Duke of Edinburgh Award: Will it Boost My UCAS Application? D of E Silver 0 UCAS points. Thats not to say that your application will suffer if you only have three A-levels offers are almost always given based on three A-levels anyway (top universities might give an offer that includes four A-levels, but only if the candidate in question happens to be studying four). It helps young people develop social and interpersonal skills as well as promoting confidence and self-esteem. To apply to Oxford, students would need to have completed, or be studying for, at least 120 points at stage 1 or above, in appropriate subjects. You would take these at Sixth Form instead of A-Levels. However, it may mean that you already have some UCAS Points, or that you can get UCAS Points by completing the exams (if you are already at a high level). Does your child already have a full schedule, with other extracurricular activities and relevant work experience to the university course theyd like to apply for? There are no scores or grades, participants either pass or not. We recommend speaking with your expedition provider. Of the 4 people I know at Oxford, only 1 has done DofE. How many UCAS points do you need for Oxford? Definitely the expeditions! DofE is split into three different levels, which you can take at different ages and which differ in intensity and material required. For people who complete the Gold award (which, by the way, is the only one in which any universities are going to be interested), you will have to do the fifth element. Gold is the final stage of the Duke of Edinburgh award. AS-Levels are another great way to earn UCAS Points. The most daunting part of a UCAS application is the Personal Statement: 4000 characters to explain your suitability for higher education. The Modern Foreign Languages short courses (for which you can choose from Italian, French, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Spanish and German) would be particularly useful in the long-term, as the ability to speak other languages has long been acknowledged as something that makes you more enjoyable. For example, you might be leaning towards doing all humanities subjects at A-level, because thats whats going to give you the best chances of securing a place on a particular degree course; but you still want to be able to show potential employers that your knowledge of maths is higher than GCSE, as this will help you stand out a bit more. Participants must work through these in turn and satisfy various criteria. school clubs that look good to universities, looks good on your university application. Writing about the course. Volunteering is not only a good way of adding to your UCAS Points, but it is also a wonderful addition to your CV. Is it actually going to help to get you into some of the best universities in the country? The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, presents the award but thats about the only role he has in the whole thing. There are lots of DofE residential providers across the UK offering a variety of activities. For example, if you did photography as your skill and are now looking to enrol on a photography degree, or if your volunteering involved . Learning a musical instrument can be a fun pastime, and is a great way to earn some extra UCAS Points. Would an academic institution care if school pupils had walked across Cornwall for three days? Dance Examinations are a great way to earn extra UCAS Points. in lincoln university baseball 2022General; does gold dofe give ucas points . If you want to earn extra UCAS Points, you can take an extra Cambridge Pre-U Qualification, so that you are studying 4 courses. The UCAS Website will provide you with more information about the Scottish Highers. In addition, you will have to do a short presentation to a small group within your Sixth Form. The Student Room and The Uni Guide are both part of The Student Room Group. Many students consider taking more than the standard three AS/A-Levels, or they will take an A Level course on top of their core T-Level. AS-Levels can be taken in either your first or second year. Actually, it aims to get you improving yourself in a whole myriad of ways. Bronze is open to anyone aged 14 and above. Beyond your academic achievements, universities want to see evidence of so called soft skills that you have developed through extra-curricular activities, such as communication, commitment, leadership and teamwork. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You can do some in depth research about a subject that interests you, to then write a 5,000 word essay, which will answer a question that you have set yourself. Dorset LAMDA Exams are another great example of a way to get yourself out of a classroom setting to earn some extra UCAS Points, and they can be taken at any point, so If you have already done some (from Grade 6 Grade 8) you may already have some UCAS Points. Bronze is open to anyone aged 14 and above. You might have guessed that you are awarded a certain number of these points for each of your A-levels, with a higher number of points for higher grades; but what you might not have known is that there are many more ways of boosting your number of UCAS points beyond simply completing your A-levels. No, I want to find out more. Personal development is the name of the game. Uni rejects application for something not mention in entry requirment, Any other good/free programs like Sutton trust or UNIQ. There are a variety of courses available, such as: These courses are intended for students aged 16 and above, and they are great for making you look like a more desirable employee when you start looking for work. Either way, an EPQ is a great way to develop your academic skills in the subject that you want to continue studying at University, and it will give you something extra to add to your personal statement! You will not receive UCAS points for completing the Duke of Edinburgh Award. 