Frequently Asked Questions
We have compiled answers to common questions about the UK Summer Schools. We strongly recommend you read this section before contacting us about your query. We have split this page into key areas to help you find the answers to your questions.
Please use the filters below to narrow down your search
Your teacher will receive an email requesting them to submit your reference and this must be completed by Thursday 7th March 2019.
You will receive an email once your teacher has completed their reference.
You will be staying in university accommodation to get the full university experience.
The accommodation will vary depending on which university you apply so double check with them if you want to know more.
Applications open on Wednesday 9th January 2019 and close at 5pm GMT on Thursday 28th February 2019. Late applications will not be accepted.
Teachers must verify applications by 5pm GMT on Thursday 7th March 2019.
The grade requirements are part of the selection criteria. This means that you are more likely to gain a place if you meet this criteria. If you do not meet the criteria but there are extenuating circumstances to explain this, please apply and give reasons for this on the application form.
Sometimes our application form does not perform well on browsers such as Internet Explorer, so please use an alternative such as Google Chrome.
You can search for your school by name, town or postcode. Postcode can be the most accurate so try this first. If you are searching by name, make sure you have spelled your school name correctly and try variations e.g. St, St., Saint.
Only UK state schools and colleges are listed on our application system. If you attend an independent school, you are not eligible for the programme. If you are unsure of the type of school you attend, please visit the following website to check: //www.education.gov.uk/edubase/home.xhtml.
If you still cannot find your school, please email applications@suttontrust.com with the full name and address of your school so we can investigate further.
Your application will be reviewed by the university you applied to and they will be in contact with you by the end of April 2019. In the meantime, please make a note of the dates of the Summer School you have applied for to ensure you are available to attend if you are selected.
If you are not the relevant member of staff to complete a student’s reference, please email applications@suttontrust.com with the full name, contact email address and telephone number of the appropriate teacher at your school.
We are interested in (1) your school’s performance average point score at A-Levels or Highers, (2) the proportion of pupils in your school who go on to higher education, and (3) the number of pupils who receive free school meals in your school.
Generally speaking, if your school is below the national average in two or more of these, we will consider your school to meet this criterion. You can look at your school’s performance at www.schoolguide.co.uk, though the information here should be used as a guide as it may not be consistent with our data. If your school doesn’t meet this criterion it doesn’t mean your application will not be successful – it’s one of our eligibility criteria, and the more of them you meet the more likely your application is to be accepted.
We use a variety of data sets to measure areas of low progression to higher education.
These include POLAR and ACORN data. Universities may add additional data sets such as SIMD in Scotland.
These data sets show how likely young people are to participate in higher education across the UK and shows how this varies by area and the socio-economic make up of a postcode.
We are most interested in applicants who live in POLAR3 young participation quintiles 1 or 2 and/or ACORN groups 4 and 5. If you do not live in these areas it doesn’t mean your application will not be successful – it’s one of our eligibility criteria, and the more of them you meet the more likely your application is to be accepted..
You can use your postcode to find out which POLAR3 quintile you live in on the HEFCE website: //www.hefce.ac.uk/postcode/
Please email applications@suttontrust.com with your school name and we will provide you with the names of students from your school.
The teacher you nominate on your application form will receive an e-mail asking them to verify and support your application.
Teacher verification must be completed by 5pm on Thursday 7th March 2019.
Please email applications@suttontrust.com as soon as possible and outline the error in as much detail as possible.
This information will be listed in the email confirmation you receive once you submit your application.
No. The Sutton Trust Summer Schools run for approximately five days and you are expected to attend the full duration of the programme. If you cannot attend the full programme, please do not apply. The Summer Schools are hugely oversubscribed and there are many students on waiting lists who would welcome the opportunity to attend.
You will be contacted by the university you will visit this summer and they will arrange your travel.
Do I get any support with fees from the Sutton Trust if I go to university following this programme?
The Sutton Trust is not a grant / scholarship making charity and we do not financially support our students following the Summer Schools, nor do we provide education advice.
Yes, the cost of travel, accommodation and food is covered by the Sutton Trust and our partner universities.
Some universities may ask you to book your own travel and then reimburse the costs. Please contact your university if you would like more information.
Applicants can only apply to one course at one university. Some courses at some universities are more oversubscribed than others. We would therefore encourage applicants to select the course that best fits their interest.
There is space on the UCAS form for you to specify if you have attended a summer school or any other university programme. Some universities will give preference or reduced offers to students who have attended summer schools, however this is not the case for all universities. We also stress that this should not be a determining factor for you to attend a Sutton Trust Summer School. Your motivations for attending should be aligned to the aims and objectives of the programme.
Please sign in via the following link and delete your application: //www.apply.suttontrust.com/uk-summer/.
You can request a username / password reset here: //www.apply.suttontrust.com/uk-summer/.
You will receive an email notification after you have submitted your application form. This can sometimes come through to your junk folder or be marked as ‘spam’ so please check this first before emailing the Sutton Trust: applications@suttontrust.com.
Please email applications@suttontrust.com with your name, email address, school and the full name of the new teacher, their contact email address and telephone number.
Please carefully complete the application form and check you have accurately completed all aspects of the form. If you realise that you have made an error on your form after you have submitted, please email applications@suttontrust.com with your name, email address, school and outline the error.
Most universities will allow students to apply as long as they can secure funding for the full duration of their course through Student Finance. Please contact the university you are interested in applying to before submitting your application. You can find contact details on the partner university pages.
Please email the Sutton Trust to inform us of your individual circumstances so we can provide extra guidance: applications@suttontrust.com.
Unfortunately you cannot. Our UK Summer Schools are only open to students who attend non-fee-paying schools.
Please tick the box for Free School Meals on the form. We would like to know if you are currently or were previously eligible for Free School Meals.
Please email the Sutton Trust to inform us of your individual circumstances so we can provide extra guidance on completing the form: applications@suttontrust.com.
Yes. There is a section on the application form where you can list the country, type of course / qualification obtained and their age at the point of graduation.
Yes. There is a section on the application form where you can list the country, type of course / qualification obtained and their age at the point of graduation.
Please list the occupation(s) of parent(s) / guardian(s) you live with and who financially support you.
No, you can only apply to one UK Summer School. If you have secured a place a Sutton Trust Pathways programme or the US Summer School, you can only attend one Sutton Trust programme.
You are unable to make any changes to your application once submitted. If there are any exceptional circumstances for wanting to change, please email your student ID number and your reasons for the change: applications@suttontrust.com.
Yes, but not to all universities. This is often down to a university-wide policy; a decision which is out of our control.
Please see below for a list of universities that DO allow students in year 12 (or equivalent) who are over the age of 18 on their programmes.
– University of Bristol
– University of Cambridge
– Cardiff University
– Durham University
– University of Edinburgh
– University of Glasgow
– Kings College London
– Royal Veterinary College
– UCL
– University of Warwick
Yes, you can apply if you are in Year 13 / lower sixth at a state school or college in Northern Ireland.
You must be studying in Year 12 (in England or Wales), Year 13 (in Northern Ireland), or S5 (in Scotland) for your application to be considered.
Unfortunately you cannot apply, as the UK Summer Schools are for highly able state school students only. There are no exceptions to this rule including those individuals who receive scholarships or bursaries to attend an independent school. If you are unsure of your school type, please visit the following website to check: //www.education.gov.uk/edubase/home.xhtml.
Some universities will show flexibility if you are currently in or have been in care.
If you can’t find the answer to your question above, please e-mail applications@suttontrust.com.