This is known as the Residential element, and it involves you staying and working away for five days. IP-address: 40.77.167.8. If you are interested in Speaking and Drama, exams from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (or LAMDA) might be for you. If you would like to add your UCAS Points up online, you can use the UCAS Tariff Points Calculator. Graded dance qualifications, similar to the music exams, are offered by several organisations, including the British Ballet Organization, the British Theatre Dance Association, the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and the Royal Academy of Dance. It does not serve any purpose on your UCAS form beyond the personal statement, where you are entitled to push it hard. Andy98. You can also use the DofE if you get invited for an interview. Most obviously, you can boost your number of UCAS points by taking on an extra A-level or AS-level. Post-16 Qualifications A-levels, AS-levels, Advanced Highers, Certificates, Diplomas and Awards are all converted into UCAS points. Not gonna be a snitch, but now that I know stuff like this happen. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. So perhaps your child has written in their UCAS Personal statement already about their interest in the course and their academic achievements, but theyd like to demonstrate their ability to, lets say, cooperate in a team. A Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (CoPE) Level 3 will get you 16 UCAS Points. 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. 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. 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. 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. This course allows you to choose the six modules that you study, and is a great way of making your skills more desirable to employers which is incredibly useful when getting a job can be so competitive! What are the Duke of Edinburgh Award UCAS application points? Find out what else looks good on your university application! To help you with your planning, weve created a helpful guide containing a list of frequently asked Gold DofE questions. Participating in DofE can help you demonstrate that you possess the skills needed to excel in further education or your chosen career. It has been designed to allow you hone your specific skillset and explore the topics that matter most to you. D of E Gold 0 UCAS points. Does gold DofE give UCAS points? 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. 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. Scottish Highers are essentially the Scottish equivalent to A-Levels. Bronze is open to anyone aged 14 and above. Copyright 2022 Think Student Ltd. Company No. Doing the Duke of Edinburgh programme will probably have little to no impact on your university application. Silver DofE UCAS points also do not exist and so it will come as no surprise that the Bronze DofE follows the same pattern. No. . At the time of applying for university, I had achieved a Scouting equivalent to the DofE Silver Award and was working towards my Gold DofE and Queens Scout Award, so I covered everything I had done so far in these. Do an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). Spending more time in a library, taking an extra A-level, can be well worth it. Students can earn UCAS points by doing AS- Level, A-Level exams and IB diplomas, as well as through a few smaller independent qualifications. The platform that connects tutors and students. No, I want to find out more. 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 There are a number of different course types that are offered as an Access to HE Diploma, including programmes in Nursing, Business and the Social Sciences. You would take these at Sixth Form instead of A-Levels. Thats key stage 4. To qualify as a DofE Gold Award residential the activity must take place over 5 days and include 4 consecutive nights away from home. Is There A Virgin Lounge At Edinburgh Airport? This is through a programme called DofE Direct. That's key stage 4. In a similar way to Music Formal Exams, you can earn UCAS Points from Grades 6-8. It is offered by OCR, and combines aspects of GCSE maths with AS and A-Level Maths. The opinions expressed within articles on this site reflect the opinions of individual student contributors, not Think Student as a whole. And, as you can imagine, the more hours are put in, the higher the number of UCAS Points earned is. You must be at least 14 years old to start the Bronze award, 15 for Silver and 16 for Gold. They dont care about it per se. GoStudent is the #1 online tutoring platform for children. Yes. There is a small participation and welcome pack fee when you sign up to each level of the award. Helping there strengthened my passion for working with animals and, due to this, I decided to study Animal Management at university. 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. 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. No. What Are Some Easy GCSE Subjects and How to Make the Right Choices? BTECs are another common alternative to A-Levels. Leave a rating. How to: include DofE in your UCAS personal statement. Please try your request again later. During this time our team have become well versed in all things DofE and have gained an excellent understanding of the various sections that make up the scheme. These include volunteering, physical activity, skills, expedition and a residential. The DofE has most definitely built my self-esteem to be able to apply for things I would otherwise not have done. 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! 