Post-16 choices

What is an EPQ? Workload, assessment and university applications

A neutral guide to EPQ project forms, planning records, research, presentation, assessment, workload, UCAS points and university applications.

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Editorial

Lead authorRobin GibbonsFounder & CEO·Latimer Tuition
Reviewed byHeather LatimerTutor Matching & Customer Service·Latimer Tuition
Published4 August 2026
Last reviewed4 August 2026

Current answer

What is an EPQ?

An EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) is a standalone Level 3 qualification built around a substantial student-led project. The student develops a question or practical outcome, the centre approves it, and the student plans, researches, creates, evaluates and presents the work. AQA describes it as an “A-level standard standalone qualification”, but it is not an A level and does not replace a required A level or subject.

The process matters as well as the final outcome: planning records, source choices, decisions, changes, evaluation and the presentation can all contribute to assessment. An EPQ can be a strong choice for a student with a genuine interest and enough capacity to work independently. It is less likely to be a good choice if core subjects are already under pressure or if the main expectation is a guaranteed university-offer benefit.

The qualification is commonly described as half the size of an A level, and an A* EPQ carries 28 UCAS Tariff points. Universities decide independently whether and how to use it.

EPQ at a glance

These points describe the common shape of the qualification. The exact forms, records and assessment detail depend on the awarding body and centre.

Qualification level

A standalone Level 3 qualification, separate from an A level.

Student ownership

The student chooses and develops the topic; the centre approves the proposal, teaches relevant skills and supervises the process.

What is assessed

Project management, research and resources, development of the outcome, evaluation, project records and communication—not only the polish of the final product.

Project forms

Depending on the specification, the outcome may be a dissertation, investigation, artefact, design, performance or event, supported by written evidence.

Time

Awarding-body materials commonly plan the EPQ around 120 hours overall. This is not a fixed weekly timetable for every student.

UCAS Tariff

Grades carry 8 to 28 Tariff points, but each university or college decides whether and how those points affect admission.

What types of EPQ project can students complete?

An EPQ does not always mean a 5,000-word essay. AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR and WJEC/Eduqas use somewhat different labels, but the broad forms below recur. Written evidence is required, although its form and length vary.

AQA-specific guidance says a written-only project is approximately 5,000 words and an artefact project includes a minimum 1,000-word report documenting the research. Those figures must not be applied to every EPQ.

Project form	What it involves	Illustrative manageable direction	Direction to avoid
Dissertation or written report	A sustained, evidence-based argument that answers a focused question.	“To what extent has urban greening reduced summer heat in a specified UK borough?”	“Climate change”, which is too broad for one critical project.
Investigation or field study	Collection and analysis of primary data, supported by relevant secondary research.	A controlled comparison with one defined variable, a feasible method and an accessible data set.	A study needing unsafe procedures, inaccessible equipment or ethical approval the centre cannot support.
Artefact or design	Creation and testing of a product, prototype, artwork, website or other outcome, supported by research and process evidence.	Design and test an accessible revision-planning prototype, informed by research into user needs.	Making the product first and trying to invent a research justification afterwards.
Performance or event	Development and delivery of a researched performance or organised outcome, with documented planning and evaluation.	Develop a short performance from researched source material and evaluate the main creative decisions.	Treating the final performance or event alone as the complete project evidence.

The EPQ journey: from idea to presentation

This is a board-neutral sequence based on common stages in the main specifications. Schools and colleges may use different forms and schedules.

1. Test the idea

Explore an area of interest and decide whether a focused question or practical outcome is feasible, safe, ethical and sufficiently challenging.
2. Draft the proposal

Set out the working title or question, overall aim, intended outcome and initial research approach.
3. Gain centre approval

Submit the proposal and revise its scope, method or title where the supervisor or coordinator identifies a genuine problem.
4. Plan the work

Create milestones, identify resources and risks, and set review points rather than relying on one distant final deadline.
5. Gather and judge evidence

Find, record, compare and reference suitable sources or primary evidence.
6. Develop the outcome

Build the argument, investigation, artefact or performance and record important choices, problems and changes as they happen.
7. Evaluate

Judge the final outcome against the original aims and assess the quality of the process, decisions, methods and time management.
8. Present and submit

Explain the project, respond to questions and submit the required outcome, written evidence and project records.

What goes in an EPQ production log or project record?

The name varies—AQA uses a Production Log and Assessment Record, OCR a Project Progression Record, and Pearson includes a Project Activity Log and other evidence—but the record is assessable evidence rather than simple administration. It should show the proposal, plan, sources, advice, decisions, changes and reasons, evaluation, and presentation evidence. Substantive advice may also need to be recorded.

