Post-16 activities

We offer a range of activities for students over the age of 16 who would like to explore higher education opportunities in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences.

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Work Experience Placements

It is important for young people to be able to develop their skills in the work place whilst learning more about different course and career options.

The STEM work experience weeks have been designed to allow all students to build their self-confidence, immerse themselves in a scientific environment and gain a better understanding of what science skills, courses and careers are available.

Year 12 application information

Year 12 work experience programme details

Dates for year 12 work experience vary for each programme.

We are really excited to have young, talented, future scientists come to try their hand at some molecular and ecological techniques and help develop their scientific knowledge and experience.

This will be an exciting week where you can generate real scientific data on the diversity of nematodes in Bristol.  You will all get the chance to sample for nematodes, view them under a microscope, extract their DNA, amplify that DNA by PCR and then read the DNA sequence to find out which species it belongs to. You will get to do all the techniques involved yourselves so you will get genuine first hand research experience.

Date: 23 - 27 June 2025

Places: 20

Join us for an exciting week where you will gain an insight into the different Life Science subject areas and understand what different skills and knowledge they require in each subject area.  You will be participating in interactive, hands-on practical’s in all subject areas such as biochemistry, biological sciences, psychology, cellular medicine, pharmacology, physiology and neuroscience.

You will visit some active world-renowned research lab where academics are working on many different research areas and undertake scientific sessions such as electron microscopy and the Human Patient Simulator. You will also spend two days working on a collaborative, small group research project and develop key employability skills such as data collection and analysis and problem solving.  

Date: 16 - 20 June 2025

Places: 20

This week provides a valuable opportunity to gain hands-on experience of laboratory and fieldwork activities in geographical sciences, gaining insights into various techniques and methodologies used in the discipline.

These experiences develop an understanding of the importance of precision and accuracy in scientific research and provides a practical understanding of how geographical data is collected and analysed in real-world setting.

It is a rewarding experience that will strengthen interest in geographical sciences and help develop valuable skills for future studies and career paths.

Date: 30 June - 4 July 2025

Places: 12

Eligibility

Due to limited spaces, priority will be given to students from widening participation backgrounds.

When allocating places, certain criteria will be taken into consideration as we aim to encourage applications from students currently under-represented at the University. Therefore, applicants will be more likely to gain a place if they: 

  • are from an ethnic group that is under-represented at the University of Bristol: Asian Pakistani, Asian Bangladeshi, Black Caribbean, Black African, mixed backgrounds featuring one or more of these groups;
  • are the first in their family to go to university;
  • live in an IMD (Indices of Multiple Deprivation) quintile 1 area as defined by their home postcode;
  • are or have been eligible for free school meals;
  • attend a school or college listed by the University as an aspiring state school or college;
  • have spent three or more months in local authority care;
  • have a disability.

Please read our Access and participation plan 2025-26 to 2028-29 summary (PDF, 146kB) for further information as it sets out how higher education providers will improve equality of opportunity for underrepresented groups to access, succeed in and progress from higher education.

Central flagship outreach activities