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When preparing to apply to university, it’s easy to focus on building an impressive list of extracurricular activities. Whether it’s playing a sport, volunteering, or learning an instrument, these experiences can help you develop valuable transferable skills.
However, universities also want to see evidence of a genuine interest and engagement with your chosen subject.
This is where supercurricular activities come into play. They demonstrate how you’ve explored your academic interests beyond the classroom and can strengthen your UCAS application. For highly competitive courses and universities such as Oxford and Cambridge, evidence of supercurricular engagement is crucial.
This article will explain what supercurriculars are, why they matter, and provide some ideas to help you get started.
What are supercurricular activities?
Supercurricular activities are activities that deepen your understanding of a subject you’re studying at school or college, or one that you hope to study at university. They extend your learning beyond the classroom, giving you the opportunity to explore ideas that aren’t covered by your exam specification, consider different perspectives, and begin thinking about your subject in the way university students do.
Supercurricular vs extracurricular activities
Supercurricular activities are often confused with extracurricular activities, but they serve different purposes.
Extracurricular activities are non-academic pursuits that you take part in outside your classroom studies. Unlike supercurricular activities, they are not directly related to the subject you hope to study at university. Examples include playing for a netball team, attending a weekly chess club, or volunteering at a local charity shop.
These activities can help you develop valuable transferable skills, such as teamwork, communication, and time management. When included in a UCAS application, they can also show that you are a well-rounded applicant with interests, experiences, and strengths beyond your academic achievements.
Supercurricular activities, on the other hand, are directly related to an academic subject. Their purpose is to deepen your knowledge, broaden your understanding, and encourage you to think beyond what you’ve learned in the classroom.
Examples of supercurriculars include:
- Reading books, magazines, or journal articles related to your subject.
- Listening to podcasts featuring academics or industry professionals.
- Watching documentaries.
- Attending seminars or lectures.
- Completing free online courses.
- Visiting museums, galleries, or exhibitions.
- Participating in academic competitions or projects.
- Carrying out your own independent project or research into a relevant topic.
Why are supercurricular activities important?
There are many reasons to take part in supercurricular activities.
They deepen your subject knowledge
Supercurricular activities allow you to explore topics beyond the school curriculum and develop a deeper understanding of subjects that interest you. By reading books, listening to podcasts, watching lectures, or attending talks, you can discover new ideas, theories, and debates that may not be covered in your lessons.
They demonstrate motivation and passion for your subject
Excellent grades show that you excel academically, but they don’t necessarily demonstrate enthusiasm. Supercurriculars show universities that your interest in a subject extends beyond studying for exams.
This is particularly important when applying for competitive universities such as Oxbridge, where admissions tutors are looking for evidence of academic curiosity and a willingness to engage with your chosen subject independently.
They help develop valuable skills
Many supercurricular activities encourage you to think critically, evaluate evidence, and form your own opinions. Whether you’re reading a book, attending a seminar, or completing an online course, you’ll develop skills such as independent learning, research, and analysis. These skills are highly regarded by universities, as well as apprenticeship providers and employers.
They prepare you for university study
University study requires students to take ownership of their own learning. By encouraging you to explore topics independently, identify reliable sources, and engage critically with new ideas, supercurriculars help you develop the habits needed for degree-level study.
Developing these habits before university can ease the transition to higher education and help you feel more confident in an independent learning environment.
They help you decide whether a course is right for you
Exploring a subject beyond the school curriculum can give you a clearer idea of what studying it at university may involve. You may discover topics that strengthen your interest in the course, or realise that certain areas are less appealing than you expected.
They provide material for UCAS applications and interviews
Supercurricular activities give you meaningful examples to discuss in applications and interviews. You can reflect on how an activity developed your knowledge, challenged your thinking, or piqued your interest. This is especially useful in academic interviews, where you may be expected to discuss ideas in more depth, respond to unfamiliar questions, and consider different perspectives.
“Engaging in supercurricular activities, such as completing online courses and participating in academic competitions, strengthened my university application by showcasing my interest in chemical engineering as well as the skills necessary for the course. These activities also helped me think about what I want to achieve after graduating from university.
Instead of listing achievements, choose a few meaningful ones and reflect on how they shaped your interest in the subject.”
Dain Chung, Third Year Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology Student, University of Cambridge
How to choose supercurricular activities
There are hundreds of possible supercurricular activities, so it can be easy to feel overwhelmed! It’s important to remember that you don’t need to do everything. Choosing a small number of meaningful activities is better than trying to build an impressive-looking list.
Begin with your intended degree
If you already know what you’d like to study at university, begin by looking for activities related to that course or subject. For example, aspiring engineers might consider participating in robotics competitions, watching engineering documentaries, or taking part in the Youth STEMM Award. Prospective historians could visit museums or explore digital archives. Students interested in medicine could listen to medical ethics podcasts or attend healthcare lectures.
