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Become a UCL Expand Taster Presenter
We are currently recruiting for Taster Presenters to lead on the preparation and delivery of our 8-week academic programme, UCL Expand, aimed at Year 12 students from backgrounds underrepresented in higher education.
What is an Expand Taster Presenter?
UCL Expand allows participants to choose a subject relating to their interests. We are looking for Taster Presenters to propose a topic around which they will create and deliver four online academic sessions as well as an in-person introduction session at the beginning of the programme. The topic proposed should either relate to the Taster Presenters’ own academic research, or another area of specialism or interest. View the job description for full details of what it means to be an Expand Taster Presenter.
As an Expand Taster Presenter you will:
- Gain valuable teaching experience both in-person and online
- Attend training on lesson planning and delivery
- Receive support on lesson planning and delivery from the Expand team throughout the programme
- Create sessions around your current or previous area of study and research
- Have the freedom to choose topics and content from your own area of interest and share this with younger students
- Earn money alongside your studies
- The Goals of UCL Expand
- To provide students with a hands-on experience of super-curricular engagement in a subject area of interest to inform course choice decisions and to be used in personal statements.
- To provide students with transferable academic skills taught in a problem-based learning framework to positively impact their attainment at A-level and to support the transition to Higher Education.
- To increase underrepresented students’ sense of familiarity & belonging in universities prior to application.
- Who can apply to be a UCL Expand Taster Presenter?
Current UCL postgraduate students who will be studying during 2024-25 and will be on the UCL Campus. This includes students in final year of a four-year undergraduate Masters course, such as MEng, for example. Please note that this role isn’t open to UCL alumni, students attending other institutions or inter-collegiate and study abroad students taking modules at UCL.
We are keen to hear from applicants who are considerate to the needs of cohorts who might not traditionally enter higher education and who are interested in furthering their academic experiences. You will also need to be available for key dates (see the job description for full breakdown).
- What is the application process?
There is a two-step application process. We recommend you look at the job description in depth before starting your application as this will help guide your responses.
1. Written Application Form: This written application will assess your experience of and ability in creating academic content for unfamiliar audiences. You will be asked to outline your Expand subject topic, and provide brief descriptions of activities or lesson plans related to this topic and the weekly academic skills themes. You will also need to submit a 8 - 10 minute video audition of a snapshot of one of your sessions. The application form provides full guidance on what we expect from each question and audition.
2. Interview: Shortlisted applicants will receive an interview invite shortly after the application window closes. The interview will assess how you meet our Person Specification for the role, as detailed in the job description, through a series of questions.
- Payment
Expand Taster Presenters will be paid the standard Taster Presenter rate of £22.12 per hour. Hours include*:
- 5 hours of training
- 16 hours to create the online content and plan sessions
- All in-person and online delivery time (see schedule)
- 2 hours for check-in calls with a member of the Access Team, during the content creation stage
*Subject to change
- UCL Expand 2025 Schedule
Date
Timings*
Activity
8.02.25
10:30 – 16:00
Programme Begins – Welcome Event (on campus)
12.02.25
17:00 – 18:30
Online Session 1 (Research & Analysis)
19.02.25
17:00 – 18:30
Online Session 2 (Critical Thinking)
05.03.25
17:00 – 18:30
Online Session 4 (Academic Writing)
12.03.25
17:00 – 18:30
Online Session 5 (Presentation + Debate)
22.05.25
10:30 – 16:00
Programme Ends – Graduation Event (on campus)
- *Subject to change.
Want to receive all necessary information and updates via email? Register your interest in the role here and we will make sure you're kept up-to-date!