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Year 12 Work Experience
Which year groups is the work experience open to?
The work experience programme is only open to students in year 12 (aged 16-17) during academic year 2025/26.
In-person work experience is available for year 10/11 students for those living within travelling distance of the University of York. Further details are available here.
Where will the work experience take place?
From Monday to Thursday the work experience will take place online. You’ll need to do some work on your own at home too, outside of the online taught sessions.
On Friday you will attend a day of activities on the University of York campus. Travel bursaries may be available to those meeting our access criteria.
What are the key dates?
- The deadline for applications is Sunday 25 January 2026.
- You will be notified whether you have been successful by the end of February 2026.
- The work experience week takes place from Monday 20 July to Friday 24 July 2026.
- Monday 20 July 2026 to Thursday 23 July 2026 are online.
- Friday 24 July 2026 is in person, at the University of York.
What will I be doing?
- Interview academic staff and researchers to find out about their cutting edge research
- Work on a mini research project to produce a research poster
- Learn skills that will prepare you for university
- Talk to undergraduates to learn more about studying at university
- Present your work at a showcase conference
Here's a sample schedule for the week
| 9.30am | 11.30am | 2pm | |
| Monday | Introduction: Exploring Physics and Engineering | Research skills session | Meet the researcher |
| Tuesday | How to make an academic poster | Lecture | Meet the researcher |
| Wednesday | Ask an Undergrad | Lecture | Exploring careers |
| Thursday | Poster submission / lecture | Lecture | Poster conference |
| Friday | Lab tour | Experimental activity | Demo lecture |
A more comprehensive schedule and links to online sessions will be provided to successful candidates.
Can I focus on the subject that interests me more between physics and engineering?
The work experience programme is a combination of both physics and engineering, but you can tailor it to your specific interests.
You will read descriptions of the available projects and rank your top choices, allowing you to opt for a physics-based topic, or an engineering one as you prefer.
You will also be given options for the in-person day at the University of York, so you can find out more about physics, engineering, or both!
What technology do I need to participate in the course?
- Much of the course can be accessed on a phone or tablet, although a PC or laptop will certainly help if you have access to one.
- You will need a PC or laptop to create your conference style poster. If you do not have access to one, try speaking to your school or local library.
- All online sessions will be conducted via Zoom. On some devices you'll need to download the Zoom app.
- We recommend having a notepad and pen to hand, and a scientific calculator. If you don’t have one, you could use Google’s version here.
Can I use this work experience for my UCAS form?
Yes. After completing the week’s activities and presenting your poster at our mini conference, you will receive a certificate of recognition from the University of York. You can refer to this, and what you have learned from the week, on your UCAS form.
How do I get to York?
On Friday 24 July you will attend an in-person day at the University of York.
The city of York is well connected by train and bus. Once in York, you can reach our campus via a regular bus service from the city centre.
Find out more about getting to the campus.
A small number of travel bursaries may be available to eligible students. These will be awarded on a case-by-case basis and will be offered if you are awarded a place on the work experience programme.
How do I apply?
Apply using the form below:
Places on the programme will be allocated based on widening participation criteria and the response to the question 'Why would you like to complete work experience at the University of York?'. Make sure you read the guidance given and ask us if you have any questions by emailing pet-outreach@york.ac.uk.