Starting with your intended degree helps ensure your activities are both relevant and enjoyable.
Follow your interests
Choose activities that genuinely interest you rather than those you think will impress universities. If you enjoy what you’re learning about, you’re more likely to stay engaged, ask questions, and explore the topic in greater depth.
Start small
You don’t need to commit to lengthy online courses or large independent projects immediately. Watching a university lecture, reading a chapter of a book, or listening to a podcast can all be excellent starting points.
Prioritise quality over quantity
Universities are more interested in how thoughtfully you’ve engaged with an activity than how many you’ve completed. In your personal statement, reflecting on what you learned from a book or lecture and how it shaped your thinking is far more valuable than listing off a bunch of activities you can barely remember.
“Supercurricular activities were really helpful in demonstrating my genuine interest in my subject, especially for humanities courses where traditional work experience can be harder to find. Exploring niche topics through podcasts, online courses, and wider reading helped me to go beyond the school curriculum. I recommend looking at university course modules as well, as this helps you connect your interests to the specific degree you are applying for. For instance, you can reference particular classes or topics offered by the university and explain how they align with your own interests and what you hope to study in more depth.”
Ching, Third Year History Student, University College London
Types of supercurricular activities
There are countless ways to engage with your subject beyond the classroom. Here are some options to get you started.
Read books, magazines, and journal articles
Reading is one of the easiest ways to explore a subject beyond the classroom. Popular science books, academic articles, and reputable magazines can introduce you to new ideas, debates, and research.
Listen to podcasts
Podcasts are a great way to explore new topics while travelling to school, exercising, or simply relaxing at home. Many universities, academics, and industry professionals produce podcasts discussing current research, recent discoveries, and important debates within their fields.
Watch documentaries and lectures
Universities, organisations, and experts regularly publish free educational content online, making it easier than ever to explore your subject beyond the classroom. This could include university lectures, TED and TEDx Talks, documentaries, panel discussions, or recorded conference presentations.
Complete online courses
Platforms such as FutureLearn, Coursera and OpenLearn offer free courses on a huge range of subjects. These can introduce university-level concepts while allowing you to study at your own pace.
Attend university talks, workshops, and taster days
Many universities run free taster days, summer schools, workshops, and public lectures throughout the year. These events allow you to experience university teaching, speak to academics and current students, and ask questions about topics that interest you.
Visit museums, galleries, and exhibitions
Many subjects can be explored through exhibitions and collections. Whether you’re visiting a science museum, an art gallery, a historical landmark, or a natural history museum, these experiences can help bring what you’ve learned in the classroom to life.
Participate in competitions or challenges
Taking part in subject-specific competitions, Olympiads, hackathons, or design challenges allows you to apply your knowledge and develop new skills. Even if you don’t win, the experience is still valuable.
“When I was preparing to apply for a Biology degree, I wanted to find a supercurricular activity that combined my interests in science and art. After searching online, I discovered the Royal Society of Biology’s Nancy Rothwell Award, which celebrates specimen drawing in schools. I entered independently and was fortunate enough to win my age category! This experience allowed me to demonstrate creativity alongside scientific observation and showed that my enthusiasm for Biology extended beyond the classroom.”
Molly, Biology Graduate, University of St Andrews
Undertake work experience or volunteering
Work experience or volunteering can provide insight into careers related to your chosen subject. This is particularly useful for vocational degrees such as Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Nursing, or Teaching, where relevant experience is often expected.
Carry out your own project
One of the most rewarding supercurricular activities is designing and conducting your own project. Depending on your subject, this could involve:
- Building a simple app
- Carrying out an experiment
- Writing an essay
- Analysing publicly available data
- Creating a portfolio
- Producing a documentary or podcast
- Undertaking an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
Independent projects demonstrate initiative and provide excellent material to discuss in applications and interviews because they show sustained engagement with your subject.
Join clubs and societies
School clubs, local societies, debating groups, coding clubs, book clubs, or university outreach programmes can help you explore your interests alongside like-minded people and develop your understanding through discussion.
“Being actively involved in a community service club during high school strengthened my university application by showcasing my commitment to helping others beyond my academic responsibilities. This experience reflected my dedication to making a positive impact in the community and highlighted my motivation to pursue a career in nursing that centres on person-centred, compassionate care!”
Tao, Third-year Nursing Student, King’s College London
Top tip
Many websites provide subject-specific lists of recommended supercurricular activities, resources, and opportunities. For example, St Anne’s College at the University of Oxford has suggestions for subjects ranging from Biology and Engineering to History, Law, and Medicine.
How to keep track of your supercurricular activities
Keeping a record of your supercurriculars can make it much easier to reflect on what you’ve learned and draw on your experiences when writing your personal statement or preparing for interviews.
