If you need 144 points to do your dream university course, you'll need three A-level A grades. Is DofE good for CV? The bronze award should take participants 26 weeks. You can't list it as a qualification in your education section. If music or drama arent quite your thing, but youre still inclined towards the performing arts, you might be interested to know that you can gain extra UCAS points through dancing. Lets take a closer look at how the Duke of Edinburgh Award can help your university admissions. 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! If youre not taking Mathematics as an A-level subject, but want a qualification in it just to prove that youre proficient, you could take a Free-standing Mathematics Qualification. You can also use the DofE if you get invited for an interview. The expedition is the part that participants are usually most apprehensive about and a popular question is How far do you walk on the Bronze DofE ? There must be a minimum of 6 hours travelling each day, which equates to on average 16km or 10 Miles each day on foot. The DofE award is a program independent from school qualifications that young people choose to undertake. As a Gold Award holder, I also recommend including details of your residential and explaining that you did not know anyone but still managed to complete the activities while challenging yourself, learning new skills and making new friends. This will vary depending on when and where you are completing your expedition. Remember, they are academic institutions and their primary function is to educate academically. If yes, then the DofE could be a useful tool to display non-academic achievements in a UCAS university personal statement as well as being a beneficial experience overall. There are a number of criteria that must be met in order to complete your DofE Gold expedition. It is aimed at students aged 16 and over to allow them to develop their employability skills. You also have the option of taking the Certificate in Advanced English, which is a less advanced qualification that offers 70 points to those who achieve an A grade. An Extended Project Qualification (or EPQ) is a great way of adding to your UCAS Points. You can earn UCAS Points from Grade 6 - Grade 8, in both instrumental and music theory exams. The residential provides participants with an opportunity to expand their horizons and pursue new and existing interests and passions. If so, youll be pleased to learn that the exams you do will give you extra UCAS points from Grade 6 upwards. 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. These qualifications are an excellent addition to the university applications of those whose native language isnt English, as theyre a respected way of proving that you can use English to an exceptional level, including specifically for an academic context. 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. With the UCAS application process now open for 2020 entry to universities and colleges, Kira Jarvis, one of our Gold Award holders, shares her personal experience and advice on using your DofE experience to enhance your submission. There is a small participation and welcome pack fee when you sign up to each level of the award. I would not have even applied to do this if I had not done my DofE as it has reduced my nerves while talking to people I do not know and with assisting professionals or qualified staff members. It is often a good idea to consider which subject you want to take at University when you are choosing which A-Levels you should take. 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 qualification is aimed to bridge the gap between GCSE and AS-Level, but does not mean that you have to take A-Level maths after you have done it. 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. Employers and higher education establishments value the award and its an excellent talking point in interviews. Would they benefit from the focus and structure that a DofE programme provides? Along with the practical skills such qualifications instil, they also teach you the ability to work well with others a useful skill to be able to talk about in job applications and interviews. They want proof of that. Apprenticeships are a great way to get qualified while also earning a wage. More information about this certificate can be found here. Does Gold DofE get UCAS points? Never consider sources in isolation and always do your own independent research before making decisions. You will feel a huge sense of achievement when you have completed all of the sections and receive your award. The platform that connects students with their private tutors, The best Academic tutoring tutors available. In terms of skills for the workplace, there are numerous useful courses to choose from, such as the AAT Certificate in Accounting or the Certificate of Personal Effectiveness, the latter of which gives you 70 UCAS points and aims to develop skills to improve your employability, such as problem solving and working with others. It does not serve any purpose on your UCAS form beyond the personal statement, where you are entitled to push it hard. To qualify as a DofE Gold Award residential the activity must take place over 5 days and include 4 consecutive nights away from home. Volunteering is not only a good way of adding to your UCAS Points, but it is also a wonderful addition to your CV. The