What is Accelerate?

Accelerate is a one-week programme, run by the University of Strathclyde, for pupils who have just gone into S5 or S6 and are thinking about going to university. It aims to provide a targeted focus on the pupils' chosen area of academic interest, giving them a head start on the road to their chosen career.

Taking place at the University of Strathclyde’s Glasgow city centre campus, the 2024 programme has nine subject areas that pupils can choose from, depending on their career aspirations:

Running from 17th to 21st June:

• Business
• Chemistry
• Electronic & Electrical Engineering
• Politics

Running from 24^th to 28^th June:

• Chemical Engineering
• Computer Science
• Education
• Law
• Product Design

Teams of academic experts have put together week-long Challenges in each of these subjects to allow pupils to find out all about their area of interest and the career opportunities open to them. Led by undergraduate and postgraduate student mentors from the relevant fields, pupils will undertake a variety of group challenges, as well as attending  careers and industry presentations.

If you would like to find out more about the individual Challenges, please click on the links above.

Please note that Accelerate is not a residential course.

Information on Funded Places

All places on the programme are fully funded and awarded to pupils based on six Widening Access criteria. These are:

• Attendance at one of the University’s target schools. For a list of target schools, please see Strathclyde Target Schools List
• If your home postcode is in Quintile 1 or 2 based on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. You can check your postcode here: SIMD Postcode Look Up
• Young Carer
• Care-Experienced
• Free School Meals
• Asylum seeker/refugee

Please note, pupils only need to match ONE of the above six criteria to be eligible to apply.

There are two ways that pupils can apply for a funded place, through their parent/guardian or through their school:  

1) Applying for a Funded Place: Info for Parents/Guardians

2) Applying for a Funded Place: Info for Teachers

Accelerate FAQs

Accelerate 2023 Review

2023 saw the 14^th year of the Young Strathclyder Accelerate programme with 185 pupils, from 49 schools and 14 local authorities across Scotland participating in seven different challenges.

You can read the Accelerate 2023 Programme Report and here is what some of the participants had to say about the programme:

It has given me a real insight to what uni can look like and has made me very excited for the future and what my career could look like.

I think that the Accelerate Programme was a great way of getting a taste of the University life. It was good to experience some of the activities and routines of a university student.

The mentors were incredible, not only did they provide a sense of security but also insight into what university life is like.

It has developed my understanding along with communication skills, group skills and even friendship skills.

I think the programme brought me out of my shell as I have made lots of new friends.

I thought the accelerate programme was an incredible experience that I would definitely tell people to experience if they had the chance.

I think the Accelerate Programme was the best programme I have ever taken part in when it comes to getting to know what the education system looks like and what the university life looks like generally. I am really happy and enjoyed it from the first day to the last. I want to thank the university staff, the mentors and everyone who contributed to this programme and helped us to this extent.