You may also want to have a look at some Universities entry requirements, which often list preferred A-Levels. If you are starting at Gold level, without completing your Silver it will take at least 18 months. If you are over the age of 18 you can complete the award independently with the support of DofE leader via email and telephone. Would they benefit from the focus and structure that a DofE programme provides? Anything else youd like to add? Actually, it aims to get you improving yourself in a whole myriad of ways. The residential provides participants with an opportunity to expand their horizons and pursue new and existing interests and passions. When Did Stirling Stop Being The Capital Of Scotland? The stakes are high because an answer other than of course! could shatter some of the most central beliefs held by young people across the UK. Unfortunately though, you will not be able to get involved in this unless you are living and studying in Wales. How to Get UCAS Points (19+ Legitimate Ways) - Think Student The test includes reading, writing, listening and speaking elements. No. Mapping out and preparing for one continuous journey over several days, which could be on foot, bicycle, canoe or another method that requires physical effort (no cars or electric scooters!) 1. 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). Participating in an activity that increases knowledge in a certain area, not to be confused with something physical. Does Oxford care about Duke of Edinburgh? Every effort has been made to keep costs down to ensure the DofE award is accessible to all. 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). 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. If you have done the Silver award, you can do it in 52 weeks. 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. Did your volunteering or skill complement a particular part of your studies? The difference really between BTECs and A-Levels is the fact that BTECs are more specific. 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. DofE FAQs | DofE Hero You have to complete all four parts to finally achieve the award. Some voccational qualifications do give UCAS points, however these are usually exams with a standardised assessment procedure. Rather, it means what else you have done outside of your schooling. Its a good thing to do regardless of whether it will give your application a boost. There are lots of DofE residential providers across the UK offering a variety of activities. Employers and higher education establishments value the award and its an excellent talking point in interviews. Uni rejects application for something not mention in entry requirment, Any other good/free programs like Sutton trust or UNIQ. 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. Whatever you mention, just make sure you explain how it helped you develop and how you would adapt this to study to succeed. The DofE, if embraced, really does give a well-rounded boost to a young persons skill set. UCAS points are the most important piece of information for universities considering new students. Like going away from home, on your own, and interacting with a group of your peers. Get a Horse-Riding Qualifications From The British Horse Society. Use DofE to make your CV and Personal Statement shine 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. All sections of the award must be completed to pass the DofE award. You can do some in depth research about a subject that interests you, to then write a 5,000 word essay, which will answer a question that you have set yourself. Remember, they are academic institutions and their primary function is to educate academically. Dorset You can do an apprenticeship from the age of 16, and an Advanced Level Apprenticeship is generally considered to be equivalent to 2 A Levels. It consists of a number of parts, which are: If youd like to find out more about the Skills Challenge Certificate, take a look at this page about the Welsh Baccalaureate, which explains how the qualification works. Some Universities may also have their own specific systems of UCAS Points, where they only accept a certain number for extra activities, or they dont count them in their offer totals at all. Personal development is the name of the game. What matters much more to universities is your academic commitment. I therefore had the confidence to apply for and become a Course Representative and a Student Ambassador at university; this means I am often the person students or prospective students come to with questions about student life and our course. You never know, it could make a difference in getting into your first-choice university and you never know where that could take you! The reason why it is technically called an adventurous journey is because it is not required for you to walk. Gold is the final stage of the Duke of Edinburgh award. It should be something you are interested in and be suitable for completing in wild country without external help. This could be useful for a number of University courses, which require you to have a reasonably high level of maths, but do not necessarily need (even though it is generally preferred) for you to have a Maths A-Level. Cumulus Outdoors Residential Centre Enjoyed this article? 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. Cumulus Outdoors offer a number of DofE gold residential programmes in Dorset. 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. The difficulty level of this qualification falls somewhere between GCSE and AS-level Maths, and at the Advanced Level youll come out with the rough equivalent of an A-level module. This is another additional qualification which shows how you can develop your employability skills. 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 . Do Istd exams count towards UCAS? - chroniclesdengen.com The DofE promotes teamwork, self-discipline, empathy and independence and is something young people remember for the rest of their lives. The Gold residential must include 5 consecutive days of group activities and at least 4 nights away from home. The Duke of Edinburgh Award is a fun and educational programme for young people aged 14-24. Some of the subjects also offer one year courses (which could perhaps be compared to AS-Levels). Horse-Riding is another fun way to earn UCAS Points, which does not have an especially academic basis. 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. Many young people obtain their Bronze DofE award before progressing onto Silver and Gold awards, but teenagers can dive straight into their Gold award if they are 16 years old or over. 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. At Award and Certificate level (Level 3), these qualifications give you 30 and 50 points respectively. AS-Levels can be taken in either your first or second year. What skills and experience from the DofE would you recommend mentioning? However, its more about what you have learned from it than the fact that you have done it. Did any of your DofE activities inspire you to pursue a particular field of study? 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. 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. What happens if you sleep hungry on your period? Does gold DofE give UCAS points? Unfortunately, this doesnt answer the question of whether it will get you into university. You can earn UCAS Points from Grade 6 Grade 8, in both instrumental and music theory exams. If i drop a subject can universities withdraw my offer? Bronze is open to anyone aged 14 and above. Performance is a great confidence boost, too, thus extending your comfort zone and improving your ability to take on new challenges. There are 3 levels (Bronze, Silver and Gold) and a number of sections to complete. Unfortunately, DofE does not give you UCAS points. Did it teach you a new way of looking at the world? The UCAS Points System can be confusing, and it is a useful thing to understand when applying to Universities. The 10 Hardest A Level Subjects to Run Towards or Away From! 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. In A-Level by Think Student EditorSeptember 15, 20207 Comments. One of the main goals of the Duke of Edinburghs Award is to improve young peoples social skills and interaction with peers. It can be taken alongside GCSEs or A-Levels. DofE stands for the Duke of Edinburgh Award, which was launched by Prince Philip in 1956. However, perhaps not to the degree that you might expect. The whole qualification will take you around 150 hours to complete. Read our tips for how to talk about your DofE in your personal statement. 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). The DofE is many things to many people, supporting generations to successfully navigate adult life. Debate with GF/BF: TSR votes will decide! Spending more time in a library, taking an extra A-level, can be well worth it. The International Baccalaureate is available to students aged 16-19 across the world. You must also undertake an expedition that lasts 4 days and 3 nights as well as a residential. Improve your Mathematics with a Free-standing Mathematics Qualification. I also explained how doing this allowed me to become a Cub Scout Young leader and then a Leader and how I used this for the Volunteering section of my Silver DofE programme. An Access to HE Diploma is a great way to earn UCAS Points if you dont have the typical qualifications that Universities may be looking for (such as A-Levels or BTECs). 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. Gain points by playing a musical instrument. So, if youve got the time, and you can afford to do so, I would wholeheartedly recommend DofE Gold. A friend just told me they put 6A* and 2 A as their gcse result on ucas while his gcse result is 1*A (math) 2A and the rest are B-D. It does not serve any purpose on your UCAS form beyond the personal statement, where you are entitled to push it hard. 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). There are plenty of activity providers offering Duke of Edinburgh expeditions. Young Enterprise is a programme that has been running since 1963.