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Good Practice Guide

Diversity > UniTasters

Description

Subject: Pan-STEM

UniTasters were funded by Aimhigher and gave students the chance to learn about higher education and university study. They provided a taste of university life by giving pupils the opportunity to spend several days living on a university campus in the summer. There pupils met current students and staff, tried out different subjects they could do and joined in the social life. UniTasters were designed to help pupils decide whether or not university was right for them and what they might want to do in the future by giving them first hand experience of what it’s really like to be a student.

UniTaster venues in the SW were: Bournemouth University; Royal Agricultural College; UCP Marjon; University of Bath; University of Bristol; University College Falmouth; University of Exeter and University of Plymouth.

During the UniTasters pupils joined in subject teaching sessions; the type of subjects studied depend on the university venue chosen. Teaching sessions gave pupils an insight into university teaching methods and how they differed from learning at school. The week also helped pupils to improve and develop valuable skills like team-building, problem solving and communication skills.

As well as this, pupils were given career guidance and learnt about the range of jobs available to people with a university qualification (graduates). Up-to-date information on student loans, grants and tuition fees was also provided.

UniTasters were targeted at widening participation pupils - i.e. students where at least one of the below is true:

  • Their parent(s) or carer(s) do not have a higher education qualification
  • Their parent(s) or carer(s) are employed in the kind of job where it isn't necessary to have a HE qualification
  • They live in a part of the South West where few young people go on to university
  • Their teacher(s) believes they have the potential to go on to university after school
  • They are disabled or have a special educational need. Aimhigher are very keen to encourage applications from students who have a disability or a special educational need (you might be dyslexic for example).
  • They are in care or fostered

Target Audience

Year 11 & 12 students.

Find Out more

The UniTasters scheme no longer exists due to the loss of Aimhigher, but individual universities may still run their own versions.

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