of EPQ titles at Lancing range from Ethics of Stem Cell Research to Directing the Play ‘The Children’s’ Hour’ and The Pol Pot Regime.

Ms Cree, who oversees the school's My Future programme in the Sixth Form, says that an often-overlooked benefit of the EPQ is that it "provides a 'richness' to personal statements, university interviews and potential employment opportunities".

"The discipline of carrying out an independent research project demonstrates an enthusiasm to learn, project management, resilience and self-direction; all skills that are in high demand at university and in the workplace.

Considering an EPQ? 4 Reasons to Say Yes!

Stand out from the crowd. While A Levels are one of the most well-established routes to a university degree, they have been criticised globally for being too narrow, particularly when compared to the breadth of study offered by the IB Diploma Programme. An EPQ can offer students the chance to stand out from the crowd, by showcasing their additional academic strengths or achievements.

Whether creating and testing an iPhone app or researching the development of cryptocurrencies and Bitcoin, an EPQ gives students the opportunity to explore interests, skills and subjects outside and beyond their three (or four) A Level subjects – and gain a competitive edge in applications and interviews for universities and careers.

UCAS points. An EPQ is worth half an A Level; it’s graded A* to E and can be worth anywhere up to 28 UCAS points, which can help students to secure the university place they want. (In 2022, 23.5% of students achieved a A* in their EPQ; 71% a B which is equal to 20 points).

Excellent preparation for university. As well as being an additional academic achievement, it helps students to develop the independent research, essay writing and time management skills that universities are looking for. It also demonstrates a student’s passion for their subject.

Dual offers. The EPQ has become highly regarded by many universities, and the admissions pages of Oxbridge and Russell Group universities quote support for qualification.

Cambridge tells students: “We welcome the introduction of the Extended Project and would encourage you to undertake one as it will help you develop independent study and research skills and ease the transition from school/college to higher education.”

And the University of Manchester says: “Students can refer to the Extended Project in their UCAS personal statements and at interview to demonstrate some of the qualities that universities are looking for.”

For some courses, a university (including several Russell Group universities) will make a dual offer based that includes both the normal three A Level grade offer and an alternative offer including the student’s EPQ grade. The University of Southampton was one of the first to do this; its Accounting & Finance course, for example, has entry requirements of AAB or ABB with an A in an EPQ.

Students: Why I did an EPQ

The best advocates for the EPQ are the students themselves. Take a look at last year’s A Level cohort at D’Overbroecks, for example.

Sifa, a zoology student, asked ‘Humans vs Octopuses: Are Homo Sapiens Really the Most Intelligent Species?’. Psychology student Trish asked, ‘How Can Borderline Personality Disorder Be Best Explained By Psychological Approaches?’. And Sophie, who plans to pursue a career in fashion marketing, asked ‘How Are Brands Responding To The Issue Of Fast Fashion?’.

When we asked why they chose to add to the demands of A Levels with an extra qualification, their replies were;

"I wanted to challenge myself”

“I wanted to stretch myself beyond the A Level specifications”

“I wanted to develop skills like independent research.”

These D’Overbroeck students described their personal experience of completing the EPQ as satisfying, rewarding and thought-provoking.

Sophie added: “I now have so much more knowledge on a topic that I am so interested in; it has been a great talking point.”, while Trish said her EPQ had “ascertained my decision to study psychology at university, and to pursue it as my future career.”

Tonbridge Grammar School

Windlesham House School

The Wellington Academy

10 apps to help with exam revision.

With GCSEs, A Levels and IB exams all scheduled to start in May, students all over the wor…

UK Grammar Schools: When to Apply for 2025

Parents, are you considering a grammar school in the UK for your child in September 2025? …

UK Primary School Offer Day: April 16 2024

Primary National Offer Day is Tuesday, 16 April 2024, and if you applied online, you will …

Why Choose a UK State Boarding School?

Cranbrook School in Kent is one of around 40 state boarding schools in the UK. UK state bo…

8 Children's Books About Ramadan

We spotlight eight books that share an understanding and appreciation for the cultu…

"My Journey From Traditional to Online Education”

“We are bucking the trend of education, and it's truly amazing to be a part of it." …

10 Reasons to Study Your GCSEs Online

Online schools offer a flexible and accessible option for students worldwide to stud…

Secondary School Offer Day – March 1 2024

The anxious wait is nearly over. It's National Offer Day for secondary schools on Friday, …

All about the sixth form EPQ – Extended Project Qualification

Summary: Taking the sixth form EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) can add significant interest to your studies, and EPQ will add considerable value to your university application. This article explains what an EPQ involves.

What is an EPQ?

EPQ is short for Extended Project Qualification. An EPQ is an independent research project which involves writing an essay of 5000 words (that's around 10 typed pages), or creating a product, which might be anything from an art object to an iPhone app. As the project evolves, you must complete a production log to record specific stages of the project and this also contributes to your project result. The third component of the project is an oral presentation.

Generally, the whole process from start to finish takes about 120 hours. There's no set time limit for doing an EPQ, but most students use the summer vacation at the end of Year 12 to do the preliminary research and then complete the project in the early part of Year 13. It is a formal 'level 3' qualification that attracts slightly higher UCAS Tariff points than a new AS-Level. All three exam boards offer EPQ - my college uses the EPQ structure provided by AQA .

You receive teaching and guidance to get you started, to help with planning and researching and presentation skills, and to keep you on track as you work through your chosen project. There's no formal restriction on what you do the project on: that's negotiated between you and your project adviser, who will help you choose a topic you will enjoy and cope with.

The three assessments which decide your result are done by your teachers, though the exam board 'moderates' their marks to check they're grading correctly.

What is the benefit of completing an EPQ?

The Extended Project Qualification teaches you some key high-level skills that individual A-level courses don't have time to include, and many students say it adds considerable interest to their sixth-form programme.

However, there are also several major benefits to completing an EPQ when it comes to applying to university . At its simplest EPQ helps you with UCAS points - EPQ is valued at 50% of a full A level in the UCAS tariff. But perhaps the greatest advantage of an EPQ is in helping convince top universities to make you an offer.

EPQ provides very clear evidence of that you have interests and ability which go beyond the A-Level curriculum. It demonstrates clearly that you are capable of undertaking the kind of independent reading, research, and essay writing that is the mainstay of most undergraduate degrees.

This is hugely important in the UCAS application process where universities often have little to distinguish between students with similar predicted grades.

Additionally, an EPQ provides highly relevant material for your UCAS Personal Statement and for you to talk about in university interviews. Most top schools in the UK have made the completion of an EPQ (or an internal equivalent) compulsory for all Year 12 students.

What skills do I need to complete a successful EPQ?

