Apply online here...
Our 2012 programme of courses runs during the summer, and we'd like to receive your application as soon after 1 September 2011 as possible. Please read the instructions below before completing your online application.
When you are considering your Headstart application please bear in mind that all STEM subjects are more straight forward with a good background in maths. And you’ll probably be good at Physics, which could be an advantage at degree level. Academic standards are generally high for all courses and will reflect degree entry requirements to those universities.
Headstart courses are divided into 2 distinct categories:
- Broad Based Engineering
- Specialist (Focussing on one or two subjects)
If you are unsure whether a science or engineering degree is for you, our Broad-Based courses will be most suitable.
For those who want to concentrate on a particular discipline, we have a range of Specialist courses: such as Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Marine Engineering and Nautical Science, Civil Engineering, Computing, Materials, Physics, The Physical Sciences, Systems Engineering and Mathematics.
**Most of our courses run between June and August, with the exception of our Easter courses at Royal Holloway University of London and the University of Cambridge, which run in April - Please apply before Christmas for these Easter courses **
When you apply online, please select 5 courses that appeal to you. You will also need to write a short statement about why you would like to be considered for a course (200 words max), and this must be in your own words, written by you, the student. We know parents love to help with personal statements, but we'd much rather hear what you have to say!
Whilst we will take your preferences into account as far as we can, we have to make sure the courses are well balanced by considering various criteria. Our aim is to select only one student per course from each school, we must adhere to the academic entry requirements defined by the universities and we try to have a good mix of boys and girls.
If we cannot find a place for you on one of your preferred courses, we might send you an offer for a course that we feel would be equally suitable for you, so please make sure you include information in your personal statement to help us to do this. Your personal statement shouldn't be too lengthy - about 200 words is sufficient.
It couldn't be easier to apply - complete a form online then print it out, sign it and ask your parent or guardian to sign it too. Please do make sure that you provide us with two different emergency contact numbers in the UK, in case there's an emergency whilst you are at one of our courses and we need to contact someone. Once you have done this all you need is a reference from your teacher, then post the form to us!
You can view your application as a draft to see how it looks before you submit it, but you must send us the complete and final version by clicking "submit and print". If your application form has "DRAFT - DO NOT SEND" printed across it, we cannot accept this form. You simply need to log on again and submit the form to print a completed version.
Once your form is ready to go please send it to the address below. It may be classed as a Large Letter so be careful to pay the correct postage.
Headstart
The Weltech Centre
Ridgeway
Welwyn Garden City
AL7 2AA
TO START YOUR APPLICATION CLICK HERE!
How will I know if I have a place on a course?
If we offer you a place on a course, we'll notify you in writing by sending you a letter or email in March/April time. We'll ask you to respond to a deadline, so please make sure you keep us up to date with any address details that change.
How much does it cost?
You are not asked to pay any fee until you have accepted an offer of a Headstart place. But once you have accepted a course place and paid the fee, this is not refundable.
The cost to attend a course is described by the numeric part of the course code eg CAR/255 explains the fee to attend Headstart in Cardiff is £255. This fee includes our payment charge, all accommodation and meals during the course, but not travel costs to and from the university.
You are responsible for arranging and paying for your own travel. It may be possible to arrive early and stay at the university overnight, but Headstart representatives will not be on site until registration begins. If you need to arrive early, you must make arrangements direct with the Accommodation department of the university and details of who to get in touch with will be contained in the joining instructions, sent around 3 weeks before the start of the course. Please note that not all universities are able to offer overnight accommodation the night before the course.
Because our courses are sponsored and subsidised by British companies, we allocate courses first to “home” students. A home student is defined as a British passport holder and whose home address (family residence) is in the UK. Other students (“international students”) are considered afterwards. We do not guarantee to be able to offer you one of your preferred courses or to place every applicant.
We charge an unsubsidised rate of £370 to international students. We define an international student as someone who either doesn’t hold a British passport or someone whose home address (family residence) is not in the UK. We reserve the right to ask you for evidence of nationality or your home address to make sure that we are charging you the correct course fee.
We may be able to offer you assistance if financial hardship would prevent you accepting the offer of a place. However, as a charitable trust we only have limited funds and as some schools are able to help, we’d like you to ask them first if they’d be willing to support you. If you do need to apply for a bursary you must tell us in writing on your application form and send us the supporting documents we ask for. To download the forms you need and to understand how we’ll assess you click here.
We’re sorry, but if we do not receive the information when you first apply, we won’t be able to consider you for a bursary.
Keep Updated!
We want to make sure you are kept up to date with any changes that are made to the dates, locations and descriptions of our courses. Please check our website regularly for updates to avoid any unexpected surprises.
Please also make sure that you keep us informed of any changes to your email address as we often send offers in this way with a very short time to respond to us.
TO START YOUR APPLICATION CLICK HERE!
Date Published: November 30, 2011
