Bitesize Uni: Y12 Summer School
Bitesize Uni (BSU) is our free Year 12 summer school. Stay on campus, try out a degree subject in an area of your choice, and take part in fun social activities.
Applications to Bitesize Uni (BSU) are open! Apply online now: Bitesize Uni Application form.
Applications close on the 27th March 2026. Please note that we reserve the right to close applications early in the event of an exceptionally high volume of sign ups.
When is BSU?
BSU will take place across two three-day periods, splitting attendees into two groups.
Sunday 12 July – Tuesday 14 July 2026
OR
Wednesday 15 – Friday 17 July 2026.
If you plan to apply, we strongly recommend keeping the full week free, as we will not be able to confirm which half of the week your chosen subject strand will run until closer to the event.
Subject Strands
As part of Bitesize Uni, you are able to try out a subject you might want to study at university, partaking in interactive sessions delivered by academics in the relevant field.
All the optional subject strands link to one or more degree programmes you can choose to study at Newcastle University.
All linked degree programmes are eligible for our PARTNERS programme and those in the Science, Agriculture and Engineering Faculty are also eligible for our Pathways To Newcastle programme, both for Year 13 students.
On the application form, we ask you to indicate a first and second preference from the available subject strands. This helps us match applicants as closely as possible should you be offered a place. Please see the available subject strands below:
.jpg)
How to Apply
You can submit your application for BSU online here.
Bitesize Uni is ONLY for students in Year 12 / first year college or the equivalent in Northern Ireland and Scotland.
The application form will ask some questions about you and your personal details, your top two available subject strands, and for you to provide a short statement of why you are interested in the programme.
We will also need contact details of your main parent/carer and a teacher from your school or college, as if you are successful in gaining a place both will have to complete a short form to provide permission for you to attend.
Applications close on the 27th March 2026. We will only start to confirm places once applications have closed.
If the event is oversubscribed, we may rely on our Summer School eligibility criteria to allocate places. You can view full details on this here: BSU Eligibility Criteria. Please note that we reserve the right to close applications early in the event of an exceptionally high volume of sign ups.
What's involved?
The event is designed to support you:
- make an informed decision about whether or not you want to go to university
- try out a subject you might want to study
- experience student life, living in Newcastle University's Park View Accommodation.
- gain a sense of belonging and find out whether university and Newcastle are a good fit for you
- meet new people - get to know current university students and other year 12 students from around the UK
During the summer school, you can experience a wide range of academic subject taster sessions, workshops, and talks. Our aim is to give you the motivation to achieve your goals and the confidence to apply to university.
All costs are covered by the University, including your travel to and from Newcastle upon Tyne.
BSU is a timetabled event. It's important to note that you won't have free time to shop in the city centre. All sessions are compulsory.
Event impact
BSU is a key event that aims to support the University's commitment to widening participation. Key results from previous events include:
- On average, BSU 2024 attendees rated the event 9/10.
- 91% of BSU 2024 attendees felt confident in their ability to be successful at university after attending the event.
- 100% of attendees in 2024 said the event met or exceeded expectations
Please note, BSU did not take place in 2025.