Our school and college liaison and widening participation teams run activities for students to help with their transition to higher education.
Support at every stage
Our teams offer expert guidance to students throughout their higher education journey, supporting them from thinking about their options to submitting their application.
We ensure teachers and advisers are kept up to date with monthly newsletters, which includes information on events you can book for your students, sector information, and relevant updates about City.
The schools liaison team post regular blogs about key topics relating to higher education and City. You can read our latest blog posts here.
Schools Liaison
Our Schools Liaison team work with sixth form students to support their transition to higher education.
We organise and deliver the following activities that can be booked by teachers and advisers:
- Talks on Higher Education topics for students, advisers and parents
- Coordinate subject specific workshops
- Attendance at Higher Education and Careers Fairs
- Representation at exhibitions such as UCAS and UK University Search
- Activities for teachers and advisers.
Activities with universities meet Gatsby Benchmark 7 if you are looking for ways to meet this benchmark. Some sessions delivered by universities may also assist with Benchmark 2 and 4.
City also run activities which students can book themselves:
- Campus Tours led by a current student
- Open Days
- Subject Taster Days for Year 12 students.
To book an activity, please email schoolsliaison@city.ac.uk with the details of your requirements and we would be happy to discuss these with you. We are as flexible as possible with requests, but we would recommend that all sessions are a minimum of 30 minutes wherever possible to ensure we support your students as best we can.
It is really helpful if you can send us the following information when booking your activity:
- Name of activity
- Year group
- Potential dates and times
- Length of session
- Type of room it will be delivered in if known
- Estimated number of students.
The list of talks we offer are:
How can I make the most of year 12?
Session overview: This session seeks to prepare students in the early stages of year 12 to make the most of the year ahead by considering how to prepare for their university application.
Recommended length: We’d recommend up to 30 minutes for this talk, if delivered as a workshop it could be up to 1 hour.
Recommended time of year: September – December of Year 12.
Considering your post sixth form options – is university right for me?
Session overview: University is a big decision for students, so this session is focused on helping them understand if it’s the right next step for them by addressing their questions about cost, applying, lifestyle, support and careers. We will also touch on other post-18 options aside from university.
Recommended length: We are flexible on the length of this, and it's common to combine this session with other workshop topics. We would usually recommend around 45 minutes for this topic.
Recommended time of year: September – March of Year 12.
How can I prepare for HE Fairs and Exhibitions?
Session overview: We appreciate that HE Fairs and exhibitions can feel overwhelming. In this session we give suggestions for how to approach these kinds of events and the questions to ask universities to get the most out of the experience.
Recommended length: We are flexible on the length of this, and its common to combine this session with other workshop topics. We would usually recommend 15 – 30 minutes for this topic.
Recommended time of year: September – July of Year 12.
Where can a degree take me?
Session overview: This session will challenge students' perceptions of where degree study can take them. Students explore the variety of careers available within a specific field which will open their eyes to the possibilities available.
Recommended length: We are flexible on the length of this, and its common to combine this session with other workshop topics. This could be delivered from anywhere between 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Recommended time of year: September – July of Year 12.
How do I choose where and what to study?
Session overview: This session encourages students to begin researching where and what they would like to study. It gives guidance on the different factors students should consider when making decisions about university.
Recommended length: We are flexible on the length of this, and its common to combine this session with other workshop topics. This could be delivered from anywhere between 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Recommended time of year: September – March of Year 12.
What’s it like living at home while at university?
Session overview: Many of City’s students live at home whilst studying. We want to help answer questions students have about what this might be like to help them decide if its right for them, and give them tips on making the most of commuting and how to budget their money.
Recommended length: We recommend 45 minutes – 1 hour for this workshop.
Recommended time of year: May – July of Year 12, Autumn term of Year 13.
How can I use Unifrog to research my options?
Session overview: This session is specifically for schools and colleges already working with Unifrog. This session is usually best combined with another session, such as How do I choose where and what to study?
We require a computer room for this session as we will be getting students using Unifrog and showing them how the tool can assist with their university research, so will usually deliver this workshop multiple times on the same day to cover the whole year group.
Recommended length: We would recommend 1 hour total for a workshop including Unifrog (usually combined with another topic).
Recommended time of year: September – July of Year 12
We can also introduce Unifrog as part of other talks in assembly style format rather than in a workshop, for this we recommend 15 minutes.
How do I apply to university?
Session overview: In this session we will take students through the UCAS process, including key dates and how to complete the application form.
Recommended length: We would encourage this topic is combined with another workshop such as personal statements.
Recommended time of year: September – July of Year 12.
How do I tackle the personal statement?
Session overview: This session can be delivered either as a presentation or a workshop.
If delivered as a talk we will introduce the personal statement, discuss structure and how to approach it, and where possible include reviewing some examples.
We would recommend where possible this is delivered as a workshop, as we can facilitate activities to plan and write the statement as well as review examples in more depth.
Due to preferably delivering this in a classroom, we will usually deliver this workshop multiple times on the same day to cover the whole year group.