An EPQ is the longest and most extensive project that you will do during your school years, so it stretches your normal skills . The EPQ requires:

a great interest in the research topic: interest and curiosity in a subject are the fuel of motivation to keep you going deeper in order to answer a research question – an Extended Project Qualification is not a ‘lukewarm’ enterprise!
organizational skills: planning the project over a 20-week period and making sure that each stage is completed in time is essential to creating a high-quality end-product and attracting the highest assessment marks in the process.
good time-management skills because it is not part of the normal school curriculum. Making sure you spend enough time on the project each week, while juggling the demands of your A-Levels, is key to a successful project.

To decide if EPQ is right for you needs good advice from teachers who know you well. If you are a top-grade student, you should enjoy and cope well with EPQ and it could make all the difference getting you into a top university. If your academic potential is more modest you may well benefit from EPQ, but it could also make demands on you which affect your main A level work.

Success Stories from my college

Anastasia completed her EPQ on the use of light in architecture, looking at its development through European architectural history and examining contemporary technical developments. The completion of the project developed her existing knowledge of architecture in a way that not only enhanced her A-Level subjects, particularly History of Art, but added an extra dimension to her UCAS application, and helped in the interviews which got her a place at one of the UK’s best schools of architecture. Furthermore, her EPQ gave her a considerable advantage over her competitors when she came to apply for work placements in her first year at university.

Anna completed an EPQ on the use of satire in the work of the Italian author Dante. The project provided strong evidence in her UCAS Personal Statement to support her application to study English Literature. Her EPQ was the main topic of discussion in her interview for a place at Cambridge University, which she was duly offered. When asked what she thought was the main reason that her Cambridge interview had been so successful, Anna answered simply: “I just talked about my EPQ!”.

Article written by William Stockland, Head of Faculty of Culture & Society at Ashbourne College

Further advice articles

FAQs about A-level retakes and options for resitting
Exam remarks - what to do, and when - updated for 2023
Appealing against your A-level or GCSE results in 2023
One year A-levels courses at CIFE colleges
Sixth-form advice articles about university entrance...
Sixth-form advice articles about study skills...
Advice articles about sixth-form choices...

Need any help?

Name (required): Please leave this field empty. Email (required): Phone number: Tell us how we can help: Confirm acceptance of Privacy Policy

The data entered on this form will be used only for the purpose of responding to your enquiry. It will not be used for sales/marketing, nor shared with any third party unless required to respond to your query (i.e. with one of our partner colleges).

Courses at cife colleges

GCSE courses Two-year A level courses Final-year A level courses One-year A level courses A level retake courses University Foundation courses Easter A level & GCSE revision courses

Advice articles

FAQs about retakes Revision UCAS personal statement Tips for a top UCAS application For international students Choosing the right A levels Oxbridge and medicine interviews All advice articles

More about cife FAQ about colleges News Why colleges join cife Useful links Fees at cife colleges Contact us

Extended essay

The extended essay is an independent, self-directed piece of research, finishing with a 4,000-word paper.

One component of the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) core, the extended essay is mandatory for all students.

Read about the extended essay in greater detail.

You can also read about how the IB sets deadlines for the extended essay , find examples of extended essay titles from previous DP students and learn about the world studies extended essay .

Learn more about the extended essay in a DP workshop for teachers .

DP subject briefs

Find out about what each subject offers within the Diploma Programme (DP).

Our DP subject briefs—for both standard and higher level—contain information about core requirements, aims and assessment.

Explore the DP subject briefs

Written work

What is written work?

Do I need to send written work?

What should I send?

How can I submit written work?

Many of our courses require applicants to send in a sample of their written work as part of their application. The tabs on this page will give you more details of what you need to send (if anything), how to send it, and the deadlines by which the work must be received.

The deadline for submitting written work is 10 November . Please note that the deadline for submitting Fine Art portfolios is earlier.

If the course requires you to submit written work as part of your application and you are worried that you don’t have a suitable piece of work to submit, please contact the college you are applying to (or the college you are allocated to after you apply) to discuss what your options are.

Please read the information on each tab on this page carefully.

Please remember that most courses require you to complete an admissions test or tests, so make sure to check our ' Admissions tests' page as well.

If the course you are applying for requires written work please send work that demonstrates your analytical, reasoning, language and writing skills, as appropriate for your chosen degree course.

The written work may well form a springboard for discussion at your interview should you be shortlisted, so make sure to keep a copy for your own reference.

Do I need to send written work

Does the course you are applying for require you to send in written work?

This list will show you whether your course requires you to send in written work, but you must check the 'How to Apply' tab on each course page to view more details of what the course tutors want you to send.

Archaeology and Anthropology

Yes. View Archaeology and Anthropology for details of what you need to send.

Asian and Middle Eastern Studies

Yes. Visit Asian and Middle Eastern Studies for details of what you need to send.

Biochemistry

None required.

Biomedical Sciences

Classical archaeology and ancient history.

Yes. View Classical Archaeology and Ancient History for details of what you need to send.

Classics and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies

Yes. Visit Classics and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies for details of what you need to send.

Yes. View Classics for details of what you need to send.

Classics and English

Yes. View Classics and English for details of what you need to send.

Classics and Modern Languages

Yes. View Classics and Modern Languages for details of what you need to send.

Computer Science

Computer science and philosophy, earth sciences (geology), economics and management, engineering science, english and modern languages.

Yes. View English and Modern Languages for details of what you need to send.

English Language and Literature

Yes. View English Language and Literature for details of what you need to send.

European and Middle Eastern Languages

Yes. View European and Middle Eastern Languages for details of what you need to send.

Yes, you must submit a portfolio. View Fine Art for details of what to send and the Ruskin School of Art website for information on how to submit your portfolio.

Yes. View History for details of what you need to send.

History (Ancient and Modern)

Yes. View History (Ancient and Modern) for details of what you need to send.

History and Economics

Yes. View History and Economics for details of what you need to send.

History and English

Yes. View History and English for details of what you need to send.

History and Modern Languages

Yes. View History and Modern Languages for details of what you need to send.

History and Politics

Yes. View History and Politics for details of what you need to send.

History of Art

Yes. View History of Art for details of what you need to send.

Human Sciences

Materials science, mathematics, mathematics and computer science, mathematics and philosophy, mathematics and statistics, medicine (six year course, a100), medicine (accelerated four year course, a101), modern languages.

Yes. View Modern Languages for details of what you need to send.

Modern Languages and Linguistics

Yes. View Modern Languages and Linguistics for details of what you need to send.

Yes. View Music for details.

Philosophy and Modern Languages

Yes. View Philosophy and Modern Languages for details of what you need to send.

Philosophy and Theology

Yes. View Philosophy and Theology for details of what you need to send.

Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)

Physics and philosophy, psychology (experimental), psychology, philosophy, and linguistics (ppl), religion and asian and middle eastern studies.

