Widening Participation

Top-Up Programme

Our Top-Up Programme has been working with schools in the West of Scotland since 1999 and was our main contribution to the GOALS (Greater Opportunity of Access and Learning with Schools) Project from 2000-2008. Top-Up is now an element of the FOCUS West (Focus on College and University Study in the West of Scotland) Programme.

The Top-Up Programme has been designed to help S5 and S6 school pupils who are planning to enter higher education after school, or considering that option. Top-Up prepares pupils for the transition from school to university or college and helps them make informed choices about their futures.

Participating in Top-Up: 

  • Helps prepare students for higher education
  • Helps students decide if higher education is the right option for them at the present time
  • Equips students with key skills and provides useful tips and advice for successful study
  • Helps students improve their existing skills in order to reach their full potential
  • Introduces students to campus life, i.e. lectures, seminars, library and I.T. resources
  • Helps boost student confidence
  • Helps students make a smooth transition into student life in higher education
  • Provides students with a student profile and certificate which is marked on: (1) overall performance; (2) participation in a seminar; (3) written assignment.

"I fully enjoyed the Top-Up Programme and would recommend it to fellow pupils who are thinking of doing it next year." 2012/13 Top-Up Student.

‌Top-Up aims to increase school students' awareness of higher education and the realities of study at this level. University or college is very different from school. Whether students want to pick up completely new subjects or continue with familiar ones, they are likely to find themselves learning in new ways. Top-Up is a rigorous, academic programme that introduces students to these new learning methods and environments, as well as equipping them with the key critical skills they will need to be successful learners. The Programme is designed to foster and promote critical thinking and independent learning, as well as key skills for successful higher education study, such as note-taking and making, decision-making and essay-writing.

Top-Up runs in schools from November to April, with ten school sessions and one campus session at the University of Glasgow. The campus session involves: (1) attending a university lecture; (2) participating in a seminar (and science lab workshop if appropriate), and a student life workshop. All sessions are facilitated by fully trained postgraduate tutors and also involve higher education staff and undergraduate students. For further information, please contact the Top-Up Programme at rio-top@glasgow.ac.uk