Year 13 Work Experience Open Now

Work experience in Year 13: what is still available and what to prioritise

Year 13 is A-Level exam year, which makes it the busiest and most pressured time of school. But it is also the last stage before university, a gap year, or an apprenticeship — and work experience at this stage can still make a meaningful difference to UCAS applications, apprenticeship applications, and university interviews. UCAS applications: if you are applying to university in Year 13, your UCAS personal statement was submitted in Year 12 or early Year 13. However, if you have interviews (particularly for medicine, law, or Oxbridge), work experience completed in Year 13 — even briefly — can be referenced. Many universities conduct interviews throughout October to January, giving you time to add to your record. Apprenticeship applications: if you are applying for school leaver or degree apprenticeship programmes, work experience in Year 13 is a genuine differentiator. These applications run throughout Year 13. Gap year and deferral: if you have taken or are considering a gap year, structured work experience programmes — particularly virtual ones — can be completed over summer after Year 13 and referenced in university reapplications. Priorities: in Year 13, short programmes that fit around your revision schedule are most practical. Virtual work experience programmes, single-day insight events, and brief employer-run taster sessions are the most accessible. Do not overcommit to lengthy in-person placements during exam term.

Frequently asked questions