Getting in for STEM in the UK

In order to get a place on the STEM course of your dreams, you’ll need to demonstrate the right skills. With advice from Edge Hill University, we show you how.

1. Start early

Start thinking about the STEM degree you want to study before choosing your level 3 qualifications (e.g. A levels, BTECs, or the IB). Often, science subjects or maths are mandatory for entry onto STEM courses. Some universities might also like to see that you’ve stretched yourself with subjects like further maths.
 

2. Think widely

STEM degrees can vary a lot between universities, with some offering joint honours programmes or a year in industry. 

As well as researching the obvious subjects (like physics, chemistry, and maths), it’s worth considering other subjects like computer science and engineering, bioscience, geoscience, medicine, and sport science. 

Check out the course pages on university websites and compare the modules, as they’ll differ from one university to the next. Think about the sciences that you enjoy, the career that you’re hoping for after university, and whether you’d like to keep your focus broad or narrow.

Pro tip: Unifrog’s UK Universities tool will suggest ‘subjects you might like’ and ‘similar subjects’ when you begin your search, which is a great way to see what else is out there. If you search for ‘biology’, for example, the tool will suggest zoo biology, molecular biology, and forensic biology (amongst others) for ‘subjects you might like’. You could also use the Subjects library to search by school subject (like ‘mathematics’) or by subject area (like ‘mathematical sciences’).

3. Get experience

There are tons of STEM-related opportunities you can get involved with, even from an early age. Trying them out now will help you decide whether or not STEM is definitely for you, plus it will give you something interesting to include on your CV or personal statement. Here are a few ideas:

• Cyber Security Challenge

Interested in how to protect computer systems from damage to their hardware or software? Cyber Security’s main competitions programme involves online qualifiers and face-to-face semi-finals, culminating in the annual Masterclass grand finale, where their champion of the year is crowned. 

• Biology Olympiad

Edge Hill University runs this opportunity for sixth form and college students to compete in a practical project on campus for the day against teams from other sixth forms and colleges. It’s extremely popular, always has a waiting list, and a winner is crowned at the end of the day!

• STEMettes

If you're a young woman or non-binary person interested in STEM, get involved with STEMettes. They run competitions like hackathons and panel talks across the UK and they're all free. 

• Work experience

It can be tricky to find relevant STEM work experience before you have a degree, but it's definitely possible. 

Begin your search by asking family, friends, teachers, and school leavers if they know any scientists working in industry or academia who you could shadow. Alternatively, you could search on science-based company websites to learn about their insight days and work placement opportunities. 

Here are some other organisations and groups you could approach for STEM work experience:

Maths, physics, chemistry, and engineering

• water works companies, e.g. Severn Trent Water
• research and development department at a local factory
• green energy, oil, and gas companies e.g. E.ON or Centrica

Medical sciences and human biology

• pharmaceutical company
• nursing home
• hospital or GP

Computer sciences

• app development company
• IT security company
• school IT department

Maths, physics, and astronomy

• local astronomy observation centre
• automobile and aviation manufacturer

General STEM

• local science museum
• student science journal or magazine
• science teacher (for shadowing)

4. Do your research

Alongside work experience, wider reading will give you more of an insight into your chosen field. Follow STEM stories in the news or read blogs and online articles dedicated to STEM. You can find science magazines like New Scientist at your local library, or subscribe to the digital or app versions to read on the go.

Wider reading should ideally be done well in advance of writing your personal statement, so that you can take the time to learn about topics you enjoy. Note down any facts or eye-opening discoveries that stand out to you along the way. If you’re invited to a university interview, it’s likely that you’ll be asked about any resources you’ve written about in your statement.

Pro tip: Visit Unifrog’s Read, Watch, Listen tool to find resources aside from books, from podcasts like The Infinite Monkey Cage to TED Talks like Smart Materials.

5. Nail the personal statement

Your personal statement should demonstrate your love for your STEM subject and your motivation for studying it. It should detail any work experience, wider reading, and extracurricular learning that has led you to think more deeply about your subject. 

Avoid just listing these experiences; instead, demonstrate that you can be thoughtful by evaluating each experience. For example:

Instead of: “I shadowed a GP for a week to learn more about medicine.”

Try: “Whilst shadowing a GP, I was fascinated to see how medical concepts were simplified and explained to members of the public. This led me to read [X] on the ethical role that doctors play when giving diagnoses.”

If you mentioned any extracurricular activities in your personal statement, see if you can link them to your STEM interests. For example, if you play an instrument, when applying for a maths degree, consider the way maths features in music. 

6. Practise for your interview or admissions test

Once you’ve submitted your UCAS application, you might be invited to an interview or test, something that will have been indicated on the degree webpage.

Edge Hill University doesn't interview for its STEM courses (apart from its medicine degrees), but if you do have to have an interview elsewhere, their top tip is to give plenty of real world, reflective experiences from situations you’ve experienced in your life so far. Talking about real things you’ve done, rather than things you might do in future, will show off your skills and abilities much more comprehensively!

For any admissions tests, research the format and content of the test first. If there are practice papers online, do some under exam conditions and ask a teacher to mark them with you.

It’s unlikely that a STEM admissions test will be solely based on your school work, so get used to working to a timer and applying your existing knowledge to a new context.

At the interview, you’ll likely get some general questions about why you chose the course and your personal statement, plus questions that test your STEM knowledge. Be prepared to talk about areas of the subject that you’re interested in and science in the news.

7. Get the best grades possible

Of course, this is easier said than done. Places on STEM courses are often some of the most competitive. Edge Hill, for example, typically asks for 112-120 UCAS points and sometimes for specific previous subject study at A level, BTEC, or T level.

To secure your desired university place, it’s crucial that your personal statement and application are backed up with strong grades. Admissions tutors are looking for qualities like precision and attention to detail, and nothing says this like a strong set of grades.