The examples below explain the distinction; they are not wording for a student to copy into assessed work.

Element	What it means	What useful evidence looks like
Title or question	What the project will investigate, answer or create.	A focused scope that can be investigated with the time, sources and resources available.
Aim	The overall achievement the student intends to reach.	A clear statement that can later be used to judge whether the project succeeded.
Objectives	Observable tasks or outcomes that break the aim into manageable parts.	Specific steps linked to research, development, testing, analysis and evaluation.
Decisions and changes	Why the student changed the scope, source base, method, timetable or intended outcome.	The problem identified, the evidence considered, the decision made and the effect on the plan.
Reflective entry	A record of reasoning rather than a list of completed tasks.	Weak: “Did more research and changed my title.” More useful illustration: “My first question covered the whole UK and produced too many unrelated sources. After comparing the available data sets, I narrowed the study to one region and updated the timetable to allow a closer methodology comparison.”

How to judge sources for an EPQ

Good research is not measured by the number of links collected. Students need to select, compare, understand and reference evidence that genuinely helps answer the project question. Primary research is not automatically stronger than reliable secondary evidence, and work involving people can create consent, privacy, safeguarding or other ethical issues that the centre must be able to support.

Authority

Who produced the source, and what relevant expertise, evidence or official responsibility do they have?
Evidence

Does the source show its data, method, references or reasoning clearly enough to assess?
Currency

Is its publication date suitable for the claim, especially for rules, technology, policy or admissions information?
Relevance

Does it answer the precise project question rather than a broad neighbouring topic?
Perspective

What interests, assumptions, limitations or intended audience may shape the source?
Corroboration

Do independent reliable sources agree, qualify or contradict it?

How is an EPQ assessed?

Across the main specifications, four broad assessment areas recur. The exact wording and weighting vary by board, but the central point is consistent: a polished final product is not enough on its own. Planning, source use, problem-solving, adaptation, evaluation and communication all matter.

AQA and OCR use a 20% Manage, 20% Use Resources, 40% Develop and Realise, 20% Review model. Pearson’s 54-mark model is approximately 17%, 22%, 44% and 17%. These are board-specific figures, not a single national weighting. Work is normally assessed by the centre and then moderated or otherwise checked by the awarding body.

Assessment area	What it means in practice	Evidence the student may need to show
Manage	Define a viable project, set aims, plan tasks and resources, monitor progress and adapt when necessary.	A workable proposal, milestones, risk and resource planning, and recorded reasons for important changes.
Use resources	Find, select, understand, analyse and reference appropriate information, data, people, materials or tools.	A suitable range of sources, critical comparison, accurate referencing and justified use of evidence.
Develop and realise	Apply relevant skills, solve problems, make reasoned decisions and complete the intended outcome.	Documented development, testing or drafting, responses to difficulties and a completed outcome appropriate to the aims.
Review	Evaluate the outcome, the process, the student’s decisions and learning, then communicate conclusions appropriately.	A critical evaluation against the aims, recognition of limitations, reflection on management and a clear presentation.

What happens in the EPQ presentation?

A presentation is required across the main boards reviewed and usually includes questions. AQA requires students to “deliver a presentation to a non specialist audience”. Pearson says a conventional oral presentation may take about ten minutes, but also states that there is no fixed time limit. There is no safe universal duration or compulsory slide order.

State the question or intended outcome

Explain what the project set out to investigate, answer, design or produce.
Explain the scope

Show why the project mattered and how the student narrowed it to a manageable focus.
Select the important evidence

Discuss the research or development choices that most influenced the outcome.
Discuss a difficulty or change

Explain a significant problem, limitation or revision and the reasoning behind the response.
Summarise the result

Present the principal finding, argument, artefact, performance or other outcome clearly.
Evaluate rather than celebrate

Judge both the result and the student’s management of the project, including what could have been stronger.
Say what would change next time

Identify a realistic improvement to the method, scope, evidence or planning.
Prepare for questions

Answer from the project’s evidence and records rather than relying on memorised claims.

Decision caveat

How much work is an EPQ?

Current awarding-body materials commonly plan the EPQ around 120 hours overall, with roughly 30–40 hours of taught provision in the examples reviewed. That does not mean every student completes the same number of hours or follows the same weekly timetable.

Ofqual defines Total Qualification Time as a notional estimate combining guided learning with directed preparation, study and assessment outside immediate supervision. Guided learning is the part completed under immediate guidance or supervision. The rest may include independent research, development, record-keeping, evaluation and preparation for assessment.

