Mapping out and preparing for one continuous journey over several days, which could be on foot, bicycle, canoe or another method that requires physical effort (no cars or electric scooters!) So, yes, universities do like to see a Duke of Edinburgh Award on your UCAS form, but only insofar as it tells them something about you. An Award of Personal Effectiveness (AoPE) from ASDAN will earn you 8 UCAS Points, and will take around 80 hours at Level 3. There are plenty of opportunities to connect teamwork to the DofE, for example: To become a (enter job aspiration associated with course applied for here) cooperating in a team is of the utmost importance. This course allows you to choose the six modules that you study, and is a great way of making your skills more desirable to employers which is incredibly useful when getting a job can be so competitive! All sections of the award must be completed to pass the DofE award. You amass a portfolio of evidence of the voluntary work youve done, as well as actively developing skills in a range of useful areas, such as customer service, fundraising and project management. Yes, it is possible to complete your Gold DofE expedition on a kayak or canoe. There are many reasons to do DofE, in addition to the adventure of the expedition, the confidence building, learning new skills and volunteering. These are known as bronze, silver, and gold level. Of the 4 people I know at Oxford, only 1 has done DofE. This section of the award must take place in an unfamiliar environment without friends or relatives, which encourages young people to move out of their comfort zone. A Theory of Knowledge, which can earn you up to 12 Points. A DofE Award also looks good on your CV and can be useful when applying for educational courses and jobs. It is aimed at students aged 16 and over to allow them to develop their employability skills. However, completion of DofE, especially Silver and Gold, are excellent talking points for your Personal Statement as they display proficiency in a wide variety of soft skills. If you are interested in doing a short volunteering course, the details of ASDANs programme are found on the ASDAN Website. Having good English Language abilities will be essential if you intend to study in the UK, and the ESOL Programme is a good way of demonstrating that you have these skills. These qualifications are an excellent addition to the university applications of those whose native language isnt English, as theyre a respected way of proving that you can use English to an exceptional level, including specifically for an academic context.