5 (39 reviews) Siddharth. You can gain up to 50 extra UCAS points and help out a good cause by taking an ASDAN Community Volunteering Qualification. It does not serve any purpose on your UCAS form beyond the personal statement, where you are entitled to push it hard. These include an incredibly popular watersports week, first aid week and festive Halloween and Christmas specials. Dorset is one of the best places in the UK to participate in outdoor adventure activities. Theyre also a brilliant way to turn your hobbies into extra UCAS points without eating too much into the time you need to do well in your A-levels. Reach out to a GoStudent tutor to ensure that your child reaches their full potential on exam day. Young people are eligible to start the DofE award from the age of 14. However, some universities look at extracurricular activities favourably during the admission process. Further information about both the Diploma and the Award can be found on the NOCN Website. There are lots of DofE residential providers across the UK offering a variety of activities. There are age restrictions for each level of the Duke of Edinburgh Award. 20. Making a Splash! How far can I backdate DofE? Do you feel like the achievement award taught you how to deal with challenge? The details of this course can be found on the ASDAN Website. Copyright The Student Room 2023 all rights reserved. However, if you have already chosen your subjects and later realised that a certain subject may look desirable on your University application, completing an AS-Level in your second year could be very beneficial. Truth: The D of E may add some variety or interest to a UCAS personal statement, but with hundreds of thousands of young people doing the DofE every year, it is not by itself a unique achievement. Qualifications as well as your academic qualifications, remember to include your DofE Award. Do you play a musical instrument? does gold dofe give ucas points. The DofE, if embraced, really does give a well-rounded boost to a young persons skill set. For example, if you did photography as your skill and are now looking to enrol on a photography degree, or if your volunteering involved . But well save that question for a little while later. The residentials take place in a scenic location on the world-famous Jurassic Coast. No. If your childs school isnt licensed to run the DofE a local Youth Group may be. Volunteering is not only a good way of adding to your UCAS Points, but it is also a wonderful addition to your CV. Most of all, completing the various DofE levels is fun and allows you to spend time with friends! You might have been invited to a parents information evening about the DofE where the award is touted heavily as an asset to any UCAS application, however the Duke of Edinburgh Award UCAS application points breakdown looks like the following: Thats 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). You amass a portfolio of evidence of the voluntary work youve done, as well as actively developing skills in a range of useful areas, such as customer service, fundraising and project management. If you arent sure which subjects work well when combined, take a look at this useful article which lists some good A-Level combinations. DofE is split into three different levels, which you can take at different ages and which differ in intensity and material required. Learning a musical instrument can be a fun pastime, and is a great way to earn some extra UCAS Points. What skills and experience from the DofE would you recommend mentioning? A DofE Award also looks good on your CV and can be useful when applying for educational courses and jobs. He able to get offer from KcL, durman, and imperial. The maximum age to complete the DofE Awards is 25 years old. 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. Many participants speak fondly of their time completing their DofE and some enjoy it so much that they go on to complete the Silver and Gold awards. 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. Most obviously, you can boost your number of UCAS points by taking on an extra A-level or AS-level. 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). 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. This will indicate to universities that you can adapt to new surroundings and thus fit in well. DOFE gives you ucas points. Does gold DOFE give UCAS points? All A Levels come with UCAS points, the maximum number for one being 56 and that would require an A* grade. This makes them useful qualifications for life in an office, not just on the stage: clear communication is essential for interacting with customers and colleagues. University of California, Berkeley (ages 15-18), 10 Brilliant Ways to Get More UCAS Points. You may also want to start taking the exams, if you already have a high level of skill in playing an instrument. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Oxford Royale Academy is a part of Oxford Programs Limited, a company registered in England as company number 6045196, registered office at 264 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7DY. Completion times vary between individuals; however, the Gold award will take at least 12 months to achieve. 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. 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. Our systems have detected unusual traffic from your computer network. This is in comparison to a BTEC route, which is more specialised. PQ. Aiming to encourage a spirit of adventure and discovery, you have to plan, train for, and complete an adventurous journey somewhere in the UK or abroad. Doing a full diploma may be a bit of a tall order alongside A-levels, but the lower qualifications should be more manageable and will still give you points to the rough equivalent of half an A-level. So I'm in Year 11 (going into Y12 in September) and I'm thinking of doing the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award. Youll probably know it as the extra-curricular activity par excellence, that shows practical skills alongside your academic excellence. Additional academic qualifications will make your university application look more impressive to admissions tutors, particularly when you choose to take on additional high-powered subjects on the list of facilitating subjects; but theres plenty to be said for these more vocational qualifications as well. At the end of the expedition, you will be required to give a presentation (written, verbal, exhibition etc. We recommend speaking with your expedition provider. If you have done the Silver award, you can do it in 52 weeks. Time: 2022-12-13T18:10:06+00:00. The expedition is the most exciting element of the Duke of Edinburgh Award by a country mile. 