Widening Participation: apply for departmental funding

The UCL Widening Participation and UK Undergraduate Recruitment Office is delighted to announce this year's funding opportunities for departments.

The Widening Participation team is now inviting bids from departments to run local versions of UCL's most successful outreach programmes, Year 12 Summer Schools and Summer Challenge.

Summer Challenge - up to £1,300 per course

Summer Challenge courses run for six taught sessions of two hours on weekday evenings. At the end of the course, every student will hand in a 1,500 essay and deliver a presentation on a related research topic of their choice. Tutors will support students with their projects throughout the programme, and students have access to UCL libraries during Summer Challenge.

In 2013/14, 54% of Summer Challenge students went on to make an application to undergraduate study at UCL.

Year 12 Summer Schools - up to £6,000 per Summer School

Year 12 Summer Schools are one of UCL's most successful widening participation projects. They aim to give students a deeper understanding of a subject area and introduce the department to a cohort of enthusiastic and able students from target backgrounds. Successful Summer Schools use a variety of sessions, including lectures, seminars, practical sessions and visits where appropriate. There should be an engaging theme that would appeal to Year 12 students.

In 2013/14, 49% of summer school students went on to make an application to undergraduate study at UCL.

Attracting students from UCL's Widening Participation target groups

The Widening Participation and UK Undergraduate Recruitment Office will advertise Summer Schools and Summer Challenge courses, and will select a cohort of academically able students from target backgrounds. UCL's target groups are students who:

• Would be the first generation in their family to go to university
• Are from lower socio-economic groups (NS-SEC 4-8)
• Are from neighbourhoods with low progression to higher education
• Are entitled to free school meals
• Are from an ethnic background underrepresented at UCL
• Have a disability
• Are in local authority care

The Office will meet with departments to discuss any local priorities for widening participation (for example, increasing the number of women applying for engineering programmes).

How to apply

The deadline for applications is Friday 6 November 2015.

Application forms and guidance notes can be found here: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/widening-participation/staff/dept-funding

For further information, please contact Lucie March (Access Manager, Communications and Planning) Tel: 020 3108 8281, (ext. 58281) Email: l.march@ucl.ac.uk

Lucie March, Access Manager, Communications and Planning, UCL Student and Registry Services)