Yes. View Religion and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies for details of what you need to send.

Theology and Religion

Yes. View Theology and Religion for details of what you need to send.

The work you send in must be original and ideally have been produced during the course of your school or college work, marked by a teacher and not re-written or corrected in any way.

Please make sure to include details about the circumstances under which your work was produced on the cover sheet provided. Tell us under what conditions you wrote the essay, with what help, and in what timeframe. Tutors will take that information into account.

If you are a mature applicant you can decide (but it is not necessary) to produce a new piece of work, as you may want to give a clearer reflection of your current abilities. Again, we understand that this means it may not be possible to have it marked. Please use the space on the form to describe the circumstances in which the work was produced.

It may be typed or handwritten – as long as it is legible – and photocopies are acceptable. We would expect each piece of written work to be no more than 2,000 words.

You will need to complete a written work cover sheet for each piece of work that you submit.

Extended essays

Extended essays for the International Baccalaureate, Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), or other pieces of work which exceed the 2,000 word limit are not acceptable as submitted written work.

However, you may like to submit an extract from an extended essay. Also, if you mention your essay in your personal statement, tutors may like to discuss this with you at interview if your application is shortlisted.

All written work must be in English (except where required for Modern Languages ). If your work is in another language please submit both the original work and your own translation into English.

How can I submit written work

After you have submitted your UCAS application (and usually before the end of October), the college considering your application will get in touch to tell you how to submit your written work. These instructions will include:

how to send the work electronically (please do not send hard copies)
information about file formats
the details of whom to send your written work to for consideration

In addition to those specific instructions, please remember that:

your written work must entirely your own and original
ideally it will have been produced as part of your school work, marked and not re-written or corrected for this application
all work must be in English (except where otherwise required for Modern Languages)
each piece of written work should be no longer than 2,000 words
each piece of written work must come with a completed cover sheet

If your application is shortlisted, we recommend that you re-read your written work before your interview, as tutors may ask you about it.

When to submit

Written work must be submitted to arrive at the college no later than 10 November.

Fine Art portfolios have an earlier deadline. View Fine Art for details of what to send and the Ruskin School of Art website for information on how to submit your portfolio.

Please contact the college that is considering your application if you are not sure what to send, or if you are concerned that you do not have suitable written work.

A step-by-step guide for applicants

UCAS application
Admissions tests

WRITTEN WORK COVER SHEET:

Download the cover sheet.

Can't find what you're looking for?

Try our extensive database of FAQs or submit your own question...

FAQs- Application process

Follow us on social media

Follow us on social media to get the most up-to-date application information throughout the year, and to hear from our students.

14+ Effective Ways to Get UCAS Points

In A-Level , General , University by Think Student Editor September 15, 2020 Leave a Comment

If you’ve thought about applying for university, you’ve probably heard quite a lot about UCAS points. However, what is often left unsaid is how you’re actually supposed to get them and what qualifications you can get them from. This article will provide you with 15 ways for you to obtain UCAS points. Lets jump into it!

1. A-Levels

A-Level qualifications are one of the most common forms of further education that you can study in the UK. They are academic courses that last 2 years and you can study them in specific subjects, from the likes of A-Level Chemistry to A-Level Sociology to even A-Level Music Technology and many more.

As mentioned above, the amount of UCAS points you can receive will depend on both the qualification and the grade you get in it. For a single A-Level qualification, the highest amount of UCAS points you can get is 56, this is if you get an A* grade.

To see how many UCAS points you can get for each A-Level grade, please refer to the following table.

When studying A-Levels, you will typically do 3 or sometimes 4, unless you combine them with other level 3 qualifications. Due to this, the total number of UCAS points you will receive will depend on the grades that you get in total. For example, if you get the grades ABC, you will get 120 UCAS points, which is also the same number of UCAS points that you’d get for the grades BBB.

To learn more about A-Levels, check out this Think Student article . If you would like to know more about further education, which was mentioned above, check out this Think Student article .

2. AS-Levels

AS-Level qualifications are very similar to A-Levels. The acronym ‘AS’ stands for ‘Advanced Subsidiary’ compared to A-Levels, which stands for ‘Advanced Levels’. The primary difference between AS-Levels and A-Levels is that AS-Levels are only worth 40% of an A-Leve l.

They may be taken as standalone qualifications, however, in Wales and Northern Ireland, the AS-Level exams will still need to be taken as a part of the entire A-Level. To learn more about this, check out this guide Ofqual, Qualifications Wales and CCEA.

As AS-Level qualifications are worth 40% of an A-Level, the UCAS points you can get from AS-Levels are also affected. For an AS-Level exam, the highest grade you can get is an A, rather than an A*, which is 20 UCAS points .

To see how the other AS-Level grades translate into UCAS points, check out the table below.

To learn more about AS-Levels, check out this Think Student article .

3. Scottish Highers

In Scotland, instead of taking A-Levels or AS-Levels, students will take Higher qualifications. Higher qualifications are academic courses that last 1 year, which students can take in S5 or S6. Similarly, to AS-Levels and A-Levels, they are available in a wide range of subjects from German to even photography.

Unlike A-Levels, the highest grade that you can get for a Higher is an A . This also means that the highest number of UCAS points that you can get for a single Higher qualification is 33 as this is what it translates into .

Please refer to the following table to see how the other Higher grades are transferred into UCAS points.

When studying Highers, students will typically study 4 or 5 of these, meaning that they will have the opportunity to gain quite a lot of UCAS points. To learn more about Scottish Highers, check out this Think Student article .

4. Advanced Highers

Another type of qualification that students in Scotland can take before going to university is Advanced Highers. Advanced Highers are quite similar to Highers, however, they are the level above and are designed to be taken after students have completed Highers. In this way, the relationship between Highers and Advanced Highers is quite similar to that of AS-Levels and A-Levels in Wales or Northern Ireland, where the AS-Level exams are still taken.

Similarly, to Highers, the highest grade that you can get for an Advanced Higher is an A. However, this is worth a lot more UCAS points as it translates to 56 points .

To see how the rest of the Advanced Higher grades translate into UCAS points.

To learn more about Advanced Highers, check out this article by The Complete University Guide.

5. BTEC National Extended Diploma

BTEC qualifications are a type of vocational qualification that students can take across the UK. At level 3, they are equivalent to A-Levels and other pre-university qualifications.

The most common type of BTEC qualification at level 3 are BTEC National qualifications. BTEC Nationals can come in various forms and may be equivalent to 1, 2 or 3 A-Levels.

The maximum mark that you can get from a BTEC National qualification is Distinction* Distinction* Distinction* or D*D*D*. This grade is available for BTEC qualifications that are worth 3 A-Levels, such as the BTEC National Extended Diploma. For level 3 BTEC qualifications, from getting the grade D*D*D*, students can get a maximum of 168 points .