60. Truth: The D of E does not equal any UCAS points, Myth: The D of E is important for a UCAS application, Truth: It is a recognisable achievement, but for UCAS applications, exam, Myth: The D of E makes my UCAS application unique. These are the sorts of questions that you are going to have to ask yourself in relation to your DofE. There are some circumstances where it is acceptable to know one or two other people, but the majority of the residential group should be unknown. There are many reasons to do DofE, in addition to the adventure of the expedition, the confidence building, learning new skills and volunteering. Cumulus Outdoors are based in Dorset and run Gold canoe and walking expeditions. Copyright The Student Room 2023 all rights reserved. Debate with GF/BF: TSR votes will decide! You can gain up to 50 extra UCAS points and help out a good cause by taking an ASDAN Community Volunteering Qualification. Check out my post Use DofE to make your CV and Personal Statement shine for the full rundown. For those looking to demonstrate an extremely high level of English language ability, the Certificate of Proficiency in English gains you up to 140 UCAS points and improves your English for employment and academic purposes. Students can take 3-4 of their courses at Higher Level (which comprises of around 240 teaching hours) and the remaining subjects at Standard Level (which is made up of around 150 hours of teaching). You must volunteer in the community for at least 12 months and complete the physical and skill sections. Most obviously, you can boost your number of UCAS points by taking on an extra A-level or AS-level. In a similar way to Music Formal Exams, you can earn UCAS Points from Grades 6-8. Some of the subjects also offer one year courses (which could perhaps be compared to AS-Levels). Qualities that colleges, universities and employers are attracted to. These are designed to take the stress out of planning, training and equipping teams. The difference is that Pre-U Qualifications give students more of an opportunity to work independently, so that they are more prepared for University study. One of the main goals of the Duke of Edinburghs Award is to improve young peoples social skills and interaction with peers. The other two need only be half that length of time. Available subjects are broadly similar to A-level subject choices, with a few that are different to the standard A-level subjects, including Classical Heritage, Comparative Government and Politics, and Economics. In fact, simply as an addition to your CV and University Application, its not really necessary for you to do a course and gain the qualification (though if it is something that is available to you it shouldnt be turned down!). 0. It shows them too that you are an independent person who can look after themselves and who isnt just their exam results. It can also demonstrate commitment and independence to potential employers and educational establishments. What are the Duke of Edinburgh Award UCAS application points? BTECs are another common alternative to A-Levels. However, some universities look at extracurricular activities favourably during the admission process. Like the musical instrument exams, speech and drama exams earn UCAS points from Grade 6 upwards, with a maximum of 65 points for a distinction at Grade 8, or 90 for a PCertLAM (LAMDA Level 3 Certificate in Speech & Drama: Performance Studies). All Rights Reserved. It demonstrates commitment, hard-work, determination and your ability to work independently and as part of a team. You can't list it as a qualification in your education section. It does not serve any purpose on your UCAS form beyond the personal statement, where you are entitled to push it hard. As weve seen, accumulating extra UCAS points can involve saddling yourself with even more academic work, but it doesnt have to: you can have fun with more vocational qualifications and pick up UCAS points in the process. However, some universities look at extracurricular activities favourably during the admission process. When Did Stirling Stop Being The Capital Of Scotland? I would mention that you can succeed without outside help even in potentially harsh conditions, have the mental and physical power to overcome challenges and can work well as a team. Just as you can earn UCAS points for graded musical instrument exams, so you can accumulate them by taking exams in speech and drama. This will indicate to universities that you can adapt to new surroundings and thus fit in well. UCAS points are the most important piece of information for universities considering new students. Not at all, by all means do it if you have the time, but your exam results are far more important. Though this does not mean that it is limited to this group. Some Universities may also have their own specific systems of UCAS Points, where they only accept a certain number for extra activities, or they dont count them in their offer totals at all. At the same time, youll have to track your progress and check in with DofE leaders, who will be helping you along the way. It does not serve any purpose on your UCAS form beyond the personal statement, where you are entitled to push it hard. Remember, they are academic institutions and their primary function is to educate academically. No. Report. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The Duke of Edinburgh Award is a fun and educational programme for young people aged 14-24. That's right, even with walking 14 Miles a day on the Gold DofE, UCAS points are not awarded (though a shiny Duke of Edinburgh gold medal is up for grabs). Residentials are a great way to explore creative outlets and learn new skills e.g., taking part in a jewellery making course or trying a new sport. Which parts of the UCAS application can you use your DofE experience in? Young Enterprise is a programme that has been running since 1963. There are age restrictions for each level of the Duke of Edinburgh Award. 