Extended Project qualification

We welcome teachers of post-16 students to find out more about the support The University of Manchester offers to Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) students.

The EPQ gives A-level students excellent preparation for university-level study and may help boost their UCAS application. The University is also supportive of students undertaking other research projects or qualifications, such as: HPQs; Welsh Baccalaureates; international EPQs; and extended A-level essays. Further information on how The University of Manchester considers the EPQ through the admissions process is available here.

The Extended Project is a single piece of work of a student's choosing that requires evidence of planning, preparation, research and independent learning. It is available as a stand-alone qualification for A-level students or may form part of a diploma qualification.

An Extended Project might be:

• a design;
• a report with findings from an investigation or study;
• a dissertation presenting an argument;
• an artefact;
• a performance.

The Extended Project offers opportunities for learners to:

• have significant input into the choice and design of an extended piece of work;
• develop and apply decision-making skills, problem-solving skills, initiative and enterprise;
• extend their planning, research, critical-thinking, analytical, synthesis, evaluation and presentation skills;
• use their learning experiences to support their personal aspirations for higher education and career development. 

The skills that students develop through the Extended Project are directly relevant to and useful for university-level study. Students can refer to the Extended Project in their UCAS personal statements and at interview to demonstrate some of the qualities that universities are looking for.