To see how other grades in this type of BTEC are transferred into UCAS points, look at the table below. Please note that due to the wide variety of grades available, this doesn’t include all of them.

To learn more about BTECs, check out this Think Student article .

6. BTEC National Extended Certificate

As mentioned above, the BTEC National qualification can also be equivalent to only one A-Level. This is the case for the BTEC National Extended Certificate, which allows you to take more than one or to mix them with other qualifications, such as A-Levels.

The maximum grade that you can get for this type of BTEC National is a Distinction*, which is worth 56 UCAS points. To see how the other grades are converted into UCAS points, look at the following table.

To learn more about BTEC and these grades, check out this Think Student article .

7. Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma

Cambridge Technical qualifications are very similar to BTECs. In fact, the main difference between these types of qualifications is the exam board that offers them as Cambridge Technical qualifications or CTECs are offered by OCR and BTECs are offered by Pearson Edexcel.

As they are so similar, at level 3 Cambridge Technical qualifications also come in various forms and can be equivalent to 1, 2 or 3 A-Levels as well. This also affects the UCAS points allocated to them.

The maximum UCAS points that students can achieve from a level 3 Cambridge Technical is D*D*D*, which is worth 168 UCAS points just like with the BTEC National Extended Diploma. For Cambridge Technicals, the qualification for students to achieve this grade is also called the Extended Diploma.

To see how many UCAS points other Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma grades are worth, look at the table below.

8. Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate

Just like with BTEC National qualifications, there is also a level 3 Cambridge Technical qualification that is equivalent to 1 A-Level. This is also called the Extended Certificate.

The maximum grade for this qualification is also a D*, which is worth 56 UCAS points. To see how its grades match up to UCAS points, please refer to the table below.

To learn more about Cambridge Technical qualifications, check out this Think Student article .

9. T-Levels

T-Levels are another type of vocational qualification that you can take as part of further education. Only being introduced in 2020, T-Levels are a much newer form of vocational qualification that combines practical study with compulsory work placement.

With BTECs being gradually phased out, T-Levels are set to replace them. To learn more about this, check out this Think Student article .

T-Level qualifications are worth 3 A-Levels and the UCAS points attributed to each grade reflects this. However, unlike BTEC Nationals or Cambridge Technicals, students only receive a single grade for T-Levels. The maximum grade that can be achieved is a D*, this translates into 168 UCAS points, which is thus the maximum that you can get for T-Levels .

To see how the other T-Level grades match up to UCAS points, look at the following table.

If you would like to learn more about T-Level qualifications, check out this Think Student article .

10. Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)

An extended project qualification (EPQ) is a research project that’s worth half of an A-Level. It can be done in the form of an essay of about 5000 words or as an “artefact”, where students need to produce a physical project, such as an artwork or something similar, and then write about it.

Unlike an AS-Level qualification, an EPQ enables you to achieve an A* grade. Due to this the maximum number of UCAS points you can get for an EPQ is 28, which is half of the number of UCAS points an A* at A-Level .

If you would like to learn more about EPQs, check out this Think Student article . If you think doing an EPQ is for you, check out this Think Student article for some ideas on what to do your project on.

11. International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB) is a level 3 qualification that students can take between the ages of 16 and 19. In this qualification, students can choose one subject from 5 different categories and then either pick another from one of these or pick from an optional 6th category.

The programme also focuses on 3 different elements. These are an extended essay, similar to that of the EPQ; theory of knowledge, through your chosen subjects and creation, action, service, where students complete additional activities outside of their studies.

Students get graded for each of these components and as a result will have UCAS points for each component. These components are the main certificate at either higher or standard level, the extended essay, the theory of knowledge element and the Reflective Project.

The maximum combined number of UCAS points a student could get if they did the higher level certificate is 92 UCAS points. If they did the standard level, the highest combined number of UCAS points is 64. To see what each grade is worth in UCAS points for each component, check out the following tables.

For the higher level, the maximum grade is H7, which is 56 UCAS points.

For the standard level, the highest grade possible is S7, this translates into 28 UCAS points.

The most UCAS points a student could receive for the Certificate in Theory of Knowledge component is 12.

The maximum number of UCAS points for the Extended Essay and Reflective Project components are once again 12.

To learn more about the international Baccalaureate, check out this guide by UCAS.

12. Welsh Baccalaureate

The Welsh Baccalaureate is a level 3 qualification that is available for students in Wales to take as further education. The qualification covers both other level 3 qualifications that students may want to take, such as A-Levels or vocational courses, as well as 4 challenges that are specific to the Welsh Baccalaureate. These 4 are the Enterprise and Employability Challenge, the Community Participation Challenge and the Global Citizenship Challenge as well as the Individual Project that students will need to undertake independently.

Not including any other qualification that they may take, the Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate is worth a maximum of 56 UCAS points for students who achieve an A* . Look at the following table to see how the other Welsh Baccalaureate grades translate into UCAS points.

To learn more about the Welsh Baccalaureate as a whole, check out this guide by UCAS. For a more detailed explanation of the challenges, check out this guide by St. David’s Catholic Sixth Form College.

13. Scottish Baccalaureate

The Scottish Baccalaureate is a SCQF level 7 qualification that students can take in Scotland. It encompasses 2 Advanced Higher qualifications, one Higher qualification and an Interdisciplinary Project. It can be taken in one of 4 areas: social sciences, sciences, expressive arts or languages.

While the qualification is taken together, students receive separate grades for each component, as well as a combined grade. In terms of UCAS points, they will receive this for the combined grade as well as the Interdisciplinary Project .

The maximum grade for the Scottish Baccalaureate is a Distinction, which can be received for achieving the grades AAB in the right qualifications. This means that the maximum it is worth is 120 UCAS points.

The only other grade that students can get is a Pass, to see how many UCAS points this is worth, look at the following table.

The maximum grade that students can get for the Interdisciplinary Project is an A, this is worth 28 UCAS points. To see how the other grades for the Interdisciplinary Project are converted into UCAS points, please refer to the table below.

To learn more about the Scottish Baccalaureate, check out this guide by UCAS.

14. Access to HE Diploma

Access to HE Diploma is a level 3 qualification aimed at preparing adults, who don’t have many qualifications, for higher education study. It is available in a range of subjects and encompasses both vocational and academic courses, due to the variety of university courses.

It is graded using the Pass, Merit and Distinction system. However, unlike other courses, the overall grade is made up of credits, which will need to add up to a total of 45 credits. As each credit has a grade this will be what the number of UCAS points you get depends on.

The maximum number of UCAS points is for getting all 45 UCAS points at Distinction, this is worth 144 UCAS points. To see a selection of the other credits and their UCAS points, check out the following table.

