The Student Room Group

Is EPQ worth it

If we do 3 alevels my school forces us to do an epq or the English language speaking board qualification which seems kinda useful cuz I'm always nervous and scared at the front of the class so maybe this can help overcome that.

From what I've heard an epq is much more favoured by unis but like to what extent? I'm doing fm, math, econ and I need a*a*a* (to do finance) and I could imagine these subjects r rime consuming

Reply 1

An EPQ is worth the UCAS points of half an A level. So some courses will lower the grade requirements for their course by a grade which is useful. If a university offers a UCAS points tariff for entrey requirements, it can help you build enough points to apply. Many competitive Universities ignore it in terms of entry rquirements, though.
It can also be useful if you pick a topic related to the course you want to apply to as you can use the research in your personal statement.
If writing an extended report is a long and tedious process then it is not worth doing. Its important for a student to play to their strengths and choose what will most benefit them. As you rightly say, its not as important as your actual A levels!
(edited 10 months ago)

Reply 2

Original post
by totallyfine
An EPQ is worth the UCAS points of half an A level. So some courses will lower the grade requirements for their course by a grade which is useful. If a university offers a UCAS points tariff for entrey requirements, it can help you build enough points to apply. Many competitive Universities ignore it in terms of entry rquirements, though.
It can also be useful if you pick a topic related to the course you want to apply to as you can use the research in your personal statement.
If writing an extended report is a long and tedious process then it is not worth doing. Its important for a student to play to their strengths and choose what will most benefit them. As you rightly say, its not as important as your actual A levels!


thank you,see I don't know if it would be worth it or not tho because I don't knoe anything about finance actually so it could be good to extend my knowledge for uni applications actually so I might do it then

Reply 3

Do you get you choose your presentation topic for the public speaking qualification? Because you could also research an area of finance for that too, potentially.

Reply 4

Original post
by totallyfine
Do you get you choose your presentation topic for the public speaking qualification? Because you could also research an area of finance for that too, potentially.


true, it includes a 3 min speech on any topic but only 3minutes

Reply 5

Original post
by labyr5nth
If we do 3 alevels my school forces us to do an epq or the English language speaking board qualification which seems kinda useful cuz I'm always nervous and scared at the front of the class so maybe this can help overcome that.
From what I've heard an epq is much more favoured by unis but like to what extent? I'm doing fm, math, econ and I need a*a*a* (to do finance) and I could imagine these subjects r rime consuming


The honest answer is: it depends. I got lower offers from both Uni of Nottingham and Bath (I know York does it as well) for my EPQ. For reference I’m doing a STEM degree. But it is a lot of work, I can’t deny it. Also the EPQ does involve a presentation in front of an audience if that’s something you’re keen on. If you have any questions feel free to ask!

Reply 6

Research the Unis you want to apply to and list out their requirements. One advantage if you are only doing STEM subjects is it will build/ demonstrate essay skills and academic research capabilities. But it does require effort and time and you need to get an A to get any grade reduction if offered. You can also message the tutor for the courses and seek their advice. Do you have any extenuating circumstances?
Hello @labyr5nth!

The EPQ can be very helpful for the transition into university as it allows you to become familiar with conducting your own academic research, referencing and dissertation writing. I found that it really helped me when I started studying psychology at university, as lots of the coursework was essay writing. Like many other universities, the University of Southampton really values EPQs. Ultimately, you should pick what you think will be best for you, and I can only speak on the EPQ as I'm not familiar with the English Language Speaking Board Qualification.

Good luck with whichever option you choose and let me know if you have any other questions about the EPQ!

Poppy, Second Year Psychology Student. 😀

Reply 8

Original post
by labyr5nth
If we do 3 alevels my school forces us to do an epq or the English language speaking board qualification which seems kinda useful cuz I'm always nervous and scared at the front of the class so maybe this can help overcome that.
From what I've heard an epq is much more favoured by unis but like to what extent? I'm doing fm, math, econ and I need a*a*a* (to do finance) and I could imagine these subjects r rime consuming

EPQ is a good way to really extend your studies beyond the A level curriculum. Especially if you find something related to your A levels that you really enjoy to really explore in your EPQ as you can use in your personal statement to demonstrate how you've looked more deeply at something related to your academic interests. It can strengthen your personal statement when you apply for uni making you a more competitive applicant even if non of the courses you apply for want/care about the EPQ qualification. If you are looking at A*s predictions then presumably you'll be applying to courses where there will be competition for places so the content/experience of extended study an EPQ would give you could be very useful.

Reply 9

Along with a potential reduced offer, I think it shows that you are able to handle an additional workload alongside your regular A-level subjects.

Reply 10

An EPQ is the closest thing you could possibly do in 6form to get you used to the style of university work, even for STEM. It is also not particularly that hard to do well in, its coursework, you work at it until you get a good grade and most of the logbook is very 'performative'. It is largely a time management exercise, get it done early and you avoid all the last-minute stress.

Reply 11

Original post
by MaterialsEng
An EPQ is the closest thing you could possibly do in 6form to get you used to the style of university work, even for STEM. It is also not particularly that hard to do well in, its coursework, you work at it until you get a good grade and most of the logbook is very 'performative'. It is largely a time management exercise, get it done early and you avoid all the last-minute stress.

cool thx

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