Before choosing the EPQ, a student should ask whether they can:

protect regular time without weakening essential subject work;
keep records as the project develops rather than reconstructing them at the end;
continue working when the answer or outcome is not yet clear;
obtain feasible access to sources, equipment or participants;
accept that evidence may require the title or plan to change; and
leave enough time for evaluation and the presentation after the main outcome appears finished.

When this advice is not enough

The 120-hour planning figure cannot predict an individual’s weekly workload. Centre timetables, internal deadlines, project type, access to evidence and working pace all affect the experience.

What to do instead

Map the centre’s milestones against the student’s main-subject deadlines and existing commitments. Reconsider the EPQ if there is no realistic protected time for sustained work, record-keeping, evaluation and presentation.

How many UCAS points is an EPQ worth?

The Level 3 EPQ carries the Tariff points below. The UCAS Tariff compares certain qualifications and grades; it does not create one admissions rule. According to UCAS, “Universities and colleges set their own entry requirements”. A provider does not have to accept a qualification simply because it appears in the Tariff, or use all of its assigned points.

Describing the EPQ as half the size of an A level does not mean it can replace a required A level or a named subject.

EPQ grade	UCAS Tariff points
A*	28
A	24
B	20
C	16
D	12
E	8

How do universities view the EPQ?

There is no single university policy. An institution may recognise the skills without changing an offer, invite applicants to discuss relevant experience, publish a course-specific alternative offer, count the points on a Tariff-based course, or make no stated adjustment.

The official examples below illustrate that variation; they are not a ranking or a promise about another course. Oxford recognises the research and academic skills developed but says the EPQ “will not be a condition of any offer”. The Bath and Sheffield examples were checked on 4 August 2026, apply to 2027 entry, and must be read with the full course conditions for the intended entry year.

Institution and course	Published EPQ treatment	What it shows
University of Oxford, general undergraduate guidance	Recognises the opportunity to develop research and academic skills, but the EPQ is not a condition of an offer.	Skills recognition without an EPQ-dependent offer.
University of Bath, MPhys Physics with Astrophysics, 2027 entry	Typical A-level offer AAA; an alternative offer of AAA or AAB is published with grade A in an EPQ or IEPQ, subject to the course’s stated Maths and Physics conditions.	A course-specific alternative offer linked to a stated EPQ grade.
University of Sheffield, BA Politics and Sociology, 2027 entry	Standard offer ABB; an alternative combination of BBB plus grade B in a fourth Level 3 qualification such as the EPQ is published.	The EPQ used alongside three A levels in a specified course offer.

Is an EPQ worth it?

The most accurate answer is sometimes. Its value depends on the student’s interest, capacity and willingness to manage a long independent project—not only on Tariff points. A topic does not universally need to match the degree a student plans to study, although a relevant project may provide useful evidence of academic interest. That relevance does not guarantee admissions credit.

A genuine question or creative goal

The student has a subject they want to investigate or an outcome they genuinely want to develop.

Independent working suits them

They can make decisions, respond to uncertainty and keep records over an extended period.

There is enough capacity

Protected time is available without putting core post-16 qualifications at avoidable risk.

The proposal is feasible

Suitable sources, equipment, participants and supervision are realistically available.

Core grades are already under pressure

An additional qualification may spread attention too thinly when main subjects need priority.

The only aim is a guaranteed offer benefit

University treatment varies and many courses make no stated adjustment.

The scope is unrealistic

A very broad, unsafe, ethically complex or resource-heavy project may become hard to complete and evaluate well.

Someone else is expected to shape the assessed work

The title, research, argument, decisions, writing and evaluation must remain authentically the student’s.

Decision caveat

AI, plagiarism and outside help

“the work which you submit for assessment must be your own” — JCQ

AI is not safely described as simply allowed or banned. Any use must fit the current rules of the centre, awarding body and JCQ. Acknowledgement does not by itself make a use acceptable. Where AI use is permitted, it must be recorded precisely enough for the assessor to understand what was generated and how it was used. Merely naming an AI tool does not make copied or heavily rewritten material acceptable, and marks cannot be awarded for skills the student has not demonstrated independently.

AI or another person must not replace the student’s research, analysis, writing, decisions or evaluation. A lower-risk activity might be practising a general referencing method on unrelated material or, where explicitly permitted, generating broad search synonyms before the student independently finds and evaluates real sources. High-risk or prohibited assistance includes choosing the final title, finding or selecting the project’s evidence on the student’s behalf, drafting or rewriting passages, supplying analysis or conclusions, completing the project record, or scripting answers that disguise a lack of understanding.

