Whether you’re a teacher, parent, or community leader, you could be the one that guides this person toward a school that will help them nurture their skills, and fulfil their potential.

Why UWC?

UWC offers a challenging education that sets students up for whichever heights they want to climb. At each of our 18 schools worldwide, we deliver a rigorous education that develops knowledge and character.

But we are about more than this:

• We are a diverse community, where people from different cultures and backgrounds learn and grow from each other
• We are an active community, that inspires students to set up projects and activities in their communities that help others
• We are a supportive community, that encourages students to aim high and catches them when they fall

Who we’re looking for

UWC is not your everyday education. And it may not be for everyone.

But for those who want to learn how to make change happen, this could be the difference between a good education, and a transformative one.

For us, background and money are not barriers. We offer scholarships to ensure that the most talented and driven candidates find a home here.

Instead, we look for students who:

• Show compassion for others, and are willing to listen to different perspectives
• Are hard-working, driven and willing to take on challenges
• Are resilient, with good time-management skills
• Are active in community or school projects, and are motivated by a desire to change their community for the better
• Are people that “do” as well as people that “think”

How to refer a good UWC candidate

If you know someone like this, you can help them in the following ways:

• Let them know about UWC and what it could offer them: 

You can learn more about what UWC has to offer by reading about our curriculum and activities on our websites, and reading about how it has transformed the lives of current and past students. You can also get answers to your questions by reading our useful guides.

Share this information with the young person and their family, and find out whether it’s a challenge they want to embrace with open arms.

• Find out more about how to apply

We offer two main application routes, which are explained further here. Find out when their application needs to be submitted, and what’s required.

In most cases, UWC schools tend to cater for 16-19-year-old students. Younger students may want to get a taste of UWC life by attending summer school programmes or UWC short courses.

• Helping candidates with their applications

While deadlines vary, most applications are encouraged between September and January. Encourage your student(s) to start preparing their applications early, and identifying people who would offer them compelling references.

You can suggest that your students read our blog post offering tips for getting winning references for a UWC application. You may even find this blog post useful yourself, if you are asked to provide a reference for one of your students.

For advice related to the application itself, you can signpost your students to our blog post providing five steps to a completed UWC application.

• Support them through the process

Submitting an application can bring out a range of emotions, from excitement to fear and doubt. Think of ways that you can support the candidate. This could involve:

• Encouraging them to share their most compelling qualities in the application. Our questions are wide-ranging. For instance, our Global Selection Programme application form asks students to share their reading preferences, personal hobbies, and what they consider to be the most important social problem in their surroundings.
• Supporting them ahead of their interview by offering advice and allowing them time out of the classroom to prepare.
• Helping them to maintain their confidence, and respond to setbacks or challenges

This could be the start of an amazing experience for a talented, driven child. You could be responsible for making that happen.

Sign up here to receive more information about the inspiring path they could take at UWC.