UCAS Website will provide you with more information about the Scottish Highers. Completing the Gold DofE award can be challenging, but it is an extremely rewarding and enjoyable experience. Which parts of the UCAS application can you use your DofE experience in? While it's standard to take three A-levels, many of the brightest students will be taking four or even five A-levels, or four . Many of them develop invaluable transferrable skills for success in your working life, which may prove critical to securing a job, either part-time during your university studies, or full-time once you graduate. If you are over the age of 18 you can complete the award independently with the support of DofE leader via email and telephone. Its good to keep perspective however, with 330,000 students participating in the DofE in the 20/21 season its not an unusual achievement by itself. Does Gold DofE get UCAS points? Does Duke of Edinburgh Give You UCAS Points? All Rights Reserved. Unfortunately, (similarly to Music Exams) this is not a quick way of earning UCAS Points, as a Grade 6 Exam requires a lot of skill and practice. The thing about these timings is that if only one of the three sections has to be this long. It is also a qualification which is really valued by Universities as it demonstrates your individual study skills. Diplomas, certificates and awards give you the opportunity to gain skills in a vocational subject that interests you. Youll get 20 UCAS points if you achieve an A grade. The Certificate of Proficiency in English will equip you with the English skills necessary to take your studies to PhD level and beyond, write confidently about any subject, be a powerful negotiator in the world of business and talk articulately about complex issues and ideas. Some of the subjects also offer one year courses (which could perhaps be compared to AS-Levels). There are many reasons to do DofE, in addition to the adventure of the expedition, the confidence building, learning new skills and volunteering. DofE isn't a formal qualification. There are plenty of programmes that can count towards your Gold DofE residential. The DofE gives variety to a CV and is certainly an asset. The opinions expressed within articles on this site reflect the opinions of individual student contributors, not Think Student as a whole. Which parts of the UCAS application can you use your DofE experience in? Those involved in the programme are required, in . BTECs are another common alternative to A-Levels. It usually takes around 1 year to complete, but can be done on a part-time basis over a few years to suit you. Some voccational qualifications do give UCAS points, however these are usually exams with a standardised assessment procedure. Depending on the chosen programme you can stay in our purpose-built residential centre with dormitory accommodation or in our tented village. Qualifications as well as your academic qualifications, remember to include your DofE Award. There are a number of different qualifications and courses which will help international students develop their English skills, however the main 2 qualifications which allow you to earn UCAS points are: Not only does this kind of qualification give you UCAS Points, but it also will benefit you greatly in the worlds of work and higher education if you are not a native English speaker. He able to get offer from KcL, durman, and imperial. Your email address will not be published. captcha. The group activities must be with new people and enable you to further explore new or existing interests. Learning a musical instrument can be a fun pastime, and is a great way to earn some extra UCAS Points. They will be able to provide you with a detailed kit list containing all of the equipment and clothing you will need. 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. Cumulus Outdoors Residential Centre More information about Essential Skills Wales can be found here. Writing about the course. 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.. You can earn UCAS Points from Grade 6 Grade 8, in both instrumental and music theory exams. Students can earn UCAS points by doing AS- Level, A-Level exams and IB diplomas, as well as through a few smaller independent qualifications. 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. 0 UCAS pointsD of E Bronze 0 UCAS points. Enjoy a fun-filled activity programme including coasteering, kayaking, climbing, abseiling and more. Your gold award in DofE isnt a golden ticket to any higher education institution that you fancy. The points you can gain range from 5 UCAS points for a pass at Grade 6 to 75 points for a Distinction at Grade 8. 