Exploring Your Favourite Subject

Top universities will be expecting you to demonstrate love of your subject, but how can you do this? The buzzword admissions that tutors like to use is ‘super-curricular’ activities: extra-curricular activities that relate specifically to your subject.

Did you know that top universities run subject masterclasses and taster sessions? These are generally half day events, although they can be longer, taking place over the spring and summer. Why not check out these links and book onto something that interests you?

Cambridge: www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/events/masterclasses

London: www.london.ac.uk/ways-study/study-campus-london/university-taster-courses

Oxford: www.pathways.ox.ac.uk/year-12-study-days/

UCL: www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/widening-participation/activities/masterclasses

Try to book onto one masterclass that interests you.

However, there are lots of great ways other than subject masterclasses to demonstrate your interest in your subject. Online courses are a great way to learn about more specific aspects of your subject to demonstrate your interest. These can be especially useful for applicants living outside the UK.

We've found a couple of great free online learning websites for you!

Khan Academy: This is a great way to learn more advanced topics in your subject, and can be a great starting point for further reading (www.khanacademy.org)

Future Learn: They offer a free trial to learn from wide variety of online university courses (www.futurelearn.com)

iTunes U: iTunes actually offers access to a large collection of free education content from leading universities such as Oxford and Cambridge.

Coursera: Here you can find top-notch courses in your favorite subjects, crafted by leading experts in the fields. And it's free! (www.coursera.org)

In this day and age, the internet is a great resource for deepening your understanding of your subject.

Check out the following great resources:

BBC Documentaries: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/categories/documentaries/highlights

BBC Radio 4 ‘In Our Time’: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qykl

Scrambled Eggs: www.soundcloud.com/user-756246376

TED Talks: www.ted.com/topics

Oxford Podcasts: www.podcasts.ox.ac.uk

Oxplore: www.oxplore.org

Have a browse and pick at least one talk or program to watch/listen later! Afterwards, reflect on what you learned about your favorite subject—and whether you can see yourself taking the subject to the next level at university.

Here are even more ideas.

But remember, it’s not what you do that matters, it's what you get out of it!

Don’t worry if these prove a bit more challenging for you to attend/access.

● For medicine: attend a MedLink expedition (www.medlink-uk.net/medlink-free)

● For law: attend a case at the Old Bailey; listen to Law in Action

● For humanities: visit a museum/gallery; enter an essay competition; read!

● For maths: enter the UKMT Maths Challenge (ask your teacher!)

● For STEM: attend a science festival (www.britishscienceweek.org) or read an article on JSTOR (www.jstor.org)

This list is by no means exhaustive.

For further information, check out these useful links.

● www.oxford-royale.co.uk/articles/super-curricular-activities.html

● www.oxfordandcambridgeoutreach.co.uk/webinars/super-curricular-activities-and-

● www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/suggested-reading-and-resources