806 8067 22 Registered Office: Imperial House, 2nd Floor, 40-42 Queens Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 3XB, Taking a break or withdrawing from your course, http://www.dofe.org/en/content/cms/about-us/our-impact/, Official UCL 2023 Undergraduate Applicants Thread. Improve your Mathematics with a Free-standing Mathematics Qualification. At the end of the expedition, you will be required to give a presentation (written, verbal, exhibition etc. Performance is a great confidence boost, too, thus extending your comfort zone and improving your ability to take on new challenges. Therefore, it depends which Universities that you are applying to as to how essential UCAS Points are, so it is important to do your research! The number of UCAS Points that you can earn are listed on the ABRSM Website. It is aimed at students aged 16 and over to allow them to develop their employability skills. Even better, they dont all involve devoting even more of your time to studying from textbooks. If you are interested in doing a short volunteering course, the details of ASDANs programme are found on the ASDAN Website. What are the Hardest GCSEs? Every young person can enter the award program. Qualifications as well as your academic qualifications, remember to include your DofE Award. The DofE also helped me when applying for summer placements; I was successful getting placements at a local wildlife trust, two veterinary clinics and an internship in South Africa, all of which would not have been possible without the DofE giving me the confidence to give things a go. Theres one section of the UCAS application where the DofE can be utilised, that is what we unofficially call The Duke of Edinburgh Personal Statement.. So now you might be thinking if all that hard work does not equal UCAS points, then how to add the Duke of Edinburgh Award to my UCAS application at all? The test includes reading, writing, listening and speaking elements. The qualifications are all about developing your volunteering skills and knowledge, and recognising the unpaid work you do for the benefit of your community. The Duke of Edinburghs Award is a registered charity in England and Wales (1072490) and Scotland (SC038254). Copyright 2022 Think Student Ltd. Company No. Apprenticeships are a great way to get qualified while also earning a wage. You must decide on an aim as part of your DofE Gold expedition to give purpose to your walk. Pre-16 Qualifications Most courses also require that you have certain pre-16 qualifications, including GCSE Maths and English. You will not receive UCAS points for completing the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Regardless, the skills which you learn from some of the ways that you can gain UCAS Points will aid your application, as they can help to demonstrate the wide variety of skills that you possess. Why did this happen? Due to this, the accuracy of articles on this site cannot always be guaranteed. The Gold residential must include 5 consecutive days of group activities and at least 4 nights away from home. At Award and Certificate level (Level 3), these qualifications give you 30 and 50 points respectively. They generally have a more vocational basis, which allows you to develop useful employability skills in the subject that you have chosen to study. Would they be interested in the fact that you volunteered during senior school? 10 Brilliant Ways to Get More UCAS Points. A Cambridge Pre-U Qualification is an alternative to A-Levels which is equivalent in value. You can start the DofE award at the age of 14 but you must be at least 16 years old to start the Gold level. Alternatively, you can create a product (such as an app or an artistic object), or a production (such as a charity event or fashion show) and write a 1,000 word essay to accompany it. If i drop a subject can universities withdraw my offer? On the other hand, law related courses will usually ask for ABB at A-Level which amounts to 128 UCAS points. That's key stage 4. They equate to half of an A-Level, as you only complete the first year of the course. Reply 13. 20. OK, its a bit more involved than simply going horse riding, but if youre a keen rider then you can use your equestrian skills to your advantage by taking qualifications from the British Horse Society. Taking 4 A-Levels is a challenge, but if you do it successfully, it does increase the number of UCAS Points that you will earn, while also giving you good knowledge of a whole extra subject. Silver DofE UCAS points also do not exist and so it will come as no surprise that the Bronze DofE follows the same pattern. DOFE gives you ucas points. Here's what universities want to see in your application - and how you can show them everything you've got. Does Gold DofE get UCAS points? DofE is split into three different levels, which you can take at different ages and which differ in intensity and material required. Helping there strengthened my passion for working with animals and, due to this, I decided to study Animal Management at university. 