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. Whatever you mention, just make sure you explain how it helped you develop and how you would adapt this to study to succeed. In a similar way to A-Levels, you will have a broader range of subjects that you can continue with at degree level. The bronze award should take participants 26 weeks. You must volunteer in the community for at least 12 months and complete the physical and skill sections. Working towards the DofE leads many young people to gain life skills, work experience and push themselves out of their comfort zone. It shows them too that you are an independent person who can look after themselves and who isnt just their exam results. Participants take part in a range of fun-filled watersports and land-based sessions on Dorsets Jurassic Coast. So, do universities care about the Duke of Edinburgh? The number of UCAS Points that you can earn are listed on the ABRSM Website. They are offered by Sixth Forms, and allow you to choose which subjects you want to study moving forward. Cumulus also runs bronze, silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh walking and kayaking expeditions. No. Cobblers Lane Official: University of Sheffield A100 2023 entry, UCL postgraduate applicants thread 2023/2024, Barts and The London (QMUL) Dentistry 2023 Entry, hsbc work experience early careers programme stimulate assessment, Border Force Officer - Core and Mobile teams recruitment campaign September 2022. nah you can. There are age restrictions for each level of the Duke of Edinburgh Award. What skills and experience did you mention? You can go on horse, on boat, on bike, or anything that isnt motorised. I also have more confidence to help me succeed. At Cumulus Outdoors we specialise in outdoor adventure activity residentials. By the time they do a Grade 8 they can earn nearly the equivalent of an A-Level (30 UCAS points). Find out what else looks good on your university application! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You will not receive UCAS points for completing the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Although dance can be challenging and requires a lot of work, it can be used as a good way to have a break from your academic studies while also allowing you to do something that has the potential to help your academic career. It helps young people develop social and interpersonal skills as well as promoting confidence and self-esteem. This means that if you have been learning a musical instrument, and doing the exams as you go along, you may be lucky enough to already have some UCAS Points. . Duke of Edinburgh is the initiative that takes place in secondary school across schools in England and the rest of the UK. UCL emailed about my grade 4 in GCSE maths, please help. 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. But lets just say that the Duke of Edinburgh Award or DofE, as it is known perhaps doesnt help in the way that you think it does. A diploma requires you to have over 370 hours of training, a Certificate requires you to train for between 130 370 hours, and Awards require you to have up to 130 hours of training. Doing my DofE also gave me the skills to adapt to the less structural way of life at university, allowed me to feel confident that I had made the right choice, and made me realise that, no matter what, there is no harm in applying for new opportunities, as you never know where or what they may lead to. This doesnt just mean your test scores or exam results. Why should you do the Duke of Edinburgh award? There are 5 sections to complete as part of the Gold DofE award. In this article, we look at the different ways in which you can raise your number of UCAS points to help the results part of your university application stand out from the crowd. Your email address will not be published. Report. 5 (12 reviews) It is a very flexible way of achieving qualifications because of the ability that it gives you to combine A-Level and Pre-U courses. Our systems have detected unusual traffic from your computer network. Beyond that, its a way of showing employers that you have a superb command of the English language, which youll need in order to be able to communicate effectively with colleagues and customers when working in a business. Ask your school or college about undertaking these courses to up your UCAS points! Participants may also find that they enjoy the experience more than they expected and acquire new skills to write about in their UCAS personal statement too. Unfortunately though, you will not be able to get involved in this unless you are living and studying in Wales. The maximum age to complete the DofE Awards is 25 years old. No. 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. Required fields are marked *. music exams towards music, BHS exams towards animal related courses and so on. Most obviously, you can boost your number of UCAS points by taking on an extra A-level or AS-level. Enol online now or call +44 1865 954800 to book your place. All apprentices earn a specific minimum wage (details of which can be found here). The difference really between BTECs and A-Levels is the fact that BTECs are more specific. Most of all, completing the various DofE levels is fun and allows you to spend time with friends! Official University of Edinburgh 2023 Applicant Thread, Official LSE Undergraduate Applicants thread 2023, students going to University of Leeds 2023 September, Cambridge and international qualifications, Official UNIVERSITY of BATH 2023 entry thread, Oxford History Applicants 2023 - Undergraduate & Postgraduate, Official Oxford 2023 Postgraduate Applicants Thread. At the same time, youll have to track your progress and check in with DofE leaders, who will be helping you along the way. Rather, as we discussed in our piece on the school clubs that look good to universities, its much more about what you do with it. Lots of parents recognise a connection between the Duke of Edinburgh Award UCAS Application for university. 