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. It is commonly said that the Duke of Edinburgh Award can really help your university application. I have become more of a team player and will make sure everyones voice is heard as Course Representative. A standard distance to walk is 16km per day on Bronze, 19km per day on Silver, and 23km per day on Gold. They will provide you with a checklist containing everything you need to bring for your time away from home. However, perhaps not to the degree that you might expect. I was able to demonstrate my strong sense of teamwork under challenging circumstances while trekking Snowdonia this Summer with my Duke of Edinburgh expedition group. It does not serve any purpose on your UCAS form beyond the personal statement, where you are entitled to push it hard. A Bronze and Silver DofE award have the same four sections to be completed, and a Gold DofE award has a fifth section: Participating in any regular physical activity, for example playing in a football team. At Cumulus Outdoors we specialise in outdoor adventure activity residentials. You can gain confidence in speaking, writing and listening, which will all be incredibly useful skills. The bronze award should take participants 26 weeks. It also gives you something to talk about on your personal statement (eg confidence). 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. The International Baccalaureate is available to students aged 16-19 across the world. With exceptions for some specific courses, DofE comes into play for that last 20% . 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. Yes, it is possible to complete your Gold DofE expedition on a kayak or canoe. Cumulus Outdoors are based in Dorset and run Gold canoe and walking expeditions. . 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. Enol online now or call +44 1865 954800 to book your place. Perhaps your childs school is heavily endorsing participation in the DofE which might have you wondering Is DofE important for university applications? . The lowest amount of UCAS points you can get for an A Level is 16 (grade E). If so, youll be pleased to learn that the exams you do will give you extra UCAS points from Grade 6 upwards. Pre-16 Qualifications Most courses also require that you have certain pre-16 qualifications, including GCSE Maths and English. The Duke of Edinburghs Award is a registered charity in England and Wales (1072490) and Scotland (SC038254). UCAS and the DofE: My advice 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. . They want proof of that. Silver DofE UCAS points also do not exist and so it will come as no surprise that the Bronze DofE follows the same pattern. Throughout the residential week you should endeavour to push the boundaries of your comfort zone and experience new environments and new people. /h. There are lots of organisations in the UK who are licensed to run the DofE. What happens if you sleep hungry on your period? Unfortunately, DofE does not give you UCAS points. 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). Joining a group of new people, staying in accommodation overnight for several days away from home doing valuable work. So, no, you cant just do the expedition. Its important to choose a residential programme that interests you and allows you to explore your passions further. Debate with GF/BF: TSR votes will decide! The qualifications that are required vary based on the type of apprenticeship that you want to do, and which company you would like to work with. 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. A-Levels are the most common way of getting UCAS Points. Duke of Edinburgh is the initiative that takes place in secondary school across schools in England and the rest of the UK. Participating in DofE can help you demonstrate that you possess the skills needed to excel in further education or your chosen career. The Duke of Edinburghs International Award. ASDAN offer community-based courses that can get you plenty of extra UCAS points, such as the CoPE (16 UCAS points) and Wider Key Skills (3 different qualifications available, 8 points each). Why should you do the Duke of Edinburgh award? 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). For example, a course in first aid would be appropriate. Why Do I Have Mice In My House All Of A Sudden? It is very important to remember that AS-Levels only contribute to your UCAS Point total score if you have not achieved an A-Level in the subject. Does Gold DofE get UCAS points? 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. At Award and Certificate level (Level 3), these qualifications give you 30 and 50 points respectively. 60. Speak to the activity provider prior to packing for your residential experience. Is it actually going to help to get you into some of the best universities in the country? The most daunting part of a UCAS application is the Personal Statement: 4000 characters to explain your suitability for higher education. The DofE residential must be completed as part of the Gold Award. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Contents show 1 How many UCAS points is gold DofE? The whole qualification will take you around 150 hours to complete. 