Please note that these are not all the credits or combinations available and that the format below is the grade (D, M or P) with the number of credits next to it.

To learn more about the Access to HE Diploma qualification, check out this guide by UCAS.

15. Scottish Foundation Apprenticeship

In Scotland, students can take a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 or S6 alongside other qualifications, such as Highers or Advanced Highers. While this is called an “apprenticeship”, the students won’t get paid as they’re not considered employees.

The only grade students can get for the Foundation Apprenticeship is a Pass. This means that the maximum and only UCAS points that this qualification is worth is 42, which you get for the Pass.

To learn more about Foundation Apprenticeships, check out this guide by UCAS.

Overview of UCAS points for popular qualifications

As you can see from the list above there are a wide range of qualifications that can get you UCAS points. The following table will give you an overview of the ones covered in this article and show you the maximum number of UCAS points you can get from them.

As you can see from the table UCAS points are not the same every qualification. Continue reading to learn more about UCAS points and why they are important.

What are UCAS points?

UCAS Tariff points or simply UCAS points are how the qualifications and grades, that you’re applying to university with, are translated into a numerical value. While there aren’t UCAS points for every qualification, there are for the vast majority. If the qualification(s) you take don’t have UCAS points, you may still be able to get accepted into university, depending on the university and the course.

The UCAS point values can be used by higher education providers, such as universities, to set their entry requirements or assess if you’ve fit with these. This allows them to compare between qualifications and between a mixture of grades without being more biased to one qualification.

To learn more about UCAS points, check out this guide by UCAS.

Why are UCAS Points important?

As mentioned above, UCAS points can be used by universities in order to set their entry requirements. Due to this, UCAS points are so important as they can entirely make or break your university application. This is because, while other parts of your application, such as your personal statement can add to and strengthen your application, the first thing that university’s will look at is if you meet their requirements .

While many universities put their entry requirements in more rigid terms of your grade (e.g., BBC), about 1/3 of all UK degree programmes use UCAS points in order to make their applications more flexible . If you’re applying to one of these universities, UCAS points are essential.

Plus, even if the universities you’re applying to don’t use UCAS points, using them for yourself can be a good indicator as it allows you to compare different qualifications together. This is especially true if you’re studying a mixture of different qualifications, for example a mixture of A-Levels and BTECs.

To learn more about the importance of UCAS points, check out this guide by University Compare.

How do you receive UCAS points?

As mentioned above, UCAS points are based on the qualifications and grades that you’re applying to university with. If you’re applying in your final year of sixth form or college, these grades will be predicted grades. Alternatively, you may have already completed your studies and have received these grades prior to applying.

Either way, these predicted grades or actual grades are what will be translated into UCAS points for your applications. This means that you receive UCAS points based on the grades you have been predicted or have already received . To learn more about predicted grades, check out this Think Student article .

Information included in this article has been taken from the UCAS Tariff points calculator. Click here to be taken to the UCAS website.

How To Convert IB to UCAS Points

In this article, we break down exactly how students can convert IB to UCAS points and back again. This will help students completely understand uni offers.

UCAS Points are universities’ method of translating your grades and qualifications into a numerical value. You need a certain number of Points to get into each UK university.

Most people know the Points value of A-Levels. However, if like 4,500 UK students (and 1.4m worldwide ) you take the IB Diploma , you’ll also need to know how to convert your IB to UCAS points.

This article will show you how to calculate the number of UCAS Points your Score is worth.

Explaining IB Scores

To convert IB to UCAS, you have to understand IB Scores. IB Scores are made up of Points . These are awarded according to your assessed performance in each subject – they’re your grades, or marks.

The IB Diploma scores your performance in each subject by awarding between 1 and 7 points, with 7 Points being the best outcome. You can’t receive 1s in any subject, or too many 2s or 3s, if you want to pass. which is why many students choose to hire an IB tutor .

In addition to this, you can get up to 3 more points for your 1,600-word TOK (Theory of Knowledge) essay (which focuses on epistemology ) and for your 4,000-word Extended Essay, graded from A to E. That’s a lot of writing!

To recap, the best scores possible in each component of your IB are:

- Higher/Advanced level: 21 IB points

- Standard level: 21 IB points

- IB Core: 3 IB points.

Your Score is your overall accumulation of all of these. A minimum of 24 points is a ‘pass’, allowing you to get your IB Diploma. The best score possible is 45 points.

The ‘holistic’ emphasis of the overall Score in the IB Diploma is why you can sometimes pass well with quite uneven Points in your subjects! If you get higher marks in your advanced subjects, but relatively low marks in your standard subjects, it’ll all even out when you get your overall Score!

This overall score is what we’re working with when we convert IB to UCAS.

Equivalent Scores and Grades

If we want to convert IB to UCAS points, we can start by working in terms of traditional ‘letter’ grades.

According to UCAS, 5 IB Points is equivalent to 5 grade A*s in A-Levels. They say 40 points, therefore, is the equivalent of 4 grade A*s in A-Levels. Then 35 points is equivalent to 2 grade A*s and 1 grade A, etcetera. The diagram in this article shows universities’ assessments of equivalent ‘letter’ grades.

By this metric, a fair-to-middling score of 30 IB points, only 6 points over a pass, is equivalent to three and a half traditional As! This is high enough in terms of UCAS tariff points to gain admission to most good universities. Only Oxbridge or some Russell Group universities would require higher results.

Have a look at our comprehensive set of IB Resources that include IB Study Notes , IB Past Papers and IB Practice Questions , developed by expert IB teachers and examiners!

How to Directly Convert IB to UCAS

It’s also possible to convert IB points to UCAS tariff points directly! You just need to know your Points in each IB component (see above) and your total Score to easily convert IB to UCAS.

Both UCAS and a lot of universities take your Higher/Advanced subject Points as the most important numbers, so they earn the most UCAS tariff points.

Take a look at how Higher/Advanced subjects convert from IB to UCAS:

- Grade 7 = 56 UCAS points

- Grade 6 = 48 UCAS points

- Grade 5 = 32 UCAS points

- Grade 4 = 24 UCAS points

- Grade 3 = 12 UCAS points

- Grades 2 and 1 = 0 UCAS points.

To convert IB to UCAS on your Higher/Advanced subject Points, take your three subject grades, find the corresponding UCAS tariff points, and add them all up. For example, a promising student with grades 7, 6, 5, would earn a brilliant 136 UCAS points! That’s already an AAB in A-Levels.

Get expert help with the IB

The world's leading online IB tutoring provider trusted by students, parents, and schools globally.

4.92 /5 based on 477 reviews

We can also convert your Standard subjects in your IB to UCAS points. Standard level grades are worth precisely half the UCAS points as Higher/Advanced subject grades.

