Fiducia TogetherEPQ
Also called Extended Project Qualification
A self-directed project worth half an A Level. Independent research, and universities like it.
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.
What it is
The Extended Project Qualification is a Level 3 standalone qualification: a 5,000-word report on a question of your own choosing, or an artefact with a shorter report, plus a presentation and a production log.
It is graded A* to E and carries UCAS points equivalent to half an A Level.
Where it applies
Post-16 students, usually alongside A Levels or a BTEC.
How it works
You choose the question, plan the research, keep a log of decisions, produce the outcome and present it. A supervisor guides but does not direct.
Much of the assessment is on the PROCESS — planning, research, evaluation of sources, reflection — not only the finished product. Students who write a good essay and neglect the log lose heavily.
Some universities make reduced offers to applicants with a strong EPQ; policies vary and are published.
How to use it in your work
Choose a question you can actually answer in 5,000 words. "Is nuclear power good?" is not one; "Should the UK build small modular reactors before 2035?" is.
Keep the production log contemporaneously. Reconstructing it at the end is obvious and it is where marks go.
Reference properly from day one — see referencing.
Where to get help
Your EPQ coordinator, your board's specification, and the university admissions pages of anywhere you are applying.
Where to read more
Last reviewed 2026-08-28 by Fiducia Together · Next review due 2027-08-28
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.