112 points may sound like a lot, but actually, its not as bad as it seems and most students can achieve it with studying 3 A Levels. GoStudent is the #1 online tutoring platform for children. Leave a rating. It demonstrates commitment, hard-work, determination and your ability to work independently and as part of a team. This is one of the best decisions I have ever made; the skills I gained at the stables are adaptable to other animals and my studies, and the course has given me so many opportunities I would not have had if I had not applied to university or taken up my offer. The Duke of Edinburghs Award is a registered charity in England and Wales (1072490) and Scotland (SC038254). Standard Level, which can earn you up to 28 Points. The distance you walk per day on DofE varies between awards. You must also undertake an expedition that lasts 4 days and 3 nights as well as a residential. One of the biggest providers of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Bronze Award YOU CAN REGISTER AS SOON AS YOU ARE IN THE SCHOOL YEAR IN WHICH YOU WILL TURN 14 This is usually the most challenging element for participants who must trek with their tent, water and cooking supplies carried on their backs. Since then, it has been growing and growing and, these days, there are over 450,000 participants at any one time in the UK. The company contracts with institutions, including the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Yale, for the use of their facilities, and also contracts with tutors from those institutions, but does not operate under the aegis of the University of Oxford or those other institutions. 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. When Did Stirling Stop Being The Capital Of Scotland? Naturally, some groups will do less than this, and others more. The most daunting part of a UCAS application is the Personal Statement: 4000 characters to explain your suitability for higher education. Some apprenticeships will require you to have a certain number of GCSEs at a minimum grade or higher, and some higher-level apprenticeships will require you to have further qualification (such as A Levels) in subjects which relate to the apprenticeship. Distance learning courses and evening classes at your local college are two avenues for you to explore for completing an award, certificate or diploma in your spare time, alongside your A-level studies. Read More 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. It also gives you something to talk about on your personal statement (eg confidence). Although the International Baccalaureate as a whole will not earn you any UCAS Points, each component of it will. There are 3 levels (Bronze, Silver and Gold) and a number of sections to complete. Would they be interested in the fact that you volunteered during senior school? By continuing to use our website without changing the settings, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Stage 3 qualifications, in Riding and in Horse Knowledge and Care, give you 35 UCAS points each, as does the Preliminary Teachers Certificate (Equine Coach). Silver DofE UCAS points also do not exist and so it will come as no surprise that the Bronze DofE follows the same pattern. R-CAPTCHA. Do an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). The Duke of Edinburgh Award started in 1956 as a project to attract schoolboys who were not enrolled in Scouts or a similar group, but it was soon extended to young women in the following year. Its important to choose a residential programme that interests you and allows you to explore your passions further. Participants must work through these in turn and satisfy various criteria. 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. The best Academic tutoring tutors available. It is possible to progress straight to gold DofE. For Bronze, the expedition has to be two days and one night, with six hours of activity on each day. Most obviously, you can boost your number of UCAS points by taking on an extra A-level or AS-level. 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. It can be taken alongside GCSEs or A-Levels. Use our quick UCAS tariff chart below to find out what your predicted UCAS points could be at A-level: Suitable for aspiring actors and those who just enjoy performing, these qualifications develop your theatrical skills and enables you to get better at speaking clearly. It can also demonstrate commitment and independence to potential employers and educational establishments. 5 (39 reviews) Siddharth. If you want to find out more about the types of apprenticeship that you can do, take a look at the UCAS Website. Its a good thing to do regardless of whether it will give your application a boost. Every effort has been made to keep costs down to ensure the DofE award is accessible to all. If youre thinking of doing this, talk to the teachers at your school to find out what subjects would fit into your timetable. 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). Plus, a DofE can also provide a good talking point in the interview, especially for a young person without much other work experience. According to reports from UCAS, most business-related courses require BBB at A-Level which brings a total of 120 UCAS points. The Award is designed to test and improve all sorts of different non-academic skills and it is intended to get you contributing to your community through voluntary activities. 