Let’s take Standard subject Points and convert IB to UCAS:

- Grade 7 = 28 UCAS points

- Grade 6 = 24 UCAS points

- Grade 5 = 16 UCAS points

- Grade 4 = 12 UCAS points

- Grade 3 = 6 UCAS points

- Grades 2 and 1 = 0 UCAS points

Now, take your three standard subject grades and convert IB to UCAS! You add these onto your Higher/Advanced total. For example, a student with 6, 6, 4 on their Standard subjects would earn 60 more UCAS points to add to their total.

IB Core – the extended essay and Theory of Knowledge components – is normally graded from A to E, and this is how you convert IB to UCAS here:

- Grade A = 12 UCAS points

- Grade B = 10 UCAS points

- Grade C = 8 UCAS points

- Grade D = 6 UCAS points

- Grade E = 4 UCAS points.

This means, for example, a student scoring A in their extended essay, and a B in their Theory of Knowledge (TOK) essay would earn 22 more points to add to their total!

So overall, if we convert IB to UCAS, this imaginary student would have converted their Score into 218 points. That’s almost four A*s at A-Level !

Preparing for the IB

Successfully navigating the International Baccalaureate (IB) program requires careful preparation and strategic planning. Here are some effective strategies to enhance your IB preparation:

Utilise IB Resources : Take advantage of specialised IB study materials, including study notes, past papers, and practice questions developed by experienced IB educators and examiners. These resources provide valuable insights into the types and formats of questions you can expect.
Engage with IB Tutors : Consider hiring a tutor for important subjects, such as an IB Maths tutor for personalised guidance on complex mathematical concepts and problem-solving strategies. Additionally, IB TOK tutors and IB Extended Essay tutors can help enhance your understanding of critical thinking and research skills, vital for success in these core components of the IB curriculum.
Time Management Skills : Learn to manage your time efficiently, balancing IB coursework with extracurricular activities. Effective time management is crucial for coping with the demanding IB curriculum and can help prevent burnout.
Regular Practice : Consistent practice is key to mastering IB subjects. Regularly test yourself under timed conditions to improve speed and accuracy, which are crucial during exams.
Seek Feedback : Regularly seek feedback on your performance from instructors. Constructive feedback can help identify areas of improvement and refine your study approach.
Develop Study Strategies : Work with your online tutor to develop effective study strategies that cater to your learning style. This can include creating study schedules, summarising information, and practicing active recall.

Incorporating these strategies into your IB preparation plan can significantly increase your chances of success, making the rigorous program more manageable and less stressful.

Final Thoughts

If you're applying to UK universities as an IB student , you can now convert your IB to UCAS Points!

Let’s go back to that imaginary student.

After they convert IB to UCAS, they got 136 points from their Higher/Advanced subjects, 60 from their Standard subjects, and 22 from their IB Core. In total, they gained 218 UCAS points. This score tells them if they’ll meet their dream university’s entry requirements – in fact, it’s enough for Oxbridge . Lucky them!

Remember – whatever number you get after converting your IB to UCAS, it’s always worth feeding into the UCAS tariff calculator , even just to double-check!

How does the UCAS tariff calculator work?

The UCAS tariff calculator is a handy tool that translates your qualifications and grades into a numerical value known as UCAS points. This system allows universities to compare different types of qualifications, which is particularly useful for international students. However, it's important to remember that not all qualifications are included in the tariff, and universities don't have to accept a qualification just because it's in the tariff tables. They also have the discretion to assign a different tariff value to a qualification than the one suggested by UCAS. Therefore, it's always a good idea to check the specific entry requirements of the universities you're interested in.

How do universities view uneven scores across different IB subjects?

Universities recognise that students have different strengths and weaknesses, and it's not uncommon for students to have uneven scores across their IB subjects. The IB is designed to assess students holistically, so even if you have lower grades in some subjects, you can still achieve a good overall score. However, universities often have specific requirements for higher-level subjects, especially for courses that are more specialised. Therefore, it's crucial to perform well in the subjects most relevant to your chosen course.

How does the UCAS system view the IB Core components?

The UCAS system acknowledges the value of the IB Core components, which include the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and the Extended Essay. These components are designed to develop students' critical thinking and research skills, which are highly valued in higher education. UCAS assigns tariff points to these components, but the exact value can vary between universities. Some universities may place a higher value on these components than others, especially if they emphasise independent research and critical thinking skills.

Where can I find IB study and revision notes?

At TutorChase, we offer a comprehensive collection of free revision notes and questions answered by expert tutors, explore them here:

IB Revision Notes
IB Q&A Forum

What is the maximum number of UCAS points I can earn from my IB score?

The maximum number of UCAS points you can earn from your IB score depends on your grades in your higher and standard level subjects, as well as your grades in the IB Core components. A perfect score of 45 in the IB, which includes 7s in all six subjects and an 'A' in the Extended Essay and TOK, would translate to a substantial number of UCAS points. However, the exact number can vary depending on how each university translates IB scores into UCAS points.

How can I improve my UCAS points if I'm an IB student?

Improving your UCAS points as an IB student involves focusing on your performance in your higher and standard level subjects, as well as the IB Core components. Achieving higher grades in these areas will naturally increase your UCAS points. Additionally, you can also consider completing additional qualifications that carry UCAS points, such as the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ).

What is the minimum IB score required for admission to UK universities?

The minimum IB score required for admission to UK universities can vary greatly depending on the university and the course. Some universities may require a minimum score of 24 (the minimum for the IB diploma), while more competitive universities and courses may require a score of 38 or higher. It's important to check the specific entry requirements for each university and course you're interested in.

How are the Theory of Knowledge and Extended Essay components of the IB evaluated by UK universities?

The Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and Extended Essay are core components of the IB and are highly valued by UK universities. These components are designed to develop critical thinking, research skills, and a deep understanding of the nature of knowledge. Universities evaluate these components by looking at the grades achieved, which are converted into UCAS points. However, the emphasis placed on these components can vary between universities and courses, so it's always a good idea to check specific course requirements.

How does a 'pass' grade in the IB translate to UCAS points for UK university admissions?

A 'pass' grade in the IB is a score of 24. This translates to a certain number of UCAS points, which can be calculated using the UCAS tariff calculator. However, it's important to note that while a 'pass' grade may meet the minimum requirements for the IB diploma, it may not meet the entry requirements for many UK universities, especially more competitive ones. Therefore, it's crucial to aim for as high a score as possible to increase your chances of admission.

What are the best IB schools?

The best IB schools are those that provide a rigorous and challenging education that prepares students for success in university and beyond. For a complete list read our article on the Best IB Schools in the World .

Need Expert IB Help?

Get in touch with the TutorChase team and we’ll be able to provide you with an expert IB tutor to help get top grades and attend your dream university. We’ll be there every step of the way!

