Brookes Engage 2023/24

A national outreach programme for students in Year 12 or the first year of college. Applications have now closed.

What is Brookes Engage?

A free subject based programme designed to support you in making decisions about your next steps after school or college through the following activities.

  • On campus ‘Conference Days’

Visit the campus to take part in an exciting range of activities and make use of our state of the art facilities. You’ll get to engage in your choice of subject sessions as well as benefiting from information, advice and guidance related to university applications and beyond.

  • Online content

You can choose what content to complete and complete it in your own time so that you can tailor your experience to what you are interested in or need more support with.

  • Mentoring from current Brookes students

Mentors will help you navigate the challenges of applying to university and will tell you all about student life and what it is like to be a student at Brookes. Your mentor is also able to support you with subject related questions, and will be at your Conference Days at Brookes. 

What’s in it for me?

“I loved the experience and it definitely helped me with stepping into uni life. I did actually get accepted into my firm choice of uni, I can’t stop smiling!”

Brookes Engage graduates, 2020

What will I do?

Brookes Engage students

Part 1 - Exploring your Options: The programme will start in November of Year 12 with 4 Conference Days taking place throughout November-May. These will be on campus and travel will be provided at no cost to you via a travel bursary. 

  • Conference Day 1
    • Group A (Crime and Justice, Art, Design & Architecture, and STEM) - 25th November 2023
    • Group B (Biomedical science, Adult Nursing & Occupational Therapies, and Event Management) - 2nd December 2023
  • Conference Day 2
    • Group A - 27th January 2024
    • Group B - 3rd February 2024
  • Conference Day 3
    • Group A - 20th April 2024
    • Group B - 27th April 2024
  • Conference Day 4
    • Group A - 11th May 2024
    • Group B - 18th May 2024

Part 2 - Transition to University: Once you return for Year 13, the programme will begin again in September with a range of support available for your UCAS application. In October you can visit campus again, with a special invite to the university Open Day. Any travel to campus, including the Open Day, will be provided at no cost to you via a travel bursary. 

What can I study?

Each faculty at Brookes has designed a range of subject streams for you to choose from.

When it comes to selecting which subject stream you would like to join, you could choose a subject that you know you are interested in studying at university and really develop your knowledge and understanding of this subject.

Or if you are curious about a subject but not sure if it is right for you, why not use Brookes Engage as a chance to get a taste of what studying this subject at university could be like. 

Who can take part?

To be eligible to apply for Brookes Engage, you must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Be in the first year of a two-year Level 3 qualification (e.g. A Levels, BTEC, or equivalent)
  • Be studying at a non-selective state school or college in England
  • Have 5 GCSEs A*-C/ 4-9, including English and Maths (or expect to have 5 GCSEs including English and Maths by July 2024)
  • Live in England
  • Be aged 16 or 17 at the time of starting the programme

To be eligible to apply for Brookes Engage, you also need to meet at least one of the following criteria.

  • Currently eligible for free school meals or 6th form bursary
  • Currently live in local authority care, or have lived in care
  • Are a young carer (are under 18 and help to look after a relative with a disability, illness, mental health condition, or drug or alcohol problem)
  • Have a disability, mental health condition, or specific learning difficulty
  • Are of black or minority ethnic origin
  • Have official refugee status in the UK, or are an asylum seeker
  • Are from a traveller family
  • Have at least one parent/carer who has served in the armed forces at any time within the past six years
  • Are irreconcilably estranged from both birth parents
  • Live in an area where progression to university is low. To find out whether this applies, please visit www.officeforstudents.org.uk/data-and-analysis/postcode-search/. Instructions on how to use: Type your postcode in the search box. Check the box marked ‘MSOA (used to calculate POLAR4 and TUNDRA)’ Look at the box on the right hand side of the map under the ‘POLAR4’ measure. If the number here is Quintile 1 or 2, you are eligible.
  • Live in an area of higher socio-economic disadvantage. To find out whether this applies, please visit http://imd-by-postcode.opendatacommunities.org/imd/2019. Instructions on how to use: Type your postcode into the search box. Download the Excel spreadsheet generated. If the number in the column labelled ‘Index of Multiple Deprivation Decile’ is 1-4, you are eligible.

“Taking part in Brookes Engage has given me confidence the course I want to pursue is correct for me.”

Brookes Engage graduate, 2019

“Brookes Engage helped me open up to new people and make new friends. It's also boosted my confidence.”

Brookes Engage graduate, 2019

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