The University of Southampton

ECS Taster Course 2024:

A residential taster course, with specialisations in either Electronics and Computer Science or Biomedical Engineering

Monday 29th July 2024 - Friday 2nd August 2024

Give us your feedback at the end of the course here!

What is the ECS Taster Course?

On the course, you live life as a University student and enjoy a busy programme:

  • Try your hand at real experiments in our state-of-the-art laboratories.
  • Learn about our teaching and research from our world-renowned lecturers.
  • Get to know our current students and recent graduates.
  • Enjoy social events: meet fellow students with a visit to the city centre.
  • Experience life on campus and in our halls of residence.
  • Meet leading employers at our annual Taster Course Careers Fair.
  • Just £349 for this one-week residential experience (reduced rates and full bursaries available), meals and accommodation included.

 

Is this course right for you? It's a great way to:

  • find out if studying Computer Science, or Electronic, Electrical, or Biomedical Engineering is right for you.
  • experience life as a University student, and the University of Southampton in particular.
  • meet people and make friends interested in University study.

 

Eligibility

Typical requirements for our Summer Taster Course(s) are:

  • attained mostly grades of 7 or above at GCSE*.
  • currently in Year 12 (English system, or equivalent) and age 16 or over on the 28th of July 2024.
  • currently studying in the UK, or are a British citizen studying abroad.
  • for the Electronics and Computer Science stream: currently studying A-Level Mathematics and either Physics, Computer Science, Electronics, Biology, Chemistry or Further Mathematics*.
  • for the Biomedical Engineering stream: currently studying A-Level Mathematics and either Physics, Biology, Chemistry or Further Mathematics*.

* Equivalent qualifications apply if you have studied outside the UK

 

You are Welcome:

  • No prior experience or knowledge of computer science, electronics or programming is necessary.
  • There is no obligation to apply to the University of Southampton following the course.
  • You may just want to explore these subjects further and have no plans to study them at university.
  • We are committed to providing opportunities for all, regardless of gender. Half of our initial allocation of places are reserved to ensure a balance of genders.

 

Application Process

If you would like to apply to attend the Taster Course:

  • Complete our online application form, when open.
  • Once submitted, we will send you an email acknowledgement of your application. 
  • Your application will then be reviewed by our admissions team, and we will notify you of our decision within 14 working days.
  • If we offer you a place on the course, you will  have a further seven days to pay for the course. 

Please note that our course is very popular, and is usually over-subscribed. 

 

Fees, Bursaries and Scholarships

Course Fees

The fee for attending the course is £349, which includes overnight accommodation Monday-Thursday, and all food and drink for the week.

If you would prefer to arrive on Sunday 28th July, we offer overnight accommodation and dinner on Sunday night, and breakfast on Monday for an additional charge. Overnight accommodation is not possible on Friday 4th August.

Bursaries and Reduced Fees

You may be eligible for a full bursary (covering the full course fee), or a reduced rate fee of £239.

Full bursaries are available to attendees on a first-come first-served basis, who meet at least two of the following criteria:

  • you will be the first generation in your family to attend university, excluding brothers and sisters
  • your current home postcode is in an area with low levels (POLAR4 quintiles 1 or 2) of progression to Higher Education
  • you attend a school/college in the lowest two quintiles for average QCA points per A level student 
  • you are in receipt of a 16-19 Bursary or similar grant OR received Free School Meals at any point during your secondary school education
  • you are living or grew up in Local Authority care OR are estranged from your family
  • you are currently a Young Carer or Young Adult Carer

 

A reduced course fee of £239 is available to applicants who match one of the criteria above, OR whose current home postcode is an area with medium levels (POLAR4 quintile 3 or 4) of progression to Higher Education.

Please note bursaries do not cover the cost of additional accommodation and meals on Sunday night, or any travel expenses. Full bursary holders may be able to claim a contribution towards reasonable travel expenses by public transport. Please contact us at ecstaster@soton.ac.uk for more information. 

The Zepler Scholarship 2025

Exclusive £1000 degree scholarship for course attendees.

This exclusive scholarship from the School of Electronics and Computer Science (ECS) at the University of Southampton provides £1000 for all students in the first year of their degree who meet all of the following conditions:

  • attended the ECS Taster Course in 2021, 2022, or 2023 - all students that attended will be considered
  • enrolled on an ECS undergraduate degree course
  • meet (or exceed) their offer and obtain at least A*AA at A-Level (to include/exclude any subjects specified in the wording
  • are eligible for UK fees

 

Cancellation Policy

After payment is received, the University will begin to arrange services for your attendance at the summer school. Therefore, no refunds will be possible after the 7-day 'cooling off' period. This does not affect your statutory rights. However: 

We accept that our best-laid plans may have to change as a result of external factors outside our control. We are committed to running a safe and enjoyable course. 

  • If we decide to cancel the course, you will receive a full refund;
  • If we decide to change to online delivery, you can choose to either 1) cancel and receive a full refund, or 2) attend the online course and receive a partial refund for the difference in course fee;
  • If you are unable to attend due to government guidance at the time of the course, you will receive a full refund. 

 

Contact us

The University of Southampton has an outstanding reputation for Electronics and Computer Science. We are a member of the prestigious Russell Group of research universities and our degrees are ranked amongst the best in the UK. Our graduates are highly regarded by leading employers and we work closely with industrial galleries, both in our research and our teaching.

We are keen to hear from you should you have any queries. Please get in touch with us: ecstaster@soton.ac.uk