Professional tutor and Cambridge University researcher

Written by: Charles Whitehouse

Charles scored 45/45 on the International Baccalaureate and has six years' experience tutoring IB and IGCSE students and advising them with their university applications. He studied a double integrated Masters at Magdalen College Oxford and has worked as a research scientist and strategy consultant.

How to Choose Your IB Subjects

Applying to UK Universities as an IB Student

What are the Hardest IB Subjects?

Hire a tutor

Please fill out the form and we'll find a tutor for you

Select your country
Afghanistan
Åland Islands
American Samoa
Antigua and Barbuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bouvet Island
British Indian Ocean Territory
Brunei Darussalam
Burkina Faso
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the
Cook Islands
Cote D'Ivoire
Czech Republic
Dominican Republic
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Faroe Islands
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French Southern Territories
Guinea-Bissau
Heard Island and Mcdonald Islands
Holy See (Vatican City State)
Iran, Islamic Republic Of
Isle of Man
Korea, Democratic People'S Republic of
Korea, Republic of
Lao People'S Democratic Republic
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Liechtenstein
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Marshall Islands
Micronesia, Federated States of
Moldova, Republic of
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Norfolk Island
Northern Mariana Islands
Palestinian Territory, Occupied
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Puerto Rico
Russian Federation
Saint Helena
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Serbia and Montenegro
Sierra Leone
Solomon Islands
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Switzerland
Syrian Arab Republic
Taiwan, Province of China
Tanzania, United Republic of
Timor-Leste
Trinidad and Tobago
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
United States Minor Outlying Islands
Virgin Islands, British
Virgin Islands, U.S.
Wallis and Futuna
Western Sahara

Still have questions? Let’s get in touch.

Our process

How does this work

Can i hire someone to write essay.

Student life is associated with great stress and nervous breakdowns, so young guys and girls urgently need outside help. There are sites that take all the responsibility for themselves. You can turn to such companies for help and they will do all the work while clients relax and enjoy a carefree life.

Take the choice of such sites very seriously, because now you can meet scammers and low-skilled workers.

On our website, polite managers will advise you on all the details of cooperation and sign an agreement so that you are confident in the agency. In this case, the user is the boss who hires the employee to delegate responsibilities and devote themselves to more important tasks. You can correct the work of the writer at all stages, observe that all special wishes are implemented and give advice. You pay for the work only if you liked the essay and passed the plagiarism check.

We will be happy to help you complete a task of any complexity and volume, we will listen to special requirements and make sure that you will be the best student in your group.

Link between plastic and heart attacks shows it's time to reduce packaging and its chemicals

Cranes lift waste, mostly plastic and paper at a recycling plant. Credit: AP/Oded Balilty

This guest essay reflects the views of former EPA regional administrator Judith Enck, president of Beyond Plastics and a professor at Bennington College.

Plastic has now been linked to increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and premature death in humans. At what point will policymakers realize this material — which lingers for centuries and is made with chemicals known to be toxic to humans — is as much a threat to human health as it is to the planet?

Plastic pollution entered our daily lives in the 1950s as single-use plastic like grocery bags, bottles, utensils, and food packaging began sullying our streets, parks, streams, beaches, and eventually the ocean. Recently, it’s become much more than just an environmental issue. Plastic has infiltrated our food, water, air, soil, and yes, even our bodies. It’s been found in human blood, lungs, breast milk, placentas, and more.

A March study in the New England Journal of Medicine found tiny plastic particles in human arteries — specifically the carotid arteries, which supply blood to the brain. That’s not the worst of it: Patients with plastic-tainted arteries were nearly five times more likely to suffer from a cardiovascular event like heart attack or stroke.

Still, the chemical additives in plastic are arguably more concerning. They have been associated with cancer, nervous system damage, hormone disruption, and fertility issues, just to name a few.

Over 16,000 chemicals are used in plastic to give it color, pliability, durability, fire resistance, and more. Of those, at least 4,200 are considered “highly hazardous” to human health and the environment. Thousands more haven’t even been tested for toxicity. Because these additives aren’t tightly bound to plastic, they can leach into our food and beverages from their plastic packages, especially when heated.

From our Editorial Board, get inside the local, city and state political scenes.

By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy .

We don’t need another 50 years of research to confirm that ingesting a nonbiodegradable, inorganic material made with toxic chemicals is a risk to human health. Our plastic exposure will only expand in the future — plastic production is expected to triple by 2060.

Inaction is no longer an option. Fortunately, New York state lawmakers are considering a transformational piece of public policy. If adopted, the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act would be the most sweeping packaging reduction law in the world, cutting plastic packaging in half over the next 12 years. After reduction, the remaining packaging must be reusable or recyclable.

This part alone is monumental, but the bill also requires some of the most toxic chemicals used in packaging to be eliminated. It would prohibit the use of PFAS (known as “forever chemicals”), lead, mercury, bisphenols, formaldehyde, vinyl chloride, and other chemicals in packaging — chemicals you probably didn’t know were in the plastic covering your food and drinks.

The legislation also would make a sizable dent in the nation’s plastic production and use, given New York’s ranking as the fourth-largest state in the country. If enacted, this bill would set a blueprint for other states to adopt.

New York legislators should remember this is an election year, and voters want to see effective policies to reduce plastic pollution. A 2022 poll found that 88% of people registered to vote in New York are concerned about single-use plastic products and support local and state policies to reduce single-use plastic.

We need Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins to bring the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act to the floor for a vote. Our health, and the planet’s health, are at stake. We have no more time to waste on waste.

THIS GUEST ESSAY reflects the views of former EPA regional administrator Judith Enck, president of Beyond Plastics and a professor at Bennington College.

IMAGES

How to Write an Extended Essay: The Fullest Guide
😍 Extended essay introduction example. Extended Essay Introduction
How to Write an Extended Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide
Extended Essay Structure Guide
😍 Extended essay structure. The Extended Essay Step by Step Guide 5
What is an Extended Essay? Requirements, Subjects, Reflections

VIDEO

Need You Now (Extended Mix)
What is Extended Essay? (Conclusion)
Czy można zmienić temat Extended Essay (EE)?
IB English A Lang & Lit Paper 1 essay outlining practice #1
M23: IB English A Paper 1 Non-Written text essay outlining, TZ1
PTE Writing Essay Changes

