The stuff outside class that actually counts.
Curated activities universities actually rate. Use the AI Coach (bottom-right) for tailored picks.
EPQ (Extended Project Qualification)
A 5,000-word independent research project. Worth half an A-Level and loved by universities. Pick a question linked to your intended degree.
MOOCs (FutureLearn, Coursera, edX)
Take free online university courses. Aim for 1-2 courses in your subject area per year. Get certificates to evidence them.
TED Talks + Reflection Journal
Watch 1 TED Talk per week related to your subject. Keep a short reflection — what did you agree/disagree with? Universities love evidence of thinking.
UK Maths Challenge (UKMT)
Junior, Intermediate, Senior Challenges. Strong performances get you into the BMO (British Mathematical Olympiad) — gold standard for Maths applications.
Physics Olympiad / BPhO Challenges
Run by the British Physics Olympiad. Excellent for Physics, Engineering and Natural Sciences applications.
Chemistry Olympiad (RSC)
Annual challenge run by the Royal Society of Chemistry. A gold/silver medal is a brilliant signal for Chemistry and Medicine.
Biology Olympiad
Run by the Royal Society of Biology. A staple for Medicine, Biology and Biochemistry applicants.
Build a personal coding project
Build something real and put it on GitHub. A small full-stack app, a useful tool, a Discord bot, or a data-science notebook. Show evidence of curiosity.
John Locke Institute Essay Competition
World-class essay competition with prompts across History, Philosophy, Politics, Law, Theology, Economics and more. Even a shortlist is impressive.
Listen to In Our Time (BBC Radio 4)
Melvyn Bragg interviews 3 academics on a different topic each week. Free, brilliant, and shows depth across humanities.
History Today / LRB / The Economist subscriptions
Read serious journalism and essays. Note 1 article per week, write a 100-word response.
Mock Trial / Bar Mock Trial Competition
Schools competition run by Young Citizens. Excellent evidence of advocacy skills for Law applications.
The Secret Barrister + Letters to a Law Student
Two essential books for any aspiring lawyer. Cite them in your personal statement.
Hospital / GP work experience
Even 1-2 weeks is gold for Medicine applications. Reflect deeply on what you saw — universities care about insight, not the placement itself.
Volunteer in a care home or charity shop
Sustained volunteering (6+ months) shows commitment to caring roles. A weekly slot beats a one-off week.
Marshall Society Essay Prize (Cambridge)
Cambridge undergraduate economics society's competition. Excellent signal for Economics applications.
Read Freakonomics + Thinking, Fast and Slow
Two foundational pop-economics / behavioural books. Reflect on them in your personal statement.
Duolingo or Goethe Institut courses
Self-study a language beyond school. Even short daily practice for a year is great evidence of independent learning.
Run a school society or magazine
Founding or leading a society shows initiative. A magazine, podcast, debate club, or charity drive all count.