0 UCAS pointsD of E Bronze 0 UCAS points. reply. Participants take part in a range of fun-filled watersports and land-based sessions on Dorsets Jurassic Coast. If you have done your Silver or Gold DofE, mention the skills, physical and volunteering sections too, as they indicate that you will follow commitments through even if it takes up your time which you may need for other activities. Does Oxford care about Duke of Edinburgh? These are a good way of gaining more vocational qualifications that could benefit your future career plans, or simply to develop skills in something you find interesting whilst gaining UCAS points at the same time. So, yes, universities do like to see a Duke of Edinburgh Award on your UCAS form, but only insofar as it tells them something about you. Which parts of the UCAS application can you use your DofE experience in? I have also gained more understanding of others, as during my Residential I worked at a respite holiday care home for people with disabilities which helped me to become more aware of others in need. Spending more time in a library, taking an extra A-level, can be well worth it. The 10 Hardest A Level Subjects to Run Towards or Away From! I also explained how doing this allowed me to become a Cub Scout Young leader and then a Leader and how I used this for the Volunteering section of my Silver DofE programme. It is not only incredibly useful in terms of your University Application, but also in your future employment opportunities. What Is The Average Salary For It People In Edinburgh? Many schools, colleges and universities deliver the DofE programme and this can be very convenient for students to integrate into their studies. You never know, it could make a difference in getting into your first-choice university and you never know where that could take you! I mentioned that I had been part of Scouting since the age of 6 and had completed many challenges including trips to Germany, Estonia and Poland and hiking in the Peak District. This is known as the Residential element, and it involves you staying and working away for five days. Pre-U Qualifications can be taken in 24 different subjects, and you can do a combination of Pre-U Qualifications and A-Levels for your 3 subjects of choice. It also demonstrates to Universities that you are good at learning more practical skills something that is likely to be useful in your future studying and careers. Horse-Riding is another fun way to earn UCAS Points, which does not have an especially academic basis. Gold residential costs vary between provider. does gold dofe give ucas points. If you think that an Access to HE Diploma is the ideal path for you, have a look at this helpful website. Do universities like Duke Edinburgh Award? Is there anything that the award shows that you can contribute to university life? It should be something you are interested in and be suitable for completing in wild country without external help. However, you should remember that Volunteering is not only beneficial in terms of UCAS Points so it is still worth considering it as an option to broaden your skills. That's right, even with walking 14 Miles a day on the Gold DofE, UCAS points are not awarded (though a shiny Duke of Edinburgh gold medal is up for grabs). So, do universities care about the Duke of Edinburgh? At Cumulus Outdoors our residentials start from 270. University of California, Berkeley (ages 15-18), 10 Brilliant Ways to Get More UCAS Points. Scottish Highers are essentially the Scottish equivalent to A-Levels. They will also usually only be counted towards specific courses, e.g. GoStudent is the #1 online tutoring platform for children. The residential provides participants with an opportunity to expand their horizons and pursue new and existing interests and passions. Subject areas you can choose from for the Free-standing Mathematics Qualification include Additional Maths, Using and Applying Statistics, Working with Algebraic and Graphical Techniques, and Modelling with Calculus. Never consider sources in isolation and always do your own independent research before making decisions. Obviously, the amount of UCAS Points you can gain varies based on whether you achieve a Pass, Merit or Distinction in your exam so it is really worth practicing hard in your preparation. These courses are designed to be excellent preparation for university, and are now widely recognised by admissions tutors, including by the Ivy League universities in the USA. Does the Duke of Edinburgh award look good on a CV? Depending on the chosen programme you can stay in our purpose-built residential centre with dormitory accommodation or in our tented village. captcha. Cambridge ESOL Programmes are aimed at students who do not speak English as their first language, so if you are a native English speaker, unfortunately this is not a way that you can earn extra UCAS Points. Contents show 1 How many UCAS points is gold DofE? IP-address: 40.77.167.8. So, no, you cant just do the expedition. Your gold award in DofE isnt a golden ticket to any higher education institution that you fancy. Ask your school or college about undertaking these courses to up your UCAS points! To count towards your Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award the residential must be away from home and last for at least 4 nights and 5 consecutive days. According to reports from UCAS, most business-related courses require BBB at A-Level which brings a total of 120 UCAS points. If you are living in Wales, a great way to earn some more UCAS Points is by completing some Essential Skills courses, to develop your employability skills. This is through a programme called DofE Direct. More information about Essential Skills Wales can be found here. Andy98. It helped me to be confident and go for things I would have only dreamed of before doing the DofE. These components are: If you would like to find out more about the International Baccalaureate and how it works, information about the Diplo. The DofE award is a program independent from school qualifications that young people choose to undertake. I am not a robot. This means that if you wanted to take a BTEC at Sixth Form, you would need to be more certain of the career path you wanted to take earlier on. However, if you are in primary school or just not yet in the right stage of secondary education, you are going to have to wait. It can be taken alongside GCSEs or A-Levels. The reason why it is technically called an adventurous journey is because it is not required for you to walk. Unfortunately, this doesnt answer the question of whether it will get you into university.