External feedback is also board-sensitive. OCR’s June 2026 update permits discussion and verbal guidance but prohibits written feedback on drafts; AQA requires substantive advice to be recorded in the production log.

When this advice is not enough

A student is unsure whether a particular tool, feedback method, editing suggestion or form of help is permitted for their specification and centre.

What to do instead

Ask the supervisor before using it, follow the centre’s current assessment instructions and keep the required evidence of any permitted assistance or AI use. Do not submit material whose origin or authorship cannot be explained clearly.

Latimer view

What kind of tutor support may be appropriate?

Where the student’s centre permits it, a tutor may help develop general transferable skills: turning a broad interest into several possible lines of enquiry without choosing the assessed title; finding databases; distinguishing primary and secondary sources; practising referencing on unrelated material; improving general organisation; clarifying subject knowledge; or building presentation confidence with practice material.

A tutor should not research the project, select the final question, design the assessed method, write or rewrite passages, supply analysis or conclusions, complete the production log, edit the work into a higher-mark response or prepare scripted answers that conceal a lack of independent understanding.

Latimer’s matching service lets families share the subject, level, goal and timing and may provide up to three tutor recommendations. The service is free and there is no obligation to book. Explain the awarding body and the type of general skills support needed; this does not guarantee an EPQ specialist, authorised supervisor or current availability. Families can also browse tutor profiles.

UK scope

A note on awarding bodies and UK differences

Project forms, records, assessment detail and availability vary by awarding body and centre. WJEC/Eduqas states that its Level 3 Extended Project is available in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. OCR says centres outside England should use the relevant qualification registers to confirm availability.

Scotland should not be treated as though it necessarily uses the same EPQ qualification. Qualifications Scotland describes the Scottish Baccalaureate as a group of Higher and Advanced Higher qualifications at SCQF Level 7 with an Interdisciplinary Project. This is related in its emphasis on independent work but is a distinct qualification. Students should identify the exact project qualification and awarding body offered by their school or college.

Official sources and further reading

The qualification rules and admissions examples in this guide come from official awarding-body, regulator, admissions and university pages. University examples are dated because course requirements can change between entry years.

AQA: EPQ specification overview

Qualification overview; accessed 4 August 2026.

Open source 1
AQA: detailed Level 3 EPQ specification

Version 1.4; file listed 7 January 2019; accessed 4 August 2026.

Open source 2
AQA: specification at a glance

Presentation and qualification overview; accessed 4 August 2026.

Open source 3
Pearson Edexcel: Level 3 Extended Project specification

Issue 4, November 2023; accessed 4 August 2026.

Open source 4
OCR: Level 3 Extended Project Qualification specification

Version 2.1, 2026; accessed 4 August 2026.

Open source 5
OCR: June 2026 specification update

Published 30 June 2026; accessed 4 August 2026.

Open source 6
WJEC/Eduqas: Level 3 Extended Project

Qualification and availability information; accessed 4 August 2026.

Open source 7
Ofqual: qualification-time definitions

Ofqual Handbook, Section E; accessed 4 August 2026.

Open source 8
JCQ: AI use in assessments

Published 30 April 2025; accessed 4 August 2026.

Open source 9
UCAS: calculate Tariff points

Tariff values and provider discretion; accessed 4 August 2026.

Open source 10
University of Oxford: UK qualifications

University-wide EPQ guidance; accessed 4 August 2026.

Open source 11
University of Bath: MPhys Physics with Astrophysics

Course-specific 2027 entry example; accessed 4 August 2026.

Open source 12
University of Sheffield: BA Politics and Sociology

Course-specific 2027 entry example; accessed 4 August 2026.

Open source 13
Qualifications Scotland: Scottish Baccalaureates

Scottish Interdisciplinary Project context; accessed 4 August 2026.

Open source 14
Latimer Tuition: Match Me With a Tutor

Matching-process information; accessed 4 August 2026.

Open source 15

Related guidance

More guidance from this section

More guidance from this part of the Ed Centre that may help with the same decision, stage or next step.

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Related guidance

A-Level Predicted Grades: How Schools Set Them and How UCAS Uses Them

A predicted grade is your school or college’s evidence-based estimate, not a guaranteed result or university offer. Learn what may shape it, when it goes to UCAS and what to do if the evidence seems incomplete.

Related guidance

Changing A-Level Subjects After Starting Sixth Form

A switch can be realistic when the sixth form agrees, the timetable works and the missed content is still recoverable. Use this guide to judge the gap and act early.

Support and clarity

Frequently asked questions

Straight answers to the questions people ask most often.

What does EPQ stand for?