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. For example, the NCFE Level 3 Certificate in Photography is worth 60 points, or 120 if you do the full diploma. Dorset There are lots of organisations in the UK who are licensed to run the DofE. 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. Achieving my DofE Award has helped me to have more courage to apply for jobs and be more confident in interviews, which I would not have done so easily before doing my DofE. It does not serve any purpose on your UCAS form beyond the personal statement, where you are entitled to push it hard. There are a wide range of courses that you can complete and be examined in to earn points, all of which are listed on the LAMDA Website. It comprises of four sections for Bronze and Silver and 5 sections for Gold. We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our site. Students can take 4 to 6 Highers in total, so if you want to earn extra UCAS Points, the more subjects the better! You must decide on an aim as part of your DofE Gold expedition to give purpose to your walk. So, if youve got the time, and you can afford to do so, I would wholeheartedly recommend DofE Gold. But an extra A-level should certainly boost your application particularly if its in one of the facilitating subjects and youll get up to 140 extra UCAS points. These are known as bronze, silver, and gold level. I have become more of a team player and will make sure everyones voice is heard as Course Representative. The residentials take place in a scenic location on the world-famous Jurassic Coast. It helped me to be confident and go for things I would have only dreamed of before doing the DofE. If you are interested in doing a short volunteering course, the details of ASDANs programme are found on the ASDAN Website. What Is The Average Salary For It People In Edinburgh? 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!). The Skills Challenge Certificate (SCC) can be taken as a standalone graded qualification for students in Wales. Think Student Ltd is a participant in the Amazon Services Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk. 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. 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. Do universities like Duke Edinburgh Award? Anything else youd like to add? They will provide you with a checklist containing everything you need to bring for your time away from home. For Silver, this extends to three days and two nights, with seven hours on each day. Take an extra A-level or AS-level. They generally have a more vocational basis, which allows you to develop useful employability skills in the subject that you have chosen to study. The only place to mention it (if you must) is in your PS or reference. Reply 13. Bronze is open to anyone aged 14 and above. 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). 0. Performance is a great confidence boost, too, thus extending your comfort zone and improving your ability to take on new challenges. They equate to half of an A-Level, as you only complete the first year of the course. I am not a robot. With an emphasis on personal development and practical experience, it is no surprise that many young people take up the DofE to help boost university applications and CVs with something more than academic achievements. Example aims include: create a piece of artwork inspired by the landscape, survey the landscape, create a nature guide. For those of you doing the Duke of Edinburgh Award for the purposes of university admissions, you should know that it doesn't actually give you UCAS points. You'll likely want to focus the first 80% of your personal statement on your specific course and why you want to study it. There are a wide variety of people who may choose to do an Access to HE Diploma, but most commonly, they are done by people who have been out of education for a while, and who dont have the qualifications to get straight into University. Maybe your child does not currently participate in any regular extracurricular activities. Our goal is to connect every student with the perfect tutor. A standard distance to walk is 16km per day on Bronze, 19km per day on Silver, and 23km per day on Gold. You will not receive UCAS points for completing the Duke of Edinburgh Award. If you have done the Silver award, you can do it in 52 weeks. The elements of each persons DofE can vary widely, depending on how they choose to complete their sections. At Cumulus Outdoors weve been helping young people achieve their Duke of Edinburgh Award for many years through our exciting expeditions and Gold residential programmes. Does Oxford care about Duke of Edinburgh? Many employers will recognise the achievement of a DofE and the hard word that it represents. Its ideal if youre not keen on doing the whole A-level or AS-level in Maths, but want something more on your university application and CV to demonstrate your mathematical abilities. Cumulus Outdoors in Swanage offer an exciting events programme, which showcases the best of the Jurassic Coast. While its standard to take three A-levels, many of the brightest students will be taking four or even five A-levels, or four A-levels with perhaps an extra AS-level on top of that. No. You will not receive UCAS points for completing the Duke of Edinburgh Award. However, completion of DofE, especially Silver and Gold, are excellent talking points for your Personal Statement as they display proficiency in a wide variety of soft skills.