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. 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. This article will help you understand the variety of ways which you can earn UCAS Points. 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. You should join a DofE residential as an individual without meeting participants or leaders beforehand. 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). If you want to find out more about the Cambridge Pre-U Qualification, the Cambridge website contains all the details of the courses and assessments. Some voccational qualifications do give UCAS points, however these are usually exams with a standardised assessment procedure. Benefits of DofE - The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Benefits to young people When your child does their DofE programme they'll develop the skills and attitudes they need to become more rounded, confident adults. Cumulus also runs bronze, silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh walking and kayaking expeditions. These are known as bronze, silver, and gold level. There is no minimum distance to cover, however there must be 8 hours of planned activity each day to satisfy the expedition requirements. Developed by Cambridge International Examinations, the Cambridge Pre-U qualifications can completely replace A-levels with a full programme of studies that gives you a diploma, or you can take a shorter course (over the course of a year) alongside your A-levels. The group activities must be with new people and enable you to further explore new or existing interests. For Silver, this extends to three days and two nights, with seven hours on each day. For example, you may want to do a diploma in Fashion, or Fitness Instructing and Personal Training. Through your DofE activities you may have already demonstrated an interest in your course subject. Would they be interested in the fact that you volunteered during senior school? If you think that an Access to HE Diploma is the ideal path for you, have a look at this helpful website. 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. What matters much more to universities is your academic commitment. There are a number of criteria that must be met in order to complete your DofE Gold expedition. Ask your school or college about undertaking these courses to up your UCAS points! Would they benefit from the focus and structure that a DofE programme provides? It is possible to progress straight to gold DofE. 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. The Gold DofE expedition should take place over 4 days and 3 nights. 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. 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! An Award of Personal Effectiveness (AoPE) from ASDAN will earn you 8 UCAS Points, and will take around 80 hours at Level 3. We hope this will inspire you to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award and answer any questions you may have. Those involved in the programme are required, in . If you want to earn extra UCAS Points, you can take an extra Cambridge Pre-U Qualification, so that you are studying 4 courses. What are the Hardest GCSEs? 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. 14-24 year-olds can do a DofE programme at one of three progressive levels which, when successfully completed, leads to a Bronze, Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award. This will vary depending on when and where you are completing your expedition. However, some universities look at extracurricular activities favourably during the admission process. Writing about the course. The test includes reading, writing, listening and speaking elements. A Cambridge Pre-U Qualification is an alternative to A-Levels which is equivalent in value. The platform that connects students with their private tutors, The best Academic tutoring tutors available. Of the 4 people I know at Oxford, only 1 has done DofE. Grades 6,7,8 offer some UCAS points that you can use for your application in the future. 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. Report. Uni rejects application for something not mention in entry requirment, Any other good/free programs like Sutton trust or UNIQ. I keep revising for science but I always forget so how do I fix this? Did any of your DofE activities inspire you to pursue a particular field of study? This section of the award must take place in an unfamiliar environment without friends or relatives, which encourages young people to move out of their comfort zone. They also mean that you have the option, if it interested you, to go straight into the field of work that you have been studying, as you will have hands on experience alongside your qualification. To count towards your Gold DofE award the residential must be away from home and last for a minimum of 4 nights. 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. You may also want to have a look at some Universities entry requirements, which often list preferred A-Levels. Note that this qualification will be withdrawn at the end of 2016, but you still have time to gain one before then. 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. For the Skills section, I worked at my local stables, assisting with the day to day tasks and lessons; this included manual labour of mucking out and grooming the horses. It is also a qualification which is really valued by Universities as it demonstrates your individual study skills. Swanage They will also usually only be counted towards specific courses, e.g. It usually takes around 1 year to complete, but can be done on a part-time basis over a few years to suit you. An Extended Project Qualification (or EPQ) is a great way of adding to your UCAS Points. At Cumulus Outdoors our residentials start from 270.