EPQ stands for Extended Project Qualification. It is a standalone Level 3 project qualification, not an A level. It is commonly described as half the size of an A level and can carry up to 28 UCAS Tariff points, but it does not replace a required A level or subject.

Who chooses the EPQ topic?

The student chooses and develops the topic. The centre approves the proposal and may require changes for scope, feasibility, safety or ethics, but it should not simply supply the assessed title.

Does every EPQ have to be a 5,000-word essay?

No. Depending on the awarding body, an EPQ may be a dissertation, investigation, artefact, design, performance or event, supported by written evidence. Approximately 5,000 words is AQA guidance for a written-only project, not a universal EPQ rule.

How long does an EPQ take?

Current awarding-body materials commonly use a planning figure of about 120 hours overall, with roughly 30–40 taught hours in the examples reviewed. The weekly workload and delivery period vary by centre, project type and student, so there is no reliable national hours-per-week figure.

Is an EPQ worth it?

It can be worthwhile for a student with a genuine project interest, enough capacity alongside core qualifications and the willingness to work independently and keep records. It may be a poor choice if main grades are already under pressure or the student expects a guaranteed reduced offer.

How many UCAS points is an EPQ worth?

The Tariff values are A* 28, A 24, B 20, C 16, D 12 and E 8. Universities and colleges set their own entry requirements and do not have to use those points.

Do universities care about the EPQ?

Some universities recognise the skills without changing the offer; some courses publish an alternative offer linked to a specified EPQ grade; others make no stated adjustment. Use the official course requirements for the student’s entry year rather than assuming one university-wide policy.

Can you use AI for an EPQ?

Only within the current rules of the student’s centre, awarding body and JCQ. The assessed work must remain the student’s own, permitted use must be acknowledged precisely, and AI must not replace the research, analysis, writing, decisions or evaluation being assessed.

Official guidance

1.
AQA — Level 3 Extended Project Qualification 7993: Specification
AQA · 2019-01-07 · Accessed 2026-08-04
Qualification overview, student-led process and AQA-specific requirements.
2.
AQA — Level 3 Extended Project Qualification 7993 Specification, version 1.4
AQA · 2019-01-07 · Accessed 2026-08-04
Detailed project forms, written evidence, production log, assessment and presentation requirements.
3.
AQA — Specification at a glance
AQA · Accessed 2026-08-04
Concise qualification and presentation information.
4.
Pearson Edexcel — Level 3 Extended Project Specification, Issue 4
Pearson Edexcel · 2023-11 · Accessed 2026-08-04
Project forms, evidence, assessment, guided provision and presentation guidance.
5.
OCR — Level 3 Extended Project Qualification Specification
OCR · 2026 · Accessed 2026-08-04
Current project forms, progression record, assessment, workload and qualification-availability information.
6.
OCR — Specification update for Extended Project qualification
OCR · 2026-06-30 · Accessed 2026-08-04
Current clarification on meetings, verbal guidance, written draft feedback and independent work.
7.
WJEC/Eduqas — Level 3 Extended Project
WJEC/Eduqas · Accessed 2026-08-04
Project forms, internal assessment, external moderation and stated availability.
8.
Ofqual — Handbook, Section E
Ofqual / GOV.UK · Accessed 2026-08-04
Definitions of Total Qualification Time, guided learning and directed independent activity.
9.
JCQ — AI Use in Assessments
Joint Council for Qualifications · 2025-04-30 · Accessed 2026-08-04
Own-work, acknowledgement, malpractice and authentication rules for AI-assisted assessment work.
10.
UCAS — Calculate your Tariff points
UCAS · Accessed 2026-08-04
EPQ Tariff values and the limits of using Tariff points as an admissions indicator.
11.
University of Oxford — UK qualifications
University of Oxford · Accessed 2026-08-04
Example of recognising EPQ skills without making the qualification an offer condition.
12.
University of Bath — MPhys Physics with Astrophysics
University of Bath · 2027 entry · Accessed 2026-08-04
Course-specific 2027 example of an alternative offer linked to EPQ grade A.
13.
University of Sheffield — Politics and Sociology BA
University of Sheffield · 2027 entry · Accessed 2026-08-04
Course-specific 2027 example using the EPQ as a fourth Level 3 qualification in an alternative offer.
14.
Qualifications Scotland — Scottish Baccalaureates
Qualifications Scotland · Accessed 2026-08-04
Distinction between the EPQ and Scotland's Interdisciplinary Project.

Internal pages

1.
Latimer Tuition — Match Me With a Tutor
Latimer Tuition · Accessed 2026-08-04