COMMENTS

UCAS Personal Statement and Examples
The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) Personal Statement is the main essay for your application to colleges and universities in Great Britain. UCAS gives a nice explanation here, ... The IB Extended Essay (like an A Level EPQ or a Capstone project) is a great topic to discuss in a personal statement, as these activities are ...
Everything You Need to Know About the EPQ: Full FAQ
The A-level extended project qualification (also known as the EPQ) is an A-level standard standalone qualification designed to develop a person's abilities beyond what is offered by the A-levels syllabus. The EPQ aims to demonstrate skills which will help the candidate's application for university or a job. The EPQ is worth up to 28 UCAS ...
IB EE on UCAS
IB EE on UCAS. A. IBstudent1603. 4. I am taking the IB and on my UCAS application I selected "Extended Essay" as my subject for the EE, but did not specify which subject I am doing the EE in. I assumed that entering "Extended Essay" from the drop-down menu would be enough. Do I need to contact universities to inform them about my extended essay ...
600 EPQ Ideas
An EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) allows A-Level students to write either a 5,000 word essay on any question or subject of their choice. Alternatively, students can create an artefact or product, and write a shorter essay explaining it. ... Even more importantly, an EPQ counts for extra UCAS points. This means that if you don't get the ...
Writing your personal statement
Writing your personal statement: carers, estranged students, refugees or asylum seekers. Everyone is individual, but certain life circumstances provide an opportunity to showcase the unique qualities and experiences you can bring to university life. Here you'll find everything you need to know about writing your personal statement.
The Complete IB Extended Essay Guide: Examples, Topics, and Ideas
References and bibliography. Additionally, your research topic must fall into one of the six approved DP categories, or IB subject groups, which are as follows: Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature. Group 2: Language Acquisition. Group 3: Individuals and Societies. Group 4: Sciences. Group 5: Mathematics.
Should I Do an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)?
Firstly, the EPQ is optional, while the Extended Essay is a compulsory part of the IB Diploma Programme. Secondly, the EPQ can be in the form of an essay or artefact (a scientific or mathematical model, sculpture or photography exhibition), whereas the EE is always a 4,000-word paper. An EPQ is not easy (even choosing the title can be a ...
International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma
IB statistics show that average point scores and pass marks have remained consistent over time (2012 average grade 29.8, 2016 30.0) About 79% of Diploma students internationally are awarded the Diploma each examination session. In the May 2016 exam 0.27% of candidates achieved 45 points whilst 7.3% achieved 40 or more.
How to Choose an EPQ Topic and Title (EPQ Advice #2)
So before you choose a specific topic and title, make sure there are some academic sources you could refer to, and enough things for you to discuss in detail. I suggest searching things like Google Scholar for sources and talking to teachers to get their opinions. So that's my advice. on choosing a topic and title.
EPQ
EPQ is short for Extended Project Qualification. An EPQ is an independent research project which involves writing an essay of 5000 words (that's around 10 typed pages), or creating a product, which might be anything from an art object to an iPhone app. As the project evolves, you must complete a production log to record specific stages of the ...
How To Make Your UCAS Application Stand Out
Looking at the UCAS application in separate parts, we only need to focus on 2, these are the experience and personal statement and references parts. ... These essay competitions can show off the same skills as an EPQ, as they show your ability to write an extended essay and independently carry out the research to do so.
Extended essay
The extended essay is an independent, self-directed piece of research, finishing with a 4,000-word paper. One component of the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) core, the extended essay is mandatory for all students. Read about the extended essay in greater detail. You can also read about how the IB sets deadlines for ...
PDF UCAS application: step-by-step guide
UCAS application: step-by-step guide All applications to UK universities (except for some Foundation courses and a few universities that accept ... choose the subject area of your Extended Essay and select "Extended Essay". Then choose "Theory of Knowledge". So you should end up with 8 entries in total: 6 main subjects, plus EE and TOK.
Written work
Extended essays. Extended essays for the International Baccalaureate, Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), or other pieces of work which exceed the 2,000 word limit are not acceptable as submitted written work. ... After you have submitted your UCAS application (and usually before the end of October), the college considering your application ...
Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
The extended project must be a single-unit, internally assessed qualification. Students need to produce a production log, verified by the supervisor, a written report, supplementary evidence and a presentation. Students will be assessed against four objectives: AO1 Manage. Identify, design, plan and complete the individual project or task ...
should i write about ib in my ucas personal statement? : r/IBO
There's something called UCAS Tariff which is supposed to be used by UK unis to convert scores of different programmes into universal equivalents. Based on that standard, IB 45 = AL 5A*, IB 40 = AL 4A*. However, it goes without saying that UK unis don't give a shit to this and weigh the applicants' achivements in their own ways.
Dates and deadlines for uni applications
Early deadline for 2024 entry. 18:00 (UK time) - any course at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, or for most courses in medicine, veterinary medicine/science, and dentistry. You can add choices with a different deadline later, but don't forget you can only have five choices in total. 31 Jan.
14+ Effective Ways to Get UCAS Points
The maximum number of UCAS points for the Extended Essay and Reflective Project components are once again 12. IB Extended Essay/ Reflective Project grade : UCAS points: A: 12: B: 10: C: 8: D: 6: E: 4: To learn more about the international Baccalaureate, check out this guide by UCAS. 12. Welsh Baccalaureate.
Should I add ToK and EE as a UCAS module?
UCAS allows to add ToK and EE as a module when entering the IB as a qualification. Should I add them? 0 Report. Reply. Reply 1. 15 years ago. ... yes.they are your bonus points afterall.. i put Economics-Extended Essay july 2009 TOK july 2009 because july is when you are getting your results. 0 Report. Reply. Reply 4. 15 years ago. ysl89.
How To Convert IB to UCAS Points
IB Core - the extended essay and Theory of Knowledge components - is normally graded from A to E, and this is how you convert IB to UCAS here: - Grade A = 12 UCAS points. - Grade B = 10 UCAS points. - Grade C = 8 UCAS points. - Grade D = 6 UCAS points. - Grade E = 4 UCAS points.
PDF UCAS Tariff
with the Higher Level, Standard Level, Theory of Knowledge, and Extended Essay being allocated individual points because they are accredited. The Community, Action, Service (CAS) element of the Core does not have UCAS Tariff points because it is not accredited. This approach allows higher education providers (HEPs) to have
Cyber Extended Project Qualification (CyberEPQ)
Assessment. The extended project is an internally assessed qualification and the final grade is awarded by City and Guilds. Students need to complete up to 11 modules in different aspects of cyber and reflect on each in a journal, produce a production log, verified by the supervisor, a written report (5,000 words), and a presentation.
Extended Essay Ucas Points
Extended Essay Ucas Points - User ID: 309674. 1722 Orders prepared. Verification link has been re-sent to your email. Click the link to activate your account. ... Extended Essay Ucas Points, Essay On My Older Sister For Class 3, Primary Homework Help Co Uk History Index, How To Write An Academic Essay In English Phd Students Linguistics, How To ...
Link between plastic and heart attacks shows it's time to reduce
By Judith EnckGuest essay Updated April 24, 2024 5:20 pm Share This guest essay reflects the views of former EPA regional administrator Judith Enck, president of Beyond Plastics and a professor at ...