Recommended length: We are flexible on the length of this session delivered as a talk as it is often combined with other talks. We would recommend a minimum of 30 minutes and can deliver talks on just this topic for longer. We would recommend a minimum of 1 hour for a workshop but can deliver this for longer.
Recommended time of year: May - July of Year 12, Autumn term of Year 13.
Applying to Health Courses: Interviews and Selection Days Talk or Workshop
Session overview: Many health courses (such as Nursing, Midwifery, Radiography and Speech And Language Therapy) require an interview or selection day as part of the application process. In this session, we cover key information about what universities look for during a selection day and top tips for interviews.
Where possible, we recommend this session is delivered as a workshop as we can facilitate activities to practice interview techniques, scenario questions and group discussions.
Recommended length: We would recommend a minimum of 30 minutes if delivered as a talk. We would recommend a minimum of 1 hour for a workshop but can deliver this for longer.
Recommended time of year: May - July of Year 12, Autumn term of Year 13.
How can I make the most of my summer?
Session overview: This session is ideal for students finishing year 12 to get them thinking about the different activities they can do over the summer to include on their personal statements.
Recommended length: We’d recommend up to 30 minutes for this session. We can also work on the personal statement, taking this session up to 1 hour.
Recommended time of year: March – July of Year 12.
How will I fund my studies?
Session overview: This session covers all the information regarding student finance such as tuition fees, maintenance loans, bursaries, scholarships and loan repayments.
If delivered as a talk we will try to include interactive elements around budgeting. If delivered as a workshop students will also take part in a budgeting activity which compares being a commuting student versus living in accommodation.
Recommended length: If delivered as a talk we would recommend 45 minutes – 1 hour for this topic. We would recommend 1 hour for this workshop due to the nature of the content covered.
Recommended time of year: June - July of Year 12, September – April of Year 13
We also deliver Student Finance talks for parents at information evenings. We would strongly encourage allowing a whole evening event for this topic if you can (around 45 minutes) due to the complicated nature of the topic.
A day in the life: what's it like being a City student?
Session overview: This session introduces City's student life through real life experiences from our current students.
Recommended length: We’d recommend up to 30 minutes for this session. It can be combined with other workshops delivered by City staff.
Recommended time of year: September – July of Year 12.
Why study at City?
Session overview: This presentation covers all of the key information about opportunities and services that are available to students at City.
Recommended length: We’d recommend up to 30 minutes for this session. It can be combined with other workshops.
Recommended time of year: September – July of Year 12.
References / UCAS Process / Personal Statements for teachers and careers advisers
Session overview: We can deliver a session on any of these topics to teachers and careers advisers to support their students through the UCAS process. References are changing for 2024 entry, and we will be covering these changes within the references section.
Recommended length: We recommend 30 minutes for references alone, but the session can be made longer if it includes personal statements and the UCAS process.
Recommended time of year: May - July of Year 12, Autumn term of Year 13.
A parent's guide to Higher Education
Session overview: We deliver sessions for parents at information evenings which can include any of the topics included in this list. If you would like us to talk about Student Finance, we would strongly encourage a dedicated parent’s evening on this if possible (around 45 minutes) due to the complicated nature of the topic.
Recommended length: Flexible depending on the requirements of the event.
Recommended time of year: September – July of year 12, Autumn term of Year 13.
Widening Participation
City's Widening Participation Outreach activities are targeted to reach those who will most benefit, and where we can have the greatest impact. Focusing on our London location, we work in schools with a high proportion of learners from deprived backgrounds and with lower than expected rates of progression into higher education.
Our dedicated and committed staff will work with you to deliver a programme of exciting, engaging and creative activities to meet the needs of your students.
What we do:
- Maths and English tutoring for primary, secondary and post-16 pupils
- Maths GCSE revision days
- City Campus visits
- Subject insight days for primary schools (Spotlight days) and 6th formers/college students (Masterclasses)
- University Taster weeks including Business, Health, STEM, Psychology and Law
- One to one careers guidance interview
- Information, advice and guidance workshops including programmes aimed at mature learners
- Mentoring for sixth former and college students
- Snapshot higher education transition week for BTEC students
- Start@City pre-induction programme for targeted WP undergraduate students
You can find out more information about our programmes in the brochures below:
- Primary Schools widening participation brochure
- Secondary Schools widening participation brochure
- Post-16 widening participation brochure
- Taster Weeks brochure
For information on the provision and support we can provide to you and your students and to discuss working with us remotely, on campus or on your school site in person, please contact wpteam@city.ac.uk.
Visit the Widening Participation Outreach at City blog
UK International
City welcomes students from all over the world and is one of the most international universities in the UK. Our UK International Team works with international students already living in the UK who are considering applying to City.
We organise and deliver a wide range of activities both online and face to face, which can be booked by teachers, counsellors and advisers. These include:
- Bespoke events for students about life at City, University of London;
- Talks and workshops on Higher Education topics for students, advisers and parents;
- Subject specific workshops;
- Participation in Higher Education and Careers Fairs.
If you are interested in booking an activity with us, please contact us at UKinternational@city.ac.uk and we will be more than happy to assist.