You don’t need anything complicated; a notebook, spreadsheet, or notes app is more than enough. The key is to record your thoughts while they’re still fresh, rather than trying to remember them months later.
For each activity, note down:
- What you did
- What you learned or found particularly interesting
- Any new questions or ideas it raised
- Whether it challenged or changed your thinking
- Any skills or knowledge you developed
For example, after watching a lecture, you might write a short paragraph explaining what surprised you, whether you agreed with the speaker’s conclusions, and what you’d like to investigate next.
Remember, universities are more interested in what you took away from an experience than simply the fact that you completed it. Reflecting on how a supercurricular activity influenced your understanding of a subject will provide you with much stronger examples to discuss in your application or interview compared to a list of books you’ve read or lectures you’ve attended.
“Supercurricular activities, especially wider reading, were crucial to my university applications as they demonstrated my real interest and passion for History to the admissions teams.
As a Sino-Malaysian raised in the UK, my personal statement traced the historical crisis points that prompted my ancestors to immigrate, making my wider readings both deeply personal and strongly rooted in my historical interest. I explored a variety of materials, including scholarly works by renowned historians, memoirs, podcasts, and visits to museums and exhibitions.
However, it is not enough to just list what you have read, listened to, or completed. A strong applicant must demonstrate how they engaged with these supercurricular activities. How did reading XYZ shape your understanding of the topic? What did you learn? To what extent do you agree or disagree with various historiographical arguments?
Good luck exploring and have fun along the way!”
Connie, Third Year History Student, University College London
Whether you’re hoping to strengthen your university application, prepare for degree-level study, or discover where your interests lie, supercurricular activities are an excellent way to explore your chosen subject beyond the classroom.
Remember, there isn’t a perfect list of supercurriculars to complete. Universities are far more interested in the curiosity, enthusiasm, and reflection you demonstrate than the number of activities you have taken part in.
Begin with something that genuinely interests you, take time to reflect on what you learn, and use each experience to guide what you explore next.
FAQs
What is a supercurricular?
A supercurricular is an activity that helps you explore a subject beyond your school or college curriculum. When applying to university, supercurriculars help demonstrate your suitability for a course by giving you meaningful examples to discuss in your personal statement or at an interview.
What is the difference between extracurricular and supercurricular?
Extracurricular activities are interests or hobbies that take place outside your academic studies, such as playing for a football team, performing in an orchestra, or taking part in a drama club. Supercurricular activities are directly related to your chosen subject and help you deepen your knowledge through activities such as wider reading, lectures, online courses, or independent projects.
Some activities can fall into either category depending on the context. For example, work experience or volunteering may be considered supercurricular if it is directly related to the subject you hope to study at university.
What counts as a supercurricular?
Anything that develops your understanding of a subject beyond the classroom can count as a supercurricular. This could include reading books or journal articles, listening to podcasts, attending lectures, completing online courses, taking part in competitions, undertaking work experience, or carrying out your own research project.
Is reading a supercurricular?
Yes. Reading books, magazines, or journal articles related to your chosen subject is one of the most common supercurricular activities. The key is to choose materials that go beyond your exam board specification and to reflect on what you’ve learned.
Does work experience count as supercurricular?
Work experience can count as a supercurricular, provided it is relevant to your chosen subject or career. For example, work experience in a hospital would be a valuable supercurricular for someone applying to study Medicine, while spending time in a law firm could support an application for Law.
Is an EPQ a supercurricular?
Yes. An Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is widely recognised as a supercurricular because it involves researching a topic independently and developing skills such as critical thinking, analysis, academic writing, and presentation. Choosing an EPQ topic related to your intended degree can provide excellent material for your university application.
How many supercurriculars should you do?
There is no ideal number of supercurricular activities. Universities are generally more interested in the quality of your engagement than the quantity of activities you’ve completed. A small number of meaningful supercurriculars that you can discuss confidently is usually far more valuable than a long list of activities with little reflection.
Do supercurricular activities have to be related to your degree?
Yes, supercurricular activities should help you explore the subject you hope to study at university.
Does Oxbridge care about supercurriculars?
Yes. Oxford and Cambridge place particular emphasis on academic curiosity and independent engagement with your chosen subject.
The University of Cambridge makes a clear distinction between supercurricular and extracurricular activities and states that extracurricular activities won’t be taken into consideration during the application process. Instead, applicants are encouraged to focus on supercurricular activities. Similarly, the University of Oxford recommends that around 80% of your personal statement should focus on your academic interests, abilities and achievements, including supercurricular activities. The remaining 20% can then cover unrelated extracurricular activities.
Are supercurricular activities free?
Many supercurriculars are free. Reading library books, listening to podcasts, watching university lectures, attending public talks, and completing online courses can all be done at little or no cost. While some opportunities, such as summer schools or residential programmes, may charge a fee, there are plenty of excellent free supercurricular activities available.
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